ABSTRACT
The most visible manifestation of Coventry's involvement in the First World War was a swift and marked acceleration of building activity as existing factories were extended and new ones built to accommodate the growth of military production. Coventry's industrial structure ensured that the city would be heavily involved in the manufacture of military equipment and by the end of 1915 most of the city's large engineering firms were on a full war footing and under government supervision as controlled establishments. Inter-union rivalry, resulting in particular from the spectacular rise of the Workers' Union, was exacerbated by the war and brought significant divisions within the movement as a whole. Yet increased membership, the strength and militancy of the Workers' Union and the development of shopfloor representation enhanced the ability of trade unions to influence the management of Coventry's engineering industry during the war years.
