001242

Description

A file containing reports on pressures faced by industries in Birmingham in relation to air raids and civil defence, including an interview with a welfare officer from the Ministry of Labour. Topics covered by the reports include the unsatisfactory construction of air-raid shelters; complaints about the length of the working day; the scope and work of the Assistance Board; and suggestions made by the Birmingham Labour Party to the civic government regarding civil defence and post-raid welfare, including the provision of canteens, aid for the homeless, and accommodation for people bombed out of their homes. Other topics discussed include issues with the location of air-raid shelters in factories; the changing position of trade unions as a result of the pressures of war; the issue of employees' wages during temporary stoppages of work; and the import of workers into Birmingham from other areas of the country.

Keywords

accommodation, air-raid shelters, anti-aircraft defences, billeting, blackout, bomb damage, civil defence, civilian casualties, communal feeding, compensation, construction materials, factories, furnishings, homelessness, industrial disputes, industrial migration, industrial workers, industry, interviews, Labour Party, labour supply, local authorities, public opinion, requisitioning, rest centres, trade unions, unemployment, wages, welfare, working hours, youths