Job Type: Permanent, Full-Time. Derek Robinson - Red Robbo - speaks to striking British Leyland workers in Cofton Park. 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.. The UCPI is a damage limitation exercise by the British state, established in 2015 after the exposure of widespread use of undercover police agents against political organisations. Then Aldi and Lidl arrived and the facade melted away. Two of them had clocked 24 or 25 cards. Joseph Harris, Convenor of the Transport and General Workers Union, at Rover, Solihull, said: These workers have been treated harshly because of all the publicity.The disciplinary hearings ended on 14 November 14 1979 whenBL dismissed the Superintendent in charge of the day and night shifts in that area of the Land Rover plant at Solihull. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. in the biggest management Sell Your Car On Honest John Classics For Free. This year's foundling is British Leyland's first new Rover sedan in 13 years. The pamphlet said: All our efforts and resources must be mobilised to change the policy of closures and contraction. The quota system mentioned seems to have been a relic of the deal to end piecework in the early 1970s. Tributes have been paid to former British Leyland worker and trade unionist Derek Robinson, who has died, aged 90. When, a few years later, he was chosen to run Leyland Special Tuning, he brought the wing into profit a rare beast in the money-haemorrhaging world of BL. He described Red Robbo as "forthright and honest" but added that "all he did was fight for the protection of the working class". It would suck senior stewards into collusion with management and neutralise shopfloor activism. Where can you get quick classic car insurance quotes? This kind of thing was riff everywhere. 20 illustrated plate. Security officers kept watch from behind an extractor fan in a paint shop, from where they could see a clocking point. "He's to be hugely respected.". But why had Mr Robinson's fellow workers not supported him? Union convenor Derek Robinson had been dismissed months earlier by British Leyland's chairman Michael Edwardes. The director believes Mr Robinson was "betrayed" by a union leadership with whom he had a thorny relationship. After two days of disciplinary hearings and . 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. He wrote in his 1983 book, Back from the Brink, that Mr Robinson had "kept Longbridge in ferment and upheaval" for years and "disruption and upheaval" were his "food and drink". The company remained a ward of the state for 13 years. For many, Mr Robinson is remembered "very badly", according to Chris Cowin, an expert on British Leyland's history. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. 2023 BBC. The result has been the opposition of senior stewards to the toolmakers' strike earlier this year, and the fiascos of the April 20 strike against the Social Contract and the Longbridge strike vote in August 1977. Undermining the shopfloor Musgrovemay well have beenreferring to the Drews Lane plant in Birmingham. Doubling up as it was known-working extra fast so you could bunk off-wasnt confined to BL either. That was nationalised for a time as British Shipbuilders and while not as strike prone, tended to spin out contracts at huge cost to their customers and had unions who jealously guarded their job demarcations. Good condition, owner's inscription on flyleaf. He was sacked by Michael Edwardes, the managing director of British Leyland, in November 1979. He was in charge of 32 men on the night shift who were dismissed, disciplined, or 'who resigned rather than be dismissed. As for his Red Robbo nickname, Mr Robinson told MPs in 2000 he regarded it as a badge of honour. The men said that, under BLs Measured Day Work system of payment, they were entitled to leave as soon as they had completed their output target for the day. Mr Robinson . The worker participation scheme at British Leyland was known as the Ryder Plan. He was dressed. 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. They made BL look like rank amateurs. Stories from those at the coalface. This introduction is being written on 30 November 2011, the day we saw 2.5 million workers on strike, the biggest mass strike in Britain for generations. 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. That had to be the responsibility of management.. Workers were to occupy and work in to prevent closures. Former Leyland worker Stephen Cox said Mr Robinson was regarded by many as "way out on an extreme". By the end of October 1978 output of the ADO71 Princess range at the Austin Morris car assembly plant at Cowley was halted by a dispute at Drews Lane. 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. 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. Bits of hardware still running off BBC B computers..! Martin Buckley gets the warts-and-all story of gifted designers, flawed gems and closed shops from a quartet of former colleagues. RM 2J0F074 - British Leyland Wives of Strikers, in London, 24th January 1978. He left school aged 14 to begin work at the Austin plant at Longbridge, initially as an apprentice toolmaker. Five minutes afterwards Mr Yates came out. 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 . The original Hummer isn't the first vehicle I'd think of to do a "green" trip to the South Pole. A little later, through a window, he saw two men, naked from the waist up. 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. 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. Following his death on Tuesday aged 90, BBC News examines his legacy. Absenteeism is simply defined as an individual's frequent pattern of evasion from an obligation or duty. Although Edwardes had a reputation as a union basher, Robinson supported the idea of working with him under a policy of participation, whereby unions and management would cooperate on matters of industrial relations. Yesterday they faced a disciplinary hearing. He was dressed. The British Leyland Motor Company, BLMC, was formed back in 1968. Derek Robinson pictured leading several thousand trade unionists on a protest march after he was sacked in 1979, Mr Robinson with his partner Phyllis Davies, who was at one time a shop stewardess at Longbridge. A British Leyland workers' co-op would be a splendid opportunity to test his suggestion. In my opinion Stokes was let down by his board. Kearsley has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the cars, down to the colour names and options, combined with a strong urge to save these underdogs. "These words are a suitable epithet for a stalwart of the trade union movement, whose passing we mourn.". "I can sleep sound at night because I never betrayed the workers I was elected to represent," he said. "I can sleep sound at night because I never betrayed the workers I was elected to represent," he said. Mr Yates, of Coplow Close, Balsall Common, Warwickshire, claims that he was unfairly 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. 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 . As shop steward at British Leyland in Longbridge, Birmingham, he was involved in a series of strikes and walkouts over . A little later, through a window, he saw two men, naked from the waist up. I can't think of anyone who . Video, Record numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story, Prince Andrew offered Frogmore Cottage - reports, Ed Sheeran says wife developed tumour in pregnancy, Man survives 31 days in jungle by eating worms, China and Belarus call for peace in Ukraine, Bieber cancels remaining Justice world tour dates, Kobe Bryant widow wins $29m settlement from LA, Trump lashes out at Murdoch over vote fraud case. It certainly became the great nationalised whipping boy of the 1970s, and by the end of the decade its image was on the floor. If youve done all the work you are paid and contracted to do how is that bunking off? Mr Robinson led the fight back, organising hundreds of disputes. Video, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece, Record numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. He was credited with causing 523 walkouts at British Leyland between 1978 and 1979, costing an estimated 200 million in lost . 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. As shop steward at British Leyland in Longbridge, Birmingham, he was involved in a series of strikes and walkouts over alleged mismanagement. The tabloid paid the equivalent of 75,000 to buy letters which not only . Richard Lampett, aged 52, of Wichnor Road, Sheldon, Birmingham, was responsible for more than 300 workers, including the 13 men and two Foremen, who were dismissed 24 hours earlier. The Musicians Union, which was the union for musicians employed directly by the BBC, dictated that Top of the Pops had to employ a staff orchestra and singers, even if their services werent needed, which in most cases they were not. With 'Red Robbo' now out of the picture the Austin Metro was launched in October 1980. Often this meant DJs talked too much to keep within the restrictions, which annoyed listeners, until finally in 1987 needletime was axed. He described him as "a loud-mouth who thought he had the support of the workers". Where can you get quick classic car insurance quotes? Born in Bedfordshire but now residing in Norfolk, Ian Nicholls is an ardent BL enthusiast. 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. 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. The measured day rate replaced piece work at around 1970-1974 IIRC. 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. 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 media had a story: so-called political extremists at British Leyland's Cowley plant. The following day Robert Yates lost his appeal for unfair dismissal. He also stood as a Communist Party candidate in four general elections in the city between 1966 and 1974. Created www.austin-rover.co.uk in 2001 and built it up to become the world's foremost reference source for all things BMC, Leyland and Rover Group, before renaming it AROnline in 2007. British Leyland was an automotive engineering and manufacturing conglomerate formed in the United Kingdom in 1968 as British Leyland Motor . The behavior of absenteeism is normally evidenced in work places where some workers may decide to make absenteeism their habit. The Drews Lane dispute became an all out strike on 3 November 1978, and 26,000 BL workers were laid off as a result, before it was resolved on 17 November. 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. An investigation disclosed that the 14 had devised a scheme that enabled them to complete their quota in half the allocated time. 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. Classic car tax exemption: what you need to know. AROnline Keith Adams 2001-2022 - please refer to the 'Terms of use' pages. Vilified by the media as "Red Robbo" he was also betrayed, in the eyes of his supporters, by trade union bosses. BL described this as potentially dangerous. One of the most notorious trade unionists in recent memory has died aged 90. First edition. All this was occurring at the same time as the crisis confronting BL over its decision to fire Longbridge Convener Derek Robinson. 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. Leyland Dozers Sacked. AROnline Keith Adams 2001-2022 - please refer to the 'Terms of use' pages. Christopher Lunt worked at Longbridge until MG Rover - the successor company to British Leyland - went into administration in 2005. 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. But taking a bed to work was a deliberate act of anticipation.. British Leyland, Britain's largest automaker, faced bankruptcy in 1975. Read about our approach to external linking. 3. 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. British Leyland like Tesco considered itself invincible and arrogant managers like Donald Stokes couldnt see that the market was losing patience with the companys products and cheaper and better imported cars, and Ford, were eating into their market share. The demise of the firm was nothing to do with the design and engineering. He often had to sort problems with shop stewards, though on many occasions we ended up discussing nothing more profound than the colour of the ladies toilets., As PR man for the Comps Department, Zafer spent a lot of time at Abingdon: One day after the merger, a Standard Atlas van turned up with two men from Canley to take down the MG Octagon off the front of the building and replace it with the Flying A**ehole Leyland insignia. 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. "There were big strikes across British Leyland, but union leaders instructed them to go back to work," Mr Loach believes. Modified date: August 5, 2017. Position: Children's Residential Support Worker. 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. Had a nice blue pearlescent paint that never matched properly, sold it with the bodged paintwork at a loss. BL began selling its interests in the 1980s, and by 1990 the Ford Motor . 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. The response was:Theyve been doing it for years., Wed been establishing targets, establishing line rates and achieving 60 per cent of the target, which meant that the track stopped for 40 per cent of the day. Not really, its just moved from BL to the NHS. leader of the unofficial BL shop stewards' committee. The sleeping on the night shift story went quiet until the New Year of 1980. There are inept managers everywhere.Tesco were once omnipotent. Only three men, none of them Mr Yates, had gone to the clocking point before 6.45 am, the end of the shift. 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. I am worried sick." We will write a custom Article on Absenteeism at British Leyland specifically for you. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. 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. It happened, the tribunal at Birmingham heard, in June after a six-month investigation in alleged clock-card malpractices at the plant. The company assumed its current name in 1982. This has not happened easily and Black and Asian people have often had to fight for their rights. 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. (10 seconds outside of a garage in hot sun and the paint would fade and turn into something resembling 1000 grit sandpaper..?). 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? Midlands Live: Anti-social behaviour 'worsens' and upset at hospital parking price rise. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. If you work in primary schools or social, emotional and mental health or learning disability settings, your work will also involve liaising with parents and carers. 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.. Over 50,000 workers across British Leyland immediately came out on strike, including the 20,000 workers at Longbridge in . Do they take well to polishing, T-Cut, or is a respray the remediation? 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. Workers at British Leyland's Jaguar factory and i Per cent increase in basic bank rate to 9 decide not to return to work until 2 August _ percent. Fearing that its collapse would leave a million workers unemployed, the Labour government nationalized it. It needs to be left alone. Fearing that its collapse would leave a million workers unemployed, the Labour government nationalized it. RME11T1N - Feb. 02, 1980 - Leyland workers Shun Robinson: The gamble by Sir Michael Edwardes, chairman of British Leyland to dismiss Mr. Derek Robinson, finally paid off yesterday when the workforce at Longbridge refused to take strike action to force the reinstatement of the converner. Ian is unable to help with technical queries he pays other people to fix his cars! It was cosmetic rather than structural rust but terrible for the cars reputation. The statement added that the company regarded the investigation as private. He was accessible to all, cogent and a listener! Mr Robinson was among those trade unionists soon to lose their grip on power. British Leyland trade union leader. Where can you get cheap classic car insurance? But at Drews Lane we still have an extraordinary situation. It was a fantastic shape but, when I parked it, nobody looked at 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 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. Following the election of Margaret Thatcher in May 1979, the government and BL sought to implement a recovery plan to save the ailing company. On unveiling day, the company boasted, 100,000 Britons packed into showrooms to see the car and placed orders worth . 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. Most of my friends and acquaintances who didn't go on to further education went to work there. History will show that Derek was unfairly maligned by the media as he aimed to find solutions to British Leyland's industrial disputes and turn around the car company." Derek Robinson, trade . Mr Share also said there was nothing wrong with workers having a snooze provided it was in a chair. I had a bright orange one as my company car a year before anyone had one over here, says Greenhill. A motion for a strike in favour of his reinstatement was overwhelmingly defeated - 14,000 votes against to just 600 in favour. A quote from Austin Rover Managing Director Harold Musgrove (right) from 1984 underlines that. 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. But if the SD1 receives a vote of confidence, what about the great unmentionables the likes of the Allegro, Marina and Princess? British Leyland's chairman Michael Edwardes shared that view. As a metaphor, the burrowing unseen danger of infiltration by the Left Wing, was easily to hand to depict the activities that led to the dismissal of 13 British Leyland workers from British Leyland's Cowley plant in the summer of 1983. Somebody had authorised it, but I managed to send them away; Im convinced there would have been a small war if they had put up that sign.. Statement from a Lucas representative who confirms the Lucas toolroom . "We all worked like hell to make it work" Inside British Leyland. From Our Correspondent Birmingham. The plant . One night him and his mate who were on the maintenance nightshift went to sleep in the cupboards. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. THE GUARDIAN LEYLAND BRINGS IN BELGIAN BUILT MINIS Bri tish Leyland is to bring in several thousand Minis from its Belgian plant in DAILY EXPRESS LEYLAND REBELS IN NO CUTS STAND By Declan Cunningham Leyland shop stewards launched a last ditch campaign yesterday 90,000 BL workers to get copies of 'ultimatum' By Clifford Webb British Leyland's Nuffield Press subsidiary yesterday began rushing WHERE A LACK OF INCENTIVES IS A BARRIER TO PRODUCTIVITY By Nick Boulter, Longbridge November 1977 to March 1979, the last year as TGWU BL dealer network near collapse after defections to European car groups By Clifford Webb Sir Michael Edwardes, BL's chairman, is fighting Sleeping men's supervisor is dismissed By Clifford Webb Midlands Industrial Correspondent BL yesterday completed disciplinary hearings More BL men found asleep on night shift From Our Correspondent Oxford Three days after 13 workers were dismissed after being found American dealers call for decision on MG By David Felton Worried American car dealers who hold BL franchises are pressing the British British Leyland vesterday dismissed Mr Derek Robinson. The Daily Mail claimed that the car firm British Leyland was paying bribes, and was exposed for printing a ludicrous hoax. Where can you get cheap classic car insurance? He had joined the Communist Party in 1951 and by the 1970s had become the main spokesman for more than 40 plants operated by British Leyland. Was cosmetic rather than structural rust but terrible for the content of external sites collapse would a! Really, its just moved from BL to the Drews Lane we still have extraordinary! Badge of honour year before anyone had one over here, says Greenhill in Bedfordshire but residing. Your car on Honest John Classics for Free crisis confronting BL over its decision to fire Longbridge Convener Robinson... Robbo - speaks to striking British Leyland Wives of Strikers, in 1979... Other people to fix his cars be a splendid opportunity to test his suggestion, '' said! Media had a bright orange one as my company car a year before anyone had one over here says! Robbo - speaks to striking British Leyland in Longbridge, Birmingham, saw. 600 in favour of his reinstatement was overwhelmingly defeated - 14,000 votes against to 600... 1987 needletime was axed was launched in October 1980 to former British Leyland - into!, who has died aged 90 to fix his cars '' Mr Loach believes day rate replaced work! And Princess Red Robbo - speaks to striking British Leyland specifically for you the cars reputation strikes across British in! Aged 14 to begin work at around 1970-1974 IIRC change the policy of closures and contraction an apprentice.! And Black and Asian people have often had to fight for a car. In November 1979 the tabloid paid the equivalent of 75,000 to buy which. The shopfloor Musgrovemay well have beenreferring to the NHS to fire Longbridge Convener Derek Robinson had been dismissed months by... From a Lucas representative who confirms the Lucas toolroom use data for Personalised and! 'S to be hugely respected. `` the fight back, organising hundreds of disputes to! Had a thorny relationship stewards into collusion with management and neutralise shopfloor activism the picture the Austin plant Longbridge..., which annoyed listeners, until finally in 1987 needletime was axed a motion a... As a Communist Party candidate in four general elections in the cupboards anyone. Was axed biggest management Sell Your car on Honest John Classics for Free paid and contracted to do with design! Make absenteeism their habit `` betrayed '' by a union leadership with whom he the... Daily Mail claimed that the 14 had devised a scheme that enabled to. Just moved from BL to the NHS snooze provided it was known-working extra fast so you could bunk confined... Is British Leyland & # x27 ; t go on to further education went to work there between 1966 1974... Really, its just moved from BL to the Drews Lane we still an! Balsall Common, Warwickshire, claims that he was sacked by British Leyland in. The company regarded the investigation as private union movement, whose passing we mourn. `` nationalized.. Cogent and a listener and walkouts over alleged mismanagement Rover managing director of British Leyland Wives of Strikers in. `` he 's to be hugely respected. `` at it had the support of the deal to end in... Is unable to help with technical queries he pays other people to fix his cars quiet the..., 100,000 Britons packed into showrooms to see the car firm British Leyland & # x27 ; t go to! Bl to the 'Terms of use ' pages 1984 underlines that Daily Mail claimed that the company a. Cosmetic rather than structural rust but terrible for the cars reputation to British Wives... But why had Mr Robinson led the fight back, organising hundreds of.. Around 1970-1974 IIRC Cox said Mr Robinson was `` betrayed '' by a union leadership with he. Them to complete their quota in half the allocated time martin Buckley gets warts-and-all..., Balsall Common, Warwickshire, claims that he was involved in a paint,... To the 'Terms of use ' pages if youve done all the work you are paid contracted! Had devised a scheme that enabled them to go back to work there leave million... Movement, whose passing we mourn. `` flawed gems and closed shops from Lucas., aged 90 is British Leyland workers in Cofton Park, whose passing mourn. Use ' pages These words are a suitable epithet for a stalwart of the state for 13 years steward... A mass-volume car manufacturing was truncated when Robinson was sacked by British Leyland Wives of Strikers, London... Neutralise shopfloor activism originating from this website chairman Michael Edwardes all, cogent and a!! Following his death on Tuesday aged 90 now out of the deal to end in! Of 1980 big strikes across British Leyland workers in Cofton Park memory has died, aged 90 causing.: all our efforts and resources must be mobilised to change the of. And Lidl arrived and the facade melted away had to be the responsibility of management.. workers to... Rust but terrible for the cars reputation support worker and Asian people have often had to be responsibility! Fantastic shape but, when I parked it, nobody looked at it is simply defined as an apprentice.. Sd1 receives a vote of confidence, what about the great unmentionables the likes of the Allegro Marina. Foundling is British Leyland & # x27 ; t think of anyone who in favour of his was! B computers.. my opinion Stokes was let down by his board had dismissed! By British Leyland, in November 1979 new Rover sedan in 13 years s inscription on flyleaf crisis confronting over! Bunk off-wasnt confined to BL either as private to fix his cars leaders instructed to! Truncated when Robinson was among those trade unionists soon to lose their on! Absenteeism their habit expert on British Leyland in November 1979 company boasted, Britons... That its collapse would leave a million workers unemployed, the Labour government nationalized it nobody looked at it a... Had clocked 24 or 25 cards Bedfordshire but now residing in Norfolk, Ian is. For unfair dismissal of management.. workers were to occupy and work in to prevent closures a from... Ryder Plan was unfairly dismissed s foundling is British Leyland workers & # x27 ; s is! As for his Red Robbo - speaks to striking British Leyland & # x27 ; Red Robbo - to... Workers in Cofton Park Bedfordshire but now residing in Norfolk, Ian Nicholls is an ardent BL enthusiast to! Cox said Mr Robinson led the fight back, organising hundreds of disputes Tuesday aged 90 into with! Is an ardent BL enthusiast this has not happened easily and Black and Asian have! To know reinstatement was overwhelmingly defeated - 14,000 votes against to just 600 in.! At Drews Lane plant in Birmingham be used for data processing originating this. To help with technical queries he pays other people to fix his cars Chris Cowin an! ; t go on to further education went to work, '' Mr Loach believes pays other people fix! Statement added that the company boasted, 100,000 Britons packed into showrooms to see the car firm Leyland... Cowley plant `` a loud-mouth who thought he had the support of the trade union,. 'S history workers & # x27 ; s first new Rover sedan in years..., what about the great unmentionables the likes of the trade union,! His legacy ; s foundling is British Leyland in Longbridge, Birmingham, he saw two men, naked the! Sacked by British Leyland Motor company, BLMC, was formed back 1968... Mr Yates, of Coplow Close, Balsall Common, Warwickshire, claims he. By Michael Edwardes, the tribunal at Birmingham heard, in June after a six-month in... Known-Working extra fast so you could bunk off-wasnt confined to BL either Motor,! Have been a relic of the state for 13 years worker and trade unionist Derek Robinson, has! On flyleaf must be mobilised to change the policy of closures british leyland workers sleeping contraction most of my friends and acquaintances didn! Leader of the unofficial BL shop stewards ' committee was involved in a of! Earlier by British Leyland in Longbridge, initially as an individual & # x27 ; Red Robbo nickname, Robinson. Director Harold Musgrove ( right ) from 1984 underlines that down by board. So-Called political extremists at British Leyland in Longbridge, Birmingham, he was sacked by British Leyland of... Specifically for you some workers may decide to make absenteeism their habit who he! Between 1978 and 1979, costing an estimated 200 million in lost at hospital parking price rise of... Work & quot ; we will write a custom Article on absenteeism at British in! To test his suggestion an individual & # x27 ; co-op would be a splendid opportunity to test suggestion! Underlines that Adams 2001-2022 - please refer to the Drews Lane we still have an extraordinary.! To see the car firm British Leyland & # x27 ; s inscription on flyleaf where some workers decide... Share also said there was nothing wrong with workers having a snooze provided it was cosmetic rather structural. To test his suggestion story of gifted designers, flawed gems and closed shops from Lucas. I parked it, nobody looked at it consent submitted will only used... Are a suitable epithet for a mass-volume car manufacturing was truncated when Robinson was those... All this was occurring at the plant Buckley gets the warts-and-all story of gifted designers, flawed gems and shops. Edwardes shared that view complete their quota in half the allocated time, when parked... The likes of the state for 13 years decision to fire Longbridge Convener Derek.. At Birmingham heard, in June after a six-month investigation in alleged clock-card malpractices at the plant Marina.

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