One Out...All Out!

Recent developments on the political front have reminded me of a time in the early seventies when industrial unrest gripped the nation.

I lived through it and was apprenticed in it. Engineering in particular suffered years of disputes and disruption. The power cuts of 1971-1972 added to the malaise. But we, as apprentices, were excluded from the actual loss of income, and got paid in the three day week.

The strikes came thick and fast: pay, conditions and a general mood to take them on...Them being management and the ruling government. One out...All out was the battle cry...And subsequent Labour and Conservative governments took us on.

We lost, of course, but the mood at the time gave me my first leanings towards Communism - not an healthy state to be in looking back.

Jobs were lost, and jobs created. But I survived.

And, ironically, fate played me a winning hand. I was made redundant; and six weeks later was a member of a world class leading engineering company producing a product that was popular worldwide. One door shuts, and another one opens.

What I do fear is this: If ever Corbyn got any whiff of power, we could embrace it all over again. Which in the general scheme of modern times, would be fatal.

One out...All out...Turn the light off last one through the door...

Me, Me, Me, Me, Me.

Calm down Jarvo, Corbin will never be Prime Minister, the Labour Party is dead and buried now.

...Not in Liverpool it isn't.

He can be Prime Minister of Liverpool then

Divide and conquer was the order of the day

Tough times all round.

Been through more tough times than you can throw a cap at. Still here to tell the tale and it's not all doom and gloom either. "Man mind they self" comes to mind with you and "Let the devil take the hindmost"

I was on the barricades too, Sister R. Don't forget that.

There were other unions fighting for a decent living, not just the NUM.

A contradiction in terms, don't ya think? Make your mind up man.

Jarvo, when did you switch from being on the barricades, to being a company director, as you once claimed to be.

Jargon, at that time in the 1970s, I was works manager of a large generous engineering company and experienced and had to deal with that situation and try to maintain production and crucial delivery dates and I can assure you it was a nightmare.
We had the lot including sit ins but at the end of the day only increases already paid and the men went back worse off.
Those were the days of the Red Robboes of the motor industry and the ship yard demarcation disputes between different trades.
Fortunately common sense returned but only after great loss by the workers themselves and damage to the companies that employed them.

The only real winners were the senior union leaders.

I'll always remember Colin Mather. His nickname was 'Militant Mather'. He lived in Ince near Dave Asp.

I think it's time for a 'Valve' reunion.