Linda remembers working for British Leyland and joining the union where she started off as a shop steward before being elected as Vice Convener of ACTS, part of the Transport and General Workers Union, serving from 1970-76. BL began selling its interests in the 1980s, and by 1990 the Ford Motor . At the time of the infamous Ryder Report (and nationalisation), BL offered everything from Europes most celebrated (and imitated) small car to a 150mph V12 coup that was acknowledged as the most refined and accomplished of its type. Stories from those at the coalface. A Supervisor who was sleeping was also dismissed, along with a Foreman. Following his dismissal, Mr Robinson worked as a tutor in trade union studies during the 1980s and 1990s, teaching shop stewards. Mr Robinson . How did you not hear that he said to which my friend blatantly lied I had ear muffs on we were grinding most of the night! Opinion : Derek Robinson: Victim or villain? Read about our approach to external linking. It needs to be left alone. But why had Mr Robinson's fellow workers not supported him? NICKNAMED Red Robbo, Derek Robinson became one of the most famous trade unionists of the 1970s and as the shop stewards' convener at British Leyland was the man responsible for no fewer than 523 . But instead of supporting him, the workers who gathered that February day turned on him. For example the famous strike at Grunwicks in London from 1976-1978, the Bristol Bus boycott in 1963, or the strike at Imperial Typewriters in Leicester in 1974. Thatcher provided British Leyland with 2.9 billion pounds ($4.4 billion) of taxpayer money from 1979 to 1988, Rhys said. Undermining the shopfloor work. Strikes co-ordinated by Mr Robinson cost British Leyland 200m in lost production, according to chairman Michael Edwardes Former Leyland worker Stephen Cox said Mr Robinson was regarded by many . "We all worked like hell to make it work" Inside British Leyland. Fearing that its collapse would leave a million workers unemployed, the Labour government nationalized it. British Leyland was an automotive engineering and manufacturing conglomerate formed in the United Kingdom in 1968 asBritish Leyland Motor Corporation Ltd . The original Hummer isn't the first vehicle I'd think of to do a "green" trip to the South Pole. She said: My husband rang to tell me that they have all lost their jobs.. Job Type: Permanent, Full-Time. Another who continues to believe in what Mr Robinson stood for is Graham Stevenson, who was the Communist Party candidate in the 2017 West Midlands metro mayor election. Not to mention any management off home by 3pm.Hardly surprising they send teenagers with bowel cancer hone with a suggestion that laxatives might do the trick.. He also stood as a Communist Party candidate in four general elections in the city between 1966 and 1974. When the BBC decided to cut down on their numerous orchestras in 1980, there was a nine week strike that saw TOTP cancelled and The Proms badly effected, until a compromise was thrashed out that saw the very much underused Top of the Pops orchestra and singers redeployed.Also there was the ridiculous practice called needletime, which was also applied to commercial radio, where the MU dictated how many hours were dedicated to playing records and how much should consist of recordings of live music. It was a merger promoted by the Industrial Reorganisation Corporation set up by the 1964-70 Labour government of Harold Wilson. By the time a car got to five years old, there would be a huge hole in the floor and components started failing. British Leyland's Truck and Tractor Plant, Bathgate, 1980. See thats the part that confuses me. He will give evidence today. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. British Leyland would once again become a privately-owned company and the size of the state sector would be reduced. They discovered all the 14 men employed there, including a supervisor, asleep or dozing in sleeping bags, blankets and makeshift bunks. Could he please have three large boxes of Cuban cigars instead?, Speke was, of course, the home of the TR7, launched in 1975 on the US market but not available in the UK until 1976. The Lancia was supposed to be the Italian version of BMW, and I do recall the Beta being a desirable car to own in the late seventies. BLMC was created in 1968 by the merger of British Motor Holdings (BMH) and Leyland Motor Corporation (LMC), encouraged by the Wilson . She said: "My husband rang to tell me that they have all lost their jobs.". Security officers kept watch from behind an extractor fan in a paint shop from where they could see a clocking point. All this was occurring at the same time as the crisis confronting BL over its decision to fire Longbridge Convener Derek Robinson. DAILY MIRROR. Mr Alan Walters, a supervisor, said he had seen another man come from the office carrying a Land-Rover seat capable of being used as a bed. The Daily Mail claimed that the car firm British Leyland was paying bribes, and was exposed for printing a ludicrous hoax. Mr Robinson worked as an engineering apprentice during the Second World War, progressing on to become shop steward at a plant in Longbridge. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. A firebrand union leader and former British Leyland worker has died aged 90. On unveiling day, the company boasted, 100,000 Britons packed into showrooms to see the car and placed orders worth . The pamphlet said: All our efforts and resources must be mobilised to change the policy of closures and contraction. If you want to see the true horrors of 1970s workplaces, have a look at the ship building industry. Seven years ago Tony Cliff wrote, 'The aim of the . AROnline Keith Adams 2001-2022 - please refer to the 'Terms of use' pages. Another quasi nationalised organisation which had working practices that would look hilarious now was the BBC at that time. Late in 1979, as the Winter of Discontent raged, he was dismissed for signing a pamphlet criticising plans for 25,000 job cuts. Mr Robinson, one of the most famous trade unionists of the 1970s, was dubbed Red Robbo by the media. VideoAt the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece, Covid origin likely China lab incident - FBI chief, Ukraine war casts shadow over India's G20 ambitions, Blackpink lead top stars back on the road in Asia, India anti-corruption crusader fighting to clear his name, Exploring the rigging claims in Nigeria's elections, 'Wales is in England' gaffe sparks TikToker's trip, Record numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. Hello there we are looking for witnesses to the fire next door can you help. Williams Lyons. Midlands Live: Anti-social behaviour 'worsens' and upset at hospital parking price rise. Sell Your Car On Honest John Classics For Free. The problem with British Leyland was that they designed their cars to only last three years, so you would start getting rust spots and other problems. When former Triumph and Leyland Special Tuning man Richard Seth Smith arrives, proffering a rare Rover SD1 press pack, all concerned nod sagely at the suggestion that this was yet another brilliantly conceived but indifferently executed car. "He was a very competent man in private life he was very kind and very caring.". British Leyland, Britain's largest automaker, faced bankruptcy in 1975. Mr John Share, Personnel Manager, said the company was satisfied that Mr Yates had allowed men to sleep on a night shift and had allowed clocking offences in which he had taken part. The British Leyland Motor Corporation (BLMC), was a vehicle manufacturing company formed in the United Kingdom in 1968. Mr Robinson, one of the most famous trade unionists of the 1970s, was dubbed Red Robbo by the media. First edition. After two days of disciplinary hearings and appeals, BL dismissed 13 Land Rover car workers, who had been caught sleeping on the night shift. Ideal business/holiday rental Perfect for families, friends and work colleagues (a pet friendly home) The cottage is an attractive Grade ll listed property recently totally refurbished to a high standard maintaining its character and charm, an unusual build with Venetian type windows and a . But the car giant had been hit hard by post-war economic struggles and had developed a reputation for producing low-quality cars. A stalwart of the Norfolk Mini Owners Club for nearly a decade he is an enthusiast for all things Issigonis. A further confrontation with the Transport and General Workers Union over BLs imposition of new working practices in April saw market share slump further to 13 per centin June 1980. Classic car tax exemption: what you need to know. In 1975, shortly after British Leyland's nationalisation, 'workers' participation' became union policy. But the political mood of the country was changing. A little later, through a window, he saw two men, naked from the waist up. The story first hit the headlines on 12 November 1979 when it was revealed that 14 night shift workers had been caught sleeping at a British Leyland plant. Security officers kept watch from behind an extractor fan in a paint shop, from where they could see a clocking point. The measured day rate replaced piece work at around 1970-1974 IIRC. Only three men, none of them Mr Yates, had gone to the clocking point before 6.45 am, the end of the shift. Pay and Contract. A certain British steel plant would have early workers finish their work quota, do part of the late shift quota, then the late shift came in, finished off their quota and did the night shift quota too. Only British Rail and its curly-edged sandwiches ranked lower in the publics estimation. Often this meant DJs talked too much to keep within the restrictions, which annoyed listeners, until finally in 1987 needletime was axed. If youve done all the work you are paid and contracted to do how is that bunking off? Salary: 24,000 - 28,000 per annum including sleep-in allowance. Manage Settings These were dark times indeed.Harold Musgrove. The men at Drews Lane had worked to rule for several weeks in protest at management attempts to stop them leaving early. For Mr Stevenson, the dismissal of Red Robbo was "the first shot in the war that Thatcher began against working people and their families". It was about two oclock in the afternoon. Around here (Nottingham) Royal Mail used a wide range of Vauxhall vans, and a few years ago every one of them had changed from Post Office red into a faded pink. A tutor in trade union studies during the Second World War, on... And Tractor Plant, Bathgate, 1980 exemption: what you need to know a huge hole in the Kingdom... Leave a british leyland workers sleeping workers unemployed, the Labour government nationalized it price rise in Longbridge in paint... 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