Nationalisation and Industrial Conflict: Example of British Coal-Mining

I-the growth of nationalisation.- Foundations of laissez-faire.- Natural Law.- Private Property.- Assumptions of Laissez-Faire.- Criticisms of Laissez-Faire.- Theoretical Objections.- Facts against Theory.- Approaches to Nationalisation.- Non-Socialists.- Socialists.- Growth of Nationalisation.- East European Countries.- France.- Britain.- Summary.- II-some aspects of nationalised goal industry.- The Minister of Fuel and Power and the National Coal Board.- The National Coal Board.- Divisions.- Areas.- Collieries.- Trade Unions in Coal-Mining.- The National Union of Mineworkers.- The British Association of Colliery Management.- The National Association of Colliery Overmen, Deputies and Shotfirers.- The National Union of Colliery Winding Enginemen.- Organisations representing workers at Coke Oven and By-Product Plants.- Clerical Staff.- Machinery for Conciliation.- Machinery for Joint Consultation.- Miners’ Welfare.- Manpower.- The War-period.- 1947 and after and the Coal Board’s efforts.- Plan for Coal.- Summary.- III-conflict in coal-mining: a general survey.- Over-all position of the disputes.- 1947.- 1948.- 1949.- 1950.- 1951.- 1952.- 1953.- Causes.- General Remarks.- Wages and Disputes.- The hang-over from past relationships.- Dangerous nature of the work.- Technical reorganisation and disputes.- Disputes and the Conciliation machinery.- The Frequency of Small Disputes.- Summary.- IV-unofficial strikes.- Historical Factors.- Centralisation in Trade Unions.- The Leader and the Rank-and-File.- The Mature of the Leader’s Duties.- The Sources of the Leader’s Power.- “Unofficial” Strikes in Coal-Mining.- The Movement Towards Centralization in the N.U.M..- The Present Set-up of the N.U.M..- Effects of Centralisation.- National Executive and “Unofficial”Strikes.- Suggestions.- Summary.- V-some major disputes.- The Concessionary Coal Dispute (1949).- Background.- The Union’s Stand.- The Board’s Stand.- Course of the Dispute.- Settlement 117 Some Issues Involved.- The Wage Dispute (1952).- Background.- The Union’s Stand.- The Board’s Stand.- The Award.- Reception of the Award.- Settlement.- Some Issues involved.- The Grimethorpe Strike (1947).- Background.- Course of the Dispute.- Some issues involved.- The Wem Tarw Dispute (1951).- Background.- The Strikers’ Stand.- The Board’s Stand.- Course of the Dispute.- Settlement.- Some issues involved.- The Officials’ Disputes (1952).- Background.- Strike in the North-Eastern Division.- Strike in the South-Western Division.- Some issues involved.- Summary.- VI-a field inquiry.- General Remarks and Method of Research.- The Role of Past History.- Winning the Miners’ Confidence.- Diversity of Terms used.- The Questionnaire.- Consultative Committees.- Disputes.- The Lodge.- General.- Summary.