Trouble at Washwood Heath
3 September 1974
A mass meeting at British Leyland's Washwood Heath transmissions factory voted to continue the 10 day dispute which has halted output of all Austin-Morris cars except the Maxi.
British Leyland now face the prospect of more lay-offs to swell the 18,500 already idle at Longbridge, Cowley, Castle Bromwich, Abingdon, Swindon and Llanelli. Shop stewards representing the 2,000 transmission workers on strike are meeting management on Thursday to try to press again for an increase on the £4 a week offer.
The company has so far rejected a suggested approach to the Government's new conciliation and arbitration service because it believes it is too early for outside intervention. There was better news of a smaller strike within the group. Eighty inspectors at the Alvis military vehicle factory at Coventry voted to end their two-week strike which has made a further 1,500 workers idle. The stoppage also threatened production of Rover 3500 models through lack of engine components.
More news from the archive
Thu, 29 Aug 1974
British Leyland yesterday denied that its Cowley car plant was a "skiver's paradise", as alleged earlier by Mr Graham Turner, a journalist...
Thu, 29 Aug 1974
Six thousand workers at the Austin and Morris factories in Cowley have been laid off because of a pay strike in Birmingham. The strike,...
Fri, 30 Aug 1974
Here is the plant-by-plant position in the industry yesterday: British Leyland: Production has been halted at the central transmissions...
Fri, 30 Aug 1974
By Clifford Webb Mr Keith Hopkins, the 44- year-old head of British Leyland's public relations department, is to become managing director...
Fri, 30 Aug 1974
The news that Keith Hopkins, the British Leyland public relations chief, is to take over as managing director of the corporation's...
Thu, 05 Sep 1974
By Edward Townsend Workers at British Leyland's Birmingham transmissions plant, whose strike has caused. 18,500 car workers to be...
Fri, 06 Sep 1974
The legendary Dick Etheridge, union convener at British Leyland's Longbridge car plant, is retiring. Remarkably enough for a man who...
Thu, 12 Sep 1974
TRIUMPH NEWS On this day BLMC had a product planning meeting. One of the matters discussed was the Triumph SD2. Continuing evaluation...
Sat, 14 Sep 1974
JAGUAR In the week ending September 14th 1974, Jaguar produced the last E-type. Due to the large amount of unsold cars in dealers...
Mon, 16 Sep 1974
A wage strike involving 450 clerical staff has ended after six weeks at the British Leyland truck and tractor factory in Bathgate,...
