General Strike Centenary enamel badge

2026 is the centenary year of the 1926 General Strike, a major UK wide industrial action called by the Trades Union Congress to support coal miners protesting against wage cuts and longer hours. 

As the first countrywide strike, the General Strike marked a key moment in British labour history. The strike lasted nine days, but was not immediately successful in achieving improvements in pay and conditions. In fact it redefined the government’s attitude towards industrial action, and heralded a new era of anti-strike legislation. The following year, the Government passed the ‘Trade Disputes and Trade Union Act’ which made sympathetic strikes illegal, ensured union members had to agree to ‘contract into’ the political levy to the Labour Party, and banned Civil Service unions from affiliating to the TUC. 

However, the strike was a powerful, albeit brief, display of unity, with over 1.5 million workers from various industries walking out in support of the miners. This showcased the potential power of collective action and left a lasting legacy of solidarity in labour history. The strike continues to be remembered as a benchmark moment in the history of organised labour, inspiring future generations of workers and students to stand in solidarity with those on picket lines and fight for better conditions, even today.

In 2026, Radical Tea Towel is working in partnership with General  Strike 100 to provide commemorative merchandise to national museums, libraries, archives, community groups and individuals across the UK who have come together to  mark the centenary with a series of events, exhibitions and talks. Find out more here: generalstrike100.com