Final answer:
Thatcher's confrontation with the NUM was part of a historical pattern of labor disputes, specifically in the mining industry. These short term causes included demands for increased wages, better working conditions, and the consequences of adopting new technologies that threatened jobs but promised higher productivity and wage prospects.
Step-by-step explanation:
The short term causes of Thatcher's confrontation with the National Union of Miners (NUM) can be understood within the context of historical labor disputes, particularly within the mining industry. Workers in various industries across history have fought for better wages, hours, and working conditions through strikes and other forms of industrial action. In the case of the United Mineworkers union during the 1950s and 1960s, there was a demand that mining companies install labor-saving machinery to increase productivity and, consequently, wages. However, such measures also threatened job security due to mechanization's potential to reduce jobs over time. Echoes of these conflicts reverberate in Thatcher's era, where confrontations centered around similar issues within industrial sectors, particularly mining.
During the early 20th century, the labor movement saw a number of significant strikes, such as the 1902 Anthracite Coal Strike, where workers demanded a 20 percent raise and worked towards establishing an eight-hour day. The mining industry, marked by its unique culture of brotherhood and mutual aid, often saw solidarity amongst miners during industrial actions. Conflicts at times turned violent, and governments intervened through various measures, creating a historical precedent for Thatcher's later confrontation with NUM. Thatcher's conflict with the NUM was thus part of a long-standing struggle between labor and industry, reflecting a continuation of workers striving for better conditions and a fairer share of industrial prosperity.