Workers prepare to sleep at their workplaces during the The UK General Strike lasted nine days (May 3 to 12, 1926). The strike resulted in defeat for the unions. A long confrontation in the coal industry, with strikes and lockouts, had made no progress. To support the 800,000 striking miners the unions called out 1,750,000 workers. The government was well prepared and used middle class volunteers to provide basic services. .