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Ulster Workers' Council Strike - Details of Source Materials


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Text: Martin Melaugh ... Research: Fionnuala McKenna
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This is a draft list of some of the source material used in the section on the Ulster Workers' Council (UWC) Strike from 14 to 28 May 1974. It also contains a guide to other material which may be of use to researchers. The information is divided into two sections; Section 1 contains details of a selection of the journal and newspaper articles which were published during and after the strike, a selection of other publications and videorecordings. Section 2 contains a list of documents and ephemeral material which are currently available in the Northern Ireland Political Collection of the Linen Hall Library in Belfast.


Key Texts

Anderson (1994) Fourteen May Days: The Inside Story of the Loyalist Strike of 1974.

Fisk (1975) The Point of No Return: The Strike Which Broke the British in Ulster.

Gillespie (1994) Loyalist Politics and the Ulster Workers' Council Strike of 1974. (PhD Thesis, QUB).


Journal Articles

Bell, Martin. (1974) 'Pre-emptive strike in Ulster', The Listener, Vol. 91, 6 June, p.714.

Holland, Mary. (1974) 'The Ulster strikers' case', New Statesman, 24 May, p.13.

Knox, Rawle. (1974) 'Stopping Ulster's clock', The Spectator, 1 June, pp.664-665.

Knox, Rawle. (1974) 'Varieties of freedom', The Spectator, 8 June, p.700.

McCann, Eamon. (1974) 'The Loyalist strike: Fascists or revolutionaries', Time Out, Vol. 223, (June).

n.a. (1974) 'Blowing in the wind', The Economist, Vol. 251, 25 May, pp.13-14.

n.a. (1974)'Making Ulster worse', The Economist, Vol. 251, 8 June, pp.13-14.

n.a. (1974) 'So who does rule?' The Economist, Vol. 251, 1 June, pp.11-13.

n.a. (1974) 'The future of Northern Ireland: a survey of public opinion', The Listener, Vol. 91, 9 May, pp.590-594.

n.a. (1974) 'Ulster: More a putsch than a strike', The Economist, Vol. 251, 25 May, p.31.

n.a. (1974) 'Ulster: Power-sharing ends in tears and cheers', The Economist, Vol. 251, 1 June, pp.17-18.


National Newspaper Articles

Bing, Geoffrey. (1974) 'The only voice the Loyalists care to use', The Irish Times, 31 May, p.8.

Bing, Geoffrey. (1974) 'Exploring the practical solutions for the North' The Irish Times, 1 June, p.5.

Blundy, David. Holden, Anthony. Humphry, Derek. (1974) 'The week Ulster was ruled from a rented house in a Belfast suburb', The Sunday Times, 26 May, p.754.

Coombs, Derek. (1974) 'Power Sharing still the only way forward for Ulster', The Times, 1 June, p.14.

Fisk, Robert. (1974) 'What went wrong with Ulster's brave experiment?', The Times, 29 May, p.14.

Fisk, Robert. (1974) 'Is Ulster heading towards a Protestant dictatorship?', The Times, 3 June, p.14.

Fisk, Robert. (1974) 'What future is there for power-sharing in Ulster', The Times, 23 May.

Fisk, Robert. (1974) 'Ulster: how the militants took power away from the politicians', The Times, 20 May, p.14.

Fisk, Robert. (1974) 'What future is there for power-sharing in Ulster?', The Times, 20 May, p.16.

Gibbons, Ivan. (1974) 'Ulster: in place of Sunningdale', The Daily Telegraph, 22 May, p.18.

James, David. (1974) 'Time now for Ulster to assert its independence', The Times, 9 May, p.20.

Kyle, Kieth. (1974) 'Power of the Protestant workers could prove to be Ulster's salvation', The Times, 10 July, p.18.

McKittrick, David and O'Connor, Fionnuala. (1974) 'Humanitarian appeals to the strikers', The Irish Times, 22 May, p.8.

O'Brien, Conor Cruise. (1974) 'A solution of despair', The Observer, 9 June, p.10.

O'Clery, Conor. (1974) 'Resigning to the inevitable calamity', The Irish Times, 1 June, p.10.

Pym, Francis. (1974) 'Truth is the casualty overlooked in Ulster's campaign of fear', The Times, 25 May, p.12.

Watkins, Alan. (1974) 'Westminster's Irish conspiracy', The New Statesman, 31 May, p.754.

West, Harry. (1974) 'Getting a fairer deal for Ulster', The Guardian, 19 July, p.13.

n.a. (1974) 'Breakdown in Ulster', The Sunday Times, 2 June, pp.16-19.

n.a. Leading Article. (1974) 'Striking over Sunningdale', The Times, 17 May, p.21.

n.a. Leading Article. (1974) 'To the brink', The Times, 28 May, p.15.


Other Publications

Boyle, Louis. (1978) 'The Ulster Workers' Council Strike: May 1974', in, Darby, John., and Williamson, Arthur. (eds.), Violence and the Social Services in Northern Ireland. London: Heinemann, 1978, pp.155-165.

Clifford, Brendan. (1974) The Ulster General Strike (including Strike Bulletins of the Workers Association). Belfast: Workers Association.

Clifford, Brendan. (1992) Against Ulster Nationalism: Review of Northern Ireland Politics in the Aftermath of the 1974 UWC Strike. Belfast: Athol Books.

Rees, Merlyn. (1985) 'The Ulster Workers' Strike', in, Northern Ireland: A Personal Perspective, pp.65-90. London: Methuen.


Text of Speech

25 May 1974, Speech by Harold Wilson, then British Prime Minister


Videorecordings

5 May 1994, 'The Ulster Workers Council Strike - Twenty years later', Spotlight, (BBC), Running time: 30 mins
[This strike brought much of N.Ireland to a standstill - an expression of people power. Others saw it as mob law. What is the view 20 years later?]

28 May 1974, Midweek, (BBC)
[Special programme on the UWC Strike, and the fall of the power-sharing Executive]



The following is a draft list of the material used in the web pages on the UWC Strike of 1974. Unless otherwise stated this material is to be found in the Northern Ireland Political Collection at the Linen Hall Library, Belfast. (Most of the following documents are PDF files.)

Loyalist Association of Workers (LAW)

  • Loyalist Association of Workers (LAW). (1969) LAW Enrolment Form, (September 1969), [1 Page], [PDF File; 16KB]. Belfast: LAW.
  • Loyalist Association of Workers (LAW). (n.d., 1972?) LAW Rules, [1 Page], [PDF File; 14KB]. Belfast: LAW.
  • Loyalist Association of Workers (LAW). (1972) LAW Membership Card, [1 Page], [PDF File; 44KB]. Belfast: LAW.
  • Loyalist Association of Workers (LAW). (1972) 'Ulster Loyalist Workers, Now Speak Out', LAW, Vol.1, No.1, (4 February 1972), [Front Page], [PDF File; 71KB]. Belfast: LAW. [Photograph: Joint Chairmen - William Hull and Hugh Petrie]
  • Loyalist Association of Workers (LAW). (1972) 'Declaration of Intent and Covenant to Act', LAW, Vol.1, No.3, (February 1972), [Page 3], [PDF File; 7KB]. Belfast: LAW. [Ulster Vanguard Action Rallies]
  • Loyalist Association of Workers (LAW). (1972) 'The Long Awaited Loyalist Backlash', LAW, Vol.1, No.6, [Front Page], [PDF File; 29KB]. Belfast: LAW.
  • Loyalist Association of Workers (LAW). (1972) 'Time Is Running Out', LAW, Vol.1, No.16, [3 Pages], [PDF File; 1061KB]. Belfast: LAW. ["Rebel Activity", "A Loyalist answer"]
    • Photographs - 1 ~ 2 ~ 3 ~ 4 ~ 5 ~ 6 ~ 7 ~ 8
  • Loyalist Association of Workers (LAW). (1972) 'The Day the Flags Flew Over Stormont', LAW, Vol.1, No.25, [Front Cover], [PDF File; 59KB]. Belfast: LAW.
  • Loyalist Association of Workers (LAW). (1972) 'LAW Calls for Ulster Opinion Poll', LAW, Vol.1, No.29, [Page 3], [PDF File; 29KB]. Belfast: LAW. [Yes/no questions to cut out and post]
  • Loyalist Association of Workers (LAW). (1972) 'Eight Point Ulster Plan', LAW, Vol.1, No.29, (25 October 1972), [Page 8], [PDF File; 55KB]. Belfast: LAW. [Prof. Kennedy Lyndsay's "Eight point Ulster Plan"]
  • Loyalist Association of Workers (LAW). (1972) 'Wilson's Anti-Ulster Speech', LAW, Vol.1, No.34, [Front Page], [PDF File; 56KB]. Belfast: LAW.
  • Loyalist Association of Workers (LAW). (1972) 'Wilson's Anti-Ulster Speech - continued', LAW, Vol.1, No.34, [Back Cover - top half], [PDF File; 26KB]. Belfast: LAW.
  • Loyalist Association of Workers (LAW). (1973) 'Dear Fellow Loyalist', (an open letter), LAW, Vol.1, No.38, (10 January 1973), [Page 4], [PDF File; 31KB]. Belfast: LAW.
  • Loyalist Association of Workers (LAW). (1973) 'Northern Ireland, The Border Poll', LAW, Vol.2, No.41, [Page 4], [PDF File; 50KB]. Belfast: LAW.
  • Loyalist Association of Workers (LAW). (1973) 'Statement by UDA and LAW, issued on 6 March 1973', LAW, Vol. 2, No.46, [Page 5], [PDF File; 23KB]. Belfast: LAW.
  • Loyalist Association of Workers (LAW). (1973) 'Surrender and Betrayal', LAW, Vol.2, No.49, [Front Page], [PDF File; 61KB]. Belfast: LAW.
  • Loyalist Association of Workers (LAW). (1973) 'Friends and Foes, Where Do You Stand?', LAW, Vol.2, No.49, [Back Cover], [PDF File; 9KB]. Belfast: LAW.
  • Loyalist Association of Workers (LAW). (1973) 'Vanguard Unionist Progressive Party - Join Now!', LAW, Vol.2, No.50, (April 1973), [Front Cover], [PDF File; 55KB]. Belfast: LAW.

Loyalist News

  • n.a. (1975) 'Phase One', Loyalist News, Vol.5, No.19, (1 June 1974), [Front Cover], [PDF File; 64KB]. Belfast. ["Phase One" ...Victory to Loyalist People - support the UWC!"]

Loyalist Paramilitaries:

  • Ulster Army Council (UAC). (1974) Ulster Army Council, (1.15pm Tuesday 21 May 1974), [1 Page], [PDF File; 78KB]. Belfast: UAC. [List of Access Conditions for Essential Supplies and Opening Times]
  • UVF - Support for the strike and strike updates, May 1974. [in face of negative propaganda by media], [1 Page]
  • Ulster Defence Assocation (UDA). (n.d.,1974?) 'UDA backs Vanguard', (UDA Leaflet), [1 Page], [PDF File; 24KB]. Belfast: UDA.
  • Ulster Defence Assocation (UDA). (1975) 'Ulster Defence Assocation', (Note of Conference held 27-29 March 1975), [4 Pages], [PDF File; 438KB]. Belfast: UDA.

Pamphlet Collection

  • An analysis of the significance of the Ulster Workers' Strike, May 14 - 30, 1974: A series of articles from Red Patriot editorial staff. Dublin: Necessity for Change Institute, Aug. 1974. P489a
  • Bennett, Jack: 14 Days of Fascist Terror: the truth about the lock-out that toppled the Assembly Government.Connolly Publications Ltd. P1920
  • Workers Association. The Ulster General Strike: Strike Bulletins of the Workers Association. Belfast: Workers Association, Athol Street, 1974. 10 Bulletins {Strike Bulletin No. 9: 2 pages} P1194

Periodicals Collection:

  • Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF). (1974) Combat, Vol. 1, No.1, (March 1974). Belfast: UVF. [First and last pages]
  • Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF). (1974) Combat, Vol. 1, No.11, (May/June 1974). Belfast: UVF. ["Cost of the Strike" - compares financial costs with those incurred by the IRA] [Page 1]
  • Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF). (1974) Combat, Vol. 1, No.11, (May/June 1974). Belfast: UVF. ["Workers organise in East Antrim", - criticises UUUC for not supporting strike initially, and then jumping on the bandwagon] [Page 7]

Poster Collection:

United Ulster Unionist Council (UUUC) News Bulletin

  • United Ulster Unionist Council (UUUC) (1974) Info. & Advice Services News Bulletin, Day 1, (14 May 1974), [1 page]. Belfast: UUUC. [re: Services which are and are not permitted to operate during the strike]

Ulster Worker

  • n.a. (1974) 'Ulster's Strike', Ulster Worker, Edition 2, Vol.1, (1 June 1974), [1 Page]. Belfast: Ulster Worker.

Ulster Workers' Council (UWC)
- Publications

Unity

  • Communist Party of Ireland (CPI) (1974) Unity, Vol.13, No.20, (18 May 1974). Belfast: Communist Party of Ireland. ["Gun-point strike - Who pays the piper?"] {pages 6-7).

Vanguard Bulletin

  • Ulster Vanguard (UV). (1976) 'The End of the Convention', Vanguard Bulletin, No.2, (March 1976), [4 Pages], [PDF File; 274KB]. Belfast: Ulster Vanguard. [Speeches by, Bill Craig, Glenn Barr, David Trimble, and George Green on the End of the Convention]
    Also:
  • Ulster Vanguard (UV). (n.d.,1974?) "Join Now!", (Ulster Vanguard leaflet), [1 Page]. Belfast: Ulster Vanguard.

Workers Weekly

  • Workers Weekly: Bulletin of the BICO, No. 110, Belfast: Athol Street, 25 May 1974. ["The General Strike] {pages 1&2}

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