Robbo Fight Is Put Off
9 February 1980
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 .
More news from the archive
Wed, 06 Feb 1980
Jaguar men strike: Production of BL Jaguars was coming to a halt yesterday over a regrading dispute that could affect the outcome...
Wed, 06 Feb 1980
An announcement is expected today on the inquiry by the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers into the dismissal of Mr Derek Robinson...
Thu, 07 Feb 1980
By Donald Macintyre Labour Reporter Mr Derek Robinson, the Longbridge convener, should not have been dismissed by British Leyland...
Fri, 08 Feb 1980
There is no possibility of Mr Derek Robinson, the dismissed communist convener, being reinstated, BL told the engineering union yesterday....
Fri, 08 Feb 1980
'WE'RE ALL LOSERS' IS THE SHOP FLOOR REACTION By Paul Johnson As thousands of shift workers streamed out of BL's Longbridge plant...
Mon, 11 Feb 1980
By David Felton Labour Reporter Engineering Union' shop stewards at British Leyland's factory at Longbridge will mount a strong campaign...
Tue, 12 Feb 1980
DAILY EXPRESS By David Benson, Ashley Walton and John Burns Fifty thousand Leyland car workers are to be laid off because of a huge...
Tue, 12 Feb 1980
THE GUARDIAN THE MAN WHO SOMETIMES PICKS WRONG FIGHT By Paul Johnson Last week Derek Robinson was described by a Tory MP as a gnat...
Wed, 13 Feb 1980
By Donald Macintyre Labour Reporter British Leyland last night declared itself determined not to bow to union pressure by improving...
Thu, 14 Feb 1980
DAILY MIRROR The big Leyland shutdown got into first gear last night when 20,000 men heard that they will be laid off by the end...
