Study title

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

Evaluation of United Kingdom Engineering Strikes, 1920-1970 consists of detailed strikes information on individual member companies in the Engineering Employers' Federation (EEF) between 1920 and 1970. There are records on 10,944 individual strikes, covering 1,909 different member companies and 132 participating unions over 68 different engineering districts. The data comprise information on where and when the strike started, the duration in days (and where less than a day, hours), the company and unions involved, the number of people affected which includes both number of workers on strike and those made idle, and the reason for and the outcome of each strike. Monthly district-level unemployment rates, that match the EEF districts, are provided for the years 1960 to 1970. In addition there is a brief history of each union involved and information on mergers of unions through time into larger amalgams.


Main Topics:

Information covered includes:

• a company identifier
• the union(s) involved
• the engineering district in which the strike occurred
• the cause of the strikes (delineated by pay and non-pay related)
• the start year, month and day plus duration in days (or hours)
• the outcome or strike resolution (divided into successful and unsuccessful strikes)
• the numbers of strikers (by men, women and boys)
• job descriptions of workers involved
• the number of non-strikers made idle by the strike