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==The Ford deal==
==The Ford deal==
The strike by the Ford workers was unofficial, and had not been formally sanctioned by the workers' union, the '''Transport and General Workers Union''' (TGWU), however, given the determination of their members not to return to work, and the violence that had marked the previous year's firefighter's strike, the TGWU officially gave its support on 5 October. They demanded a 25% pay increase and a reduction to a 35 hour working week, and negotiations began with the management of Ford. On 22 November they accepted a 17% pay increase, with no reduction in working hours, and returned to work. The government were furious that Ford had breached the pay policy and attempted to impose sanctions on the company, but this was defeated in [[House of Commons (UK)|Parliament]], with Callaghan only narrowly surviving a motion of confidence. Humiliated and further weakened, the government was now powerless to enforce the 5% cap, which would now be challenged by strikes in both the public and private sectors.<ref>Aspden, Alex op cit</ref>
The strike by the Ford workers was unofficial, and had not been formally sanctioned by the workers' union, the '''Transport and General Workers Union''' (TGWU), however, given the determination of their members not to return to work, and the violence that had marked the previous year's firefighter's strike, the TGWU officially gave its support on 5 October. They demanded a 25% pay increase and a reduction to a 35 hour working week, and negotiations began with the management of Ford. On 22 November they accepted a 17% pay increase, with no reduction in working hours, and returned to work. The government were furious that Ford had breached the pay policy and attempted to impose sanctions on the company, but this was defeated in [[House of Commons (UK)|Parliament]], with Callaghan only narrowly surviving a motion of confidence. Humiliated and further weakened, the government was now powerless to enforce the 5% cap, which would now be challenged by strikes in both the public and private sectors.<ref>Aspden, Alex op cit</ref>
Unlike the strikes which were to follow, the Ford strike was unique in that the entire workforce withdrew their labour - no picket lines were required. English workers in ancilliary industries assisted the strike by preventing the movement of components both on the motorways and in the docks, and this also enabled the workers to turn the division of labour between [[Europe|European]] states against Ford as the majority of European factories were prevented from operating because of the lack of components or because components destined for English factories were held up. Henry Ford said, "It was the worst strike I have ever seen".<ref>''The Winter of Discontent'' op cit</ref> Analysts have concluded that it was this single strike which caused the Labour Government to fall.<ref>''The Winter of Discontent'' op cit</ref>
==Transport strikes==
==Transport strikes==
In an attempt to win a 40% pay increase, fuel tanker drivers employed by [[British Petroleum]] and [[Esso]] had begun "working to rule" and refusing to work overtime. On 9 January 1979, all truck drivers of the TGWU went out on strike for more pay. This crippled the national distribution system, causing food shortages as well as halting the transport of materials required by industry. Fuel stations were closed due to no deliveries to fill their storage tanks, and oil refineries were blockaded by [[flying picket]]s. In less than a month, with road distribution at a standstill, the drivers achieved a pay deal just £1 ($2) less per week than they had asked for.
In an attempt to win a 40% pay increase, fuel tanker drivers employed by [[British Petroleum]] and [[Esso]] had begun "working to rule" and refusing to work overtime. On 9 January 1979, all truck drivers of the TGWU went out on strike for more pay. This crippled the national distribution system, causing food shortages as well as halting the transport of materials required by industry. Fuel stations were closed due to no deliveries to fill their storage tanks, and oil refineries were blockaded by [[flying picket]]s. In less than a month, with road distribution at a standstill, the drivers achieved a pay deal just £1 ($2) less per week than they had asked for.
==Floodgates opened==
[[Image:Waste collectors strike 1978.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Uncollected refuse spilling onto the streets remains an iconic image of the Winter of Discontent]]
While the transport strike was still in force, many public sector workers launched strikes of their own. The railwaymens' unions, the '''National Union of Railwaymen''' (NUR) and the '''Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen''' (ASLEF) had begun to close down the public transport network, and on 22 January the public sector unions called a "Day of Action" which saw 1.5 million workers refusing to work, the largest general stoppage of work in the UK since the General Strike of 1926. Schools and airports were forced to close and ambulance drivers and nurses working for the [[National Health Service]] began refusing to treat patients except for life-threatening emergencies. Many workers who struck on the Day of Action simply did not return to work afterwards, staying out on strike until February. In late January, gravediggers went out on strike, and health officials began contingency planing for burials at sea. However, after two weeks of strike action, the gravediggers achieved a 14% pay increase and returned to work. Waste collection workers were also on strike, and refuse began to pile high in the streets. They remained on strike until 21 February, achieving an 11% increase.<ref>Aspden, Alex op cit </ref>
==References==
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
[[Category:Politics]]