July 1977: UUAC Strike Costs £16-£17 Million
July saw Kurt Weil, Bertolt Brecht, and Elisabeth Hauptmann's musical "Happy End", starring Christopher Lloyd and Meryl Streep, close at Martin Beck Theater, NYC, after 75 performances. In Northern Ireland, it wasn’t a happy end to the UUAC strike after all, with the estimated costs attributed to it looking astronomical.
Political Developments in July 1977
On the 4th of July, a report was put together estimating the cost of the recent UUAC strike. The contents of the report were as follows;
You have already received a copy of Dr Black's note of 16 May (circulated under cover of Dr Quigley's minute to Mr Farrington of 18 May), which includes an estimate of the direct cost of the strike to the private sector in terms of lost Gross Domestic Product (£15 million - £16 million at current prices). We have now received from all Departments estimates of the public sector costs of the stoppage, (copy attached). The overall estimate of £1.55 million includes a DHSS estimate of £63,000 for additional benefit expenditure, an estimate of £500,000 for additional RUC costs and an estimate of £200,000 for additional Army costs.
The estimate of additional Army costs is based broadly on the experience of the 1974 UWC strike, making allowances for inflation and discounting certain costs not incurred this time, such as the manning of petrol stations.
By adding the public sector and private costs together, we arrive at an overall estimate of the cost of the strike of £16.55 million- £17.55 million. Dr Black's estimates of GOP loss include certain losses which are also included in the DOE return on public sector costs (ie those attributable to Ulsterbus/Citybus, Sealink, NI Carriers and NI Railways). Subtracting these costs (totalling £470,000) from the above total leaves an approximation of the total cost of the order of £16 million - £17 million.
It cannot be stressed too heavily, however, that this is very much "a guesstimate" of the cost of the strike. Dr Black has already expressed his caveats about the GDP estimates. The public sector estimate includes a figure for additional Army costs which is only the roughest of estimates. It has not been possible, moreover, to calculate the indirect costs of the strike. Mr Kidd would support Dr Quigley, therefore, in recommending that these estimates should not be quoted publicly. Should a request for information about the cost of the strike be received, eg via a PQ, these calculations would have to be re-examined before any figure was made public.
It’s safe to say that it wasn’t a cheap exercise…
On the 12th of July, the IRA threatened to disrupt the visit of the Queen to Northern Ireland on the 9th and 10th of August 1977.
Shootings in July 1977
06/07/77 - RUC officer David Morrow (37) was shot dead by the IRA while sitting in a stationary patrol vehicle in Aughnacloy, County Tyrone.
15/07/77 - The UDA shot dead one of its members, William Hutchinson (33), on Old Glencairn Road, Belfast, in an internal dispute.
22/07/77 - Prison Officer Graham Fenton (20) was shot dead in Ballymoney, County Antrim.
27/07/77 - The IRA shot dead UDR soldier James McFaul (38) at his home on Woodvale Avenue, Belfast.
27/07/77 - The IRA shot dead Republican Clubs (the political wing of the OIRA) member Trevor McNulty (36) at Alexander House, Belfast, as part of a republican feud.
27/07/77 - IRA volunteer Thomas Toland (31) was shot dead by the OIRA as he drove along Divismore Crescent, Ballymurphy. The killing was part of a republican feud.
27/07/77 - In retaliation for the killing of a Republican Clubs member, the OIRA tried to kill a Sinn Féin member but shot dead the brother (James Foots (27)) of the intended target. The killing was part of the PIRA/OIRA feud.
27/07/77 - The OIRA shot dead civilian Daniel Cowan (39) in his house in Andersonstown, Belfast, the previous occupant of the house was the intended target. The killing was part of the PIRA/OIRA feud.
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Bombings in July 1977
For the second month running, there were no bombing incidents to report. Progress.
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If you’d like to let me know what you thought of today’s instalment, feel free to leave a comment below.
Some recommended reading based on research for this instalment.
I.N.L.A. - Deadly Divisions by Henry McDonald & Jack Holland.