The director believes Mr Robinson was "betrayed" by a union leadership with whom he had a thorny relationship. 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. So says Simon Pearson of his time at the much-maligned British Leyland. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Union convenor Derek Robinson had been dismissed months earlier by British Leyland's chairman Michael Edwardes. RM 2J0F074 - British Leyland Wives of Strikers, in London, 24th January 1978. Good condition, owner's inscription on flyleaf. 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. Continue with Recommended Cookies. By 1975, it had been bailed out by the government, which now owned 95% of it. Another quasi nationalised organisation which had working practices that would look hilarious now was the BBC at that time. So that was the sleeping on the night-shift affair. Whatexactly happened and whenare not easy to decipher. From the Shop Stewards point of view BL management had entered into an agreement with them to end piecework and, a few years later, they were trying to renege on the deal. I couldnt say, says Seth Smith, but there was a lot of leftwing ideology about, and he was a smart and quite powerful individual, a natural leader., Talking of leaders, history has not been kind to Lord Stokes, but all here recall him as a capable boss who had simply been handed one of the most thankless tasks imaginable. It would suck senior stewards into collusion with management and neutralise shopfloor activism. Often this meant DJs talked too much to keep within the restrictions, which annoyed listeners, until finally in 1987 needletime was axed. 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. He described Red Robbo as "forthright and honest" but added that "all he did was fight for the protection of the working class". Preston Leyland Hotel, BW Signature Collection: Visit for a family celebration - Read 1,173 reviews, view 382 traveller photos, and find great deals for Preston Leyland Hotel, BW Signature Collection at Tripadvisor. Political party. Buried deep somewhere in that automotive salmagundi: an old Punch magazine. Fourteen night shift men caught sleeping at a British Leyland plant have been sacked , a wife claimed last night. A quote from Austin Rover Managing Director Harold Musgrove (right) from 1984 underlines that. If you want to see the true horrors of 1970s workplaces, have a look at the ship building industry. Mr Robinson led the fight back, organising hundreds of disputes. 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. Back in 2011, I visited a fair-sized barn in North Yorkshire full of Maestros, Montegos and the odd Metro. I am worried sick." 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". E 21 Government approves 30 million as first tranche of 100 million investment funds to British British Leyland s Rover workers at Solihull Leyland. Vilified by the media as "Red Robbo" he was also betrayed, in the eyes of his supporters, by trade union bosses. Read about our approach to external linking. 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. It was cosmetic rather than structural rust but terrible for the cars reputation. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. 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. 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. I called into the Plant Directors office and said that Id like to look around to see what was happening. 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 . 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 was in charge of 32 men on the night shift who were dismissed, disciplined, or who resigned rather than be dismissed. Everybody laughs about the Marina now, says Seth Smith, generously, but when you consider the brief to use Morris Minor components to make a Cortina rival it was a reasonable achievement. "He's to be hugely respected.". 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. For many, Mr Robinson is remembered "very badly", according to Chris Cowin, an expert on British Leyland's history. Mr Robinson, one of the most famous trade unionists of the 1970s, was dubbed Red Robbo by the media. 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. 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. Security officers kept watch from behind an extractor fan in a paint shop from where they could see a clocking point. One night him and his mate who were on the maintenance nightshift went to sleep in the cupboards. Appointed in 1977, the combative South African businessman Sir Michael Edwardes cut the number of workers almost in half at British Leyland, from 172,000 to 90,000. Video, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece, Record numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. AROnline Keith Adams 2001-2022 - please refer to the 'Terms of use' pages. Robinson was not reinstated. Similar incidents had occurred before and appropriate action had been taken. They made BL look like rank amateurs. A British Leyland workers' co-op would be a splendid opportunity to test his suggestion. 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. He was in charge of 32 men on the night shift who were dismissed, disciplined, or 'who resigned rather than be dismissed. It wasnt just at BL. 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. He was sacked by Michael Edwardes, the managing director of British Leyland, in November 1979. The following day Robert Yates lost his appeal for unfair dismissal. Another who continues to believe in what Mr Robinson stood for is Graham Stevenson, who was the Communist Party candidate in the 2017 West Midlands metro mayor election. Salary: 24,000 - 28,000 per annum including sleep-in allowance. 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!. Here, after all, was the worlds fourth-biggest car maker building the planets most complete and ambitious range of vehicles. The company remained a ward of the state for 13 years. 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. 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. Product details page for Corgi Original Omnibus Leyland PD3 'Queen Mary' Southdown NBC is loaded. This has not happened easily and Black and Asian people have often had to fight for their rights. 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. Where can you get cheap classic car insurance? He will give evidence today. We ask Birmingham: How can bus services improve in the city? "He is quoted as saying: 'If we make Leyland successful, it will be a political victory. AROnline Keith Adams 2001-2022 - please refer to the 'Terms of use' pages. Absenteeism is simply defined as an individual's frequent pattern of evasion from an obligation or duty. As shop steward at British Leyland in Longbridge, Birmingham, he was involved in a series of strikes and walkouts over alleged mismanagement. Then Aldi and Lidl arrived and the facade melted away. 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. 1983 Cowley Moles. The Government should also be enthusiastic. He was in charge of 32 men on the night shift who were dismissed, disciplined, or 'who resigned rather than be dismissed. He was in charge of 32 men on the night shift who were dismissed, disciplined, or 'who resigned rather than be dismissed. Red Robbo speaks to striking workers at Longbridge in the 1970s. 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. Midlands Live: Anti-social behaviour 'worsens' and upset at hospital parking price rise. Mr Robinson . "He may well have had absolute belief in what he was doing, but few others did," Mr Cox added. (10 seconds outside of a garage in hot sun and the paint would fade and turn into something resembling 1000 grit sandpaper..?). Officers discovered Lai was sleeping in a squalid property . Undermining the shopfloor The British Leyland Motor Corporation (BLMC), was a vehicle manufacturing company formed in the United Kingdom in 1968. This British Leyland collection is diverse, huge and full of interest. British Leyland's chairman Michael Edwardes shared that view. Enter your username or email to reset your password. The worker participation scheme at British Leyland was known as the Ryder Plan. Rugeley man apprehended with crack and heroin in Staffordshire town, Human error to blame for deadly train crash, says Greek PM, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece. I had a bright orange one as my company car a year before anyone had one over here, says Greenhill. 9 January 1980. He was dressed. No mention was made of any disciplinary action against the workers. 1990s Vauxhalls seemed to have red paint that faded quickly, so most surviving ones look more pink than red these days. With two successive name changes, British Leyland became BL Limited in 1979. 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. Id been back in the volume side for a couple of weeks and was going past one of our plants on the outskirts of Birmingham and decided to call in. 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. 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. 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. All this was occurring at the same time as the crisis confronting BL over its decision to fire Longbridge Convener Derek Robinson. This was after he opposed Edwardes' plant closure plans in a pamphlet published on the authority of the combine committee. And apart from the stupid steering wheel, the Allegro was pretty good, and a lot less labourintensive to produce than the 1100/1300., Was the UK press quicker to stick the boot in when things went wrong than they were in, say, France? I will leave the last word to Pearson, the man who got this fascinating group together: We all worked like hell to make it work, for not much money. "I can sleep sound at night because I never betrayed the workers I was elected to represent," he said. She said: "My husband rang to tell me that they have all lost their jobs.". 2023 BBC. He was 83 years old and had been in poor health for several . ( Somehow an orchestra trying to perform a punk record would be comical). The plant . 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. Ultimately it would become nationalised as British Leyland, often referred to as just BL.In 1986 it was renamed to Rover Group.. History. Classic car tax exemption: what you need to know. Only three men, none of them Mr Yates, had gone to the clocking point before 6.45 am, the end of the shift. British Leyland would once again become a privately-owned company and the size of the state sector would be reduced. It certainly became the great nationalised whipping boy of the 1970s, and by the end of the decade its image was on the floor. 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. I hadnt been there for many years. Most of them were got rid of eventually with massive redundancy payouts. Furthermore most of their fathers, uncles, etc. 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. 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 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. 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