No mention was made of any disciplinary action against the workers. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL for SCOTLAND (Lord McCluskey) Belated attempts to set up acceptable new output targets had been resisted by the Shop Stewards. 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. 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 . Five minutes afterwards Mr Yates came out. Ultimately it would become nationalised as British Leyland, often referred to as just BL.In 1986 it was renamed to Rover Group.. History. Buried deep somewhere in that automotive salmagundi: an old Punch magazine. But at Drews Lane we still have an extraordinary situation. When questioned the men said they had completed their work quota. This has not happened easily and Black and Asian people have often had to fight for their rights. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Functioned as body plant for Mini and Jaguar models, employing c9,000 workers in the 1970s, Plant taken over completely by Jaguar in 1977, and became the main . A quote from Austin Rover Managing Director Harold Musgrove (right) from 1984 underlines that. 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. We had a LDV van at work for about 7 years. Whatexactly happened and whenare not easy to decipher. 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. A Supervisor who was sleeping was also dismissed, along with a Foreman. In the 1980s and 90s, Mr Robinson worked as a tutor in trade union studies, teaching shop stewards. I am worried sick." 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. A survey by a Superintendent at Oxford Exhausts, a factory making most of BLs exhaust systems and petrol tanks, found employees, dozing in various parts of the factory.. 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. DAILY MIRROR. Most of my friends and acquaintances who didn't go on to further education went to work there. Email Print. Mr Robinson . He added that communists active in Unite "mourned the loss of their most distinguished veteran, a mentor and guide to us all". 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. He was in charge of 32 men on the night shift who were dismissed, disciplined, or 'who resigned rather than be dismissed. Most of them were got rid of eventually with massive redundancy payouts. Musgrovemay well have beenreferring to the Drews Lane plant in Birmingham. The director believes Mr Robinson was "betrayed" by a union leadership with whom he had a thorny relationship. What's he waiting for? Martin Buckley gets the warts-and-all story of gifted designers, flawed gems and closed shops from a quartet of former . Leyland Dozers Sacked. So we were taken into a conference room to discuss it and vote the trouble being that only union members could vote on it, The conversation moves to adventures with press launches. The company assumed its current name in 1982. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. British Leyland trade union leader. The statement added that the company regarded the investigation as private. Lancashire's workers have increased the amount of hours they put in by 1.5% since . 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. DAILY EXPRESS BUY BRITISH DRIVE FOR LEYLAND BOOST By David Benson An aggressive campaign to 'Buy British' is to be launched by Leyland British Leyland is to be granted a further 300m of state aid next year, with 133m to follow if the vehicle group's performance improves. DAILY EXPRESS BUY BRITISH By Peter Durisch Leyland chief Sir Michael Edwardes left Britain over Christmas with a special messagefor BL seals pact for Japanese to produce first car in Britain From our Correspondent Tokyo, Dec 27 BL and Honda today ratified an agreement Robert Taylor investigates recently released Cabinet papers that document the end of the 1974-79 Labour Government The newly-opened Mr Robert Yates, British Leyland foreman, last night lost a claim that he was. 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. Undermining the shopfloor A British Leyland workers' co-op would be a splendid opportunity to test his suggestion. It was incredibly the first new model to come out of Longbridge for seven years, but also notable for the utilisation of modern robot technology to produce it. A little later, through a window, he saw two men, naked from the waist up. I am worried sick." Where can you get cheap classic car insurance? Had a nice blue pearlescent paint that never matched properly, sold it with the bodged paintwork at a loss. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. "But they are going to appeal against the decision. One of the most notorious trade unionists in recent memory has died aged 90. The British Leyland Motor Company, BLMC, was formed back in 1968. The British Leyland era at Longbridge became a byword for wildcat walkouts, union militancy and industrial chaos - and helped clear the path to political power for Margaret Thatcher. But the political mood of the country was changing. 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. Good condition, owner's inscription on flyleaf. How many CEOs could you describe in those terms today? Zafer went to Stokes memorial service: People stood up and said some great things about him: told the truth. The original Hummer isn't the first vehicle I'd think of to do a "green" trip to the South Pole. 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! 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. Sir William Lyons, the founder of Jaguar Cars Ltd., died in his sleep this morning at his home near Leamington Spa in Warwickshire. 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. Mr Lampett, who joined Rover 22 years earlier as a Tool Setter, said: I believe I have been treated very harshly. 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. The Government should also be enthusiastic. Only three men, none of them Mr Yates, had gone to the clocking point before 6.45 am, the end of the shift. 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. 20 illustrated plate. Permanent Salary: 27,043 - 33,453pa; Hours: Monday - Friday 09:00-17:00 Friday 09:00 - 14:00; Person Specification Communist Party of Great Britain, Communist Party of Britain [1] Derek Robinson (1927-2017) was a British trade unionist. Hello there we are looking for witnesses to the fire next door can you help. Is the 1990 Ford Escort Bonus a classic car? Two of them had clocked 24 or 25 cards. "He was a very competent man in private life he was very kind and very caring.". This kind of thing was riff everywhere. In this article DAVE LYDDON analyses the forces at work in British Leyland. 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. Stories from those at the coalface. It was the only new car on the books when [British] Leyland was formed on 2 January 1968, says Seth Smith, and it was abysmal particularly the gearchange., There is, however, consensus that the Princess was a better car than it was given credit for, but Greenhills account of the Princess 2 launch in the late 1970s is a microcosm of the ingrained and intractable cultural problems they were up against: We took a set of cars to Nardo in Italy to do two years driving in two weeks to prove the new O-series engine. Robinson was born in Cradley Heath, near Birmingham, in 1927, to a family of chainmakers. 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. 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. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Only British Rail and its curly-edged sandwiches ranked lower in the publics estimation. Read about our approach to external linking. So says Simon Pearson of his time at the much-maligned British Leyland. He told MPs in 2000 he regarded his Red Robbo nickname as a badge of honour. Often this meant DJs talked too much to keep within the restrictions, which annoyed listeners, until finally in 1987 needletime was axed. 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. A spokesman said that they would consider taking action against anyone found dozing at work. 3. 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. Workers were to occupy and work in to prevent closures. 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. Christopher Lunt worked at Longbridge until MG Rover - the successor company to British Leyland - went into administration in 2005. All this was occurring at the same time as the crisis confronting BL over its decision to fire Longbridge Convener Derek Robinson. It needs the shock treatment of standing on its own two feet like any other business. Job Type: Permanent, Full-Time. 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. By Business Ideas UK October 31, 2017. With 'Red Robbo' now out of the picture the Austin Metro was launched in October 1980. 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.. He was sacked by Michael Edwardes, the managing director of British Leyland, in November 1979. 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. The night shift came in and went to sleep. Mr Robinson, one of the most famous trade unionists of the 1970s, was dubbed Red Robbo by the media. See thats the part that confuses me. With two successive name changes, British Leyland became BL Limited in 1979. By 1975, it had been bailed out by the government, which now owned 95% of it. Mr Robinson, one of the most famous trade unionists of the 1970s, was dubbed Red Robbo by the media. The behavior of absenteeism is normally evidenced in work places where some workers may decide to make absenteeism their habit. 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. But if the SD1 receives a vote of confidence, what about the great unmentionables the likes of the Allegro, Marina and Princess? Not really, its just moved from BL to the NHS. We all worked like hell to make it work Inside British Leyland. Slight wear at extremities of boards. A combination of poor steel and corrosion, so Lancia werent entirely to blame. "There were big strikes across British Leyland, but union leaders instructed them to go back to work," Mr Loach believes. The company remained a ward of the state for 13 years. The check, which was made during the night of Thursday 15 November, had been ordered by the General Manager, Mr Robert Watson. "I can sleep sound at night because I never betrayed the workers I was elected to represent," he said. 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. "He may well have had absolute belief in what he was doing, but few others did," Mr Cox added. Yesterday they faced a disciplinary hearing. 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. Unsold Austin Princess and Morris Marina cars at the British Leyland's Cowley, plant in Oxford, 12th February 1980. Derek Robinson, who has died aged 90, was the union convenor who fought tirelessly for the rights of car factory workers during the Seventies. She said: My husband rang to tell me that they have all lost their jobs.. 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. 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. Family Cottage near Leyland, Lancashire. However, someone should have really gone at Lyons (head of Jag) and put him firmly in his place. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Then Aldi and Lidl arrived and the facade melted away. . I can't think of anyone who . Im a former Austin Maestro owner, admirer and salesman, so it []. Mr Robinson was involved in an estimated 500 disputes at Longbridge. 13 November 1979. 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. Leylands future was assured over the next two decades through reluctant government financial support, the new Mini Metro model and a joint venture with Honda. 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. These were blamed by managers for delays to production of 62,000 cars and 113,000 engines, costing the business an estimated 200m. 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. Mr Robinson, one of the most famous trade unionists of the 1970s, was dubbed Red Robbo by the media. So that was the sleeping on the night-shift affair. 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. Yet surely using cheap steel on what was classed as an upmarket product was a big mistake and the Lancia joined the lesser Fiat Strada on the list of cars to avoid due to premature rust. 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. We will write a custom Article on Absenteeism at British Leyland specifically for you. Robinson was not reinstated. after annual holidays (see 5 July). Can & # x27 ; now out of the 1970s, was dubbed Red Robbo by the media the. Loach believes talked too much to keep within the restrictions, which now owned 95 % it! Christopher Lunt worked at Longbridge co-op would be a splendid opportunity to test his.. Amount of hours they put in by 1.5 % since and acquaintances who didn & # x27 ; out! ) and put him firmly in his place administration in 2005 hell to make work! 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