This chapter examines the extent and impact of ideas about workplace employee representation in the UK during the interwar years. Despite the promise of Whitleyism, Whitley works committees were not extensive and had limited impact. There were some employers, however, who persisted with Whitley works committees or variations on them, such as John Lysaght & Co., Rowntree Confectionary and ICI. There was also some interest in overseas developments, such as ERPs, union-management cooperation and German works councils.

The Extent of Whitley Works Committees

In the UK, attempts to develop Whitley committees at the workplace level had limited impact, while JICs did not develop at the industry level. Initially there was some degree of enthusiasm for JICs: 74 were created between 1918 and 1921 and it has been estimated that they covered over 3.5 million workers by the end of 1920. Whitleyism was irrelevant for much of private manufacturing, such as the iron and steel industry, where collective bargaining and trade unionism were well established. JICs tended to flourish in industries where unions were weak, but in the case of the wrought hollow-ware trade, which produced metal tableware and already had a statutory Trade Board, the JIC lapsed after increased powers conferred on the Trades Boards in 1918 led parties to believe the JIC to be superfluous. JICs generally fell into abeyance in the wake of the First World War, the Civil Service being a notable exception. Many JICs only met a few times or very infrequently. The construction JIC survived until 1922, and the paper industry JIC was active until 1924. Only 42 JICs still functioned in 1930 and only 20 survived to 1939. Employers feared that union militants would use the scheme for “class war” rather than “constructive collaboration,” while unionists feared that employers would use the scheme to eliminate union presence in the workplace.

There are a number of reasons why the JICs failed to develop during the interwar period. The post-war economic boom broke in 1920 and there followed a severe economic recession in 1921–22. The British economy remained sluggish throughout the 1920s and was hit severely by the Great Depression. Trade union membership declined and employers became more belligerent and determined to reassert managerial prerogative in the workplace and to do what was necessary to challenge overseas competition.