Those who went on strike earned no money and were ineligible for benefits as their industrial action was deemed illegal; they had to rely on scrimping, savings and handouts. In 1972 and 1974, strikes shut down every coal mine in Britain, and a combination of solidarity strikes by the steel and railway unions and targeted picketing of coking works, ports and industrial sites brought the country to a standstill. Here are ten facts about the UK miners' strike and how it changed the history of industrial action in the country. The California Gold Rush took place between 1848 and 1855. From the start, Scargill was confident of victory. 1 The 1926 General Strike was coordinated by the Trade Union Congress to protest against miners' wages. How was James Callaghan ousted as Prime Minister in 1979? She became a Member of Parliament for Finchley in 1959, became leader of the . People made up their minds in the first month of the strike and stuck to it.". 6th March 1974: Harold Wilson became prime minister and immediately offered the miners a 35% pay rise, ending the strike and the three-day working week. The 1970s strikes were relatively successful for the miners, but the 1984 strike was a failure, and Thatcher won out over the protesting miners. Railway Road, Marple Mrs Woodhead and her family gave up "luxuries" like television and heating because they couldn't afford them, and relied on donations from solidarity movements in the USSR and Poland for Christmas presents for their children that year. After all, traditional house coal, such as bituminous coals, are often more beneficial than firewood for some properties. Whilst the pit closures that were the catalyst for the strike eventually occurred, this year-long act certainly surprised the government. StudySmarter is commited to creating, free, high quality explainations, opening education to all. Arthur Scargill, president of the National Union of Mineworkers from 1982 to 2002. Miners had known for some time that a titanic struggle on the future of their industry was looming. Fact-checking myths of the miners' strike. [CDATA[// >