british leyland workers sleeping

He was sacked by Michael Edwardes, the managing director of British Leyland, in November 1979. Mr Share also said there was nothing wrong with workers having a snooze provided it was in a chair. When Leylands successor, Rover, was subsequently sold off to BMW, Robinson told a group of MPs at a meeting in Birmingham during March 2000 I can sleep sound at night because I never betrayed the workers I was elected to represent. For the latter part of his career, during the 1980s and 1990s, Robinson had been a tutor, teaching trade union studies at a community college. The story first hit the headlines on 12 November 1979 when it was revealed that 14night shift workershad been caught sleeping at a British Leyland plant. . Stories from those at the coalface. Read about our approach to external linking. British Leyland, Britain's largest automaker, faced bankruptcy in 1975. This British Leyland collection is diverse, huge and full of interest. The ADO15 MINI IS LAUNCHED TODAY Some extracts from the Times description of the new, NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY NEWS; Jaguar Is Planning To Cut Production AP Published: Thursday, February, Production of British Leylands new Morris Marina was at a standstill last night following a, British Motor Holdings the joining of BMC and Jaguar, Opinion : Celebrating 40 years of the Austin Maestro, The cars : Austin Maestro (LC10) development story, The cars : Land Rover Freelander (CB40) development story, Opinion : Austin Maestro a tale of unfulfilled promise, Opinion : Why unrest plagued the Maestros launch, The cars : Vauxhall Cavalier Mk3 development story, eBay Find of the Week : Rover 45 with less than 2k miles on the clock, Archive : Jaguar Is Planning To Cut Production, Archive : Strike by 80 halts Marina output. At the time the industrial giant was believed to be the sixth largest car manufacturer in the world, with 11 marques - Austin, Austin-Healey, Daimler, Jaguar, MG, Morris, Riley, Rover, Triumph, Vanden Plas and Wolseley - and factories across the globe. A quote from Austin Rover Managing Director Harold Musgrove (right) from 1984 underlines that. All this was occurring at the same time as the crisis confronting BL over its decision to fire Longbridge Convener Derek Robinson. The number of strikes was incredible., On the subject of closed shops, Greenhill says: There was a discussion as to whether the sales office where I worked should become a closed shop. Judge for yourself. Between 1977 and 1978, about 18,000 jobs were cut by the firm, leaving it still employing 20,000 people in Longbridge and a further 30,000 at plants elsewhere. Seth Smith recalls the introduction of the Series III E-type in 1971: We took journalists to Browns Lane and had a nice presentation on the V12 then took them on a tour of the new engine shop. That had to be the responsibility of management.. Your email address will not be published. Mr Robinson was elected shop steward soon after the end of his apprenticeship and by the late 1940s was a member of the Communist Party "in which he remained for the rest of his life", Mr Stevenson said. Known for. Permanent Salary: 27,043 - 33,453pa; Hours: Monday - Friday 09:00-17:00 Friday 09:00 - 14:00; Person Specification An investigation disclosed that the 14 had devised a scheme that enabled them to complete their quota in half the allocated time. Rugeley man apprehended with crack and heroin in Staffordshire town, Human error to blame for deadly train crash, says Greek PM, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece. I am worried sick." Photography James Page/LAT. 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 . In November of that year BL sacked Robinson for supporting the pamphlet titled A Trade Union Response to the Edwardes Plan, which criticised the plans proposals and the companys management. 1990s Vauxhalls seemed to have red paint that faded quickly, so most surviving ones look more pink than red these days. These were blamed by managers for delays to production of 62,000 cars and 113,000 engines, costing the business an estimated 200m. On nightshift they realised that they could convert one of the giant metal cupboards into a bed, and when they closed the doors it was sound insulated. It should have been a great jolly, except the BL apprentices we took to do the driving decided it was too much like hard work and went on strike after two days and the service guys withdrew their labour in sympathy!, The real dark clouds started with that sort of union behaviour, adds Simon Pearson, who began working in PR for Triumph in 1968, helped to launch the Stag in 1970 and took BL back into motorsport with Special Tuning: The genesis of those problems began right after the war. But why had Mr Robinson's fellow workers not supported him? The whole process was predicated on piece work, says Seth Smith, so that every job was timed and they were given a price to do it. Your email address will not be published. Mr Stevenson, a former union official from Coventry, said Mr Robinson held the position during a time when more than 18,000 jobs disappeared at the company, plants closed and car production fell. He also stood as a Communist Party candidate in four general elections in the city between 1966 and 1974. The Government should also be enthusiastic. The men were found tucked up in sleeping bags when management swooped on the priming shop at the Range Rover plant in Solihull, near Birmingham. Exterior view of British Leyland Strandard Triumph works entrance and gatehouse at Canley, Coventry . When we were given more money to buy, say, new transfer lines, says Seth Smith, we were restricted by government rules to buying sometimes inferior local tooling., Then there was the way that the cars were produced. The former British Leyland worker and trade unionist Derek Robinson has died, aged 90. This year's foundling is British Leyland's first new Rover sedan in 13 years. 20 illustrated plate. Within its yellowed pages, a cartoon shows three British Leyland workers clustered around the company magazine, contemplating a . The ultimate result we see today zero hours contracts, the use of self employment status to avoid paying NI and there general degradation of workers since 1979. The organisation specialises in providing best-in-class care and . The company assumed its current name in 1982. John Shayler, Plant Protection Manager, said that, at dawn on 14 June 1979, he had seen a day-shift worker come into the factory and knock on the door of the Foremens office. Mr Yates, of Coplow Close, Balsall Common, Warwickshire, claims that he was unfairly dismissed. To be tasked with promoting these products was one of motorings more challenging and exciting jobs, and it attracted a group of talented, ambitious, energetic and creative young people, just four of whom I have the pleasure of meeting in a West End pub. He was the main spokesman for the British Leyland combine committee which united about 40 different plants around the country, for most of the 1970s. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Following his death on Tuesday aged 90, BBC News examines his legacy. One night him and his mate who were on the maintenance nightshift went to sleep in the cupboards. Odd we never ever had a BL product..Incidentally Ive never ever seen a red SD1 before.. Did they suffer from the Renault red effect? The British Leyland era at Longbridge became a byword for wildcat walkouts, union militancy and industrial chaos - and helped clear the path to political power for Margaret Thatcher. It needs to be left alone. Derek Robinson, nicknamed Red Robbo, died on 31 October 2017, A motion for strike action protesting against Mr Robinson's dismissal in 1980 was overwhelmingly voted down, British Leyland, Mr Edwardes wrote, was perceived as being a business "at war with itself", Film-maker Ken Loach described Derek Robinson as a man of "iron principle", Strikes co-ordinated by Mr Robinson cost British Leyland 200m in lost production, according to chairman Michael Edwardes, The Winter of Discontent saw rubbish piled high, as seen here in London's Leicester Square, In 2000, Mr Robinson was among crowds in Birmingham campaigning to save jobs at MG Rover, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece. He joined the Communist Party in the early Fifties and stood as a candidate for the party four times at elections between 1966 and 1974. British Leyland tool room workers strike causes side effects across the region. In February 1980, less than a year after Margaret Thatcher became prime minister, thousands of car workers gathered following the sacking of one man. it was just part of a long running campaign by the mainly right wing press that had gone on since the end of WW2 against organized labour. BLMC was created in 1968 by the merger of British Motor Holdings (BMH) and Leyland Motor Corporation (LMC), encouraged by the Wilson . When questioned the men said they had completed their work quota. If workers were rushing to finish off their quota so they could go home early and doing half a job, would it not have made more sense to slow down the line to get the job properly? Tributes have been paid to former British Leyland worker and trade unionist Derek Robinson, who has died, aged 90. "The Communist Party then dominated the factory's workforce, with many hundred Daily Workers [newspaper] being sold every day," he wrote in his blog. Initially, the workers came out in support of Mr Robinson, he said. Notes of the Month The Leyland Toolroom Strike: Some Lessons From International Socialism (1st series), No.97, April 1977, pp.4-5. This kind of thing was riff everywhere. This was probably fine for something like Radio 3, which would use recordings of orchestras playing symphonies to fulfil the MU restrictions, but not so good for Radio 1 or independent stations that relied on pop records. Learn how your comment data is processed. They had found that double the recommended number of body panels could be hung on the paint conveyor. Security officers kept watch from behind an extractor fan in a paint shop from where they could see a clocking point. But if the SD1 receives a vote of confidence, what about the great unmentionables the likes of the Allegro, Marina and Princess? 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. In this article DAVE LYDDON analyses the forces at work in British Leyland. It will prove that ordinary working people have got the intelligence and determination to run industry'. The paint turned dull and flat quite quickly. He was accessible to all, cogent and a listener! The Question was as follows: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many workers at British Leyland 515 and their suppliers were laid off as a result of the toolmakers' strike and how many hours of work so lost by this strike will be included in the published statistics of manhours lost through industrial action. Whatexactly happened and whenare not easy to decipher. There are inept managers everywhere.Tesco were once omnipotent. leader of the unofficial BL shop stewards' committee. The cars : Vauxhall Viva development story, Blog : Rover SD1 the Australian perspective, Yes we read all these stories from the News Of The World (the original fake news site) some were true,some were not. Answer (1 of 28): I grew up very close to the town of Leyland and Leyland Motors (as it was then called) was by far the biggest employer in the area. History will show that Derek was unfairly maligned by the media as he aimed to find solutions to British Leylands industrial disputes and turn around the car company., Derek Robinson, trade union leader, born 1927, died 31 October 2017, Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. It wasnt cheap steel.it was steel that was galvanised on one side only..the idea being that the galvanised side went towards the wet..if only you could guarantee that the steel blank had been put in the press the right way round.. My father and his work colleague both had red S reg 2600 Rovers from new. All Tescos success masked the reality that it was a bloated organisation staffed by inept bunglers.The brand value of Tesco was all conquering.The world is full of management knobs with university degrees in unrelated subjects, who make unrealistic demands of their underlings and tell their own bosses what they want to hear. Keith Adams Youll find that spending time reading Ian Nicholls excellent set of stories about, Clive Goldthorp THE real significance of Honda Motor Company Limited (Honda) President and CEO Takeo, THE GUARDIAN Production should be back to normal today at two Midlands car plants where, British Motor Holdings the joining of BMC and Jaguar. DAILY MIRROR. Ultimately it would become nationalised as British Leyland, often referred to as just BL.In 1986 it was renamed to Rover Group.. History. The former British Leyland worker and trade unionist Derek Robinson has died, aged 90. The quota system mentioned seems to have been a relic of the deal to end piecework in the early 1970s. DAILY MIRRORLeyland Dozers SackedBy Chris Hampson, Fourteen night shift men caught sleeping at a British Leyland plant have been sacked , a wife claimed last night. If youve done all the work you are paid and contracted to do how is that bunking off? 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 . Management regarded him as an "insidious influence" and his days at the car firm had been numbered. Born in Bedfordshire but now residing in Norfolk, Ian Nicholls is an ardent BL enthusiast. That was not the responsibility of the employees, that was not the responsibility of the workforce. As shop steward at British Leyland in Longbridge, Birmingham, he was involved in a series of strikes and walkouts over alleged mismanagement. He told MPs in 2000 he regarded his Red Robbo nickname as a badge of honour. in the biggest management Sell Your Car On Honest John Classics For Free. How many CEOs could you describe in those terms today? Zafer went to Stokes memorial service: People stood up and said some great things about him: told the truth. Kearsley has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the cars, down to the colour names and options, combined with a strong urge to save these underdogs. The original Hummer isn't the first vehicle I'd think of to do a "green" trip to the South Pole. Mr John Shayler, plant protection manager, said that at dawn on, June 14 he had seen a day-shift worker come in to their factory and knock on the door of the foremens office. Harris Manns drawings were a lot more emotive than the car itself., Im not quite a BL revisionist, but Ive been of the opinion that its long and painful public suicide was merely the end result of a set of circumstances that had their roots in the mists of time long before most of the main human protagonists in this great industrial drama were old enough to drive. Where can you get quick classic car insurance quotes? Robinson was involved in some 500 walkouts at the British Leyland plant in Longbridge, Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in, Please refresh your browser to be logged in, Fats Domino: rock n roll legend who faced down Hurricane Katrina, Dennis Banks: founder of the American Indian Movement, Jane Juska: memoirist who broke taboo of older women having sex, Paul Weitz: Nasa Skylab and space shuttle astronaut, Derek Robinson: Giant of the trades union movement in the Seventies, Extra 20% off selected fashion and sportswear at Very, Up to 20% off & extra perks with Booking.com Genius Membership, $6 off a $50+ order with this AliExpress discount code, 10% off selected orders over 100 - eBay voucher code, Compare broadband packages side by side to find the best deal for you, Compare cheap broadband deals from providers with fastest speed in your area, All you need to know about fibre broadband, Best Apple iPhone Deals in the UK March 2023, Compare iPhone contract deals and get the best offer this March, Compare the best mobile phone deals from the top networks and brands. 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An `` insidious influence '' and his days at the car firm had been numbered car firm had numbered! Officers kept watch from behind an extractor fan in a paint shop from where they could see clocking... But now residing in Norfolk, Ian Nicholls is an ardent BL enthusiast Communist Party in! Paid and contracted to do how is that bunking off, he was sacked by Michael Edwardes, the came. I am worried sick. & quot ; Photography James Page/LAT Leyland in Longbridge, Birmingham, said! Behind an extractor fan in a paint shop from where they could see a clocking point if... The forces at work in British Leyland, often referred to as BL.In!.. History unfairly dismissed 1986 it was renamed to Rover Group.. History had mr 's. Bl shop stewards ' committee the forces at work in British Leyland city 1966... Crisis confronting BL over its decision to fire Longbridge Convener Derek Robinson sacked by Michael Edwardes, managing. 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