The dominant idea of strikes in the 1970s is that of the 'winter of discontent' of 1979 in which workers took industrial action in support of pay claims that breached the social contract brokered between union leaders and the Labour Government. However, the highpoint of workers' militancy was in the early years of the decade when rank and file workers led successful strikes across industry. This meeting will examine the strikes of miners, builders and dockers as well as industrial action in […]
The rise of militancy in the workplace, universities and the new left in the early 1970s Britain generated a reaction by the ‘secret state’. A major campaign was launched by Special Branch and MI5 to infiltrate and destabilise these arenas, which culminated in a plot to overthrow Harold Wilson’s Labour government in the mid 1970s. Investigative researcher Larry O’Hara will give an overview of the period, looking at the tactics and strategies of the secret state. Watch this talk: If you see this […]
The two-year strike (1976–1978) over trade union recognition at the Grunwick Film Processing Laboratories in Willesden, North London is iconic in left wing history. During a decade of industrial unrest, the Grunwick dispute became a cause célèbre of trade unionism and labour relations law, and at its height involved thousands of trade unionists and police in confrontations. The total of 550 arrests made during the strike was at the time the highest such figure in any industrial dispute since the […]
In the mid 1970s, a new generation of South Asian youth were growing up in Britain. They emerged less prepared to tolerate the racism in British society, which their parents had had to suffer. This period also saw heightened fascist and racist activity, increasing police violence and the institutionalisation of racism through discriminatory immigration laws. A racist murder in Southall was the spark for the formation of a new organisation: the Southall Youth Movement. This organisation made up […]
Ford plants in the 1970s were epicentres of worker militancy as recently depicted in the film Made In Dagenham. Carlos was a founder member of the Ford Dagenham Workers' Group and Brian worked at the Halewood plant from 1970 till late ‘77. They will discuss the reality of life in the Ford Company, the hidden history of the equal pay disputes and the changes that have taken place since that era. Carlos (Charlie) Guarita worked at the Ford Dagenham Engine Plant from 1976 till early 1980. He was a […]
Ian Bone relates his experiences of contemporary interventions into the electoral process including The Alarm the Swansea based forerunner of The Bristolian, the legendary anarchist tabloid Class War and the Vote Nobody campaign of 2001. Millsy will briefly analyse democracy is this country for the working classes, and describe what it means for us now. How democratic are society, our political parties, and our organisations? These two renowned local troublemakers will also provide their own […]
Bristol Indymedia & Bristol Radical History are pleased to welcome Steve Tilzey, one of the authors of No Retreat - a powerful account of their fight-back against far-right Nazis and racists on the streets of the UK from the 70s though to the 90s. With the BNP gaining two seats in the European elections, the authors deliver constant and powerful message that fascism thrives when the working-class is ignored and betrayed - and we ignore it’s rise at our peril. Colin Thomas will also be […]
As a follow up to the history of the 1984-85 Miners’ Strike we consider the legacy of this momentous event and the environmental and social contradictions it has thrown up since. A panel of experts will talk about little known past struggles which transcended the current narrative of 'jobs versus environment' and debate contemporary struggles over energy and labour. As the eco-systemic crisis increases what is the future of coal? If there needs to be a move to a low carbon economy how do we work […]
The year-long Miners’ Strike of the 1980s was a defining moment in 20th Century British history, the impact of which is still being felt economically, politically and culturally. Twenty-five years on we bring together a panel of participants, representing the strikers, the miners’ support groups and the media to discuss the anatomy of the strike, its reporting and the history that was left untold at the time. Download and print a flyer (275 KB jpeg file) Watch this talk: The video should be here
This April is the 20th anniversary of the Hillsborough football disaster which killed 96 Liverpool fans and injured hundreds more. Twenty years on, few people know what actually happened and the (now admitted) lies told by the Police to the press at the time remain as many people's memory of events. The coroner and the inquiry narrowly restricted their investigations. Numerous judges have thwarted attempts by the survivors, families and campaign groups to have the events investigated. […]
