7 replies to this topic

[mab01uk]

Interesting write up on some turbulent times at Austin Rover…....

"On Monday 28 March 1983, 5000 car workers at the Cowley assembly plant voted to strike over the ‘washing-up’ time issue.
The men voted to walk out on after management tried to do away with ‘clocking off time’, whereby workers were allowed a total of six minutes on the day shift and nine minutes on the night shift to wash."
http://www.aronline....-all-washed-up/

[Old Bob]

Laughable now perhaps but that was the way it was. Unions ruled and management accepted whatever decisions were forced on them - either that or no product to sell.

Bob

[Tamworthbay]

Laughable now perhaps but that was the way it was. Unions ruled and management accepted whatever decisions were forced on them - either that or no product to sell.

Bob

Yeah, laughable, now there is almost no union activity and most people in our tiny car industry have barely any work rights or are on agency with no hope of a permanent position. The 'realities' of the unions in the 70s are most commonly written up by people with an agenda that fails to notice the appalling management that was common in the 70s. Some in the unions were idiots with political agendas of their own, but the unions as a whole are not to blame for the demise of the British car industry- the poor management and 'that will do' system of design is far more culpable. All too often the strikes were caused my management to cut down production of cars they couldn't sell, it saved on labour costs. sadly there was an element in many of the unions that was too stupid to see it for what it was and bit time and time again. It doesn't reflect well of either side really. Not good times, but then its not good times now - at least no one can blame the unions now!

[Vipernoir]

And the date of the article is...

[Old Bob]

And the date of the article is...

Laughable now perhaps but that was the way it was. Unions ruled and management accepted whatever decisions were forced on them - either that or no product to sell.

Bob

Yeah, laughable, now there is almost no union activity and most people in our tiny car industry have barely any work rights or are on agency with no hope of a permanent position. The 'realities' of the unions in the 70s are most commonly written up by people with an agenda that fails to notice the appalling management that was common in the 70s. Some in the unions were idiots with political agendas of their own, but the unions as a whole are not to blame for the demise of the British car industry- the poor management and 'that will do' system of design is far more culpable. All too often the strikes were caused my management to cut down production of cars they couldn't sell, it saved on labour costs. sadly there was an element in many of the unions that was too stupid to see it for what it was and bit time and time again. It doesn't reflect well of either side really. Not good times, but then its not good times now - at least no one can blame the unions now!

As you say, faults on both sides - I suspect in many cases down to lack of communication. It seems to be fact that neither side understood the other's problems (or was prepared to even take them into consideration).

It is certainly true that at that time, many die hard shop stewards still thought the Soviet system was right, while management, for their part, believed that all they had to do was give orders.

Bob

[Jordie]

we still get 10mins for tools and wash time before finish.

[Tamworthbay]

And the date of the article is...

Laughable now perhaps but that was the way it was. Unions ruled and management accepted whatever decisions were forced on them - either that or no product to sell.

Bob

Yeah, laughable, now there is almost no union activity and most people in our tiny car industry have barely any work rights or are on agency with no hope of a permanent position. The 'realities' of the unions in the 70s are most commonly written up by people with an agenda that fails to notice the appalling management that was common in the 70s. Some in the unions were idiots with political agendas of their own, but the unions as a whole are not to blame for the demise of the British car industry- the poor management and 'that will do' system of design is far more culpable. All too often the strikes were caused my management to cut down production of cars they couldn't sell, it saved on labour costs. sadly there was an element in many of the unions that was too stupid to see it for what it was and bit time and time again. It doesn't reflect well of either side really. Not good times, but then its not good times now - at least no one can blame the unions now!

As you say, faults on both sides - I suspect in many cases down to lack of communication. It seems to be fact that neither side understood the other's problems (or was prepared to even take them into consideration).

It is certainly true that at that time, many die hard shop stewards still thought the Soviet system was right, while management, for their part, believed that all they had to do was give orders.

Bob

Not wrong, the saddest part is that it could all have been avoided. British cars and motorbikes were the envy of the world in the 50s and just 30 years later they were either dead and gone or on their last legs. I think a lot of the problem was that the people in charge had never done the job they were asking others to do so had no idea of what was realistic. I work with a guy who was at Pressed Steel Fisher, he will tell you story after story of how they tried to tell management that things wouldn't work or that more time was needed, what they got was a simple answer of 'tough, that's the way its being done'. Mind you, I think the late great Izzy was not immune to that style of leadership! Then there was the Phoenix 'rescue'..............

[mab01uk]

Having worked in engineering and manufacturing for nearly 40 years I think this article by Anthony Bamford of JCB a couple of years back, makes some interesting points about our general manufacturing decline as compared to some other countries (like Germany).

30 years ago 96 per cent of a JCB digger was made in Britain. Today it is just 36 per cent. WHY?
http://www.dailymail...l#ixzz14MQyLTdz