‘Mondism’: Talking to Big Business 1927–28

Abstract

This chapter discusses the attempt to forge a social partnership with the employers. The lesson Bevin and the TUC learned from the General Strike was class warfare was never to be repeated and that capitalism was here to stay. Citrine and Bevin argued that 'trade unionism has reached the end of a defensive stage in its evolution' and that its new aim should be to join with employers in to raise industry to its highest efficiency. Alfred Mond and 21 other employers mainly in the newer industries responded favourably leading to the Mond-Turner talks leading to a set of proposals were agreed which the TUC regarded as the foundation of the industrial relations of the future in contrast to the 'outdated' conflictual model of the militants. Bevin led these discussions. The main employers' organisations representing the older industries overwhelmingly rejected the Mond-Turner proposals.