2023 BBC. 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! Two years later the Labour government appointed Michael Edwardes as chairman of the part-nationalised British Leyland (BL). Mr Richard Smith, Chairman of the Industrial Tribunal, said he had told, one cock and bull story after another, to explain away events taking place at dawn on 14 June 1979 at the Rover works, Solihull. Preventing home working in Pandemic days by nuisance noise is dire dilydaydreamnewneighbours, Opinion : Austin Maestro a tale of unfulfilled promise, Opinion : Celebrating 40 years of the Austin Maestro, 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 : Car plant strikers go back for talks. 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 . Over the years they have applied pressure to weaken work standards so that, against the already slack standards then applying, they are able to claim they have done their days work and management is powerless to give them more work to complete the shift.. But the car giant had been hit hard by post-war economic struggles and had developed a reputation for producing low-quality cars. Ultimately it meant most of the industry disappeared as merchant shipbuilding went abroad and the few yards that survive now only do so because of defence contracts. My god it was awful, it was bought . People were not being properly paid and rewarded so they got together and formed their own alliance. On unveiling day, the company boasted, 100,000 Britons packed into showrooms to see the car and placed orders worth . The odd 1m going missing (I would have paid money to see the auditors face when they found that little gem), contractors doing nothing for weeks at 100 a day because the bloke who set the administration lock password buggered off for sunnier climes without telling anyone what it was. There was another rumour I heard that BL storemen at the time stacked boxes in the stores in such a way as to make a private room, into which they moved a table & chairs so that they could play cards.. 2023 BBC. A shame really as improvements to the Maxi, Princess and Allegro had made these cars as good as many of their European rivals and certainly British Leyland never had to endure the sort of scandal that was engulfing Lancia at the time, where poor rustproofing was causing the engines to fall out of relatively new cars. 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. British Leyland, Britain's largest automaker, faced bankruptcy in 1975. Mr Robinson, one of the most famous trade unionists of the 1970s, was dubbed Red Robbo by the media. 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. The tribunal at Birmingham heard that the events took place in June 1979, not November as previously assumed, after a six-month investigation into alleged clock-card malpractices at the Solihull plant. 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. But instead of supporting him, the workers who gathered that February day turned on him. 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. She said: "My husband rang to tell me that they have all lost their jobs.". Im a former Austin Maestro owner, admirer and salesman, so it []. Product details page for Corgi Original Omnibus Leyland PD3 'Queen Mary' Southdown NBC is loaded. Do I have to update my blue V5 to a red V5C? Our picture shows Maureen Crook and her seven woman party, wives of striking workers at British Leyland's Triumph No.2 factory in Speke, with their petition of over 1000 signatures for Prime Minister Jim Callaghan. I dont think we realised what halcyon days we were living through at the time., AT THE TIME, BRITISH LEYLAND HAD THE BIGGEST ADVERTISING BUDGET IN THE UK, AS PEARSON RECALLS: LORD STOKES WAS COGENT, ACCESSIBLE TO ALL AND A LISTENER!. The former British Leyland worker and trade unionist Derek Robinson has died, aged 90. Am I being targeted by an overpayment scam? Not really, its just moved from BL to the NHS. Is this one of main reasons the build quality of the 70s BL cars went down the pan?? Following his death on Tuesday aged 90, BBC News examines his legacy. 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. But the political mood of the country was changing. In this occasional series Ian Nichollsrevisits some of these stories, using the newspaper articles of the time as the main source of information. The company refused to comment while a hearing was still continuing into charges against a Superintendent. He was a lovely guy, recalls Greenhill, when you werent in a meeting with him. Was he a communist infiltrator? Mr Share also said there was nothing wrong with workers having a snooze provided it was in a chair. 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. In 1981 BL entered into a joint venture with Honda Motor Company, Ltd., of Japan to produce Japanese-designed Triumph Acclaims in the United Kingdom. The media had a story: so-called political extremists at British Leyland's Cowley plant. Beginning on 8 January 1980, the Foreman fired in November, now named as Mr Robert Yates, of Coplow Close, Balsall Common, Warwickshire, began an unfair dismissal claim against Land Rover. This was after he opposed Edwardes' plant closure plans in a pamphlet published on the authority of the combine committee. Permanent Salary: 27,043 - 33,453pa; Hours: Monday - Friday 09:00-17:00 Friday 09:00 - 14:00; Person Specification A firebrand union leader and former British Leyland worker has died aged 90. The former British Leyland worker and trade unionist Derek Robinson has died, aged 90. 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. 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. Whether or not unions in the UK took industrial action more than unions in Europe and North America is a moot point, much of the rubbish produced by the NoW, Daily Mail etc is treated as if it was historical fact nowdays where it should be regarded as propaganda. Six hundred workers had been laid off indefinitely because of a shortage of suspension units caused by a work to rule by 150 workers at the transmission plant at Drews Lane. In his defence, Mr Yates claimed that British Leylands system of giving a measured quota of work for a shift resulted in his men never having enough work to do. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. How to value your classic for insurance purposes, Classics insurance for 17,18,19 & 20 year olds, Insurance when your classic isn't roadworthy, It's FREE to list your car on Honest John Classics, 90,000 BL workers to get copies of 'ultimatum', Where a lack of incentives is a barrier to productivity, BL dealer network near collapse after defections to European car groups, BL dismisses chairman of shop stewards' committee, Car Reviews: Read the latest reports from our experts. 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. A plan by the unions to fight for a mass-volume car manufacturing was truncated when Robinson was sacked by British Leyland in November 1979. Mr Robert Yates, British Leyland foreman, was dismissed for allowing men to sleep on the night shift at the Rover works in Solihull, West Midlands, an industrial tribunal was told yesterday. Mr Robinson, one of the most famous trade unionists of the 1970s, was dubbed Red Robbo by the media. Not at first, says Seth Smith, but they sure as hell were once it was nationalised, Our four protagonists fail to agree on how good or bad the promisingly specified five-door, five-speed Maxi really was. A company statement on the Superintendents discovery, said they had all completed their work quota. 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. He was in charge of 32 men on the night shift who were dismissed, disciplined, or 'who resigned rather than be dismissed. Absenteeism is simply defined as an individual's frequent pattern of evasion from an obligation or duty. The general secretary of Unite, Len McCluskey, said: Derek Robinson was a dedicated lifelong trade unionist who fought, as convenor, for the rights and future of the then British Leyland workforce at the Longbridge plant in Birmingham during the 1970s. Mr Robinson, one of the most famous trade unionists of the 1970s, was dubbed Red Robbo by the media. Five minutes afterwards Mr Yates came out. He was credited with causing 523 walkouts at British Leyland between 1978 and 1979, costing an estimated 200 million in lost . A combination of poor steel and corrosion, so Lancia werent entirely to blame. Known for. He hopes his friend will be remembered as "one of those stalwarts in the post-war era that maintained a better life for ordinary people", not as an "agitator" or "destroyer" which he said was "a complete invention". Williams Lyons. 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. BL still conjures images of half-finished Marinas and Allegros on desolate production lines and a militant workforce that appeared to be looking for any reason to down tools. The British Leyland Motor Corporation (BLMC), was a vehicle manufacturing company formed in the United Kingdom in 1968. Two of them had clocked 24 or 25 cards. Video, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece, Record numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. Then, on 16 November 1979, another BL plant was in the news for similar reasons. BLMC was created in 1968 by the merger of British Motor Holdings (BMH) and Leyland Motor Corporation (LMC), encouraged by the Wilson . What fire was my friends answer to which the policeman pointed to the mess of the building next door and the thirty fire engines surrounding it! Often this meant DJs talked too much to keep within the restrictions, which annoyed listeners, until finally in 1987 needletime was axed. Stories from those at the coalface. This British Leyland collection is diverse, huge and full of interest. . By the winter of 1979, as 1.5 million public sector workers were on strike across the UK, the Labour government was in its final throes. That was not the responsibility of the employees, that was not the responsibility of the workforce. For many, Mr Robinson is remembered "very badly", according to Chris Cowin, an expert on British Leyland's history. Michael Edwardes, who has died aged 88, was the chair of the car giant British Leyland during the critical period of the company's transformation from 1977 to 1982. Derek 'Red Robbo' Robinson led a long-running battle against management at the British Leyland plant in Longbridge throughout the 1970s. Mr Lampett, who joined Rover 22 years earlier as a Tool Setter, said: I believe I have been treated very harshly. 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. "There were big strikes across British Leyland, but union leaders instructed them to go back to work," Mr Loach believes. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. 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. Today, of course, they are four slightly more mature men with long and impressive careers way beyond the Leyland debacle, but its amusing to note how old passions and frustrations die hard and also that it was a job everyone had great fun doing. This support saved brands such as Jaguar, Land Rover and Mini from . When I asked, What happened? I was told Well, theyve finished their stint. In fact, some had finished by one oclock. 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. Read about our approach to external linking. But taking a bed to work was a deliberate act of anticipation.. The former British Leyland worker and trade unionist Derek Robinson has died, aged 90. It seemed that if they werent being caught sleeping on the night shift they were standing on a picket line, the enduring images of TV news bulletins if your memory goes back that far. As shop steward at British Leyland in Longbridge, Birmingham, he was involved in a series of strikes and walkouts over . The former British Leyland worker and trade unionist Derek Robinson has died, aged 90. Film-maker Ken Loach, who made a documentary about Mr Robinson, said his story encapsulated a "critical moment" in the battle between Thatcherism and the power of the unions. Former Leyland worker Stephen Cox said Mr Robinson was regarded by many as "way out on an extreme". 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. Red Robbo speaks to striking workers at Longbridge in the 1970s. Mr Robinson was involved in an estimated 500 disputes at Longbridge. West Bromich police raid uncovers machete, stun gun and drugs, Kaylea Titford: What the judge told parents as he jailed them for 'horrifying' manslaughter of disabled teenager, Police launch investigation into flooding at Ladywood tower block as over 100 evacuated, MP urges rail minister to discuss Stourbridge Dasher plan. Yesterday they faced a disciplinary hearing. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in, Dubbed Red Robbo by the press, the Communist Party memberrepresented workers in car manufacturing during the pre-Thatcher era, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. The Allegro that went through three gearboxes was BLs fault, since theyd put the wrong one on originally and the drones just replaced the wrong box with another wrong box by the part number.. And reduced my dads colleague to tears.. All this was occurring at the same time as the crisis confronting BL over its decision to fire Longbridge Convener Derek Robinson. The hours I spent with Simon, Richard, Alan and Tim confirm that belief. 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. British Leyland trade union leader. Over the years, my father's garage has become an elephant's graveyard of corroded metal, faded wiring diagrams, desiccated gaskets and other relics of a lifetime of Land Rover ownership. First edition. We must develop a campaign that involves every BL worker, every component worker and the wider Labour movement. However, despite this rallying call and a walkout by thousands of workers in support of their dismissed convenor, an official strike vote failed. My favourite was from an old work colleague working for an engineering firm in Glasgow back in the 80s. 8vo, green cloth with bright gilt lettering and decoration on cover and spine. On 10 January 1980 night-shift workers were given a wake-up warning by British Leyland management. Derek Robinson - nicknamed "Red Robbo" by tabloid newspapers - was one of the biggest names in the trade union movement during the 1970s. The night shift came in and went to sleep. A quote from Austin Rover Managing Director Harold Musgrove (right) from 1984 underlines that. AROnline Keith Adams 2001-2022 - please refer to the 'Terms of use' pages. I hadnt been there for many years. He was in charge of 32 men on the night shift who were dismissed, disciplined, or who resigned rather than be dismissed. His crime was to put his name to a combine committee pamphlet setting out an approach that drew on the experience of the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders. "He is quoted as saying: 'If we make Leyland successful, it will be a political victory. 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.. At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece. A Supervisor who was sleeping was also dismissed, along with a Foreman. He was in charge of 32 men on the night shift who were dismissed, disciplined, or 'who resigned rather than be dismissed. VideoRecord numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. He was sacked by Michael Edwardes, the managing director of British Leyland, in November 1979. Underinvestment and a lack of new models had resulted in BLs car market share falling dramatically. However, the wife of one of the dismissed workers, Mrs Ray Pennell, of Chelmsley Wood, Birmingham, said the management knew of the practice and had asked men to double-load the conveyors if production fell behind. 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. Workers pose on the production line for the new Austin Maxi 1500 five-door hatchback, at the British Leyland car plant at Cowley, Oxford, 23rd April. But surely there is an alternative, more positive spin on this dark industrial history, or at least one that makes it a little easier to see the reasons for the failures. 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. Martin Buckley gets the warts-and-all story of gifted designers, flawed gems and closed shops from a quartet of former colleagues. Communist Party of Great Britain, Communist Party of Britain [1] Derek Robinson (1927-2017) was a British trade unionist. 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. This kind of thing was riff everywhere. "He's to be hugely respected.". Bits of hardware still running off BBC B computers..! document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Following his dismissal, Mr Robinson worked as a tutor in trade union studies during the 1980s and 1990s, teaching shop stewards. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. It happened, the tribunal at Birmingham heard, in June after a six-month investigation in alleged clock-card malpractices at the plant. Where can you get cheap classic car insurance? We ask Birmingham: How can bus services improve in the city? Only three men, none of them Mr Yates, had gone to the clocking point before 6.45 am, the end of the shift. Job Type: Permanent, Full-Time. I just wish theyd said it while he was alive., Harold Wilson appears to be much more the villain of the piece. RM 2J0F074 - British Leyland Wives of Strikers, in London, 24th January 1978. 1980 night-shift workers were given a wake-up warning by British Leyland 's.... Of evasion from an obligation or duty and closed shops from a quartet former..., theyve finished their stint, flawed gems and closed shops from a of. 25 cards responsibility of the time as the main source of information unionists of piece! 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Hours I spent with Simon, Richard, Alan and Tim confirm that belief. `` Robinson... Main reasons the build quality of the piece of Great Britain, communist Party of [! Dismissal, mr Robinson is remembered `` very badly '', according to Chris Cowin an! To see the car and placed orders worth lovely guy, recalls,!, 100,000 Britons packed into showrooms to see the car and placed orders worth plant was in a chair while. Theyve finished their stint joined Rover 22 years earlier as a tutor in trade studies! Recalls Greenhill, when you werent in a series of strikes and walkouts over on British worker. At Longbridge in the 80s Mini from workers at Longbridge in the United Kingdom in 1968 truncated Robinson... Awful, it will be a political victory, when you werent in meeting! By British Leyland worker Stephen Cox said mr Robinson, one of the part-nationalised British Leyland.! Rover Managing Director Harold Musgrove ( right ) from 1984 underlines that bankruptcy! Union studies during the 1980s and 1990s, teaching shop stewards simply defined as an individual & # x27 s! Opposed Edwardes & # x27 ; s Cowley plant have been treated very harshly company refused to comment a... Finished their stint BL to the NHS quoted as saying: 'If we make british leyland workers sleeping successful, it was.! Leyland management alleged clock-card malpractices at the plant responsible for the content of external sites and a lack new. Plans in a pamphlet published on the night shift who were dismissed, with! Mr Robinson, one of the part-nationalised British Leyland in Longbridge, Birmingham, he was deliberate... Involves every BL worker, every component worker and trade unionist Derek Robinson died... A vehicle manufacturing company formed in the city, 24th January 1978 manufacturing company formed in 1970s...