A. R. Marriott, was that: The law imposed very strong regulations on wages, hours and employment conditions.

It was a penal offence for a worker to leave his current job at such a "Controlled Establishment" without the consent of his employer, which in practice was "almost impossible" to obtain.

The Munitions Act was a response to the Shell Crisis of 1915 when inadequate supplies of artillery shells and other munitions contributed to a political crisis for prime minister H. H. Asquith and the formation on 17 May 1915 of a coalition government of all three major parties.

It established munitions tribunals that were special courts to enforce good working practices.

[4] As promised in 1915, under the Restoration of Pre-War Practices Act 1919,[5] the main features of the law were abolished regarding manning arrangements (in particular employment of women and unskilled workers), closed shop agreements, restriction of overtime and apprenticeship rules.