Trade Unionism and the Russian Revolution

In the final years before first world war, there's a big up surge in trade union militancy. This is attributed to growing interest in syndicalism - pushing for power through work place organization rather than politics. The russian revolution going on te oterside of the world probably does galvanize some people. But you've also got immense a dislocation of industry. People are coming back from the front wanting decent homes, to live in decent jobs and they're not finding that. And so people are not very happy when they come back and find find the situation,. They want better.