Development
Soon after its establishment the UWC established a thirteen member co-ordinating committee, under the chairmanship of Barr. This smaller group met once a fortnight at the VPUP headquarters. The group soon came to the attention of the government and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Merlyn Rees held a meeting with its representatives on 8 April 1974. At the meeting the UWC demanded new elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly which they dismissed as undemocratic. The meeting soon descended into angry scenes with UWC members throwing allegations about the treatment of loyalist prisoners and negotiations with "terrorists" in Dublin at Rees and it ended inconclusively.
The response of the UWC was to threaten a general strike and pressed ahead for plans of it without the initial knowledge of the Unionist politicians. On 13 May 1974 a large meeting of UWC affiliated people was held at Portrush and at this Billy Kelly, accompanied by Tyrie, UDA member Jim Smyth and Short Brothers shop steward Hugh Petrie announced to the assembled audience, which included Ernest Baird, Ian Paisley and John Taylor, that the general strike was to be launched the following day.
Read more about this topic: Ulster Workers' Council
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