Play for Today (1970–1984): Season 5, Episode 1 - Leeds United - full transcript

[upbeat theme music]

[Narrator] You probably remember in 1970

the tremendous clothing strike,

when 30,000 clothing
workers in the area of Leeds

and throughout Yorkshire,

and to some extent in the North East,

came out on an unofficial
strike for a shilling an hour.

The strike lasted for five weeks.

It was something completely new.

Or at least new in the clothing industry.

For forty or fifty years,
thousands of workers...



-[voice fades out]
-[ominous music]

[Voiceover] This date,

under the contracts of
the Employment Act 1963,

sets out the particulars
of the terms and conditions

on which John Black's Coals
Limited is employing you,

Mrs. Teresa Ann Keegan,
as of 1st January 1970,

the employment having begun
on 30th September, 1926.

[ominous music]

[radio voice fades in]

The governments revaluation
of their wages policy

results in a lot of the
awards over and above

the desired three percent...

[Anne] Come on, Joe, love.

It's five minutes, it's nearly half past.



[Joe] Right, love, coming.

... [Radio Voice] awards
to refuse collectors,

other municipal workers

and those in some sections
of the car industry,

Mrs. Castle said...

[light switch clicking]

Bloody cold today, Annie.

It is.

Still, never mind, eh?

[Voiceover] Your rate of
remuneration and hours of work,

holidays and holiday pay,
will be in accordance with,

A. The provisions of the
current notices of the

Ready-made and Wholesale
Bespoke Tailoring Wages

Council of Great Britain,

B. The rates of pay
specified on your pay slip,

or the provision of the
company's bonus scheme,

or the company's scheduled peace rates.

-[ominous music continues]
-[bus engine]

Annie, up here.

Morning girls.

[Group] Morning.

Good morning?

It's still chuffing night outside.

Show us, Adie.

I can't see for muck.

Man on the news said it
were bright as a button.

He did.

Well it might have been where he lives.

It might be still summer there.

What the hell have you
got in them bags, Annie?

You're loaded up like a bloody donkey

getting on the bus in the morning.

I have me shopping to do,
dinner, two men to feed.

Well do it weekends, for God's sake.

Oh, shut up you.

Kicked yours into touch years back.

Get a blinking bachelor, you.

Too bloody true,

you'll not catch me
working all hours God sends

to keep no bed with
their money, no danger.

Now then, aren't you a lucky pair?

Hey, say ta to your auntie Annie.

Thank you.

Sort them out.

Hey, look, you shouldn't have done.

How do you enjoy your week
on strike then, Annie.

I didn't.

I'm just owing a week
all round, that's all.

Any more fares on the sunshine roof?

Jesus, look up Blossom here.

What's up with you?

Didn't you eat last night, did you?

[women laugh]

Did I hell as like.

She let me down, didn't she.

Who's that then?

Sadie here, she said her
drawers were in the wash.

It were true and all.

You'll not get me catching
bloody cold for this bugger.

Oh I don't know.

He might be worth it.

Let's have a look.

Get off!

[women cheer]

Get your bleeding hands off me.

Watch where you put your fingernails.

Been bloody marvellous, past
week, with the peace and quiet.

What you going back for, any road?

We've decided to return to work

in order that fruitful
negotiations could take place.

[smirks] I've heard that before.

It's unofficial, isn't it?

Aye, union got us
fourpence, we wanted bob.

Is Lord Potty out there?

No, just them at John Black's.

Bloody charming, isn't he?

How we fixed for tonight then, Sadie?

Got your drawers back yet?

Aye.

But they're not aired.

[women laugh]

Should I try again tomorrow, then?

Well you may return,

in order that fruitful
negotiations can take place.

In other words, piss off.

He's a young bugger, that one, isn't he?

Oh aye, I love 'em young buggers.

Hey, here you are then, girls.

Your second bleeding home.

Like super suits.

Your extra for weekend.

Bye chicken.

Say goodbye to your Auntie Annie.

-Bye bye.
-Say bye bye.

Bye love.

You're still needing for
the grands, then love?

Aye, Tracy, I do.

Lorraine's started school,

me mam takes her for me

seeing I have to up at work at eight.

Great, isn't it?

Aye, one long holiday.

Tara then, girls.

See you tomorrow, God willing.

God and bosses.

Ooh, aye, you might be out again tomorrow,

mightn't you.

You lucky buggers.

Remember that when I want a fiver.

Hey, don't forget and give us a shout

if you need any help.

We might take you up on that.

[bus bell rings]

They'd better not come asking me.

I can't afford to go on strike.

I'm living hand to mouth as it is.

No, but you'll spend a bob if they get it,

won't you, no bloody danger.

They've got back, any road, haven't they?

Not for long, if I'm any judge.

Well, they've only to ask
as far as I'm concerned.

I've had 30 years at it.

I wouldn't want my time over again,

not for a bucket of bloody bobs.

[clock card stamping]

[Voiceover] Your remuneration

will also be in accordance with

the company's notices
regarding hours of work,

starting and finishing times,

meals breaks and holiday periods.

[clock card stamping]

You think we'll be out again, Molly?

Oh, we never got nothing without a fight.

It's too bad Michael says
we're wasting our time

-messing about.
-Oh, sod Michael.

Think for yourself for a change.

Think of Sadie farming the kids after 25.

Well he did it.

Aye, 30 year ago.

[Voiceover] The company has
no contractual arrangements

relating to incapacity for
work due to sickness or injury

covering your employment.

A hard day's work never had no money.

Don't you believe it.

I mean, look at state of us.

At last straw, they've
give them bleeding men

pressers at Bentham's.

Cut four hours off their week, they have.

Bloody bosses.

Passed our head around there

with their heads stuck
in bloody newspapers.

Aye, and with no one to pay, either.

But we're supposed to swallow
miserable bloody pittance

they give us last month?

They give us it three months ago,

we got it three weeks back.

Fourpence a bleeding hour.

Christ almighty, it's gone already that,

my bus fair's going up.

Aye, and rest.

Can't bend down these
days without them sticking

a tanner on your arse.

[women laughing]

Bloody union.

Who told them to settle for
fourpence an hour, anyway?

They didn't come back and ask us.

Well you don't go to
branch meetings, do you?

You can't expect to be asked.

Really?

Yes.

Did they ask you?

No.

Never mind, hey, girls?

Perhaps they give us the bob today.

And pigs might bloody fly.

Hey, come on, it's five to.

Put your fag out, Molly.

Want to burn the place down?

Don't bleeding tempt me.

Morning.

[Voiceover] The company's rules

in relation to absence due to sickness

must be covered by a medical certificate

produced two days after illness

and thereafter each week
until the end of the illness

when a final certificate is required.

[women converse]

Morning love.

[Voiceover] After four
weeks of employment,

you're entitled to
receive one week's notice

of termination of employment.

This increases to two weeks
after two year's service,

and four weeks after five years or over.

[loud conversation]

Take five or ten, Ken.

Okay.

[Voiceover] The company has
no contractual pension scheme

covering your employment.

Good luck Harry.

When's the meeting?

Ten o'clock sharp, love.

Soon as I get in.

Can't rush, or I'll choke
on the bloody ham and eggs.

Good luck, any road.

Thank you very much.

Waste of bloody time.

It's not a waste of bloody time, love,

we've got the best organisation in Leeds,

we've got a cast iron case,

I know they're taking something on.

Well we want a bob.

For nowt.

No strings.

And don't be selling us short.

Oh, do me a favour, love, will you,

I'll see you in the canteen at dinner time

with reporting back.

Aye, we'll be all ears.

Aye.

He's like a lamb to bleeding slaughter.

Aye.

What's up with you?

Michael says he's a communist.

So bloody what?

Take your faith from
Rome, not your politics.

Any road, if he gets
this lot off their arses,

I don't care if he's Mao Tse bloody Tung.

♪ I've got that funny feeling ♪

[women singing and chattering]

[Voiceover] Finally, this
statement is in accordance

with the new national agreement

effective from January 1st, 1970,

between the Masters Association

and the Association of
Seamstresses, Cutters and Tailors,

providing for an hourly
increase of five pence for men

and fourpence for women,
over and above all earnings.

Spending it all at once, are you?

Aye.

[siren wails]

All thirteen bloody bob of it.

[sewing machine whirs]

This eagerly awaited new agreement

will by now have been widely discussed

by my members in the union.

Clearly, anyone who
expected more at this stage

was a super optimist.

This agreement is an important milestone

in the history of negotiation

between the association and the union.

Let us carry on the
drive to change the face

of the industry.

[sewing machine whirs]

Do you know something, I've
lost count being half asleep.

We'll wait till eight o'clock and then

at front of the machines by dinner.

It's same in afternoon.

It's all right, really, you know.

That's if you get lots of good work.

That's owt that's easy, you
don't have to think about it

just do it.

Bad work, that's owt that's faffing

with lots of complicated bits.

I've been here six months now,

last week I went on basic.

Aye, I were right please, you know.

When I went on I told my mum

and she wouldn't believe me.

Dad either.

We're on five pound five
a week, basic, you know.

On time.

Last Friday, ooh, I were dead chuffed.

I took home five pound eight and four.

Ooh, there weren't an happier
person in the world than me.

I mean, I know I could earn a lot more

in a shop or something like that,

but I'm learning something, aren't I?

I've got a skill, a trade for life.

[sewing machines whirring]

The workers in this trade
remain amongst the lowest paid

in the country.

They're not even on TUC minimum.

For years, our union's
been accepting increases

in the region of tuppence
and a penny farthing.

They've dug their heals
in over a farthing.

Well, we at Black's HO have got to stop,

because we want a substantial
increase, and want it now.

None of your bloody five pence for men,

and fourpence for women,

like the last piece of
bloody impertinence.

We want a shilling an hour increase,

right across the board,

men and women equal.

We want equal pay for women.

And when you've seen
how these lasses work,

you'll know that they
bloody well deserve it.

[machines whir]

35 years in trade, final presser.

Give me a bundle of stitched up rags,

and I'll push up a suit fit to get wed in.

Ready to pluck off a peg.

See these lads around me?

I taught half of them the job.

So nobody's doing more on than me.

Just because they're wearing trousers.

And that's what there's all
about, as far as I'm concerned.

Men cutters can take home 25 pound a week.

If belong to two or three
of these big factories.

But, I'm telling you now,
many more thousands don't.

The like passers.

It's their job to inspect the suits

prior to them leaving the big firm.

And these people are highly skilled.

And they're very responsible job.

See him?

40 years in the trade.

Last week, he took home 12 pound ten.

[machines whir]

When we visited West Riding
clothing factories last month,

there were distinct signs of progress.

Factories are being modernised,

the latest machines have been introduced,

there is an urge for adaption.

Labour relations are sound,

pay and conditions are improving,

and the existing membership
is loyal and enthusiastic.

Indeed, the industry
seems to be on its toes.

[workers shouting]

All right.

So you want a fight?

[Group] Yes.

You want to fight?

[Group] Yes.

We do.

All right then.

Then we'll fight.

Now then, last July at Blackpool-

Did you get any cockles when out?

[women laugh]

Last July at Blackpool, at
our union's annual conference,

I had the honour of tabling
a motion on your behalf

and on behalf of all the
clothing workers of Leeds

calling upon our executive board

to commence immediate negotiations

for one shilling an hour increase,

free from productivity agreements.

Productivity agreements?

You bloody well invented them, here, lad.

They've got the place.

They've got the place.

Free from productivity agreements,

irrespective of individual earnings,

and equal for men, and women.

About time.

[women cheer]

This was rejected.

[women groan]

But only by a very narrow show of hands,

and only after a very solemn undertaking

by the platform, that they
would very sympathetically

consider the mood of the conference

and go into the coming
negotiations with the masters

seeking a substantial,
substantial mind you,

increase right across the board.

Now then, what did they come home with?

[Woman] Yes, what?

They came home with
five pence for the lads,

and lousiest of all, four
lousy, measly, bloody pennies

for you lassies, that's
what they came home with.

[women groan]

What we want to know is,
what happened to the bob?

Sod the union, give us the bob.

[women chant]

Sod the union, give us the bob.

Sod the union, give us the bob.

Sod the union, give us the bob.

Sod the union, give us the bob.

At this morning's fruitful
negotiations with the masters,

before they turned us down
flat on our bleeding faces,

and after we'd had a cosy little chat

about United's chances of
winning the bloody cup this year,

we put it to them, this, the undertaking,

given to us, at conference,
by our legal representatives,

we put to them as the basis
on which we here at Black's

are seeking a substantial improvement

over and above that diabolical
settlement of last November.

[women concur]

And, you know what they
sat back and said to us?

Tell us.

I'll tell you what they
sat back and said to us.

They said, they said, "Gentlemen."

They said, "Gentlemen, you're mistaken.

Your executive board
got all they asked for."

They said nobody ever even mentioned

the sum above five pence.

[women shout]

They said, if your union's
inadequate, don't blame us.

This, from the bloody
masters to you and me.

We'll have to bloody fight 'em, then.

[women shouting]

Fight, fight, fight, fight,
fight, fight, fight, fight.

Comrades, comrades.

Are we all clear now
about the first two points

that I told you about?

We're all clear who we're
fighting, and why we're fighting?

[Women] Yes.

We're clear about that, are we?

-Yes.
-Thank you.

Right then, now, onto the third point.

How do we fight?

[women shout]

Out, out, out, out, out,
out, out, out, out, out.

For the last seven days,

our tools have been on the benches.

Don't tell me about that,
bring them over here.

[people laughing]

Our tools have been on the bench,

because it's been our fight,
and it's been our fight alone.

But now, the time has come
for us to seek allies.

We must lobby the help
of every clothing worker

here in Leeds.

[Women] Yes.

[women clapping]

Now then, I'm sure you'll
realise that with a strike

of such dimensions, we can't manage it

with our factory committee,
and we'll need to elect

an emergency committee,
and I believe there will be

no shortage of volunteers, will there?

[women shout]

Accept your nomination.

We're accepting nominations
after this meeting.

But, you know, there's
still one more point.

One more point that we must
all be absolutely clear about

in our minds.

We're at war with our union.

[Women] Yes.

We're at war with our union,
because they're incompetent,

they're inept, and at times

they're downright bloody cowardly.

[Women] Yes.

But the real enemy's still up there,

the bloody masters, the
most ruthless, arrogant

and vindictive bosses in
contemporary industrial Britain.

[Women] Yes.

[women clapping]

And if we have a fight with our union,

it's because the union isn't
equally ruthless, arrogant

and bloody vindictive in
the struggle to secure

a decent living wage, and
conditions, for all of us here.

[Women] Yes.

[women clapping]

Get out there, spread
the word around in Leeds,

make the issues perfectly
clear, leave no one in any doubt

as to why we're fighting,
and as to who we're fighting.

Now get out there, and
show 'em how it's done.

Right.

[women cheering]

♪ We shall not, we shall not be moved. ♪

♪ We shall not, we shall not be moved. ♪

♪ Just like a tree that's
standing by the waterside ♪

♪ We shall not be moved. ♪

[women singing]

Can you hear us?

[women singing in background]

Can you?

I hope you're pretty well
pleased with yourself.

You realise this is almost
entirely your responsibility.

If the managing director

of the largest multiple
dealer in the city chooses

to avoid an increase in excess
of a national agreement,

what else is going to happen?

You've irresponsibly undermined
the unity of the association

and the whole principle
of collective bargaining.

Rubbish.

Told you, all you need
is a cough and a spit,

and you're lecturing me on liberalism.

And by the sound of it, you need it.

Now if you take my advice.

I've not the slightest
intention of taking your advice.

Now look, calm down, for God's sake.

You're right.

I've only been here for a month.

And it's taken me that length
of time to assist the changes

that need to be made.

And I've made them, domestically.

There's no such thing.

The damn thing's
snowballed, you know that.

You've betrayed the-

Oh, don't be so bloody melodramatic.

I'm no fifth column.

And I'm no Worker's
Benevolent Society either.

I'm interested solely in the efficiency

of Dominic Bentham's.

The increase I've offered is in exchange

for a more productive work rate.

The same work, in a shorter
time, for a bit more money.

Well don't tell me, tell them.

As far as they're concerned,

it's shorter hours for more money.

Don't kid yourself,
it's not our tinpot rise

they're singing for.

It's their supper.

They've a deep rooted angry discontent

that's been simmering for years.

If that blows its top,
you'll never stop it.

Now you take my advice.

Take the sting out of it.

Get down there, meet them half way,

save yourself a lot of trouble.

Now don't teach your
grandmother to suck eggs.

Do you know what they're
calling you at John Black's?

Do you know?

The Fords of clothing.

[women chanting]

[women conversing]

[women chanting]

Oh, I was a happy person, I was,

and I mean, I'm learning
something, aren't I?

I've got a skill, a trade for life.

[truck engine revving]

[typewriter clacking]

[women chanting]

[phone beeping]

Yes?

Mr Richard, there's a
whole bunch of people here.

I know, darling, I know, I'm not deaf,

I'll be right there.

[women chanting]

Will you tell him to come downstairs?

What the hell do you think you're doing?

Shh, shh, shh.

Please.

We demand to see your shop stewards.

We're from John Black's,
the elected strike,

and we want-

I don't give a bugger who you are.

You're on my property, and
nobody demands anything here

except me.

Now do we go outside and
talk, or do I throw you out?

[women laugh]

You don't have a chance in hell.

Outside is good as anywhere.

Out, out, out, out, out,
out, out, out, out, out.

How can...

How can I hear what you've got to say?

How can I hear what you've got to say

if you're making all this row?

Come on, let's have it.

We're from John Black's.

We're on an official strike.

We're not satisfied with
fourpence or five pence,

agreed upon by our union.

And we're demanding an overall increase

of one shilling an hour.

We're here to enlist the
support of all your workers,

and we demand to see your shop steward-

See our shop stewards.

You're doing a lot of
demanding, aren't you?

Mr. White.

Sir.

Round up all the shop stewards.

Ask them if they'd like
to meet these gentlemen

in the canteen-

And ladies.

Ask them if they'd like to
meet them in the canteen

in five minutes.

You buggers.

You've done it.

There's no need to waste the time, lad.

We know what this is all about.

I'm sorry, Mr. A, love.

One for all, and all for one.

Let's go girls.

We're right behind you.

[people cheer]

Out, out, out, out, out,
out, out, out, out, out.

-[bells chiming]
-[people chanting]

That thing will become official, dear,

it will become official.

Where's Maggie?

I don't know.

Here we are then, Annie, love.

Grand old lady blinking fine.

[women chanting]

Maggie, get off the bus.

Come on and get off the bus.

Open the door, love, quick.

Hey.

What the hell's going on?

Where the bloody hell have you been?

I've been looking for you.

Oh, at my mother's ill, I've
been up all night with her.

Oh, I am sorry, Maggie, is she all right?

Not too good, really, better than she was.

What the hell are we
talking about me mother for?

Well you said she were ill.

Well she is, but what the
hell are you lot doing

marching down flaming street, singing?

She's missed it.

Bloody shop steward, and she's missed it.

Missed what?

We're on strike.

Well I didn't think it were whit walk.

They came for us from John Black's.

Asked for support, so they've got it.

But you can't just walk out like that,

like a lot of flaming
rabble, you can't do it.

I have done.

Well, get 'em back.

You have to call a meeting,
get this thing organised.

Don't be bloody daft,
we're on the march, Maggie.

On the march.

Come on, we're all here.

There's me and Joan and Peggy back there.

Here, I bet you thought you'd
never see the day, did you?

It's something you've always dreamed of.

You're getting everybody out of a job.

Martialing support, you
getting them all out.

She's quick on the uptake, isn't she?

Did John Black come for you?

Yes.

Did you go for it?

Yeah, we've got a strike committee.

Harry Gridley's got us organised.

We elected him this morning.

Is he on it?

No, we've asked him, but he wouldn't join.

Wouldn't he?

No.

Well come on, Maggie,
are you with us or not?

Well, of course I'm with you,

look, chuck, give us your arm.

It just sounds like my sort of fight.

[women chanting]

[machines whirring]

[women chanting]

[machines and chanting mingling]

What do you mean, out?

Have you...

They're trying to get...

[women chanting]

Why don't you bum off up to Bentham's?

There's thousands of them up there.

We're only a dozen here.

What difference do we make?

Solidarity, that's the difference.

Solidarity me arse.

What's the bloody union
ever done for us, hey?

Have a skin at this stinking hole in here.

What's your bleeding
solidarity done about that?

Well now's your bleeding chance, isn't it?

No thanks.

We'll fight our own battles.

With bugger nuts himself here,

he shares the shit with us at least.

Not at all, he doesn't.

Muckier it is, the more
they love it, these lasses,

love it.

Wouldn't have any different.

Makes them feel at home.

Factory inspectors?

They drive past here, they
think its a derelict building.

Rat shit on your benches?

Got that at Black's have you?

Hey?

I'll throw you down a handful.

You can stuff it back up the union's nose.

We have to get 'em all.

Clean bleeding sweep?

[Molly] Clean bleeding sweep.

It's about bloody time, and all.

[women cheering]

Grab one of these.

And that.

Right, come on lasses.

And bring this down with you.

Get you throw down this rope, we're out.

[women cheering]

Bye bye, Daniel, lad, enjoy yourself.

Don't work too hard.

Bye bye, Lorna, I'll make
sure you're not bloody back.

[women cheering]

[women chanting]

Out, out, out, out, out,
out, out, out, out, out.

Stark raving mad.

All my girls, every one of them gone.

They've just upped and gone.

Join the club.

What could I do about it?

Get on that bloody press over there,

and get some bed off it,
it'll do you a world of good.

[women chanting]

Jim.

Alec.

Fine, and you?

Look, we've, um, some trouble over here.

Not in my place, no, you
know better than that.

Those days are over.

John Black's.

And it looks like spreading.

Unofficial, yes, but dangerous.

And I don't want Bentham's affected.

Not after what we've achieved.

Yes.

If you could get onto it.

Mm-hmm. Yeah.

That's right.

Nip it in the bud.

Right.

Get me Billy Crane, in Leeds.

[women cheering]

Billy, what the hell
are you talking about?

You can't see us.

You're our full time regional official.

I can't see you.

[Fred] Why, are you blind or something?

I can't discuss nothing with you.

You've got a strike on your hands.

Gathering momentum like the clappers.

And you sit on your bloody high horse

and say you can't see us.

I'm already in confidence.

Who the bloody hell with?

The official factor
committee of John Black.

Harry Gridley?

That's right, aye.

What the hell's he playing at?

He relinquished control this morning,

at the meeting this morning.

See all this lot?

They elected us, so what the
hell are you seeing him for?

I'm seeing no one on a-

Yes you are, you know.

You can't bloody well say no.

All right, Billy, all right.

All right, Billy, let's
have it, officially.

Now what's the next move?

And you'd better tell them something,

or they'll string you up
from the nearest lamppost.

Well they're making an
announcement in due course.

[Fred] You'll bloody well tell us now.

Look, as far as we're
concerned, this is solely

a John Black matter.

[Fred] Where the hell
do you think we work?

Marks and bloody Spencers.

I'm calling a meeting in
the John Black canteen,

Monday morning at 11 o'clock.

We'll discuss official policy then,

and only with the workers involved.

Look, get your head
out of the bloody sand.

What about all us?

We're not out here doing a
bit of shopping, you know.

Monday morning, I'm taking none of your-

[crowd chanting]

[crowd booing]

[crowd cheering]

Sisters and brothers,

the union has slammed
its door in our faces.

It is the action of frightened men.

Faced with a manifestation
of worker's power

they never even dreamed existed.

And this is only the beginning.

Now, the time has come for discipline.

And organisation.

We have a weekend to mobilise this city.

Two whole days.

Spread the word,

in the clubs, in the pubs, at matches,

in shops and in streets.

We meet next on Cardigan
Fields, outside John Black's,

on Monday morning at 11 o'clock,

and I want you all there, and more.

Let's make this bloody official meeting

of theirs unofficial, 10,000 times over.

Yes!

[women chanting]

[Radio Voice] All together
about 3,000 workers have defied

their union instructions by refusing

to return to work.

Both the union, ASCAT, and the employers

are determined to stick by
the agreement they signed

earlier in the year,
although Mr. Billy Crane,

the Yorkshire representative of the union,

who spent today trying to get
the strikers back to work,

will continue his effort
throughout the weekend-

Wouldn't even see us.

... [Radio Voice] seem to
be determined to stay out

until after Tuesday's
meeting at the employers

to see if any steps are
taken to meet their demands.

About 150 workers from
two Leeds factories,

Bentham Homes Ltd. and Raymond
Boswell's Clothing Company-

There must have been over 2,000 there.

They're coming from all over.

Shouting and singing.

Some of the songs, who
invented them God only knows.

Outside Union House was chaos.

And Billy Crane, like a bloody ostrich

flatly refused to talk to us.

The street chock full of
workers, screaming for guidance,

and he bolts the bloody doors.

Harry Gridley was in there, was he?

Oh, aye, in conference with Billy.

Aye, typical.

Abdicates official responsibility,

then drives in the back seat.

Oh, now be fair.

He did a grand job at John Black's.

Organised the whole workforce.

Elected a strike committee.

Then left them to flounder.

It's typical CP tactics, Maggie.

Christ, you ought to know that,

we've practised them for years.

If it hadn't been for Hungary
We'd still be at it now.

Well what happened in 1956 was different.

No, the difference is only in scale.

Well they'll have a fight on their hands,

I can tell you.

There were people on that march today

you wouldn't have dreamed.

Remember Peggy?

Mm.

She's had a picture of his glaring at us

for the past six months.

And there she was, arm
in arm on the march,

laughing and waving at me
as large as bloody life.

And Annie Keegan, she'd
have voted for Vorst

If Edith had told her too.

We've got to capitalise, Joe.

All right, Harry Gridley
is waiting in the wings.

Let's beat him to the punch.

We're not beating Harry
to the punch, Maggie.

We're on the same side, remember.

It's the masters we want to hang one on,

once and for bloody all.

Well what are you going to do about it?

I'm gonna have me tea.

Maggie, I'm as excited as you are.

The problem is, as yet, I'm not on strike.

[women laughing]

Right, we'll be round for you,
first thing Monday morning,

to get you out.

Listen for us singing,
I've got a lovely voice.

I have for rooting out
blacklegs, any road.

Mind you, that one, she's as
thick as a Chapeltown butty.

And her husband's just as bad.

Couldn't drive an A into a turney.

Oh, thanks love, I'll have a brown ale.

Driving bloody corruption over there, now.

I'll have to get myself
some bolts or something.

I felt dead stupid of Friday,
tottering down York Road

in me stilettos.

Me ankles were killing me last night.

Funny.

Jeff said that, watching telly, says,

"Who's that in the middle
with high heels on?"

"It's Barbara bleeding Castle."

The most.

You're laundering then tonight, Peggy.

Find a choice face, is he?

It's not.

Not his fault he's a manager.

He's worked hard, the lad.

He can't help it.

No.

Me dad had an uncle once, a copper.

They said he were a nice fella.

Should have him stuffed and
put in the British Museum.

Tell you what, it's dead hard
being on strike, isn't it?

Marching all over the
shop, shouting and bawling.

There's me.

Someone said in bed all day.

What, with your bus conductor?

Oh, aye, have to watch him
these afternoons, Sadie,

deaf at work.

I'll tell you what.

I could rattle his chains
any day of the week.

Hey, I'll tell you something and all,

I bet there's a right lecture for you

in the morning at Mass.

Tell me that owt Canon Case
is a right red roaster.

Going on strike?

Fire and bleeding brimstone
for you, no danger.

He is communist, Harry Gridley.

He did get us all out.

For God's sake, Annie, we're not sheep.

He's a bloody shop steward,
he's not the Messiah.

You're like a frightened
bloody rabbit, you are.

Maggie's doing a smashing job.

She is.

Pity her mother's poorly.

Dying.

She's dying.

Oh, she's not, is she?

Well, so I've heard, aye.

Poor Maggie, as if she haven't
enough trouble already.

Hey, Peggy.

Here is he, your bouncing baby boy.

Entering the lion's den.

Braving the snake pit.

Evening, Peter, how did you get on?

Philip Stringer?

He won't know what's hit him.

Well, it's frightening the life out of me.

Oh, just look at that bloody slice.

You might be opening your face a bit.

I'll take a look on the next tee.

Yeah, do, I'd be grateful.

You know, all hell's let loose in...

Oh, sorry.

So easy, it makes me weep.

You make that gear,
you've got to play a bit.

So, you were saying?

About what?

All hell letting loose.

Oh, hell, yes, in the office.

Phones ringing all damn
day, press, television.

Is it really as bad as they say?

Well you're the chairman
of the association.

Yes, but it hasn't affected
me as directly as yet.

Being tucked away, all
I've heard is hearsay.

And what does hearsay say?

Well, according to these newspaper chaps,

things could get pretty rough.

Ha!

They've got rough.

Christ almighty, where have
you been these last two days?

They scared the living
daylights out of me last Friday.

Like a flock of bloody
banshees hitting the place.

Of course, we are a bit out of the way.

Might get away with it.

Though, good luck, mind,
if they're left alone.

No chance.

They're organised.

Once they've cleaned up the city,

they'll come hunting out your lot.

You must be high on their
list, leader of the bosses,

they might hate your guts.

But I took the job as a giggle.

God almighty, they only
set up the association

to formulate points of policy.

Chairman was an honorary
post, make the odd speech,

that's all.

Not anymore it's not.

So I've gathered.

Is this mine?

No.

You're over there, somewhere.

Oh.

I'll help you look.

Thanks.

Well it can't be far, it
wasn't that bad a slice.

No.

No, I realised things were serious

when the Sunday Times chap rang me up.

Wants to interview me,

lunch at the Queen's on Lord Thompson.

I think it must be round here somewhere.

No, it's further over.

Mind you, we've asked for it.

The whole wage structure's
needed overhauling for years.

That last agreement was
sunk before the ink was dry.

Ah, never look a gift horse
in the mouth, old boy.

Too true.

Here it is.

Ah, thanks.

Marvellous.

Anyway, all we can do is
keep the old heads down

and wait till they've run out of steam.

THey'll be scuttling back like rabbits

in a couple of days time.

You mark my words.

I will.

Oh my God.

You're group one, you're group one leader,

you're on section one.

Yep.

Up left at the roundabout,
up the one way system,

in North Street, block
of flats on your right,

and then you come to a pub.

Yeah, I know.

I thought you would.

Past that, turn left onto a section,

and that's where it starts.

Everybody out, we want everybody out.

Knock on every door and
every factory you find.

[Radio Voice] BBC Radio Leeds
headline news at midday.

Crowds of angry clothing workers are today

scouring the city in efforts to escalate

their unofficial strike,
now in its fourth day.

They're acting on the
instructions of the newly formed

city strike committee, which
includes representatives

from virtually every
clothing factory in Leeds.

This new, all embracing
committee was formed

at an angry meeting this
morning on Cardigan Fields,

outside the factory of John Black's.

It was here that the
unofficial action was initiated

and workers for many other city factories

gathered there this morning
to demonstrate support

for their colleagues in John Black's,

and in the words of one of them,

to show the union it's a city fight.

The union denies this,
insisting that the dispute

is a local one, involving
only John Black employees.

Mr. Billy Crane, the
Yorkshire area representative,

appealed to his members to
stand by the official agreement

already signed, and return
to work pending discussions

with the employers.

The reaction of the workers
can only be described

as angry and contemptuous, and
the strike is now spreading

at an alarming rate for
both union and employers.

[car engine revving]

What sort of union do you think this is?

We make agreements one
month, and you come outside

breaking them the next month.

But I'm appealing to you.

Return to your benches so
that dialogue can commence

with the employers.

Oh, bollocks, listen, we
went back at John Black's

pending negotiations, on
shop steward's directions,

and the bastards used the
time to ship all our work

up to the North East.

We'll talk first and work out after.

Come on.

[people cheering]

[people arguing]

Ah, come on Jack, I mean
what the hell can I do

on me own, love.

Just let me get inside and
talk our next pay position.

Get over, Molly, I know you.

Well look Jack, tell you what I'll do,

let them all stop out
here, and just let me in.

And I'll just set it, tell
them what it's all about,

it's only fair that they
should know, isn't it,

your lot?

Ah, come on, Jack.

Oh, all right then, Molly.

Just you.

Mind.

No funny business.

Oh, Jack.

You're a little gem.

Right, out, no arguments,

everyone of you, nobody's stopping.

I want you outside, right now.

Oh, 'ello Joe, lad.

You're just the fellow we need.

Cheese!

[women laughing]

Cheese!

Cheese!

Hey listen, if you don't bloody come out,

we'll smoke you out.

We will.

I'll bloody show you.

[women chanting]

Come on, open this bloody door.

[women shouting]

It's bloody disgusting, locking this gate.

What if there's fire?

All them lasses in there will
be burnt to bloody death.

[arguing]

All right, all right, get out there.

[women chanting]

Come out, you bum.

Come out.

Stay there, stay there.

Maggie would've enjoyed that.

Where is Maggie?

Maggie?

She's like our dog, is Maggie.

All bark and no bite.

Sod off.

Not when you've got two kids to feed.

We've all got bloody kids to feed, love.

We can't all of us be wrong.

I'll tell you now, we've got to be right

with what we're doing.

You look at your fair,
love, you know you're right.

Look at your rent, you know you're right.

And if you're right, you bleeding fight,

muck and bloody nettles, like we're doing.

All on the back waggon.

[men chattering]

Gentlemen.

Gentlemen, let us face the
fact that we are at war

with a small army of left wing anarchists

whose only interest in the
disruption of the whole industry.

It's that's a small army out there,

I'm Billy bloody Bremner.

All right.

The vast majority are a mindless rabble.

But they're being
systematically programmed

by an active minority.

Yes, from John Black's.

I'm very well aware that the whole affair

was spawned at my factory,
and I take full responsibility

for ensuring that those
responsible will, in due course,

be very effectively dealt with.

But I refuse to accept
responsibility for the hysteria

of the last few days.

Bentham's, by awarding an increase

above that last agreed on,

have started something
which threatens to explode

in all our faces.

Mr. Chairman.

Including theirs.

As managing director, I
can't stand by and allow

the future efficiency of Dominic
Bentham's to be jeopardised

by a thoroughly unrealistic agreement.

Now look, look, I want the same as you.

But do you think that you're
going to make new methods

and a lot of redundancies
palatable by allowing a strike

over a measly tanner?

Unions made to look stupid,
and we're all out in the open.

Now I mean to cut a big
slice off my labour force,

but I can't do that without the union.

Now I wasn't here for the
negotiations, but if I-

Thank god you weren't.

As we was we leaned over backwards.

Oh come on, the whole
November settlement stinks.

How the hell we got away
with it, God only knows.

It was a properly negotiated agreement.

I move, as a matter of principle,

that we make no concessions
whatsoever, and stand firmly

on the conditions of the first-

I'm losing £10,000 a week.

10,000.

And I can't afford to go on losing it.

We must be prepared to make sacrifices.

Oh, great.

Marvellous.

Absolutely bloody noble.

Especially if you've got
a couple of factories

tucked away in the North East

to keep your production moving.

But what about me, or Philip here?

Or the rest of us, who've
got all of our eggs

in the one Leeds basket.

What are we going to do, hey?

I forecast that if this thing
goes on for two more weeks

at most, we shall be
forced to divorce ourselves

from the National Federation,

and negotiate a separate
agreement on the basis

of the Leeds clothing industry alone.

Absolute insanity.

Suicide.

If we follow your advice,
we just might as well

jump out of the bloody window now.

Well the sooner you did that-

[men arguing]

Gentlemen, please.

Through the chair, I must insist.

Personal abuse will get us nowhere.

And may I also remind you that the press

are waiting in the adjacent
room, and are not averse

to eavesdropping.

[press man laughs]

We must also remember

there are a great many smaller employers

who are not members of the federation.

They're soon going to be facing
bankruptcy if this goes on.

And they are going to be looking for new,

separate agreements with
their own employees.

If we're honest, we should face the fact

that the November agreement is a bad one,

and there is now considerable
room for manoeuvre on our side.

Mr. Chairman, that would
be absolutely daft.

To make even a slight move in
that direction at this stage

would be to encourage far greater excesses

than anything we've experienced
over the past few days.

Now, if unanimity is impossible,

let's not for all our
sakes let it appear so.

I propose that we issue
the following statement.

And the association is
unanimous in believing

that there is an obligation on both sides

to honour the last agreement.

We cannot be party to negotiations
in individual factories

to vary these terms.

The association is now
available at all times,

to discuss with the union any matters

affecting the industry.

The association urges the
return to normal working

so the proper procedures can be used

to discuss the situation.

Now that's all we have
to say at the moment.

Hello Jim.

Alec.

Not too good, I'm afraid.

Mm.

Pig headed lot, this.

Still believe in the
gunboat, half of them.

[laughs]

How are things your end?

Good.

Mm-hmm.

Well, keep at it, we'll win in the end.

Love to Joan, right.

What?

You bet.

Still in full production.

Take more than a bunch of
screaming women to upset us.

[machines whirring]

[strident music]

[Radio Voice] BBC Radio
Leeds and news on the hour.

The clothing dispute.

2000 workers at Philip Stringer's

left their benches this morning,

bringing the total now out to over 10,000.

Other factories affected
by walkouts this morning

are JW Smethwick, Household Clothes,

Woolworths, and B&B Brown Services.

Of the large multiples,
only Dominic Bentham's

can still claim to be unaffected.

A spokesman for the firm said
this morning, they expect

to remain in full production
throughout the dispute.

He went on, with our special
management-labor relationship,

Bentham's workers obviously
don't feel involved.

[truck engine revs]

[indistinct radio announcer]

They're out.

Bentham's are out.

[women cheering]

[women chanting]

Out, out, out, out, out,
out, out, out, out, out.

[desolate music]

♪ We want the shilling ♪

[women chanting]

♪ We shall not, we shall not be moved ♪

♪ We shall not, we shall not be moved ♪

♪ Just like a tree that's
standing by the waterside ♪

♪ We shall not be moved ♪

[women chanting]

[desolate music continues]

The strike enters new phase.

With the closing down of the
smaller factories in Leeds,

we are not at a stage
where by this weekend,

the Leeds clothing industry
will come to a full stop.

Good.

Take the next one out.

Fine.

Never before have wages and
conditions in the industry

aggravated by a backward
looking national agreement,

brought such a display of solidarity.

The prospects of a national
stoppage in the industry

grows more possible every day.

Victimisation.

There have been threats to some workers

that they will be sacked
or victimised in some way.

The strike committee warns any employer

who is thinking along these
lines that we shall not hesitate

to protect all strikers with every weapon

we can legitimately use.

Legitimately use.

Good.

Can I have that page there.

Yes.

Welfare.

No doubt, there are some workers on strike

who are finding themselves
in financial difficulties,

because they have aged
parents depending on them,

or are widows with children.

The strike committee can advise you

on how best to handle these problems.

Send us your name and
address and let us help.

Demonstration and mass meetings.

The union has called
an official meeting...

Boys and girls, can I have your attention

for one moment please.

I would like you to listen very carefully

to this next important section
of your new strike bulletin.

Thank you very much.

Well this is demonstration
and mass meeting.

The union has called an official
meeting in the town hall,

for tomorrow, Wednesday, at 7:30pm.

We call upon the strikers to attend

to demonstrate our
determination and our solidarity

to all the officials present.

Let us challenge them to believe

in the ordinary working
men and women of this city,

and to have faith in us.

Let them see that today,
in February, 1970,

in Leeds, Yorkshire, there is emerging

an angry, aggressive
and irresistible force.

We ask you, then, to assemble
tomorrow to show the union

and the masters that
we have the discipline,

the intelligence, and the maturity

to shape our own future and destiny.

Your committee also asks all
strikers to listen attentively

and courteously to all speakers.

A resolution will be
presented at the meeting.

And if there are any
unionists not on strike,

we make this appeal to them.

Join the fight.

Close our ranks now without delay.

What do we want?

We want the vote.

What do we want?

We want the vote.

What do we want?

We want the vote.

How are we going to get it?

All out.

The scabs are here.

They've arrived.

Scabs, scabs, scabs, scabs,
scabs, scabs, scabs, scabs.

We had to come, she was me mother.

I know that, love.

What time is it, anyway?

It's nearly eight o'clock now.

It'll have started.

Aye.

Aren't you going?

[Maggie] Where?

Town hall, everybody's going.

Everybody's mother isn't dead.

Yes, I'm sorry about your mother, Maggie.

Ta.

Are you going?

Of course.

[Maggie] Well what are
you doing here, then?

Paying us last respects, aren't we?

Come on, Annie love.

We've got to attend to the living.

The dead can look after themselves.

[women chanting]

[Chairman] Ladies and gentlemen.

Can I have a little bit of order, please.

Please give the speaker a
chance to put his point of view.

Ladies and gentlemen, please.

Please be quiet.

Can I have a little bit of order, please?

Ladies and gentlemen, please,
please give the speaker

a chance to put his point of view.

I am sorry about to
hear about your mother.

Right glad you've come.

Thanks love.

Hey, it's bloody marvellous, Maggie.

Massive show from the union, here.

Who's been up?

The lot of them.

Billie Crane, all union officials.

Do you know, they've all
had a go at getting us back.

We've made bleeding mincemeat of 'em.

And the number of people
now involved is so colossal

that your organisation will
soon find itself incapable-

Here, what's he on about?

The bleeding prodigal.

By God, it's Harry Gridley.

Hey, he's talking the biggest load of crap

of the lot of them.

There are already signs
that we are losing our way.

[women groan]

All right, already, already
several small factories

have started to drift back.

[women heckle]

Don't you deceive yourselves,
don't you kid yourselves.

The cracks are beginning to appear.

My telephone rings day in, day out.

Workers at their wits end.

There are people knocking on my door,

people facing eviction.

People pleading with me, pleading with me-

[audience heckle]

Pleading with me to find a
settlement, I'm telling you.

The guilt is-

Ladies and gentlemen, please, I beg you,

have a little bit of order.

Well what about us lot, all down here?

We're not bleeding pleading with you.

No!

The rent's turning bleeding yellow.

All right.

I'm telling you, we simply
haven't got the resources,

in strategy or finance, or finance.

[audience heckle]

We haven't got the resources

to have a dispute on this
scale, we haven't got it.

Never, never again will
our strength be in doubt.

But the time has now come to call a halt.

[audience boo]

We must, we must throw all
the power and the weight

of this magnificent meeting,
fully behind the union,

and their resolution.

Now vote for a return to work, now.

Vote for it.

The traitorous bastard.

Would you believe it?

Believe it? I was expecting it.

It's all or nowt for that lot.

They want to man the helm
or scuttle the bloody ship.

Get up there and tell them, Joe.

They don't need telling.

Just listen to them.

[audience chant]

Out, out, out, out, out,
out, out, out, out, out.

Ladies and gentlemen,
will you please be quiet.

Will you-

Will you please b- be quiet,
and please let the speakers

have a chance to be heard.

Will you please give
the speaker the chance.

Please quieten down.

Please.

As chairman of the
unofficial strike committee,

may I remind you of the request made here,

in your own strike bulletin.

And what does it say?

To listen attentively and courteously.

Thank you, thank you.

Shh, shh, shh.

To listen attentively and
courteously to all speakers.

All right, all right, we know all this.

We also know that Harry
Gridley has a long,

and honourable record.

[audience boo]

He has-

You won't get anything by not listening.

[Chairman] Will you please
sit down and be quiet.

[Dennis] Let him talk.

Be quiet please.

Be quiet, please.

Dennis Jones.

Sent on picket duty, to
Black's, Middlesbrough.

I've just got back.

There's young kids up
there, 15 years of age.

Young girls, on two and nine an hour.

[audience groans]

They work 35 hours, and take
home four pound five shilling.

And Harry Gridley here,
yesterday's bloody messiah,

tells us to abandon them.

Surrender.

Never!

I say stuff Gridley.

Yes!

Stuff the union.

Yes!

And stuff the bosses.

Yes!

And no surrender till they give us the bob

with no bleeding strings.

Yes!

Halt.

Halt.

Quiet.

Please.

I've worked in clothing all me life.

Since I was nine.

And I'm 72.

The job stinks.

It always has, and it always will.

If you let it.

I say, stick to your strike.

And good luck to you.

[audience cheers]

Fifteen years, a presser at Bentham's.

Harry Gridley, do you know what this is?

If you've forgotten what it
looks like, it's me payslip.

Nora Esketh, week ending
January 20th, 1970.

Forty hours.

Eight pound ten and nine.

Just look at this lot
behind that bleeding banner.

What's it say? What's it say?

ASCAT.

Well we all know what that's
come to mean, don't we.

Association of Scabs, Arselickers,
and bleeding Traitors.

[audience cheers]

Ladies and gentlemen, please.

I appeal to you to listen
to what I have to say.

Jacob Bent.

Managing director, Bent's Goods.

[audience heckle]

Now, there's no need at
all for any of you people

to go on strike.

[audience groans]

[audience boos]

Well, I must say, I wish
it was as easy to deal

with all the employers as that.

Our friends, no, friends, listen.

Let me appeal to you once more.

The Masters Federation
will never climb down-

-[Woman] Oh yes they will.
-And negotiate unilaterally

with the unofficial strike committee.

Please.

What I'm asking you to do is
go back to work on Monday.

[audience heckles]

The only, the only way they can do it is-

[audience heckles]

Money first, work after.

Money first, work after.

[audience chants]

I'm Stan Lloyd, I'm from John Black's,

so I know what I'm talking about.

[Molly] So's Harry Gridley.

Yeah, but don't hold him
against us, will you.

You go back, and they'll
cut you, carve you up,

and serve you with a bloody Sunday joint.

Look at them all here.

We've heard a lot tonight
about how proud they are

of how militant we are.

My God.

For the last two or three days,
all this lot have been doing

has been tramping round our factories,

telling us to go back.

Well I say, let's cut out the bullshit.

I say, we've no more confidence
in this district committee.

I say they should go.

All in favour, say aye.

Aye!

There's your bloody answer.

[audience claps]

[audience chants]

So, gentlemen.

Let me remind you of the
statement by the chairman

of the National Federation,
for which you are being asked

to register your approval.

The association promise to open

new national pay negotiations

as soon as the lead strike is over.

We recognise that the climate

in which wage settlements have been made

has changed since the
last settlement in 1969.

The association, however, cannot negotiate

in the present atmosphere of intimidation,

but indicates its willingness
to do so with the union

as soon as factories are working normally.

Now, all those in favour.

And those against.

Gentlemen, am I to take it you are against

the motion to approve?

[women chanting]

Mr. Packer?

Tom Williams.

-Oh hello, yes.
-BBC Radio Leeds.

-Yes.
-Have you a moment,

Mr. Packer?

Indeed, yes.

Mr. Packer, are you happy

with the way things have gone tonight?

Couldn't be happier.

Couldn't be happier.

What's your next move now?

Well the next move is not up to us.

We want a firm cash offer, by night,

we've reached a point of no return,

and we'll keep right on
until we get the money.

[women singing]

Hey, it were fantastic.

2000 of us all telling
them to get stuffed.

It were great.

It were better than bloody Wembley.

You say a firm cash offer?

That's right.

What do you consider a firm cash offer?

Oh, nothing less than a shilling.

That is my mandate.

That has been made very clear
to everyone this evening.

So you're quite happy
to see the strike go on?

Happy?

Nobody's happy to be on strike, young man.

Goodnight, thank you.

Landlord's been on to me.

Threatened to throw me
out, furniture and all.

Go on, I said, your
bleeding house'll fall down.

It's only me dresser holding it up.

Do you really think you can keep this up?

In the end, aren't you
going to have to adopt

a more reasonable attitude?

Now look, son.

These are all ordinary, reasonable people,

and we'd never close our
ears to any reasonable offer.

Say they're going back at Draycott's.

He's offered them a tanner.

I'd only talk a realistic figure.

Not threepence or fourpence mind you.

Uh, shan't have any of that nonsense.

Who says go back, and who says don't.

Some say they're going
back, some say they're not.

There were no going back in their tonight,

my God they weren't.

Masters have got it right in
the gut tonight, no danger.

Well what about Harry Gridley, hey?

They were chucking bloody pennies at him.

Should've been dustbin lids.

Aye, with bins still on 'em.

What were he on about, anyway?

It was him who got us
out in the first place.

Gridley?

He's clutching straws, that lad.

How long do you think he'll
last when this lot's over?

Just like a bleeding great vomit.

I could've shaped it, harnessed it.

It was just spewing out,
the whole lot's coming up

all over Leeds.

Rough tonight, was it?

Rough, it was bloody frightening.

It was disgusting.

It's the women.

They respect nowt.

Nowt but their own bloody appetites.

How do you mean?

Well, they're like bloody animals.

There's no room for debate with them,

it's just bedlam.

They get their fangs
fixed on one certain idea,

and nowt will shake them loose.

Something to be said for that.

Never.

It's ugly.

Shapeless.

And that bloody strike committee.

It's your own fault.

They wanted you on it in the first place.

They asked you.

We had to have one official nose in,

keep tabs on the union.

Best it were mine.

What about Joe Pike?

Oh, don't talk to me about Joe Pike.

Bloody dreamer, he is,

Joe "Pie in the Sky" Pike we call him,

him and his missus, they're
both on cloud seven.

They think every tin pot
little strike's the birth

of a glorious revolution.

It's hardly tin pot.

It's tin pot.

Set against the whole political
spectrum, it's tin pot.

We must stamp out this
hysteria, or stamp it out

before it blows up in all our faces.

[phone ringing]

4840?

Hello Fred.

Hold on.

It's Fred Packer, he's
calling from the town hall.

Excellent.

Hello Fred, what do you want?

Harry, Fred here.

I'm sorry about tonight.

Thank you very much, anyway.

Come on Fred, you didn't ring
up to apologise, what's up?

They were there, were they?

They've got a bloody cheek.

They want a get-together,
Harry, they want...

They want a meeting, yes.

And they want to talk money?

Especially Isaacs, oh, well that figures.

He's just opened this new place,

he's filled it with work.

He must be right in the shit.

You want my advice?

Well what about Joe Pike?

I know, I know that's what they'll say.

All right, Fred, lad.

When do we meet the greasy buggers?

Look, we want this thing
settled, over, finished.

So do we, we've got kids to feed.

I have re...

We appreciate that.

That's why we've asked
specifically to meet you.

Last night at the town
hall, you called for,

at least you gave the
impression, that you wanted

immediate return to work.

Yeah.

And you, Mr. Packer?

Under certain conditions, yes.

Such as?

Some sort of cash offer.

You mean an interim award?

Pending immediate negotiations, yes.

We've already offered this.

All my workers have been offered this.

I sent a letter.

You have.

But the association haven't.

The association's just being pig headed.

Well they can afford to be.

Let's get this straight.

Your position's changed.

How?

You no longer insist on the full shilling.

Oh yes, we do.

Ultimately, yes we do, the full shilling.

You'll take less and talk later.

Now listen-

I think what Mr. Packer's
trying to say is that

he must have some sort of
concrete and reasonable cash offer

before he can recommend
the return to work.

Yes.

Right.

Here's your concrete cash offer.

On a return to work, an immediate increase

of sixpence an hour,
and any future increase

to be backdated to the day work commenced.

Tell that to the association.

Your offer means nowt without the rest.

Bugger the rest!

We're concerned with our future.

The future of our factories,
and our employees.

And if we don't reach a settlement soon-

Listen, I can't negotiate
with separate firms.

You know that.

All hell'd be let loose.

Then what the hell are you
doing here in the first place?

All right, all right,

let's have a look at what we've got here.

Now there's obviously some
common ground that we can

and that we must exploit.

Now we must re approach the
union and the association.

We must create a fresh initiative.

Now I propose that we draw up a telegram.

[people conversing]

Gentlemen, gentlemen please.

We have just received
the following telegram.

The strike committee are
still pursuing their demands

for one shilling an hour overall increase,

but we are prepared to
reconsider a resumption of work

on the basis of a reasonable interim award

pending the outcome of
negotiations, signed

the Leeds Clothing Workers
Strike Workers Liaison Committee.

[men cheer]

So much for the sake of dot.

I now believe in fairies.

Not fairies, Boswell.

Friends you never knew you had.

Who sent?

Who authorised the sending of it?

Joe says he knows nothing about it.

Now who sent it?

Now where is the demand to
scrap the last agreement?

Where's the demand for
the full shilling overall?

And where's the demand for the scrapping

of all productivity strings?

And what does it say?

We are prepared to reconsider
a resumption of work

on the basis of a reasonable
interim pay award.

We're bloody not, you know.

2000 workers in Leeds Town
Hall are bloody not, you know.

This telegram spells to them betrayal.

To the masters, it spells weakness.

And to our union, to the
union, it spells split.

S-P-L-I-T, split.

And they're already driving in a wedge.

[crowd claps]

Now this morning, I received a card,

summoning me to a meeting of
all stewards and stewardesses

in this city, tomorrow.

Now, a resolution is to
be presented by the union,

asking us all to agree to recommend

to our individual factories
a return to work on Monday.

Now why are they doing this?

I'll tell you.

Because some of them
stewards are from factories

that have never even been on strike.

Now if they get this vote, if they get it,

it'll be the beginning of the end.

There'll be some factories
in, and others out.

Some half and half, there'll be chaos.

Now what's my girls going to make of this?

They'll be confused and demoralised.

That's exactly what the
union officials want.

Is it what you want?

Give us something concrete.

[group argues]

Any, anyone can criticise.

We sent that telegram.

Me, me as chairman, and
the other officials.

We, we sent it in good faith,

because on information received,

we considered the time
was right for compromise.

Compromise?

You've 20,000 angry women
living on their wits and uppers,

and baked bloody beans.

Fighting off the rent man, the tallyman,

and their own nagging doubts.

They're tired and bewildered.

And you talk to them about compromise?

Well you want a concrete
suggestion, well I'll give you one.

Now you call a meeting,
now, a mass meeting, now,

for tomorrow at two.

Get the workers to collect
from every corner of the city,

let them march through the
town to Woodhouse Moor.

And when they've gathered
there, in their thousands,

as they will, you ask them what you can do

with your compromise.

You ask them if they want
this pay, and you'll get

-your bleeding answer.
-[crowd claps]

Right, Joan.

Here, grab hold of this.

Get off!

What's up with you?

I'm not carrying no bleeding banner.

Get hold on it!

I feel bloody stupid
enough marching around

without looking like
a bloody sandwich man.

Oh, give us it here, I'll carry it.

She's bleeding carrying it.

Here.

Thanks lads.

We're getting a bit
toffee-nosed all of a sudden,

aren't we?

Come on, love.

Sorry we're late, girls.

Bleeding Lady Dockery here
said she weren't coming.

What do you mean, you weren't coming?

Had to drag her out of bleeding house.

Peggy's not coming at
all, she's for going back.

I didn't want to come.

I'm fed up with the
whole flaming business.

Shouting, striking, marching.

I'm sick of the whole lot.

Sick and tired of the whole bloody lot.

[women chattering]

Now listen here, you, you silly bitch.

I don't care what you're bleeding sick

and bleeding tired of.

We've took something on
here, we've all took it on.

You've took it on.

And you'll finish it if you bleeding drop.

So grab hold of this
bloody banner and shut up.

We're meeting Sadie up there.

Bloody Christ, bosses'd love
you now, if they heard you,

wouldn't they?

Chuffed to buggery they'd be.

People on both sides are
getting sick and tired

of the whole business, I'm sure of it.

Many of my people want to go back to work,

they're ringing me up.

It's the pickets, they're living in fear

of a militant minority,
write that down will you.

Look, this is not the
time to blame anybody.

Now is not the time for recriminations.

We've got to get it across
that we're prepared,

we're anxious to talk.

We're not being pig-headed.

We don't like being intimidated, I agree,

but we feel that if only the
workers would accept our offer

a better feeling would
prevail on both sides.

For the money I get, I have
to do four nights overtime

and Saturday morning.

I've got to put my head down

at eight o'clock on Monday morning.

And gaffers will be watching.

Eight o'clock Tuesday morning,
and I'm a good worker.

But they'll still be watching.

And I'm a good timekeeper.

But they'll still be watching me,

make no mistake about that.

But I say to you, let them buggers,

aye, and I'll say again, buggers,

let them go up to the North
East and see the conditions

that some of these kids are working under.

[crowd cheers]

This dispute is not about
the pay and conditions,

it's about who talks to
whom, now and in the future.

You see, we agreed to that
amount in negotiation before

a return to work, and any
national agreement in the future

won't be worth the paper it's written on,

no, they must put their
faith in their union.

They want to go back.

Who do?

Shop stewards.

What do you bloody mean, go back?

They've voted to go back.

I've never seen such a bloody carve up.

Half of 'em aren't even in
strike, and they've voted

to go back.

I knew it.

Michael were right, we're bloody fools.

What's up with them?

Bulldozed it, the officials.

And Crane, telephoning
everybody beforehand

telling it were a landslide.

And Harry Gridley helping
them, cracking the bloody whip.

Even then, they only scraped in by seven.

76 of us voted to stay out.

That's it then, might as
well chuck these away,

it's all over.

Oh no, it isn't you know, we're marching.

Come on, we're marching to Woodhouse Moor.

We're gonna show 'em this
strike isn't over yet.

That's the right idea.

We are not asking them to beg.

The money is being dangled
before these people's noses.

If only they'll ask for it properly.

Simply return to work, so we can talk.

A return to work on Monday.

[crowd heckling]

A return to work on
Monday was their decision.

I've just got straight
back from the meeting.

The stewards, the stewards will be calling

separate factory meetings
tomorrow, and you will be asked

to support their decision.

The united front that we've
displayed and contained

so courageously over the past
four weeks will be smashed.

This is a union manoeuvre.

It's a union manoeuvre
which we can only combat

by sanctioning a disciplined
and orderly return to work now.

[crowd heckle]

A return to work now, of our own volition,

for our own strike committee.

I'm warning you...

I'm warning you, the
alternative, the alternative

is a complete-

What's the matter, love?

It's Gridley, Maggie.

He says the stewards
have voted to go back.

He's saying to pack it all in.

Never mind love, now don't cry.

I know Harry Gridley's
saying, off my bloody heart.

Where's Joe? Is Joe here?

He's over by the platform.

Maggie, we haven't, not
after all we've been through.

No, no love, now don't cry, come on.

Let's find Joe.

Come on.

We can carry on like
a lot of bloody sheep,

but several small firms are
already back, I'm telling you.

They're back.

And this is a pattern
which is on the increase,

it's gathering momentum.

Last night, I was at a meeting

of the workers of John Black's,

I chaired the meeting myself,
and a decision was taken

for a return to work.

The decision for a return to work-

[audience cheers]

He's a liar.

I'm from John Black's.

I was there last night.

No such decision was made.

[audience cheers]

We decided to suspend any decision

till after today's mass
meeting here on Woodhouse Moor.

And I'll tell you this.

If they'd have offered us
everything we were asking for,

we wouldn't have took it

till they'd have given the
same to everyone of you

involved in this struggle.

[audience cheers]

The trouble with you, Harry, is

you're trying to ride
two horses with one arse.

I don't think Harry
understands the way you feel.

Shall we remind him?

Yes!

Do you want to go back to work on Monday?

No.

I can't hear you.

No!

Do you want to go back to work on Monday?

No!

I still can't hear you.

No!

What about the bosses, then?

They live a long way
from here, don't they?

Harrogate's a hell of
a long way from here.

Now then, do you want to
go back to work on Monday?

No!

Thank you very much.

[crowd chants]

I didn't think you did,
because unlike Mr. Gridley here

I can still remember
why we're all on strike,

and what we're striking for.

We're not only struggling
to lift this industry

out of the doldrums, but
we're struggling so that

every one of us here can
act like human beings

and be treated so.

Yes.

To hold our heads up high with dignity,

and be treated as people,

instead of units of production.

Only this morning, one of the
masters denied the existence

of sweatshops.

[audience groans]

He said that those colleagues of his

that paid the minimum wage
was doing a social service.

A social service by employing the hobbled,

the maimed, and the blind.

Do you know what?

I know a young girl, spastic,

who had a task of a
hundred jobs an hour to do.

A hundred jobs an hour.

Shaking hands a hundred
times an hour's hard work.

Ask Prince Philip, well he
gets bloody well paid for it.

[crowd cheers]

There's a lot of loose
and very dangerous talk

kicking about this city at the moment.

Talk of splits, of separate
pay deals, of loss of impetus.

Of running out of steam.

Well this sort of talk not only arose

the resolve of the rank and file,

but also of your very
strike committee themselves.

Now then, tomorrow night,
we, your strike committee,

will convene the most
crucial and critical meeting

of this whole affair.

Now then, give us a clear mandate.

Put us, put is in the picture,

let us know what you want us to do.

Do you want to carry on with
the strike, then tell us.

[crowd cheers]

But make no mistake about
it, don't be kidded.

Yesterday, that pay deal that
was offered to you yesterday

by the employers, is no
different from the ones

that's already been turned down.

Not only at Cardigan Field,
but at the Leeds Town Hall

last Thursday night.

[crowd cheers]

Brothers.

This meeting of the strike
committee has been called

to consider the new offer
made a couple of days ago

by the association, to
guarantee talks and...

What was it?

To guarantee talks 48 hours
after a return to work.

You'll all have heard of
the steward's decision

to recommend a return to
work to their factory groups.

Now, a lot of you, I know,
are stewards, and were

at the meeting, so there's
no need to go into it.

Also, we have now got to a
position where we are strong,

and to throw that strength
away, by the steady trickle

back to work of people on
strike, would only undermine

the efforts we've put
in these past few weeks.

So, whatever we decide
tonight, this, obviously,

will be at the back of our minds.

What is happening to the other firms?

Now, Black's, Black...

Blackford's, sorry.

Blackford's have gone back.

And, uh, anyway, people
are wandering back to work,

and as I say, this, or these things

will have to be taken into consideration.

We will now move on, and I would like

to call upon Mr. Harry Gridley.

Is he here?

Yes, yes, he's here.

Now, Harry is not a
member of our committee,

but he's come at my invitation,
to present the views

of your union district committee.

Thank you very much.

-Fellow workers-
-[Maggie] Fellow workers.

[Harry] I speak to you once again tonight-

I smell betrayal.

Betrayal not only among
our so called comrades

here in Leeds, but in the
highest ranks of those

who choose to call themselves
our legal representatives.

Is it not contemptuous that
during the historic events

of the past three weeks,
our northern secretary,

of our union, has consistently
refused to leave Manchester.

Refused to cross the
Pennines, and talk to 30,000

of his members, who
involved, tooth and claw,

in the biggest dispute
in this union's history.

[crowd cheers]

This city, this city is the centre,

the powerhouse of the industry.

We clothe the nation's backs.

[crowd cheers]

Now don't we deserve something better

than Victorian employers,
Victorian conditions,

and Victorian wages.

[crowd cheers]

When a woman looks at her wages,

and thinks of the hours she
works, and the conditions,

she knows she is a slave.

[crowd cheers]

I repeat, if the
employers, and the unions,

cannot put their house in
order, then we, the women,

will do it for them.

[crowd cheers]

So comrades, the choice is yours.

Return united, with dignity, self respect,

and your organisation intact,
fit to fight another day.

Or allow the breakup, already
in progress, to run amok,

resulting in a complete loss
of control by this committee,

and the inevitable, the
inevitable admission

of failure and defeat.

You know, this isn't a capitulation.

Don't run away with the idea
that it's a capitulation,

because it isn't.

This has been a great fight.

The industry will never be the same again.

The workers in Leeds are
now more politically aware

than ever before in their history.

But you know, emotion
must make way for reason,

and slogans must make
way for common sense.

Now, as I say, the decision is yours.

I'm certain that you've got the courage

to make it the right one.

[crowd claps]

For the chairman, I propose that we adopt

the following resolution.

Can we get back to the resolution.

I shall read it again, for those in doubt.

That this mass meeting
reaffirms the decision

taken last Thursday
evening at Leeds Town Hall.

That this strike committee recommend

a full return to work on Monday.

That there be no return to work.

[crowd cheers]

Until the claim for one
shilling an hour is met.

On the understanding that negotiations...

Negotiations will
commence within 48 hours.

Now, do you all understand the motion?

Do you understand the motion?

Yes.

Do you all understand the motion?

Yes!

Right, all those in favour.

Yes!

Thank you.

Now those against.

[crowd murmurs]

Unanimous.

Yes!

We stay out.

[crowd cheers]

The strike committee recommend

a full return to work on Monday.

All those in favour, will you please show.

All those in favour.

We go back.

What do you think you're doing?

I'm drawing up a statement for the press.

They stampeded that vote, Joe.

Harry Gridley and his mob.

You know that and you let them.

I could sense the mood
in the meeting, Maggie,

we didn't stand a chance.

Why didn't you get up and say something?

Well why didn't you?

You know as well as I do.

Politics is the art of the attainable.

[Molly] Yes, I hit him.

I belted him for all of us.

We had it won, another two
weeks and we'd have finished it,

masters, union and lot.

But they packed it in and led
us back to wait for us money

in bloody instalments, and
then come speedups and layoffs

bloody galore.

Harry Gridley got booned, with
enough money in his pocket

to open a toffee shop in Selby.

Peggy's been laid off.

26 years with one firm
and they give her a fiver.

But nowt settled, believe me.

The muck's about to fly.

That bob won't buy us
a bag of sherbet now.

They'll take 'em on again,
these lasses, don't you fret.

And when we do, next time,
we'll make flaming sure

we take us lead from them
who won't sell us short.

[theme music]