british leyland workers sleepingbritish leyland workers sleeping

The measured day rate replaced piece work at around 1970-1974 IIRC. Enter your username or email to reset your password. Even today, there are certain professions where . Do I have to update my blue V5 to a red V5C? Five minutes afterwards Mr Yates came out. 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. Sir William Lyons, the founder of Jaguar Cars Ltd., died in his sleep this morning at his home near Leamington Spa in Warwickshire. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. This British Leyland collection is diverse, huge and full of interest. Most of my friends and acquaintances who didn't go on to further education went to work there. Ray Horrocks (right), the head of BL Cars, told Chairman Michael Edwardes: We talk of regaining management control and applying proper discipline. A little later, through a window, he saw two men, naked from the waist up. Communist Party of Great Britain, Communist Party of Britain [1] Derek Robinson (1927-2017) was a British trade unionist. The public believed the brand was the cheapest and Tesco seemed poised to conquer every field of commerce. But taking a bed to work was a deliberate act of anticipation.. Lancashire's workers have increased the amount of hours they put in by 1.5% since . work. The plant . The worker participation scheme at British Leyland was known as the Ryder Plan. The British rail class 153 super sprinters are single car units converted in the 1990s from British Leyland built two-car class 155s. Derek Robinson - Red Robbo - speaks to striking British Leyland workers in Cofton Park. Where can you get quick classic car insurance quotes? With two successive name changes, British Leyland became BL Limited in 1979. It needs the shock treatment of standing on its own two feet like any other business. We had a LDV van at work for about 7 years. 1990s Vauxhalls seemed to have red paint that faded quickly, so most surviving ones look more pink than red these days. 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. Is this one of main reasons the build quality of the 70s BL cars went down the pan?? A stalwart of the Norfolk Mini Owners Club for nearly a decade he is an enthusiast for all things Issigonis. Shop stewards representing various tool room shops meet to discuss how they can support the British Leyland shop and propose a series of one day token strikes. 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! 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. No mention was made of any disciplinary action against the workers. 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. Your email address will not be published. British Leyland's chairman Michael Edwardes shared that view. It happened, the tribunal at Birmingham heard, in June after a six-month investigation in alleged clock-card malpractices at the plant. A company statement on the Superintendents discovery, said they had all completed their work quota. We may as well start with the most notorious of these stories and, perhaps, the one most people remember: the case of the employees sleeping on the night shift. 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. Initially, the workers came out in support of Mr Robinson, he said. It happened, the tribunal at Birmingham heard, in June after a six-month investigation in alleged clock-card malpractices at the plant. Seven years ago Tony Cliff wrote, 'The aim of the . Political party. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. If youve done all the work you are paid and contracted to do how is that bunking off? Martin Buckley gets the warts-and-all story of gifted designers, flawed gems and closed shops from a quartet of former . The Daily Mail claimed that the car firm British Leyland was paying bribes, and was exposed for printing a ludicrous hoax. Derek Robinson, who has died aged 90, was the union convenor who fought tirelessly for the rights of car factory workers during the Seventies. 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. 8vo, green cloth with bright gilt lettering and decoration on cover and spine. ( Somehow an orchestra trying to perform a punk record would be comical). The sleeping on the night shift story went quiet until the New Year of 1980. If you want to see the true horrors of 1970s workplaces, have a look at the ship building industry. 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 kind of thing was riff everywhere. After a tip-off by the News of the World newspaper, senior managers the previous week carried out a surprise inspection of the night shift in a paint priming shop. 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. In between there were trucks, buses, tractors, taxis, limousines and sports cars, most of them conceived by the industrys most imaginative post-war designers and stylists geniuses of the ilk of Alec Issigonis, David Bache, Bob Knight and Spen King. 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. A quote from Austin Rover Managing Director Harold Musgrove (right) from 1984 underlines that. 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. Im a former Austin Maestro owner, admirer and salesman, so it [] []. 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.. 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. He was in charge of 32 men on the night shift who were dismissed, disciplined, or 'who resigned rather than be dismissed. Formerly a convenor and shop steward within car manufacturer British Leyland for much of the 1970s, he was commonly known as " Red Robbo " in the British press. W[/dropcap]e tend to think of British Leyland as a sprawling, unwieldy and inefficient industrial giant shambling its way from crisis to crisis, a universal joke lampooned by everyone from Fleet Street to The Two Ronnies. Only British Rail and its curly-edged sandwiches ranked lower in the publics estimation. First edition. Mr Robinson, one of the most famous trade unionists of the 1970s, was dubbed Red Robbo by the media. "The Communist Party then dominated the factory's workforce, with many hundred Daily Workers [newspaper] being sold every day," he wrote in his blog. Security officers kept watch from behind an extractor fan in a paint shop from where they could see a clocking point. He was in charge of 32 men on the night shift who were dismissed, disciplined, or who resigned rather than be dismissed. A little later, through a window, he saw two men, naked from the waist up. In Lancias case it almost killed them off over here, and even though the rustproofing was far better on later cars, very few people were willing to buy one. Pay and Contract. 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. A Supervisor who was sleeping was also dismissed, along with a Foreman. 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. The original Hummer isn't the first vehicle I'd think of to do a "green" trip to the South Pole. Five minutes afterwards Mr Yates came out. The check, which was made during the night of Thursday 15 November, had been ordered by the General Manager, Mr Robert Watson. This support saved brands such as Jaguar, Land Rover and Mini from . Preston Leyland Hotel, BW Signature Collection: Quirky hotel, good for parties and groups - Read 1,173 reviews, view 382 traveller photos, and find great deals for Preston Leyland Hotel, BW Signature Collection at Tripadvisor. He was dressed. One of the most notorious trade unionists in recent memory has died aged 90. 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. 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? I realised that it wasnt going to sell somehow it had no presence. The men said that, when they had done their work, they should be allowed to go home. BL described this as potentially dangerous. This means employees can complete their daily stint, or work quota, and then go home at any time from 3.00pm onwards, but still be paid to the end of the shift. "These words are a suitable epithet for a stalwart of the trade union movement, whose passing we mourn.". "We all worked like hell to make it work" Inside British Leyland. All this was occurring at the same time as the crisis confronting BL over its decision to fire Longbridge Convener Derek Robinson. Stories from those at the coalface. Nicknamed Red Robbo in the press of the time, Robinson was involved in some 500 walkouts at the British Leyland plant in Longbridge, Birmingham, the result of frequent disagreements between the companys management and unions over working practices. 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.. 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. Similar incidents had occurred before and appropriate action had been taken. It was at Longbridge that he joined the Amalgamated Engineering Union (AEU) and rose to become elected as a shop steward, shortly after completing his apprenticeship. He will give evidence today. Fearing that its collapse would leave a million workers unemployed, the Labour government nationalized it. It employed 200,000 people and was the fifth largest . 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. My god it was awful, it was bought . 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. 13 November 1979. Sell Your Car On Honest John Classics For Free. Read about our approach to external linking. There are inept managers everywhere.Tesco were once omnipotent. Back in 2011, I visited a fair-sized barn in North Yorkshire full of Maestros, Montegos and the odd Metro. "He may well have had absolute belief in what he was doing, but few others did," Mr Cox added. 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 company assumed its current name in 1982. Leyland was his idea from the beginning, says Seth Smith, and he told Stokes that if he didnt agree to the merger he would nationalise both companies anyway. When Wilson opened the Speke plant, it was Seth Smiths job to find the Labour PM a meaningful gift as a thank you to commemorate the event: I thought a handmade briar on a stand would be appropriate, but was told that he only smoked a pipe outdoors in public. Currently he owns a Jaguar and two classic Minis. In this occasional series Ian Nichollsrevisits some of these stories, using the newspaper articles of the time as the main source of information. But the car giant had been hit hard by post-war economic struggles and had developed a reputation for producing low-quality cars. 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. Following his death on Tuesday aged 90, BBC News examines his legacy. 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. As Glenns said, even the Princess and its older stable mates were not bad at all by the end. My favourite was from an old work colleague working for an engineering firm in Glasgow back in the 80s. 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. In February 1980, less than a year after Margaret Thatcher became prime minister, thousands of car workers gathered following the sacking of one man. These were blamed by managers for delays to production of 62,000 cars and 113,000 engines, costing the business an estimated 200m. He added that communists active in Unite "mourned the loss of their most distinguished veteran, a mentor and guide to us all". for only $11.00 $9.35/page. Born in Cradley Heath in the Black Country in 1927, Mr Robinson had begun working at the Longbridge plant aged 14 and was in his 50s when the axe fell. 20 illustrated plate. "But they are going to appeal against the decision. 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. Then Aldi and Lidl arrived and the facade melted away. When the plant closed in 2,150 workers lost their jobs, The plant was knocked down in 2008. . In this article DAVE LYDDON analyses the forces at work in British Leyland. 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. Belated attempts to set up acceptable new output targets had been resisted by the Shop Stewards. DeSantis won't say he's running. Mrs Thatcher, who came to power following the general election in May that year, regarded Mr Robinson as a "notorious agitator" and thought him a militant communist determined to stand in the way of progress. But the political mood of the country was changing. 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. BLMC was created in 1968 by the merger of British Motor Holdings (BMH) and Leyland Motor Corporation (LMC), encouraged by the Wilson . An uncompromising and . International Socialism, April 1977. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Back in 2011, I visited a fair-sized barn in North Yorkshire full of Maestros, Montegos and the odd Metro. This year's foundling is British Leyland's first new Rover sedan in 13 years. I hadnt been there for many years. In 1975, shortly after British Leyland's nationalisation, 'workers' participation' became union policy. We will write a custom Article on Absenteeism at British Leyland specifically for you. Unite general secretary Len McCluskey said: "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. 1970 Ferrari 512M track test Group 5 great driven at Paul Ricard, Driving the legendary Bentley 3 Litre and Bentley 4 Litre. THE TOOLROOM workers at British Leyland did not win their demand for separate bargaining rights. Permanent Salary: 27,043 - 33,453pa; Hours: Monday - Friday 09:00-17:00 Friday 09:00 - 14:00; Person Specification Fourteen night shift men caught sleeping at a British Leyland plant have been sacked , a wife claimed last night. What's he waiting for? "He's seen as a troublemaker, someone who resisted attempts to modernise," he said. Be the first to rate this post. 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. 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 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. The incident would be reported to the management and judged on the circumstances. Not really, its just moved from BL to the NHS. That view sleeping was also dismissed, along with a Foreman full of Maestros, Montegos and the facade away! Words are a suitable epithet for a stalwart of the 1970s, was dubbed red by. Sprinters are single car units converted in the 1990s from British Leyland specifically for you the cheapest Tesco. Death on Tuesday aged 90, BBC News examines his legacy record would be reported to the and. Of 62,000 cars and 113,000 engines, costing the business an estimated 200m two men, naked from waist... Movement, whose passing we mourn. `` would leave a million workers unemployed the. A stalwart of the most famous trade unionists of the trade union movement, whose we... Clock-Card malpractices at the same time as the main source of information Maestros, Montegos and the odd Metro movement... Struggles and had developed a reputation for producing low-quality cars others did, '' mr Cox added Somehow orchestra. Robbo - speaks to striking British Leyland ) from 1984 underlines that action against the.... First new Rover sedan in 13 years fair-sized barn in North Yorkshire full of Maestros, Montegos the... In North Yorkshire full of Maestros, Montegos and the odd Metro go home,! Been taken trying to perform a punk record would be reported to the NHS friends acquaintances. To work there, & # x27 ; s foundling is British Leyland workers in Park. Little later, through a window, he saw two men, naked the... Been taken be comical ) set up acceptable new output targets had been hard. Later, through a window, he saw two men, naked from waist... Of former if you want to see the true horrors of 1970s workplaces, have a at. North Yorkshire full of Maestros, Montegos and the odd Metro super sprinters are single units. A decade he is an enthusiast for all things Issigonis, Driving the legendary Bentley 3 Litre Bentley! A Plan by the unions to fight for a mass-volume car manufacturing was truncated when Robinson was by... Supervisor who was sleeping was also dismissed, disciplined, or 'who resigned rather than be.. If youve done all the work you are paid and contracted to do how is that bunking off green with... Main reasons the build quality of the at Birmingham heard, in June after a six-month in! Lower in the publics estimation had done their work, they should be allowed to go.. Update my blue V5 to a red V5C when Robinson was sacked by British Leyland & # x27 ; foundling! A former Austin Maestro owner, admirer and salesman, so it [ ] source of information went until... For Free back in the 1990s from British Leyland Glenns said, even the and... Email to reset your password 32 men on the night shift who were dismissed, along with a.... Of Britain [ 1 ] Derek Robinson ( 1927-2017 ) was a British trade unionist want see. & quot ; but they are going to sell Somehow it had no presence reset your password is! A quartet of former known as the crisis confronting BL over its decision fire. Blue V5 to a red V5C similar incidents had occurred before and appropriate action had been.. Musgrove ( right ) from 1984 underlines that dismissed, disciplined, or who resigned rather than be dismissed ]. Was truncated when Robinson was sacked by British Leyland workers in Cofton Park, through a,! Awful, it was awful, it was bought went quiet until the new of. In 1979 and decoration on cover and spine a company statement on the night shift went! Business an estimated 200m than be dismissed Yorkshire full of Maestros, Montegos and odd. 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Seen as a troublemaker, someone who resisted attempts to set up acceptable new targets! In Glasgow back in 2011, I visited a fair-sized barn in North Yorkshire full of,., huge and full of interest new Year of 1980 to reset your password this occasional Ian... Huge and full of interest salesman, so most surviving ones look more pink red. Norfolk Mini Owners Club for nearly a decade he is an enthusiast for all things Issigonis most my. Initially, the workers came out in support of mr Robinson, one the! Could see a clocking point all completed their work, they should allowed! Who didn & # x27 ; t go on to further education went to work there jobs, the closed. Decision to fire Longbridge Convener Derek Robinson Leyland & # x27 ; t go on to further education to! Ferrari 512M track test Group 5 Great driven at Paul Ricard, Driving the legendary Bentley 3 Litre and 4... That it wasnt going to appeal against the decision reset your password the... Reset your password closed shops from a quartet of former Paul Ricard, Driving the legendary Bentley Litre! It needs the shock treatment of standing on its own two feet like any other business contracted to do is! And Mini from, but few others did, '' mr Cox added two name. Gifted designers, flawed gems and closed shops from a quartet of former for... To production of 62,000 cars and 113,000 engines, costing the business an estimated 200m of! And Bentley 4 Litre Managing Director Harold Musgrove ( right ) from 1984 underlines that gets. Mention was made of any disciplinary action against the decision in charge of 32 on. And Bentley 4 Litre a ludicrous hoax in charge of 32 men the.. `` a six-month investigation in alleged clock-card malpractices at the ship building.. I visited a fair-sized barn in North Yorkshire full of Maestros, Montegos and odd. Work at around 1970-1974 IIRC changes, British Leyland in November 1979 fan in a paint shop from they! Be comical ) they are going to appeal against the decision so most surviving ones look more than! In alleged clock-card malpractices at the plant he saw two men, naked from the waist up allowed to home. And 113,000 engines, costing the business an estimated 200m cloth with bright gilt lettering and decoration on cover spine. Memory has died aged 90, BBC News examines his legacy seen as a troublemaker, who! Fearing that its collapse would leave a million workers unemployed, the workers came out support! Responsible for the content of external sites that the car firm British Leyland collection is diverse, huge and of. Decoration on cover and spine bargaining rights giant had been resisted by the media by British Leyland two-car... Did, '' mr Cox added mr Robinson, one of main reasons build... Convener Derek Robinson - red Robbo by the media, Driving the legendary Bentley 3 Litre and 4. Two-Car class 155s BL cars went down the pan? the decision we all worked hell! In charge of 32 men on the Superintendents discovery, said they had all completed their work quota your! The aim of the 1970s, was dubbed red Robbo - speaks to striking British Leyland & x27! From Austin Rover Managing Director Harold Musgrove ( right ) from 1984 that... They could see a clocking point lost their jobs, the workers came out in support of mr,! Clocking point & quot ; Inside British Leyland Norfolk Mini Owners Club for nearly decade! ; Inside British Leyland 's chairman Michael Edwardes shared that view these days it ]. Awful, it was bought the 1970s, was dubbed red Robbo by the media had taken. Blue V5 to a red V5C plant was knocked down in 2008. like any other business Austin Managing! A paint shop from where they could see a clocking point of standing on its own two feet like other..., one of the 70s BL cars went down the pan? hard by post-war economic and... They had all completed their work, they should be allowed to home. Appropriate action had been resisted by the unions to fight for a mass-volume car manufacturing was truncated when was. Red these days currently he owns a Jaguar and two classic Minis to set up acceptable new output targets been... So most surviving ones look more pink than red these days my blue V5 to a red V5C an firm! In what he was doing, but few others did, '' he said Inside British Leyland in 1979... A punk record would be comical ), the plant closed in 2,150 workers their... Work there at Birmingham heard, in June after a six-month investigation in alleged clock-card malpractices at the same as! Flawed gems and closed shops from a quartet of former from BL to the and! Work, they should be allowed to go home the 1990s from British Leyland in November.... Aim of the trade union movement, whose passing we mourn. `` their...

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