British Productivity Council

Last updated

The British Productivity Council (BPC) was a body that aimed to increase Britain's industrial efficiency. It was formed in 1953 and superseded the Anglo-American Council on Productivity (AACP), which was formed in 1948 and dissolved in 1952. [1] Until 1973, it was funded by the UK government before it was reorganised into smaller Local Productivity Associations and renamed as the British Council of Productivity Associations. [2] The Council was dissolved in 1999. [2]

Contents

History

The idea for the Anglo-American Council on Productivity came jointly from Stafford Cripps, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Paul G. Hoffman, the Marshall Plan administrator, in July 1948. [3] The AACP operated from August 1948 to June 1952, with a budget of a million pounds, two-thirds of which was provided by the Marshall Plan. [3] In response to a parliamentary question from William Teeling in November 1949, Cripps said that the UK government had contributed £87,500 to the AACP that year. [4] The council was made of twenty members, twelve British and eight American, meeting in a joint session roughly once a year. [3] British members included representatives from the Trades Union Congress, the Federation of British Industries and the British Employers' Confederation. [3] The AACP commissioned hundreds of reports and We Too Can Prosper, a popular book on productivity by economist Graham Hutton. [3]

Initial media coverage was unfavourable and trade union leaders were irritated that they had not been consulted and at the implication that British industry needed American help. [3] Though there is no clear evidence that Britain significantly benefited from the AACP, [5] the exercise was seen as "a great success" by its sponsors, leading to the establishment of the BPC in 1953. The Trades Union Congress "participated wholehartedly" in the BPC, to the criticism of some of its members, such as Les Cannon and Ted Hill, who was disciplined by the TUC for his public opposition to the BPC's productivity campaigns. [3]

The BPC's first chair was Peter Bennett, the then-MP for Birmingham Edgbaston, and its first vice-chair was the TUC's Lincoln Evans. [6]

The BPC also sponsered the creation of the National Industrial Fuel Efficiency Service. [7] [8]

Organisation

The BPC's chair alternated between a representative of the trade unions and one from the industry. [9] Notable chairpeople and board members include:

Activities

The BPC started many campaigns, like the National Productivity Year from November 1962 to November 1963, [20] and the Quality and Reliability Year in 1966. [19] [21] It also distributed a publication called Target aimed at educating workers and employers about better workplace practices and adapting to changing markets. [9] [22] [23]

The BPC also made educational films such as Views on Trial (1954). Dispute, a BPC film on industrial relations, won the BAFTA Film Award for Best Specialised Film in 1960. [24] Sarah Erulkar produced several films for the BPC, including the Training For Industry series in 1959. [25]

National Productivity Year

National Productivity Year was given patronage by the Duke of Edinburgh and was supported by both the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition at the time, [16] Harold Macmillan and Hugh Gaitskell respectively. A set of commemorative stamps was released in November 1962 to celebrate it. [16]

Its impact was described as "negligible", [26] and it was recorded as beginning "disastrously" with a decline in outputs. [27]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1926 United Kingdom general strike</span> Sympathy strike to support miners negotiations

The 1926 general strike in the United Kingdom was a general strike that lasted nine days, from 4 to 12 May 1926. It was called by the General Council of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) in an unsuccessful attempt to force the British government to act to prevent wage reductions and worsening conditions for 1.2 million locked-out coal miners. Some 1.7 million workers went out, especially in transport and heavy industry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ernest Bevin</span> British trade union leader, politician, and statesman (1881–1951)

Ernest Bevin was a British statesman, trade union leader and Labour Party politician. He cofounded and served as General Secretary of the powerful Transport and General Workers' Union from 1922 to 1940 and served as Minister of Labour and National Service in the wartime coalition government. He succeeded in maximising the British labour supply for both the armed services and domestic industrial production with a minimum of strikes and disruption.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stafford Cripps</span> British politician and diplomat (1889–1952)

Sir Richard Stafford Cripps was a British Labour Party politician, barrister, and diplomat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walter Citrine, 1st Baron Citrine</span> British trade unionist

Walter McLennan Citrine, 1st Baron Citrine, was one of the leading British and international trade unionists of the twentieth century and a notable public figure. Yet, apart from his renowned guide to the conduct of meetings, ABC of Chairmanship, he has been little spoken of in the history of the labour movement. More recently, labour historians have begun to re-assess Citrine's role.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Attlee ministry</span> UK government, 1945–1951

Clement Attlee was invited by King George VI to form the Attlee ministry in the United Kingdom in July 1945, succeeding Winston Churchill as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. The Labour Party had won a landslide victory at the 1945 general election, and went on to enact policies of what became known as the post-war consensus, including the establishment of the welfare state and the nationalisation of some industries. The government's spell in office was marked by post-war austerity measures, the violent crushing of pro-independence and communist movements in Malaya, the grant of independence to India, the engagement in the Cold War against Soviet Communism as well as the creation of the country's National Health Service (NHS).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Davies (British businessman)</span> British businessman and politician (1916–1979)

John Emerson Harding Harding-Davies, was a British businessman who served as director-general of the Confederation of British Industry during the 1960s. He later went into politics and served in the Cabinet of Edward Heath as the first Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, a position which he held from October 1970 to 4 November 1972. Davies was President of the Board of Trade, and from July to October 1970 was Minister of Technology. He became a Privy Councillor and, in 1972, was appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster with special responsibilities for the co-ordination of British policy towards the European Communities. In 1979 Davies was to be made a life peer as Baron Harding-Davies, but died before the creation of the peerage passed the Great Seal. Peerage history was made when, by Royal Warrant bearing the date 27 February 1980, Queen Elizabeth II granted his widow Vera Georgina the title of Lady Harding-Davies; his children Frank Davies and Rosamond Ann Metherell were given the rank of children of a life peer.

Trade unions in Ghana first emerged in the 1920s and have played an important role in the country's economy and politics ever since.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Geddes, Baron Geddes of Epsom</span> British trade unionist

Charles John Geddes, Baron Geddes of Epsom, CBE was a British trade unionist.

Thomas Williamson, Baron Williamson, was a British trade unionist and Labour Party politician.

Arthur Cecil Allen was a British footwear manufacturer, trade union officer and Member of Parliament. He served as an Opposition Whip, but his most important position was as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Hugh Gaitskell during the first few years as Leader of the Opposition.

Sir William Owen Campbell Adamson was a British industrialist, who was best known for his work as director-general of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) from 1969 to 1976. He rose through the steel industry, where he was in charge of labour relations, and worked as a government adviser during the late 1960s.

Doctors in Unite is a trade union for doctors in the United Kingdom. It was formerly known as the Medical Practitioners' Union (MPU) before its affiliation with Unite.

The Cotton Board was an organisation to oversee the organisation, research, marketing and promoting the cotton textile industry mainly based in Lancashire and Glasgow. It existed from 1940, and as a statutory Industrial Development Board from 1948 to 1972, known in its last years as the Textile Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Industrial Organisation and Development Act 1947</span> United Kingdom legislation

The Industrial Organisation and Development Act 1947 enabled the creation of industrial development boards with powers to raise levies from specific industrial sectors in the United Kingdom for co-ordinated action, particularly in research, marketing and industrial re-organisation. These Boards were to report to the Board of Trade and have equal representation from trades unions and employers alongside independent experts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ghana Trades Union Congress</span> Train union federation in Ghana

The Ghana Trades Union Congress is a national centre that unites various workers' organizations in Ghana. The organization was established in 1945.

Frank Wolstencroft CBE was a British trade union leader.

John Edward Newton was a British trade unionist.

The General Council of the Trades Union Congress is an elected body which is responsible for carrying out the policies agreed at the annual British Trade Union Congresses (TUC).

Bernard Hopkinson Swindell was a British trade unionist, who served as chairman of the National Union of General and Municipal Workers (NUGMW).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fred Trump (politician)</span> Arizona Republican

Frederic John Trump was a businessman and Republican candidate in the 1956 Arizona gubernatorial election. Between 1956 and 1960, he corresponded with then-vice president of the United States Richard Nixon. He was claimed to be a cousin of John G. Trump, brother of New York real-estate developer Fred Trump.

References

  1. ↑ "Anglo-American Council on Productivity Pamphlets Collection Number: 5334". Cornell University Library . Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  2. 1 2 "British Productivity Council". Warwick University . Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Anthony Carew (January 1991). "The Anglo-American Council on Productivity (1948-52): The Ideological Roots of the Post-War Debate on Productivity in Britain". Journal of Contemporary History . 26 (1): 49–69. doi:10.1177/002200949102600103. JSTOR   260630. S2CID   153766524 . Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  4. ↑ "Anglo-American Council Of Productivity - Volume 469: 8 November 1949". Hansard . Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  5. ↑ Carl H. Gottwald (1999). The Anglo-American Council on Productivity: 1948-1952 British productivity and the Marshall Plan. University of North Texas. p. 15.
  6. ↑ "Economic Situation - Volume 507: 10 November 1952". Hansard . Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  7. ↑ Industry in Britain: Organisation and Production. British Information Services. November 1964. p. 18.
  8. ↑ "National Coal Board (Annual Report) - Volume 531: 25 October 1954". Hansard . Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  9. 1 2 Parliamentary Debates (Hansard).: House of Commons official report. H.M. Stationery Office. 1959. p. 1007.
  10. ↑ "NEW PRODUCTIVITY COUNCIL: Sir Peter Bennett Chairman". The Guardian . 5 November 1952. p. 10.
  11. ↑ Cook, Chris, ed. (2012). The Routledge Guide to British Political Archives. Routledge. p. 35. ISBN   9781136509629 . Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  12. 1 2 "Freight Movement and Handling - Volume 200: 13 November 1956". Hansard . Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  13. ↑ "Rising Productivity in Britain: Work of the British Productivity Council and the Trade Unions". Labor and Industry in Britain. 13: 60–66. 1955. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  14. ↑ Bellamy, Joyce; Martin, David; Saville, John, eds. (15 January 1993). Dictionary of Labour Biography, Volume 9. Springer. ISBN   9781349078455 . Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  15. ↑ "HUTTON, Lt Gen Sir Thomas Jacomb (1890-1981)". JISC Archive Hub. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  16. 1 2 3 Derrick Page (February 1993). "SPECIAL STAMP ISSUE National Productivity Year" (PDF). Postal Museum . Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  17. ↑ "Sir Ewart - A leader in the art of good management". New Scientist : 1076. 14 May 1959. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  18. ↑ "Bertram White". Grace's Guide to British Industrial History. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  19. 1 2 "Quality And Reliability Year - Volume 277: 26 October 1966". Hansard . Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  20. ↑ R. P. McCormick (March 1962). "General Notes". Journal of the Royal Society of Arts . 110 (5068): 264–268. JSTOR   41367089 . Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  21. ↑ "NATIONAL PRODUCTIVITY YEAR". Parliament.uk . 12 July 1962. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  22. ↑ "British Productivity Council". British Film Institute . Archived from the original on July 13, 2019. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  23. ↑ "Time and Motion Study Volume 5 Issue 2". Work Study. 5 (2): 11–59. 1956. doi:10.1108/eb048085 . Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  24. ↑ John Cole (26 April 1961). "BBC and ITV reject film on strikes". The Guardian . p. 13.
  25. ↑ "Current Non-Fiction and Short Films". The Monthly Film Bulletin . 27 (312): 27. 1 January 1960.
  26. ↑ Russell, Patrick; Piers Taylor, James, eds. (2019). Shadows of Progress: Documentary Film in Post-War Britain. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN   978-1838718121.
  27. ↑ "Portrait of the Week". The Spectator . No. 7026. 22 February 1963. p. 215.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.