National Railway strike of 1911 (original) (raw)

National railway strike of 1911 was the first national strike of railway workers in Britain. It arose from longstanding disputes between workers and railway companies, combined with the desire of the unions to assert their unity and strength. The strike lasted only two days, but the show of strength succeeded in forcing the Liberal Government to set up a royal commission to examine the workings of the 1907 Conciliation Board. The strike also led to the Llanelli Riots of 1911, in which two people died in clashes between railway workers and troops, which had been sent in to stop the blockade of the line by strikers.