industry, and the majority of black workers are in the supply industry.
Among blacks in Birmingham, Leyland widely regarded as a racist employer. Richard Dobson, the former company chairperson, whose comments about WOOSWCIC exposed by Socialist Challenge, wash i aione. AE COngonaLt until last year, black workers were barrea irom better-paid jobs by a wiring test, and the CaSIC DrOmWICH DidHl been refusing to employ black WOLACIS The Commission for Racial Equality is currently investigating a complaint about this discrimination, and the connivanceO Une CnSNCCE2 Union in carrying it out. Rumours have also spread in the black community that to get a job at the Washwood Heath plant, you must pay a hundred or two hundred pounds local trade union official. But 1 the wanl to conccuualc Uu Rover, where I was one of the few blacks who did manage to get a job.
The Rover plant was ser up after the war, in Solihull, suburban area known tor its conservatism. The wages are high, second only to Jazudi throughout Kritich Leyland. The plant is divided into three parts KOVer Rover and Range - Rover. cosee shoD oDeae. ane une largest union is the Transport ane enera.
Some of the blacks working there still remember the '50s and '60s, when they were no more than a handful. Ken, a west nolan was Taken Or 1957 as a conveyor hand.
Kingand Adrian Yeeles.
Includes 12 poster-size prints on historical, contemporary anti-fascist and anti-racist themes.
Order your copies now! Only £1.50 per copy more copies, Socialist Challenge 12October 1978 Page8 Lloyd, also a West Indian, was TeCrMeO aS ZUCKCEYN Both were doing 'indirect' jobs, and so were paid less than those working directly assembly liné. Ten years ago, a direct worker earned about E25 a week — £14 more than a conveyor hand. By the early *70s more than half of the conveyor hands and truckers international, and / [plus 50p postage & packing] Or, for bulk orders from Socialist Challenge Groups of 10 or only f1 each and post free. .Rush orders to S.C. Calendars, PO Box 50, London N1 2XP. Cheques to "The Week'. 'At first they called me "black cunt" or "black bastard" and often make jokes about blacks. I explained that these jokes "They respected this, but for a time the breaks got very boring as they didn't know any other jokes... "There was a mass meeting of 2,000 workers at Rover over our pay claim. In opposition to the convenor, I moved a were black; there were hardly any on assembly. ngune stewards on the Tne DOSSIOIC conveyor hands and truckers to the track (assembly line). motion was defeated. After wards some of the stewards remarked that opposed the motion they wanted to keep blacks off the track. ene company programme of expansion for une new Kover an 1y0. uc labour force increased 1OHI thousand to 4,000.
Relations KaCC through black workers were recruited.
There was considerable bitterness in the black against tne forwarded to the company the names of those wanting jobs. and passed on a relatively lower proportion of the blacks who applied.
I started work in March 1976 on a drilling machine in the old KOvel plant; prehensively. person I met was a friendiy gut - the branch secretary, later found out was in the CP On the second day, my mate -was from the panel shop who said: 'We're giving jobs to foreigners when our own It so happened my friend's mother • is Italian.
Gea. Norto ak ike uat u future'. That afternoon, when I weno wast Bv Banussaw the same bloke in the washing rOOn WEs de Such Kay Sandom. the Birmingham NF. His son worked in the Land Rover, also an active Front member who has stood in elections.
A few weeks later handed a ballot paper tor the election of a health and safety representative candidates was Ray and an od hand said that he was a good bloke and we must IOInL SAOI debatec working class, transfer Line Nazis The But the they had because and safety.
started •Was to be discovered In the With the means the Act going growing.
community to a newcomel TGWU, which T1OU19 30.. spread his poison.
white Not inis myself. somewniat ap But the first who i approached by a bloke people are He respon- blacks or Irish They NF badge on was my introduction to jokes! chairperson of frightened 1 was Sandom, informed my vote for him. I argued that he was a fascist, that fascists are against the trade unions and the exo ancd the connection of the NF with old hands were insistent that he was a good bloke. It seems that Sandom used to talk a lot about health Sandom wasn't elected, but the Front used the campaignto widen their support and build their credibility.
over tollowing weeks by wnal .oure fascists were sandomuseeo sel NF badges, pens with nude pictures, and pants with 'NF' on them. His opening remarks back.
used to be. 'Have you heard about blacks and go on to Rover-based The constant joking that put brancn -down blacks and reinforced the the workers' notion of superiority made Sandom's job the easier. I had experienced some narmess joking At lunch and tea I used to sit at our pitch with seven of my workmates, all of them white At first they used to call m black cunt' or 'black bastard and often made jokes abou strike in blacks. I explained to them thai these comments were racist They laughed, and said they the senior were only telling jokes. I tolc them I didn't like to listen t any racist jokes, either abou respected this and stopped making racist comment in my presence, but for a time the breaks got very boring as they didn't know any other important were My job was at a fair distance from the track, where 1 was meetings because the inevitable racist abuse. Sandom started coming regularly to m shop and talked about black with one of the old hand When I couldn't stand it an longer, I threatened him and foreman that I wouldn't work if Sandom came
mobili-
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