Fearing that its collapse would leave a million workers unemployed, the Labour government nationalized it. 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. Derek 'Red Robbo' Robinson led a long-running battle against management at the British Leyland plant in Longbridge throughout the 1970s. 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. 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. The night shift came in and went to sleep. Christopher Lunt worked at Longbridge until MG Rover - the successor company to British Leyland - went into administration in 2005. When I asked, What happened? I was told Well, theyve finished their stint. In fact, some had finished by one oclock. 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. 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 quota system mentioned seems to have been a relic of the deal to end piecework in the early 1970s. As shop steward at British Leyland in Longbridge, Birmingham, he was involved in a series of strikes and walkouts over alleged mismanagement. Five minutes afterwards Mr Yates came out. 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. 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. Mr Robinson was among those trade unionists soon to lose their grip on power. 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. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Security officers kept watch from behind an extractor fan in a paint shop, from where they could see a clocking point. Be the first to rate this post. For Mr Stevenson, the dismissal of Red Robbo was "the first shot in the war that Thatcher began against working people and their families". Tributes have been paid to former British Leyland worker and trade unionist Derek Robinson, who has died, aged 90. As shop steward at British Leyland in Longbridge, Birmingham, he was involved in a series of strikes and walkouts over alleged mismanagement. 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. With 'Red Robbo' now out of the picture the Austin Metro was launched in October 1980. work. Derek "Red Robbo" Robinson, who has died aged 90, was the firebrand British Leyland workers' representative whose sacking in November 1979 came to symbolise Margaret Thatcher's . The worker participation scheme at British Leyland was known as the Ryder Plan. A Supervisor who was sleeping was also dismissed, along with a Foreman. The men said that, when they had done their work, they should be allowed to go home. The company remained a ward of the state for 13 years. 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.. A quote from Austin Rover Managing Director Harold Musgrove (right) from 1984 underlines that. 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 . 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. The organisation specialises in providing best-in-class care and . But instead of supporting him, the workers who gathered that February day turned on him. The British Leyland Motor Company, BLMC, was formed back in 1968. Your email address will not be published. He worked variously for Morris, Austin, BMC, BLMC, BMLH, Leyland Cars, Austin-Morris and Jaguar-Rover- Triumph Thats roughly a new corporate brand every 10 months and on the launches of the Allegro, 18-22 Series, TR7 and XJ-S. At that time, BL had the biggest advertising budget in the UK, he says, and we gave Saatchi its first-ever car account, which was the Princess., Dapper, silver-haired Alan Zafer, who began at MG, goes further: It was probably the greatest range of cars under one umbrella. Following the election of Margaret Thatcher in May 1979, the government and BL sought to implement a recovery plan to save the ailing company. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Stories from those at the coalface. He was dressed. Then, on 16 November 1979, another BL plant was in the news for similar reasons. Not just the NHS government in general! 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. People were not being properly paid and rewarded so they got together and formed their own alliance. 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. 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. A company statement on the Superintendents discovery, said they had all completed their work quota. The biggest problem was scabs of rust breaking through the paint all over the car within a couple of years. It was cosmetic rather than structural rust but terrible for the cars reputation. 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. I can't think of anyone who . The case against me was brought following publicity and not on the facts.. Communist Party of Great Britain, Communist Party of Britain [1] Derek Robinson (1927-2017) was a British trade unionist. He will give evidence today. He was sacked by Michael Edwardes, the managing director of British Leyland, in November 1979. 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. The British rail class 153 super sprinters are single car units converted in the 1990s from British Leyland built two-car class 155s. A little later, through a window, he saw two men, naked from the waist up. 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. This year's foundling is British Leyland's first new Rover sedan in 13 years. Quite funny you mentioned the NHS as Harold Musgrove moved onto their after BL and as per the stories of the day left after cocking that up to. British Leyland was an automotive engineering and manufacturing conglomerate formed in the United Kingdom in 1968 as British Leyland Motor . Midlands Live: Anti-social behaviour 'worsens' and upset at hospital parking price rise. Linda Fisher's interview. 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. A little later, through a window, he saw two men, naked from the waist up. British Leyland's chairman Michael Edwardes shared that view. He was credited with causing 523 walkouts at British Leyland between 1978 and 1979, costing an estimated 200 million in lost . Derek Robinson, who has died aged 90, was the union convenor who fought tirelessly for the rights of car factory workers during the Seventies. 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. 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. Here, after all, was the worlds fourth-biggest car maker building the planets most complete and ambitious range of vehicles. 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. Learn how your comment data is processed. Sell Your Car On Honest John Classics For Free. 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. It was a merger promoted by the Industrial Reorganisation Corporation set up by the 1964-70 Labour government of Harold Wilson. Workers who gathered that February day turned on him and upset at hospital parking rise. Of the state for 13 years they got together and formed their own alliance with causing walkouts. 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