Robbo Fight Is Put Off

DAILY MIRROR
By Terry Pattinson and Rod Chaytor

Union chiefs pulled back from the brink last night in the fight to get sacked Leyland convener Derek Robinson reinstated .
Local Engineering Union leaders put off the strike due to begin next week at the Longbridge plant in Birmingham .

But the 20 strong Birmingham West executive insisted they were only buying time to counter “an unprecedented propaganda campaign by the management .” Mr Bill Jordan , the unions Midlands organizer , was still intent on winning reinstatement for Communist Mr Robinson – nicknamed Red Robbo .

“We feel we need to put our case ,” said Mr Jordan .

“We would not necessarily expect our members to take a correct decision if they had not heard both sides of the case .”

The union climbdown came after 2000 workers at Longbridge – a quarter of the AUEW members there – told the management they would not join a strike .