| Description | The challenges faced by British Leyland in the 1970s prompted official attention and government action, resulting in the Ryder Report's call for BL's nationalisation being adopted in 1975. Michael Edwardes was appointed in 1977 and a period of factory rationalisation and severe job losses ensued. This file records the labour movement's responses to these events. The formal, conventional trades union approach is augmented by direct campaigning by political parties and campaign groups. This file should be considered in conjunction with the file - Research Notes [British Leyland Management].
/1 'Problem of British Leyland: Trade Union analysis' [30/01/1975]. This discussion document was prepared in response to questions posed by Tony Benn [Secretary of State for Industry] and adopted by BL shop stewards. It provides an insight into trades union thinking about industrial organisation prior to major changes in BL's future, and also to general matters of concern within car factories.
/2 'Proposals on the Future of British Leyland' [07/02/1975]. This document was submitted to the Ryder committee by trades unions affiliated to the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions [CSEU]. It called for BL to be nationalised.
/3 'The Ryder Report and TASS Reactions' [12/06/1975]. This was a report of a special delegate conference regarding BL, called by AEUW - TASS.
/4 'Industrial Democracy at British Leyland in light of the Ryder Report' [nd]. The author of this annotated discussion paper is not recorded. It identifies alternative models for industrial democracy proposed by the Ryder Report and trades unions.
/5 'Leyland Cars: a Crisis of Design and Tooling Capacity' [April 1977]. This report by AEUW - TASS was presented to Les Huckfield [Minister of State for Industry].
/6 'British Leyland in Britain and in South Africa' [December 1977]. This report was published by Coventry Workshop and focused on BL's multi-national status as a producer of vehicles in South Africa and a supplier of equipment to the apartheid regime. [2 copies of this report are retained, as they are annotated differently.]
/7 'British Leyland Cars: Collapse or Growth - an alternative to Edwardes' [June 1978]. This booklet was produced by AUEW - TASS.
/8 'The Real Reason why Leyland axed Speke' [07/09/1978]. This annotated copy of a 'New Society' article considered the closure of BL's Triumph factory in Liverpool.
/9 'Leyland Cars Design and Tooling Capacity: Which Way Ahead?' [November 1978]. This report was produced by AUEW - TASS.
/10 'Morris Motors in the 1930s Part 1' [Autumn 1978]. This was an annotated copy of an article by Arthur Excell in 'History Workshop' Number 6. [Morris became a constituent part of the British Motor Corporation, which was later merged into BLMC.]
/11 'Morris Motors in the 1930s Part 2: Politics and Trade Unionism' [Spring 1979]. This was also an annotated copy of an article in issue 7 of 'History Workshop'.
/12 'Strike! 7 days at Longbridge' [26/02/1979]. This bulletin was issued by the Longbridge Works Committee. It details some of the events leading up to the dispute and considers the role and statements of senior management.
/13 'Save BL, Sack Edwardes' [nd]. Issued by the shop stewards at BL Rover's Solihull plant, this leaflet offers a critique of the BL survival plan.
/14 'British Leyland, the Edwardes Plan and your Job' [1979]. This booklet was published as a trade union response to the Edwardes Plan by the Leyland Combine Trade Union Committee.
/15 'Birmingham Red' Issue 2 [Autumn 1979]. This newsletter [published by the Communist Party's Birmingham City Committee] featured articles on BL and Michael Edwardes. Other articles included a report of a fire at the Star Club and Key Books in Essex Street, racism and sexism in Birmingham clubs, abortion, memories of the Saltley Gate industrial action, and a report on the Clarion Singers [a campaigning song group that was based in Birmingham].
/16 'Birmingham Red' Issue 3 [1980]. This issue considered lessons for the labour movement in countering economic and political threats to BL. It also identified threats to public services in Birmingham, including housing and social services. Past rent strikes in Birmingham [1939] and Walsall [1967] were considered, as were women and the welfare state. The launch of 'INSIST', a newsletter for Birmingham Women's Liberation Movement is noted, as is a proposed widening of the Stratford Road to create a 'Sparkbrook Motorway'.
/17 'The Charter' [March 1980]. This was a newsletter for rank and file opposition to the AUEW leadership. This issue consisted included articles attacking Terry Duffy and the union leadership, and recording the threat posed to unions by BL's dismissal of Derek [Red Robbo] Robinson. An article by Avtar Jouhl, T&GWU senior steward at Birmid Foundries considered 'the Lessons of Longbridge'. Details of strikes in 1953 and 1956 were given, as well as a consideration of the differing situations facing Richard Etheridge [Longbridge convener in the 1950s and 1960s] and Derek Robinson.
/18 '1981 / 82 Wage Negotiations' [07/10/1981]. This was a satirical response by trades unionists to the BL leaflet dated 05/10/1981.
/19 'Stop the Rot! No to further Closures!' [nd]. This cartoon highlighted the threat to the SD1 factory in Solihull, under BL's rationalisation plans.
/20 'Stop the Closure' [nd]. Bulletin 4 of this newsletter called for campaigns against the SD1 factory in Solihull.
/21 'BL Cars' [nd]. An unattributed, draft copy of a press release, explaining the significance of BL to the national economy and calling on trades unions to act to protect the workforce. |