The General Strike of 1926 began in May with a group of almost a million coal miners who were locked out of their pits for two days by colliery owners, who wanted them to work longer hours for less pay. To show support to the miners, workers in the Trades Union Congress (TUC) came out on strike. This included rail and docker workers and those employed in the electricity, gas, iron and steel industries. The strike lasted for nine days before the strike was called off and the TUC workers went back to work. The miners carried on striking alone but most had drifted back to work by November 1926, conceeding to work longer hours for less pay.