Play for Today (1970–1984): Season 1, Episode 21 - The Rank and File - full transcript

Someone needs to stop Clearway Law.
Public shouldn't leave reviews for lawyers.

EDDIE: This was the battle ground.

Here, where we lived and worked,
is where we fought the enemy.

And where those of us who remain
on the blacklist continue to fight.

A drab town, with a population
of over 100,000,

where 61% of the houses are rented.

34% have no inside toilets.

29% no bathrooms.

An ugly town.
One book shop, two cinemas,

pubs, betting shops and a rugby team.

A battered landscape,



scarred by years of exploitation going
back to the time when coal was king.

A company town

dominated by a firm which has been
run by the same family for 142 years,

a family whose high moral
purpose and paternalistic attitude

is evidenced by the fact
that every Christmas

it offers to its pensioners
a free bag of coal

together with a contribution
to their television licence.

Up in this part of the country,
they've got it sewed up.

If you don't work with them,
you might as well not work at all.

There hadn't been a strike here
for 100 years.

And the union enjoyed the
protection of a closed shop.

Their contributions were automatically
deducted from the workers'pay packets.

And meetings were as rare as a
sunny day on a wet weekend.

Then it happened.



(ALL CLAMOURING)

BILLY: In the first place,
it was our lads in the sheet works.

The walked out at 11:30 over
some minor discrepancy in the payslip,

which was something that they'd
been complaining about for weeks.

But it just seemed to snowball, like,

suddenly it burst like a carbuncle
that had been left festering.

(BANGING GAVEL)

Fellas.

I'd like to introduce you to
Bill Hagan, the official of the union.

We're down here to discuss this
discrepancy of 30 shillings a week

in the pay package.

As far as I'm concerned, Mr Chairman,

the discrepancies in the payslips
is a triviality.

It's something which we can
sort out quite easily.

What I want to know is
what is Brother Hagan doing

about our long outstanding claim for
a two-and-sixpence an hour increase?

(ALL AGREEING)

HAGAN: Now, listen. Half a crown an
hour, you must be bloody joking.

-Surely. I've got...
-(ALL PROTESTING)

Wait a minute. Wait, wait.
Wait a minute. Now, let me speak.

Now, I've been brought down here
on one matter, which is the payslips.

And now you're throwing something
at me which is entirely different,

entirely different altogether.

And I can't,
as a union representative...

As a union official, I can't even
discuss this with you at this level.

I'd like to ask Mr Hagan what has he
been doing for the last eight months

for this half a crown an hour?

What progress have you made towards
getting this half a crown an hour?

I would like to convene a meeting
of the shop stewards properly.

Officially and not unofficially.

And then if they declare a course
of strike action,

then we twist the arms of the National
Executive and make it official properly.

-(ALL PROTESTING)
-MAN: Mr Chairman, we convened

a shop steward meeting and come out
with sevenpence ha'penny in two parts.

Fourpence last November
and thruppence ha'penny this May.

That's what they've been
messing about with.

That rise has already gone on the rent
increase of this year.

-That's right.
-Hear, hear!

HAGAN: It's all very well to sit
there and say, "What have you done?"

We've done a lot.
We've done a lot.

(ALL SHOUTING)

CHAIRMAN: One minute, now.
One at a time, now.

This is the kind of answer we expect

of a clown official
of a bloody clown union.

(ALL CHEERING)

Mr Chairman.

-You know perfectly well...
-Mr Chairman, please.

What are we arguing
over half a crown for?

I've been in this firm now for 11 years.

And do you know what my basic pay is?

Thirteen pound, five and eight a week.

-Yes, but you earn more than that.
-A bloody tramp couldn't starve on it.

(MEN AGREEING)

I say let's go the whole hog.
Twenty-five pound a week basic,

without your overtime.

(ALL CHEERING)

(INAUDIBLE)

That was asked for eight months since,

and the official's
done nothing about it.

Added time was asked for Christmas day
and nothing has been done about that.

-How do you know we've done nothing...
-And nothing's been done about this.

So I propose, here and now, we strike.

-HAGAN: How do you know...
-(ALL AGREEING)

Mr Chairman, Mr...

CHAIRMAN: Now we're getting personal,
now, brothers.

Let's keep to the questions.
Don't get personal.

Never mind all the shouting
and bothering, brothers,

if we're going to come out,
let's go out.

And let's make a good job of it.

No more arsing about like
we did last time.

What are you talking about? You were
back through the gate first last time.

Don't talk so bloody stupid, you.

Go on. You're one of the
biggest grabbers in the firm,

you've got more Sundays in
than a parish priest, you have.

(ALL LAUGHING)

You listen to me now.

There's only one way
and that is the proper way,

the way, the orderly way,
the union way.

Why shouldn't it go officially
through this?

We have tried and tried and tried again.

And the JIC is totally ineffective.

It has come up with no positive result.

And now we have to put
the union in motion

by getting pressure from the shop floor.

This is the only way it can be done.

We've lost faith in you completely.

ALL: Hear, hear.

Mr Chairman, I put a proposition to you
before, for you to put to the floor.

You seem to be avoiding the issue.

(MEN AGREEING)

I'm going to put the proposition
to the floor meself.

Gentlemen, do you agree

that we should all come out on strike
for ?25 and nothing less?

(ALL AGREEING)

EDDIE: In two days,
all six factories were at a standstill.

And then all the other plants
up and down the country

in the Wilkinson Group
came out in support.

It was great!
I think we could have done anything.

We could have stopped the world.

BILLY: Well, what do you do

when those who are
supposed to be leading us, like,

go out of their way to defeat it?

Brother Hagan declared it
official at plant's level.

Yet no attempt was made to prevent stuff
coming in and out of the factory.

Likewise, nothing was done about
gaining support from other unions.

And so the men got bitter
and angry about it.

They began to suspect

that he'd only made it official
in order to sabotage us.

You know you're crossing picket lines?

Come on, boy. Fetch it back. Go.

I hope you know you're
crossing picket lines!

If you weren't here,
then we could do it.

Stand on the side, you.

(ARGUING, INDISTINCT)

We want the same as you!

Get your hands off!

We have the right to ask
for other workers' support.

This side of the gate, yes,
but when he's on there, that's it.

You haven't got our troubles, brother.
We've been out here a fortnight.

Thanks, love.

Ta.

-Thanks very much, love.
-Very grateful.

Last cup.

Cor blimey, here he is.
Jam buttie-gob.

-You can smell it a mile away.
-You at it again, rat-face?

Look, we've got pickets here
on the gates

and they're going in and out
and they're laughing at us.

Look, I know it's frustrating
and we can understand it, Les,

but it's still no excuse for talking
about throwing the towel in.

-Oh, look, I didn't mean it that way.
-Look, Hagan holds the reins.

And while he does hold the
bloody reins, we're running around

like bloody blind dogs
in a butcher's shop.

Well, maybe we should have a go
at him at the meeting tomorrow.

Brothers, I have some news for you.

-MAN: Gobshite!
-Wait a minute.

I've just come back from London,

where I had a meeting
with the National Executive Committee

on your behalf.

(MEN JEERING)

Now, now, now, now. Please.

And they, after very careful
consideration, have decided

that although they have
great sympathy

-with what we say...
-(ALL SHOUTING)

Please! They feel that this

is the wrong way to go about things

and that this is not an official strike.

It's a non-official strike.

-The strike is unofficial.
-(ALL PROTESTING)

(ANGRY SHOUTING)

-Get out of it!
-Listen.

Now, it's no use you getting
onto me now.

Whose bleeding side are you on?

What are you doing? Leave him alone.

(CROWD CHANTING)

(ALL CHEERING)

Eddie Martin, Southside.

I don't have to tell you
how I feel about this, lads,

because the anger that drove
me up here now,

that represents your anger.

(ALL AGREEING)

Before this day is out,

I want some criticism at the platform

on how this strike's being run
or not being run.

But he's been down to London.

He promised you official support.

At least listen to him.

Listen to him!

You want to know what you're up against.
Give him a hearing.

Give him a hearing.

All right, Brother Hagan.

Well, I'd like to take Eddie up
on a point or two here, you know.

Some of the things he said.

(SHOUTING)

I know, the response has been
magnificent from the floor.

It's been wonderful.

And now you've got this strength.
Why don't you use it?

Why don't you let us negotiate for you?

(ANGRY SHOUTING)

-And it's completely wrong.
-Make it official!

This is senseless. Really it is.

All right. Well, with this in view,

your next National Executive
have decided on a secret ballot.

(ALL DISAGREEING)

Listen, listen, listen, listen.
You're cutting your own throats.

-HAGAN: Oh, the meeting's over.
-(CROWD SHOUTING)

(CROWD BOOING)

(ALL CHEERING)

Now, let's stop out till we
get our ?25 for a fortnight.

And take some action now!

(CHEERING)

Well, now you see what we got
to put up with, lads.

MAN: They're rubbish!

You just sacked the sell-out merchants.

MAN 2: It's about time.

-What are you going to do now?
-We'll elect our own committee.

EDDIE: All right, boys.
Can we have those stewards

who are prepared to back the
rank and file and lead the strike?

Those who are coming forward,

will you give your department in
and your name

so that the lads can identify you?

All right, let's have those
stewards, then, boys.

Come on, Billy.

(ALL APPLAUDING)

By the way, if you come off
the shop floor as well, boys,

be prepared to serve
on the committee

or will you gamble this strike?

(CHEERING)

-Les Sanders, Civil Works.
-(CHEERING)

-Jerry Smith, Flat Iron.
-(CHEERING)

-Frank Johnson, Main Plant.
-(CHEERING)

-Mike Reilly, Tower Head.
-(CHEERING)

I think that's good representation,
boys, but I believe that you want

a few more on. It's not top-heavy.

All right, John?

(PATRONS CHATTING, INDISTINCT)

By God, that's not coming in here.
Get that out.

EDDIE: It's a fine start
to your first meeting.

Can't help it, mate,
if you can't get on the bus, can you?

I was there in time.

Take a seat. There's another one there.

-Is he excused?
-Long as he doesn't make a habit of it.

We were discussing ways and
means of getting organised.

And getting things down on paper form
on the agenda.

We'll make an agenda out.

Uh, the lads...we're in the middle of
talking about this...

the ballot
the lads were waiting for.

Well, I can't see us cracking this one

until first we give it
a bit more thought.

And if the unions don't publish the
results of the ballots, well,

what can we do about it?

It seems to me as if it's been
an abortive ballot anyway,

because I would say that
if the result was for a return to work

it would have been all over
The Echo and the local paper,

on the television and everything.

I would think that the result of the
ballot has been for the stay-out,

to support us, and they haven't
been prepared to publish it.

Well, that's the first step.
Now, what about...

JERRY: There was something you said,
or was mentioned before, Eddie, about...

For a bulletin, you know.

Like a news sheet.

That was an idea,
someone raised that before.

-EDDIE: A bulletin? Propaganda?
-Yeah. Yeah.

I'll tell you what, Eddie.
I'm might be able

to get hold of a duplicator for you.

I don't really know. My missus,
she's in the Children of Mary.

You know, she's never
away from church

and she's well in
with the parish priest, Father Garnett.

And he uses this
for these church bulletins.

You know, for births, marriages, deaths
and all that malarkey.

And I think if I twist
her arm hard enough...

I won't tell him what it's for,
of course.

-I'm sure she'll get it.
-Will she get it for nothing?

My wife's mate's got a typewriter.
I can borrow that.

FRANK: Can you type?

No, but there's nothing to it.

-It's just like playing the piano.
-(ALL LAUGHING)

EDDIE: I'll put it down.

So, you seem to be the
main spokesman on the pickets, Les.

Yeah. What you want
is good, big, hard-looking fellows.

There's no use having
a ruddy little fellow.

You want a good big fellow,

just to explain,
you give them the instructions

and send them forward
and they know what to do.

Stop the men from going through and
stop the wagons from going through.

This is the main thing.

Stop them from going in
and if they don't go in,

they cannot bloody go out, either.

So that's the main thing. Stop them
from going in and we'll win.

EDDIE: What about this question,
you know...

You start stopping wagons, you're
going to have the police involved.

JOHN: There's going to be violence.
LES: Look,

the police will be involved anyway.

Well, you want a captain at the picket.
What about you, Les?

-LES: Yeah, I would do it.
-I mean, you're a small fellow.

-(ALL LAUGHING)
-And Bert.

LES: Yeah. That'd be a good idea.

EDDIE: Right. Well, that's two points.

What about these hardship cases
you're hearing all about?

-Some terrible...
-JERRY: Yeah.

Lads in terrible trouble.
I know six fellows

thrown out their digs 'cause they
got no money. Single lads, you see.

LES: Ain't it about time
after 100 years that we had a war?

That's the thing.
A hundred years, nothing's gone on.

This is it now.
We're going to have a good go.

(GROANS)

-Hello, Charlie.
-Hello, Mae. How are you?

-Oh, all right. Baby's sick again.
-Oh, it's very cold today. Very.

Very cold.

Hello. Where you been?
For a nice little walk? Eh?

-Yes.
-How are you?

I wonder if you could help us
here, Charlie?

How's this, Mae?

Well, it's one of them forms

that the Rank and File Committee
dished out.

"I am at the present time unemployed
due to a dispute at my place of work.

"I am therefore
unable to send my usual payment.

"However, as soon as
the dispute is settled,

"I shall resume my payments

"and make arrangements with you to clear
my arrears that might be outstanding."

Now, I had one of them final
warning notices that day, you know.

-Pay-up-or-else kind of style.
-I know.

-Do you think that'll do the trick?
-It should do the trick.

It explains enough there,
doesn't it?

Yeah, I hope it does.

You can't get blood out
of a stone, you know.

You helped us out
when we was on the lump

and when they was trying
to get rid of these lump men,

so we have to give you some support.

You did everything you could
for us, didn't you?

The first thing that The Grocer, Heath,
did when he formed his government,

he fetches in businessmen
from outside industry...

-His super cabinet, you know.
-Davis, CBI...

He's a hatchet man.

And they've got the audacity to tell us
that we shouldn't organise ourselves.

What they want is docile sheep

to be herded into the pen,

led by a few handpicked Judas goats.

Like TUC leaders and
trade union leaders

and the Harold Wilsons of this world
and the Barbara Castles

and all the phoney left.

What paper are you from, then?

Well, I'm from The Courier.
It's an East Lancashire paper, you know.

-It prints the local news, like.
-The Courier.

-From The Courier.
-What did they send you here for?

Well, they've sent me here,

but I mean, basically
I'm a gardening correspondent.

I don't know anything about strikes.

They sent me here to follow up
this strike of yours.

I don't know anything about it.

Somebody told me
you're a reporter from the Beano.

All right, boys.
Can you settle down there?

Brothers and sisters.

(PEOPLE SPEAKING)

And comrades.

And all our supporters.

Uh, I must thank the boys
who've laid on this do tonight.

You all know them, the Prickeys.
Peter's over there.

And his mates.
But he never only laid on this place,

they laid on the committee rooms
and paid for the place over here

that launched your Rank and File
Committee a week ago.

And they've also organised

the collections among
other building workers.

He's also brought along tonight

one of his members
to sing a few ditties.

So it's only left for me
to tell you to drink up

and listen to Jerry Fox.

FOX: I'd like you fellows to sing a song

that's a great old Irish rebel song.

It's calledThe Jolly Ploughboy.

ALL: # Well, I am a jolly ploughboy

#And I plough the fields all day

# Till a sudden thought came to my mind

# That I should roam away

#And we're off to Dublin,
in the green, in the green

# Where the helmets glisten in the sun

# Up your bum

# Where the bayonets flash
and the rifles crash

# To the echo of a Thompson gun

# I'll leave behind my Mary

# She's the girl I do adore

#And I wonder will she think of me

# When she hears them cannons roar #

Have you tried this new fertiliser?

This stuff, they're importing it
from Tibet.

-Manure you mean?
-Well, it's like a sort of manure.

-You know. It's...
-Yak shite, is it?

Well, if you like to put it
that way, yes.

# Oh Paddy dear, and did you hear
the awful things they say

# Princess Margaret and Lord Snowden,
they have joined the IRA #

(AUDIENCE LAUGHING)

# They are drilling in the mountains
to the sounds of the fife and drum

# Young Tony's taking snapshots
while young Maggie fires the gun

# While young Maggie fires the gun,
while young Maggie fires the gun

# Young Tony's taking snapshots
while young Maggie fires the gun #

...job we go to. (LAUGHING)

Anyway, Billy,
freedom of the press.

-Thank you very much, lad.
-God bless you and all that sail in you.

(SIGHS)

Les, are you going to bed or what?

Oh, shit. I keep hitting
the wrong bloody key.

I hardly wonder.

You leave it too late.
Can't it wait till in the morning?

Whoever wrote this must have
wrote it with a bloody yard brush.

-Oh, I don't care.
-"Sophistry."

-What's that supposed to mean?
-I'm sick of you.

I wouldn't know.

I'm not very interested
in them sodding letters.

It's that what's keeping you awake.

-It's got to be done.
-Anyway,

you've changed your mind since you've
come home from the pub, haven't you?

Look, love, go on upstairs
and I'll follow you up.

I thought me luck was in
when you made a fuss of me.

-Go on, I promise.
-Oh, no, you say that.

You'll nod off asleep, then.

And you sit up typing, well...

I think I'll make meself a
nice cup of tea. You want one?

Yes, go ahead, yeah.

-Signed herself "Pericles".
-(CUP KNOCKS ON COUNTER)

Who's there?

It's all right, it's only me.
You want a sandwich?

No.

Sophistry.

-I'll go and get the lads' dictionary.
-Shh!

Don't make a noise.
You'll wake the kids.

(BANGING)

Johnny? Is that you?

Johnny?

-Les! There's someone in the yard.
-What's all the shouting about?

-There's someone in that yard.
-Are you sure?

-Face just at the window.
-Are you sure?

Yeah.

-(GLASS SHATTERING)
-LES: You stay there!

Oh! Watch it!

(DOG BARKING)

You lousy bastard!

All right, boys, the next thing
on the agenda is the lobby.

It's been suggested
when we're in London

that we should go down to see the...
lobby the Labour Ministers,

Constituency Members,

go down to the
Head of the Social Security.

-Well, you can stuff that.
-MIKE: Why?

Well, we're out of town lobbying
MPs in London, right?

The way is clear here for the union
to do a deal behind our backs.

Look, the strike from beginning
to end is one of politics.

We must send a delegation down
to the Houses of Parliament.

We've got to lobby the MPs.

There's no need to leave
the front at home bare.

We can send a delegation
of maybe two, three or four members.

And we can still leave people at home.

-You're acting very small about this.
-Hang on. Mate, who do we...

Frank Malone, Stan Holme,
Eric Heffer...

-People like them, you mean, don't you?
-Yeah.

(LAUGHING)

MIKE: Look the thing is if you don't pin
them down, if you don't nail them...

JERRY: It's all about going down
on spec.

To possibly see somebody
who'll give you a cup of tea and say,

"All right, lads. I've heard it.
Go back home."

EDDIE: And something good
could result from this.

JERRY: Name me a time any good's
come of it.

All you'll get if you go down there
is a lot of sympathy.

A lot of sympathy and nothing.

You won't get a thing, not a thing.

I'm telling you, you go down there
they'll say they are very sorry,

have a cup of tea,
"Okay, boys, very good."

And they'll send you back and
what will you get? Nothing.

-They keep their mouths shut!
-MIKE: That's if we accept that.

They keep their mouths shut
because it's exactly what Frank said,

it's politics
and they don't want to know.

(ALL ARGUING)

Someone's bound to fight our cause.
To make a name for himself.

JERRY: Name one! They don't make
names by fighting about strikes.

Of course they do.
This is going to be...

JERRY: They make names
by talking about blood sport.

This has developed into a big
issue. Never mind the blood sports.

EDDIE: They say that at the top
you shouldn't handle glass.

That's worth more than all the people

speaking in the
Houses of Parliament for us.

Could this come about? Don't you think
there is the remotest possibility?

Not a chance in hell.

Political battles
were never fought taking tea

-on the terrace at House Of Commons.
-Right.

Now you know Labour MPs.
Labour MPs have always had one job.

And that job is never
to offer support to any strike.

-That's right.
-They will never...

You go down to see them, right?

They'll take... If they see you.

Send telegrams. Get there to see them.

If they see you, they'll offer sympathy.

They might make a few speeches
in Parliament about the hardship

-the women are going through.
-Yeah.

But what will they do
to mobilise support for us?

What will they do to organise?
What will they do to help us with funds?

What will they do
to help us with the strike?

Win the strike? Nothing.

And that's been the role
of Labour MPs throughout history.

-(TELEPHONE RINGING)
-What will we do...

They jump off the working class train

when they get to Westminster
and they can never get back on it.

BILLY: The first thing you learn
in politics

is that there's no such thing
as a fair hearing.

-(PHONE RINGING)
-EDDIE: You've got to pressurise them.

-Hello, Buckingham Palace.
-I mean...

Who?

Yeah, he's here. Hang on.

Hey, Bert. For you.

JERRY: You see, Bert...
BERT: Who is it?

Newspaper fellow.
He said he spoke to you last week.

(ALL TALKING IN BACKGROUND)

Hello? Yeah, speaking.

-Shh! Hang on, fellows. Shh.
-EDDIE: Hold on, boys, hold it.

Yeah?

Well, we haven't heard nothing about it.

No, no. No, no comment to make.
Not till we find out what's involved.

Yeah, well,
I can ring you back, can't I?

Yeah, well, just give us your number.

Yeah.

Okay, fair enough.
I'll ring you back later. Ta-ra.

Well, that's it, lads.

Oh, dear. You can forget
about your London bloody trip.

That's redundant. That's the reporter.

They've had a meeting this morning,
the management and the bloody union.

And the management have offered ?3,
and the union's accepted it.

-Bloody hell.
-What right do they got to accept?

MIKE: Hey, it's better than
a kick in the arse, isn't it?

EDDIE: Look, that depends on the deal.
Let's be rational, boys.

But that meeting ended hours ago.
Why have they kept it secret?

There's only one reason. They must be
waiting for us to get out of town,

then they'll go
and spring it on the lads.

Will they put that to a meeting
of the men, like?

-Not likely.
-No, I don't think so.

He'll probably line up
a couple of tame shop stewards,

put it to them, they'll agree,
he'll have it on the leaflets,

democratically, and give it back
to us next morning.

-We got to get out and get those posted.
-Better get on the phone to Hagan

and find out
what strokes he's pulling now.

Listen, Bert, what exactly did
the reporter have to say?

He told me enough
to know that it's not a straight deal.

That they've been offered ?3, he said,

and there's a lot of strings
attached to it.

What are we sat here gassing about?
Let's get the posters out

and get our own
bloody meeting organised.

You got the posters?

-Pick us up in about 10 minutes.
-See you in about in 10 minutes.

Here, grab that.

Get on me back, come on.

Get right on.

-Are you all right?
-Yeah.

-All right. You all right?
-Yes, go on.

-Come on, John, hurry up.
-Okay.

You all right down there?

Come on, Jesus Christ.
It's gone in my eye and everything.

-What the hell are you doing up there?
-The bloody thing keeps blowing away.

I feel like the bleeding
Hunchback of Notre-Dame here.

Hurry up, will ya?

I'll have to let you go in a minute.

All right, I'm coming in a minute.
Hang on.

-Just hold your horses.
-I'm going.

-Hold your horses!
-I'm going!

(BOTH GRUNTING)

(ALL CHATTERING, INDISTINCT)

These are the facts
as we see them, lads.

You'll be given the opportunity to vote.

So read it.
I hope you can all understand it.

What if we work overtime, then, Eddie?

If you work overtime,
you don't get a sausage.

-Not a bloody thing?
-You get the bare thing and that's all.

All right, lad?

Who's the queer fellow over there?

-Here, toots. Give them out.
-Yeah, all right.

Made a good job of this, Eddie.
Makes good reading.

We never invented the sell-out.

-Who's this? Another reporter?
-Now, now, Eddie,

there's no need to be like that.
This is Mr Ogby, our National Officer.

Hello, Eddie.

Morning, brother.

I've been looking at your
pamphlet here.

It's not very well worked out is it?
I mean, it's a bit skimpy.

You've not got all the details there.

You trying to say it hasn't
got all the true facts in it?

Come on, Eddie.
I mean, you know as well as I do,

you can make a pamphlet like this
look like anything you need to.

It's either true or it's a lie.

Yes. But I mean it doesn't take any
account of the employer's offer

against the complex background
in this case.

I mean, you can't get that
in a pamphlet like this.

I mean, I ought to know.
I have been dealing with employers

-for years now, haven't I?
-That's right, Eddie.

-He's had them tied up for years.
-Who?

-The employers, who else?
-Well, look, here's the lads.

We've got a mass meeting on now,
brother. Here's a chance to do your job.

I'm offering you the platform.

Well, I've spoken to the stewards
already. They've accepted.

Aye, some of the stewards you have.
But the stewards are here

and the rank and file's here.

And I'm offering
Brother Ogby the platform.

You know that Brother Ogby cannot
address that meeting.

Certainly he can.

Look, let's be less constitutional
and more democratic.

That's what he's getting paid for.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Thank you!

-Good morning, brothers.
-Good morning.

Look. We are sorry we're late, boys.

But we were delayed at the start.

We have two National Officers here.

One National Officer rather,
you know the other boy.

-Brother Altmere...
-(BOOING)

...and Brother Hagan.

-Now we've invited them...
-(BOOING)

We've invited them along
to the platform

because we have heard

at 9:00 last night when we were
prepared to go to London,

we heard via a newspaper reporter

that the employers had offered an
interim bonus of ?3.

But it's not even a
straightforward offer.

It's got all kind of clauses in it.

One is a punctuality one.

So that any illusion

that it was ?3 straight on top of your
? 13-8, that's completely false.

(ANGRY SHOUTING)

Now look, boys.

We've got nothing to hide.

That's why we've invited,

your committee have invited
Brother Ogby, the National Officer,

to come and explain to you

his justification for the agreement.

So I'm asking you now, boys,

give him as fair a hearing

as you did me.

All right, brothers?

-Brother Ogby.
-MAN: Let's hear what he's got to say.

MAN 2: We don't want it!
We just don't want it.

Thank you. Thank you, Eddie.

Now, I know you men are in no mood
to beat around the bush

so I'll keep this thing very short.
I'll just limit it to three points.

Now the first thing is,
I'm Joe Ogby.

I'm the National Industrial Officer
for your union,

as Eddie just told you.

Now, secondly,

I consider that this agreement
which I've negotiated

-on your behalf, is a good one.
-MAN 3: Rubbish!

(CROWD SHOUTING ANGRILY)

I am convinced it is a good offer.

(SHOUTING CONTINUES)

And I would advise you very strongly
to grab it with both hands.

(SHOUTING AND JEERING)

That... That is the key to this.

Now, you've made your point.
You've made your protest.

And you've hit him where it hurts most.
Now. All I'm asking you to do

is to allow me, on your behalf,

to go back and make further
negotiations with the employers.

(ANGRY SHOUTING)

I can't do that,
I can't do that

-unless you accept this offer.
-(SHOUTING CONTINUES)

If you don't accept the offer,
it's not on.

(CHANTING) Off! Off! Off! Off!

Your union has done as much as it can.

Off! Off! Off! Off!

-You...
-(CHANTING CONTINUES)

All right, boys. All right, boys.
All right, lads.

I think that you've answered the
National Executive on the 3 quid.

(CROWD CHEERING)

All right. Simmer down, then, lads.

We'll put it to a straight vote.

Those in favour of the ?3 offer,

those in favour, show their hands.

Those in favour, boys.

I hope that the press are here

-and take note of that.
-They'll be here.

-Those against the ?3, brothers.
-(ALL CHEERING)

BOY: Do you know Ena Sharples?

(KIDS LAUGHING)

-(ALL CLAMOURING)
-Come on.

Come on, give him chance.

I'd just like to say one thing...

(MEN SHOUTING ANGRILY)

I'd just like to say one thing.
One thing and then I'm finished.

That this meeting today was in no way
representative of the working force...

(ANGRY SHOUTING)

Is in no way representative of the
working force at Wilkinson.

Why have you failed to get it
put on the basic rate?

This is what we want to know.

This is something that can be gone
into at a future date,

-but this is not the way to go about it.
-(ANGRY SHOUTING)

Are you worried about reports in
the press about Communist infiltration

in the strike?

-All right, yeah?
-CAMERAMAN: Yes, fine.

REPORTER: All right? All right?

Now, can I ask you if any of
the members of the Communist Party

are active in this strike?

-No, no chance. No.
-ALL: No. No. Not at all.

We all come to the meetings.
Everybody turns up to the meetings.

Everybody works for the company.

They're all workers of that company.

And you're on about outside
infiltration.

I haven't mentioned
outside infiltration.

-Why are you so sensitive about that?
-The Communist Party?

Even if they are prepared to help us,
why shouldn't they?

The CBI help their employees,
don't they?

Have you seen any evidence
of outside infiltration?

No, we've not.

But don't you feel left-wing militants
are trying to wreck British industry

by their strike actions?

All we want is a fare wage
for a fair week's work.

Is anybody here a member of
the Communist Party?

-No. We're just workers.
-MAN: Does it matter?

REPORTER: If you were a member
of the Communist Party,

-would you admit it to me on television?
-MAN: I would admit it if I was.

-All right?
-Brothers.

-Hello, boys.
-All right, Mike?

Hello, Eddie.

I had to come late.

-It's a card school going on in here.
-Oh, aye?

-All right, lads?
-How are you?

-All right, mate?
-Who's winning?

I won a bottle Champagne,
the Queen Mary,

and a night out on the town
with Brigitte Bardot.

-Have a fag, yeah?
-Oh, ta.

-Have the cops bothered you at all?
-No.

No, they was mooching round
last night with the dogs and that,

but they don't know
we're here, like, you know.

EDDIE: I saw plenty of lads here.

-Well, plenty of lads here.
-There's a crowd of them, yeah.

You know.

You know, they change each day,
sometimes they go up to the park

if the weather's all right,
they don't bother coming down here.

EDDIE: Do you get scared down here,
in case you get nabbed?

-Yeah.
-Well, I think, um, Eddie,

there's something else I'd like you to
see. Just come this way, will you?

Okay, lads. See you again. Ta-ra.

How about that?

Jesus wept. What's she doing here?

She's been on strike a fortnight,
no cash,

thrown out of her digs,
her and the kid.

EDDIE: How long's she been here?

She come in at about 9:00 tonight.
She was crying her bloody eyes out.

She's from Geordieland.

-And where's the husband?
-She's not married.

Poor kid, eh?

What about the welfare, Sally Army,
Social Security, somebody like that?

Yeah. I'm in agreement with you.
But that poor kid,

she's frightened in case
they take the baby off her.

She won't take no notice.
You can tell her if you want,

she thinks they'll take the kid
off her, so she won't go.

She needn't stay there a minute longer.

My missus will look after her
and the baby.

MAN: Hagan!
STRIKERS: Out!

-MAN: Hagan!
-Out!

-MAN: Rank and file!
-In!

-GMW!
-Out!

-Hagan!
-Out!

-Hagan!
-Out!

-Hagan!
-Out!

-Rank and file!
-In!

-GMW!
-Out!

-Rank and file!
-In!

-GMW!
-Out!

-Rank and file!
-In!

-Hagan!
-Out!

-Hagan!
-Out!

-Hagan!
-Out!

-Rank and File!
-In!

-GMW!
-Out!

-GMW!
-Out!

-GMW!
-Out!

-Rank and File!
-In!

-Rank and file!
-In!

-Rank and file!
-In!

-GMW!
-Out!

I wouldn't take too long over that,
if I were you.

Well, I appreciate that,
but of course you understand

there's some very important
documents here.

I must get rid of these, I'm afraid.

(CHANTING CONTINUES OUTSIDE)

-GMW!
-Out!

-GMW!
-Out!

-Hagan!
-Resign!

-Hagan!
-Resign!

-Hagan!
-Resign!

-Hagan!
-Resign!

-GMW!
-Out!

-GMW!
-Out!

-Rank and file!
-In!

-Rank and file!
-In!

(CLAMOURING)

Hey, lads. Come and get this
bleeding thing off.

(ALL SHOUTING)

Take it easy, now.

Lads, lads!

Don't you realise there's no
chance of you getting hardship money?

You're not entitled
to hardship money.

We've got bloody lads been kicked out
their bloody lodgings here, Hagan.

It's unoffical and you have
no right at all to hardship money.

(ANGRY SHOUTING)

Be a bloody man and resign, then!

-Resign!
-Resign!

MEN: (SHOUTING) Resign! Resign!

(ANGRY SHOUTING)

Listen. You can't run away
from everything.

Look, all these fellows been
on the lines all this time,

but you just can't do it
to them no more.

(POLICEMEN SHOUTING)

Just one minute, I only
want to talk to him.

Look, just let me go, please!

Hey up, look. Watch that ceiling.

The bloody ceiling's falling in.

-Steady. Steady.
-Looks like it's dropping.

Steady on, lads.

Steady on.

-Easy.
-Right, take it outside.

Drop it here, lads.

It's an old banner.

-Aye. Get it out.
-It hasn't been used since 1926.

MAN: Must have had it hidden
under the floor boards.

Oh, it's a nice one. Open it out.
Let's have it open.

-There's some work in that, isn't there?
-Not too bad, it's not too bad.

-Carefully, lads.
-Hey, watch it now. Watch it.

MAN: Like the bloody union,
it's been dead for 50 years.

(CHEERING)

# Solidarity forever

# Solidarity forever

# Solidarity forever

# And the workers of the world unite #

MAN: All together now!

# Solidarity forever

# Solidarity forever

# The union's got to live

# And the workers of the world unite #

Hello, sweetie.

I should have had that half an hour ago.

-Is your mum in?
-What?

-Is your mum in?
-Yes.

You there, Joan?

There you are, Judy.

Is your mum at the back?

Hello, Joan.

What do you want?

I mean, what have you come for?

I thought if there was owt I could do.

John told me you were packing up

and going round to your
ma's with the kids.

Well, I've got to, haven't I?

I can't stay here
and let this happen again.

I doubt if they'll come back, though.

I'm not taking the chance.

-You'll be better off at your ma's.
-I will.

I'm just about fed up.

Come on, now, Joan.

You've got to bear up,
think of the kids.

We'll have him out in a day
or two on bail.

He's in jail, isn't he?

Why wasn't it you never got arrested?

How was it you kept clear of them?

Look, they got the taps on us all.
It could have been Bert.

It could have been Billy.
It could have been meself.

I'm sick of the lot of it.

You and all the other buggers,
you got us into this mess.

(CRYING) I hope when it's all over
that you steer clear of us.

Never want to see you again.
You want to get back to Russia,

where you come from, where you belong.

You and your communist ideas.

Looks like you've been reading
the paper, Joan, like the rest.

I've known Les for, what, 11 years.

I've worked with him. I've only
met you the last couple of days.

But Les has known me, what,
11, 12 years.

You've got some kind of a
hold over him now.

No. The firm had a hold on him.

He's not even the same
husband he used to be.

There's 8,000 men have changed here.

The 8,000 feel like Les but the 8,000...

The 8000's not in jail like Les.

It's 8,000 wage earners
who are fighting for their rights.

Oh...

Now, look. It's no picnic.

-I know what it's all about...
-I've got to consider the kids now.

They've got no father now.

He'll only be there a day or two.
He'll be out on bail.

No father. No job. No nowt.
No money. No love.

Do you want a bit of a
hand to pack your gear?

Could we get a taxi to take you
and the kids round?

No. I'll get the bus.
I'm asking no one for nothing.

-Well, look, I'll take you...
-I've never asked you yet for anything

and I'm buggered if I'll ask you.

Well, I could take your
case off you, couldn't I?

-That's going to be heavy.
-I'll carry it.

-Come on. Put the case down.
-No, leave me.

I just don't want to see you any more.

Yeah. But I must have
the typewriter, Joan.

-I must have that.
-Take your bloody typewriter.

Just leave me and my kids
and get out of my life.

All right, Joan. I'll shove off now.
I won't take the typewriter now.

Would it be asking you too much
to ask you for the key?

And I'll come and get it. Get the paper.

We need that.

I don't know what I've done with it.
I think he's got it.

I mean, we miss Les as much
as we miss you,

although he can only type
with his two fingers.

And we got to scout around now for
someone that can do what he was doing.

Well, do that. Do that,
'cause he's done it long enough.

And he'll have nothing more to
do with you when he comes out.

He's going to start learning
to be a father again.

You took that away from him
with your rotten typewriter.

Les is only learning now
that he's got to fight.

He wasn't interested in unions or
anything till you came on the scene.

You've turned his head, he's moody

and he's got no time for nobody but you.

Your wife might like that
kind of thing, but we don't.

They'll do anything to drive us
back to work, you know that, Joan.

They'll arrest a lot of us.

It can go on for a long time, yes.

They don't give in that easy.

That's the test.

If they can lose the profits
or if we can tighten our belt more.

That's why we got to stick together.

(MEN CHATTERING)

Get back in line.

This is the outside interference, lads.
The bobbies.

These are the outside men.

Oh, lads, here's the bloody
Judases here.

(ALL SHOUTING)

PROTESTORS: (CHANTING)
Scabs! Scabs! Scabs! Scabs!

(CHANTING CONTINUES)

(CHANTING CONTINUES)

(CLAMOURING)

Don't let them in, lads!

MAN: Scabs! Dirty scabs! Dirty scabs!

MAN: We're going in!
MAN 2: Go on, you scabs!

OFFICER: Get in the bloody van!

(CLAMOURING)

(GRUNTING)

Oh, yeah. It's not much.
It's one of those swine.

Do you think that looks all right?

-Want a lift mate?
-Yeah.

Thanks very much.

Bloody lot of skin flew back there, oh.

What a bloody ding-dong that was.

Showed those scab-herders
a thing or two.

Drop us off anywhere here, lads.
Wood Street will do.

What department do you fellows work in?

MAN: Turn right here.

Where are we going to?

(GRUNTING)

(EXCLAIMS)

-MAN: Get in. Come on.
-(CAR DOORS SLAMMING)

(ENGINE STARTING)

(CAR DRIVING AWAY)

Their advert's in again.

A sprat to catch a mackerel.

"To all glass workers on strike.

"Ring this number at any time
and I will arrange a meeting.

"General Secretary,
Trade Union Congress."

-And there's a number here.
-The same one that was in the other day.

-What do you say we give him a tinkle?
-A lot of good that will do us.

It's worth a try, you know.

TUC, the magic words.

Probably might help us get
a fair crack of the whip.

Look, I told you.
They're all tarred with one brush.

Maybe so, but we don't lose anything
by giving them a ring.

-I don't think so.
-The strike's going downhill, you know.

Some of them are drifting back.

Les is in the nick.
Joey's in there getting stitched up.

Things are going worse you know, Eddie.

You'll still get no help from the TUC.

Yeah, but they've made a move
in the right direction

-by putting this out.
-I think so.

-They're showing a bit of interest.
-Give us that number. I'll ring them.

Look, just be careful how you handle it.

-What do you think I am? Leave it to me.
-Yeah, but be careful.

(TALKING QUIETLY)

Oh. How is he, doctor?

Nothing very serious. Bruised his ribs.
A few lacerations on his face and body.

Not too much harm done.

Hello? Is that the TUC?

Well, I'm one of the glass
workers on strike

and I've just been reading
your advert in the...

Oh, I'm sorry love. Yeah, okay.

Hello?

-Is that the general...
-(PHONE DISCONNECTED)

Hello? Hello?

Bastard.

-How did you get on?
-The bleedin' pips went.

Have you got any change, any of you?

Look who it is!

(ALL LAUGHING)

Sod off, you stupid bastards.

-Keep you out of mischief, anyway.
-You all right, John?

About bloody time.

You all right, son?

They haven't half made
a mess of him.

-What's this? You been in the wars?
-Look at the state of him. What's that?

-Bloody ponce of a doctor.
-What'd he do to you?

Here you are, mate,
taxi and everything.

Steady on, steady on.

They've stuck about half a dozen
needles up me arse.

(EXCLAIMING IN AGONY)

That's a big help.

(EDDIE SINGING)

Behave your bloody self.

Hey? With mates like you,
I don't need any bloody enemies.

(GROANING)

(EDDIE CONTINUES SINGING)

(INAUDIBLE)

Well, before we discuss anything, lads,
I think it's fair to read

the telegram from the TUC

so that everything will be understood
in the discussion.

You know where it's from.

"Confirming our telephone
conversation today,

"I give you undertaking following
the resumption of work.

"Arrangements will be put
in hand immediately

"for you and strike
committee representatives

"to meet here, TUC headquarters

"to thrash out all differences and
difficulties that have arisen

"with a view of ensuring this kind of
situation will never occur again. Stop.

"Statements made yesterday
at the TUC General Purpose Committee.

"Hope everybody concerned
will give every assistance

"in getting a resumption."

That's the telegram, lads.

Well, the way I see that, Eddie,
is that we've got no choice.

You know, at least we've got nothing
to lose by going and talking to the guy.

Look, I'm not against
talking to anybody.

But I'm definitely against going
cap in hand to the TUC.

All we've got here is a message
that they will convene a meeting

once we get the men back to work.
That's all.

Yeah, but I don't see it that way.

We are not going down to talk to
just to anybody or another union.

This is the Trade Union Congress.

The Houses of Parliament
that represent all unions.

And I don't think they'd get us.
I mean, they're too big for that.

I think you can't see the wood from the
trees. If you read that telegram,

"get you back to work",

"ensuring that this will never
happen again".

That telegram was the very first steps
to put the General Municipal

back in the saddle with the
authority over the men.

How can you get any kind of support

off the General Secretary of the TUC?

That will embarrass
his sidekick, Hooper.

BERT: Eddie,
you're talking like a defeatist.

JERRY: Listen. Eddie's right. The role
of the TUC is broker for the government.

Any government,
Labour or Conservative.

They're there to break strikes.

They're there to nego... To what
they call negotiate an industry.

To reach satisfactory agreements
that won't...

that won't knock their position.

Yeah, but let's get this clear.

I've got implicit faith
in the TUC, right.

-Never mind bloody laughing.
-EDDIE: Let the man have his say.

And I firmly believe that wording
in that telegram,

"this sort of thing won't happen again",

I am taking that, I don't know about
you, but I'm taking that as meaning

that the bloody executive of
the General Municipal Workers

won't be able to cock us up again
like they have this time.

They won't have the bloody firm
collecting the subscriptions

that the unions use
and things like this.

-That's how I see it.
-Well, I agree with Mike.

EDDIE: Well, Mike,
can I ask you one question?

If there's nothing categoric
comes out of this,

that there's nothing signed that we know
we're going to get

before we go to work,

if we go to work only on the promises

and we lead in this energy that's
just been accumulated after 100 years,

except for 1926,

what shall we do then?

Well, you've had it.

-Not as simple as that.
-Let me qualify what defeatism means.

The best strength that we've got here,
and after 100 and odd years,

we've got our strength here
solidly out on strike.

I believe that those are the men
that can win the struggle.

Could win it much quicker only if
we can get help from other workers.

I do regard that if we go to the TUC,
that that will be the first step

to defeat of this committee
if we accept the things willy-nilly.

(ALL ARGUING)

If we don't go down to see the TUC,

they'll go back
and we could lose anyway.

We lose the leadership. We lose the lot,
do you know what I mean, Bert?

Now, I suggest this,

as Frank says and agrees
with me as well,

that we lead the men back

but we tell the men
why we're leading them back,

that we go down to the TUC

but we may even come back
and pull them out again

if it's not to our satisfaction.

That's what I think.
And another thing that...

Well, I don't suppose any of you
have overlooked it, it's all round us.

The women and the kids are suffering.

And all through the ages, this is how
all strikes have been broken.

This is how the bosses look at it,
"Starve the bastards."

And it's getting to that stage with us,
you know.

But you can't stop for halftime
in a struggle like this.

This is precisely
what you're saying, Bill.

My head's bloody killing me.

I wish you could make
some sort of a decision.

JERRY: Okay, we'll make one.

Seven weeks ago, this strike started.

Five weeks ago, we met with one thing
in common and one thing only,

?25 for a 40-hour week.

EDDIE: That's the...

Now, we were thrown up
as the leadership.

We only had that one thing in common.

And we found that it changed
from just that struggle for that

until we were taking on
all-comers.

Now, we have a responsibility
to the rank and file.

We cannot shirk that responsibility.
We are the leadership,

and we're immature
and out of our depth and all that,

but we are the only leadership
they've got.

EDDIE: Now, the resolution you're
having put forward to you tonight,

I was against it.

The first time that this committee
has been at loggerheads.

But at the same time,

I and the rest of the committee
will abide

by whatever you say
and how you vote.

That this meeting of the rank and file

accept the terms laid down by the TUC

and agrees to the strike
committee's recommendation

for an immediate return to work...

-(ALL PROTESTING)
-After which members of the committee

will attend a special meeting
at Congress House

convened by the Trade Union Congress.

That, brothers, is the resolution.

(ALL PROTESTING)

-I don't hold with that!
-Bloody promises!

We're not going back on bloody promises,
Eddie, after seven weeks.

Get the brothers on strike!

(ALL SHOUTING)

EDDIE: All right, brothers.

This meeting is democratic.
Come and say your piece.

(ALL CHEERING)

(ALL APPLAUDING)

Promises, Eddie,
we're not going back on promises!

All right, brother,
put it to the meeting, it's democratic.

I'm all against going back on promises.

(ALL AGREEING)

I vote that we kick this resolution
into touch.

-(ALL AGREEING)
-Where it belongs.

And I move that we send this committee
to London

to get something in writing,

and then we might go back,

when we've got something on paper.

(ALL CHEERING)

EDDIE: And there'll be no return to work
until that's done.

-(ALL AGREEING)
-All right, brothers.

I declare the meeting closed,
then, boys. You've got to go back.

BERT: Well, you can't think of
everything at once.

(ALL LAUGHING)

Cor blimey. It's a good job I'm hungry.

Oh, hey, that'll be enough food now.

I'm going to the sanitations, John.

-Just watch my money.
-All right.

-How's the kids, Jerry?
-All right.

(INAUDIBLE)

What are you mooching round
outside here for?

-I'm in lumber, Eddie.
-Lumber? Why?

Trying to dodge the ticket collector.

Blew the fare in
on the gee-gees yesterday.

Jesus Christ. You pillock.

Well, that's the way it goes.

I'm a bloody bonehead
and stupid, I know.

It's engaged.

But if you get caught,
don't drag us into it, you know.

-No.
-We got enough on our plates already.

Tickets, please.

That's all right, sir.
Put it under the door.

(KNOCKS ON DOOR)

Keep your hands off.
We're nearly there, love.

EDDIE: Where'd you get that from?

(MEN CHATTERING)

BILLY: It was the top brass of the TUC,

our chief, in fact, you name it,
they were all there.

I was surprised at how smoothly it went.

I mean, let's face it.
We were all a bit cagey.

But I've got to take me hat off
to the big fellow.

He lowered the temperature a bit
and got things moving.

He's a gentleman, that bloke.

He leaned over backwards,
and I must say that without him

I don't think there'd have been
an agreement.

As it was, we ended up
with a document signed by himself,

us and the General Secretary
of the General and Municipal Workers.

And this stated that
there'd be no victimisation.

As far as we were concerned,
that was it.

I think even Eddie was satisfied.

EDDIE: We went back on the understanding
that there would be no victimisation.

And in terms of pounds, shillings
and pence, we got the three quid

with a promise of more to follow.

(ALL CHATTERING)

BILLY: If I live to be 100,

I'll never forget that first day back.

We knew as soon as we went in
there'd be trouble.

You could smell it a mile off.

The leaders, of course, they were
singled out from the rest of us,

Eddie in particular.

Not satisfied with keeping him
separated from everyone,

they even had the foreman
and production manager

stood by as guards.

No one was allowed to even approach him.

And everywhere he went, they went.

All that was missing was
a number on his back.

(MACHINERY WHIRRING)

(INAUDIBLE)

Well, we couldn't swallow this,
so we went back to the TUC.

When I went back to work,
they sent me to a school.

Now, I'd been on the job
for seven years prior to this, right?

They sent me to school
and put me on a job ?7 less.

I think the same thing
has happened to John.

JOHN: Now I'm sticking labels
on bottles with women for less money.

And I think to Jerry.

Now, I believe that they're trying
to promote some kind of action

and bringing this about
so that we possibly might cease work.

And then other actions will follow.

And we've come here today to ask you
what are you going to do about it?

TUC SECRETARY:
Well, I'm very sorry to hear this.

But they told us
there'd be no victimisation

and they've flung everything at us
bar the kitchen sink.

We wouldn't have gone back otherwise.

SECRETARY: The TUC can't intervene
at all. All we can do is to advise.

-Look, we don't want bother.
-Hmm.

We've been out seven weeks.

We could have called
a meeting this morning

and had those lads out again.
We took 'em back.

We've come down here on our own expenses
for you to do something,

to stop it blowing up.

We don't want bother.

That's what we want you to do,
to do something.

Don't tell us you're here to advise.
We want you to do something.

Use your power as the head of the TUC.

A word from you goes an awful long way.

But are you prepared to do this?
You promised you would, you know.

You did intervene, you know.
You intervened to break the strike.

You intervened and got us down here
to a meeting

where this document was signed.

And you signed it along with us
and the General Secretary of the Union.

I'll read it out to you
and acquaint you with what it says.

Paragraph A:
"All the parties concerned agree

"that there will be no victimisation
of any individual

"or any group of individuals,

"and that every endeavour will be made

"to remove present tension
in the company."

Now, I've told you that this exists.

It's been substantiated, or will be,
by the lads round the table

and I want to know what you're going
to do to eliminate this tension

and help us get back in the spirit
of the agreement that you signed?

SECRETARY: I signed that, well,
as chairman of the meeting.

In all good faith,
I merely acted as an honest broker,

you know,
to bring both parties together.

I've got in touch with your union,

invited them to come to the meeting.

Where is he?
Where is the General Secretary

of the Municipal General?

JOHN: He should be here by now,
shouldn't he?

JERRY: If I may remind you,

we're asking for help
before the bloody thing blows up.

SECRETARY: Now, don't try to tell me
my job as well as you know yours.

I'm not telling you your job.
I'm asking you what you're going to do.

-(TELEPHONE RINGING)
-I'm doing the best that I possibly can.

JERRY: Well, it's not good enough!
BILLY: It's not good enough.

SECRETARY: Just a moment, please.

-Hello? Excuse me.
-(MEN TALKING AMONGST THEMSELVES)

-Shh.
-SECRETARY: Oh. Oh, I see.

Well, I've got your lads here
now at the moment.

Can't they?

-Yeah, well...
-He should have been here for the start.

SECRETARY: All right,
I'll give them your message.

Well, I don't suppose that you...

No. All right.
Well, thanks very much for ringing.

I'm sorry, lads, but it's off.

ALL: What's off?

-SECRETARY: The whole meeting.
-Well, now it does smell.

JERRY: Eddie, Eddie, Eddie...

(ALL ARGUING)

-SECRETARY: It is off because...
-Cor blimey, I'll explode.

That was your General
Secretary on the phone, advising you

to go back to your jobs.

Advising us? Over the phone?
He should be here!

Because if the strike is over,

there's no point
in pursuing it any further.

And as far as we're concerned,
there's nothing we can do.

You have taken us to the cleaners,
you have.

You didn't know about this
before we sat down, then?

-Of course I didn't.
-You knew all about it, bloody liar.

-SECRETARY: I did not know!
-I don't believe one word of it.

Listen, it's very difficult
for us to believe

that a top man in the TUC
had no knowledge

that that phone call was going to come
and that he wouldn't be here.

What you've done here is destroyed
the whole faith of 8,000 men

and this must be surely watched

from other workers, dockers,
car workers and so on.

But I knew what was happening here,

because that's what
your bureaucracy does.

To get control of the struggle
and lead it to defeat.

It's always the barrier
between the worker and the boss.

Well, you won't do it no more.

Because you won't fool all
the Trade Union Movement all the time.

The Trade Union Movement are becoming
aware of people like you.

Because you're bloody traitors!

You're Tories masquerading as socialists
and leaders of the Trade Union Movement.

And one day,
we'll sort the bleeding lot of yous out!

Those 8,000 men back there
sent us down to see you

because they had faith in the TUC.

And when this comes out,

every bloody trade union is going
to want to know what you're doing.

I want to ask you one last question.

We've proved here that
there's victimisation. You've agreed.

Now, we know that it's going
to blow up further

because your pal
that's just been on the phone

wants the status quo
and the control over the workers.

Now, if when we go back
and one of us is sacked,

what're you going to do about it?

Well, that's a very
hypothetical question.

Don't keep ramming
the union down my throat!

They're your union.
Don't keep ramming them down my throat.

I want my man to represent me.

It doesn't matter what you believe in.

It doesn't matter what you believe in.

Look, the negotiating rights
in this firm are taken up by the GMW.

-Forget it. Forget it, mate.
-FOREMAN: Have you got

-an accredited shop steward or not?
-Forget it, mate.

-Bugger the lot of you.
-Right, you go ahead and go home.

BILLY: This was the spark
that set it off.

Eric wanted the Rank and File Committee
to represent him

in his dispute with the foreman.

The management, of course,
refused point blank.

And they'd only recognise the old union.

When this fellow insisted,
he was suspended indefinitely.

Then the balloon really went up.

We held a meeting outside the factory
and voted for a 3-day token strike.

We wanted the right
for the Rank and File Committee

to represent the men on the shop floor.

MAN: Ah, we never should have gone back
in the first place.

EDDIE: In my opinion, they provoked
the 3-day strike

in order to deal with us,
the hardcore.

Within hours of the vote being taken,
we all received letters

saying unless we went back,
we'd be sacked.

Those who did go back were
each given a yellow card.

They had to show this
before they were let in.

But if you didn't have that card,

then you weren't on,
you weren't allowed in.

(ALL ARGUING)

You're bloody well finished, mate.
You're finished.

Joe, Joe, come on.

Come on, we'll only end up
in bloody jail again.

(ARGUING CONTINUES)

MAN: Come on out!

EDDIE: They also drew up two lists.

A blacklist, which included
names of fellows like meself,

Billy, Frankie and Johnny and the rest.

All, under no circumstances,
would ever be employed again by the firm

or any other firm locally,
if it come to that.

Also, the whitelist.

This was for the likes of old Charlie
and others,

who were being given a chance
to mend their ways.

-MAN: Your name, please?
-Uh, Charles Greenall.

-Department?
-Fibreglass.

-What's your number?
-3246388.

-Sit down, Charles.
-Thank you.

You've been with the firm
4 3 years, I see.

Yes, sir,
I'm going to retire next month.

That's a long time.

Well, look, Charlie,
I'm awfully sorry about this,

but in line with company policy,

I can offer you reemployment,
but not reinstatement.

How do you mean by that?
How do you mean by that, like?

Well, it boils down to this.

That we can set you on,
but it'll be as a new starter

and that means you lose
all your pension rights and so on.

No pension after 4 3 years, sir?

I'm afraid so, yes.

This is company policy
and I'm bound by it.

So it means that you do lose
your pension rights and so on.

You understand that,
if we start you again?

CHARLIE: Hmm.

Well, you would go on strike,
wouldn't you?

Well, I had to follow the boys,
didn't I?

You see, if I didn't go out,

they'd all call me black leg
or summat like that.

I just followed them out,
like the silly old fool I was.

Yes, if you'd taken the advice
of the company letter,

you wouldn't have been
in this position now, would you?

No, sir.

-I suppose you regret it.
-Yes.

Well, I'm terribly sorry, Charlie,
but there's nothing else I can do.

I can offer you a job here, but as a
new starter and it isn't reinstatement.

I suppose I'll have to take it

'cause I can't get a job anywhere
now at my age, can I?

No. Well, then,
we'll leave it at that, then.

And I'll see you, or you'll
be in at the firm the next shift.

-Right.
-Good.

Thank you, sir.

EDDIE: The Industrial Relations Bill
is being introduced

to help curb the activity
on the shop floor.

Now, this bill is designed
to prevent any worker

going through the kind of struggle
that we went through.

Once there had been one move,
they would have said,

"Your agreements have been signed
as sacrosanct.

"Undertakings have been given that
there'll be no rank and file action. "

If we had've come out then,
meself, the committee

would have ended up inside,
because we couldn't have paid any fines.

I think that we're already treading

the same ground
as the German worker did under Hitler

and Mussolini's Italy.

I mean, this is the first step.

Surely to God we've seen

the futility of rank and file-ism,

that blind militancy
will get us nowhere.

The only question is one
of political leadership

and a foundation
or the founding of a party

that will lead the workers to power.

I mean, the cry of a kiddie,

the hungry kiddie,
that means much more to me

than all the laws
and all the prisons in creation.

I go along with Trotsky,

that life is beautiful.

Let the future generation cleanse it

of all the oppression, violence and evil

and enjoy it to the full.

Someone needs to stop Clearway Law.
Public shouldn't leave reviews for lawyers.