Three-Day Week

The Three-Day Week was one of several measures introduced in the United Kingdom by the Conservative Government to conserve electricity, the generation of which was severely restricted owing to industrial action by coal miners. The effect was that from 1 January until 7 March 1974 (also the same month the 1973-74 oil crisis ended ) commercial users of electricity were limited to three specified consecutive days' consumption each week and prohibited from working longer hours on those days. Services deemed essential (e.g. hospitals, supermarkets and newspaper prints) were exempt. Television companies were required to cease broadcasting at 10:30 p.m. during the crisis to conserve electricity. The early television closedowns would continue until Friday 22 February, with the usual closedown hours reinstated on Saturday 23 February 1974.

Throughout the mid-1970s, especially 1974 and 1975, the British economy was troubled by high rates of inflation. To tackle this, the government capped public sector pay rises and publicly promoted a clear capped level to the private sector. This caused unrest among trade unions as wages did not keep pace with price increases. This extended to most industries including coal mining, which provided the majority of the country's fuel and had a powerful trade union.

By the middle of 1973, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) – drawn from a workforce who almost wholly worked for the National Coal Board – was becoming more militant with the election of Mick McGahey as vice-president. The national conference passed resolutions for a 35% wage increase, regardless of any government guidelines, and for the election of a Labour government committed to "true socialist policy" including nationalisation of land and all key monopolies.

As inflation increased, miners' wages became less valuable and, by October 1973, average wages were 2.3% lower than recommended by the Wilberforce Inquiry. In November 1973, the National Executive Committee rejected the pay offer from the NCB and held a national ballot on a strike. The vote was rejected by 143,006 to 82,631. However, an overtime ban was implemented with the aim of halving production. This action hurt the coal industry and was unpopular amongst the British media, although the Trade Union Congress supported the NUM's actions.

To reduce electricity consumption, and thus conserve coal stocks, Edward Heath, then Prime Minister and leader of the British government, announced a number of measures on 13 December 1973, including the "Three-Day Work Order", which came into force at midnight on 31 December. Commercial consumption of electricity would be limited to three consecutive days each week. Heath's objectives were business continuity and survival and to avoid further inflation and a currency crisis. Rather than risk a total shutdown, working time was reduced to prolong the life of available fuel stocks. Television shut at 10:30 p.m. each night, and most pubs were closed. The last early closedown for television was on Friday 22 February 1974.

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