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Birmingham in 1970s

hi OISIN Iwas working at TINSLEY-ROBOR in LANCING SUSSEX when the3day was called for ,at that time we did record sleeves,albums and singles,cartons,and 2or3monthly trade magazines,first edition stamp envelopes.The Company bought 2or3 very large diesel generators from GERMANYto cope with the print,cutting and crease,gluing,folders and MULLER machines.the different departments had to start up separately as the temperate system couldnt take the surge of power .Thanks for the memory ,i had 10 happy yrs there
cheers:) 33bus
tom
 
Yes,we had the three day working week
while I worked at The Reliant motor Co.
all to save electricity while the miners strike was on
very annoying for us all
 
I worked for a printing company in Lower Essex Street. We did three twelve hour shifts and had our pay made up to the full week. We worked Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with the following four days off. It was great. Tilley lamps and candles soon sold out and were replaced with Heath Robinson set up using car bulbs and 12 volts batteries. Without TV board games became popular and nine months later there was an explainable baby boom. The strikes which held the government to ransom split the trade unions' grip as many industries sought other safer means of power. Like 33bus. we bought a 12 cylinder beast of a diesel generator from Poland to ensure we didn't lose further work.
 
I remember at that time i was working for the Gas Board in the garage, we had not long moved from Chester St in Aston to a new high tech purpose built garage in Duddeston Mill. At that time i had an old Ford E93A and used to drive down Nechells Place past the main entrance of the Saltley Works and across the viaduct to work. That first morning as i came around the second bend in Nechells Place and was confronted by a sea of miners is still vivid in my mind, as a young man i had never seen anything like it before, it seemed that they was all looking at me and then just converged on me, shouting things i couldn't repeat here, they thought i was going into the Saltley Works. I managed to convince them that wasn't the case and they let me through and as i drove into the Duddeston Mill garage entrance was only too glad i hadn't told them where i actually worked, they was a bit rough that i can tell you, had the dents in my car to prove it.


bren
 
I remember the three day week in the early 70’s. I was still at school and we loved it. My dad used to give me a hurricane lamp to go out with!​
I left school in ’74 after doing an extra year, but remember a three day week later in the 70’s under Jim Callaghan. Anybody remember that? I was a shop steward at the time and can remember some details, such as not being allowed to attend the site for anything or you would lose the government pay for the 2 days not working (paid at unemployment rates, if my memory serves me) but for the life of me can’t remember what it was about!​
 
I worked at a factory in Hampstead Great Barr and we told the MEB that our annealing furnaces could not be switched off so they kept a special supply to us. At home, I remember power cuts on a district rota system so you knew when you needed candlelight and no telly, or early to bed. I also seem to vaguely remember a serious petrol shortage in 73/74 and I think they actually issued petrol coupons. I remember storing 4 gallons of petrol thinking I'd get my Hillman Imp to Woolacombe for hols and not worry to much about getting back.
 
You worked 3 days and then had to sign on at the Labour Exchange for 2 days unemployment pay, in Brum they opened temporary signing offices. Len.
 
Very enlightening, Len. Not just the refreshing of my memory but the timbre of the excellent essays you pointed me to.
I now remember, (I worked at AMAC in Wood Lane) the struggles that were happening. I also remember our union, after several years of low pay rises in the 2-3% region refusing to go for the 'big one'. We asked (I represented aa maximum of 14 workers, sometimes as few a 8) asking why we didn't just go for it, and be negotiated down to 10% or so. But the idea was rejected. Considering we were probably amonst the lowest paid in the company (the West Works, if anybody remembers us), the casters and enginneers making the real money it isn't and wasn't too surprising. They weilded the negotiating and union power in the company, and the convener was a caster.
 
lencops said:
You worked 3 days and then had to sign on at the Labour Exchange for 2 days unemployment pay, in Brum they opened temporary signing offices. Len.
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Yes, I remember the 2 days being paid at unemployment rates but I don’t remember actually signing on for it. But that could be my failing memory. For all the faults, they were my glory days- young, reasonably well paid and on the town every night! I was earning less when I moved to Tamworth in 1980 than in the 70’s, working on a capstan making steering rod tie-ends for mini’s, if I remember correctly!​
I do remember we were due to have a union meeting (in Brum during the WoD), but it had to be held at Penns Lane Hotel. This was because attending the site, even if we weren’t being paid would have resulted in loss of government pay.​
 
oldMohawk said:
I worked at a factory in Hampstead Great Barr and we told the MEB that our annealing furnaces could not be switched off so they kept a special supply to us. At home, I remember power cuts on a district rota system so you knew when you needed candlelight and no telly, or early to bed. I also seem to vaguely remember a serious petrol shortage in 73/74 and I think they actually issued petrol coupons. I remember storing 4 gallons of petrol thinking I'd get my Hillman Imp to Woolacombe for hols and not worry to much about getting back.
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Worked for Shell Mex & BP Kingsbury during this time. All the staff were issued with petrol coupons to cover our travel to and from work. Remember getting home from work about 11pm with no street lights or power at home. Our Daughter was born about 9 months later.
icon7.gif
 
My husband worked for Bayglow fuels a Texaco distributer at Kingsbury he still has his petrol coupons!:)
 
Wendy said:
My husband worked for Bayglow fuels a Texaco distributer at Kingsbury he still has his petrol coupons!:)
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Hello Wendy
I used to work with a chap called Brian Slater who worked for Texaco in the early seventies at Kingsbury, maybe your Husband Knew him.
 
Good morning

I worked at Girling's in Tysely during this time . I worked in the wages office and remember well the problems caused .
I also got married in 1973 and I thought that the three day week was happening then too or maybe I am getting confused with the electricity blackouts.

I do remember having to work in a very cold and dim office.


Maureenxx
 
img068.jpg
this letter is taken from todays newspaper and I have put it on this thread because the miners at Saltley Gasworks are mentioned in an earlier post.
At the time of this dispute I had a good quality radio and I could listen to world news from Eastern Bloc countries. I think it was the Russian bulletin that was read by an American sounding reader and the news each day was that a number of miners had been seriously injured in clashes with the Police at Saltley. The English news bulletin always informed us of several Policemen being injured. I listened to them both and tried to think down the middle.
stitcher.
 
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I can remember the 3 ? day working week ,as i worked for a steel stockholders in Aston and for some peculiar reason we ended up working a full week plus an introduced night shift for 1 week ,we supplied steel for the offshore oil industry so i imagine this was deemed vital
 
Without checking, I believe that it is forty years ago tomorrow of the Birmingham Bombing. I do remember that I was working in the resident band at the Locarno, and that evening the place was packed. Next night there was around thirty people in.
A sad anniversary to remember, but please let us not forget those that died that awful evening. Eddie.
 
The worst thing about B/ham in the 70's was the fume filled Midland Red Bus depot in Digbeth.
Choking on fumes waiting for the 151 or 179 bus to Earlswood Lakes, Otherwise, happy days and many days of mis-spent youth .... boy we all had fun before elf n safefty reared up and killed the wild adventurous spirit ... climbing trees / swimming in lakes etc
 
I worked in a contract toolroom at the time G L Scott Ledsam St Ladywood, we had power for three days only so they made us work 12 hours on those days. It lasted for a few weeks. The good thing was that where I lived in St James Rd Edgbaston we were on the same supply as the Midland Nerve Hospital so our home electric never went off.
 
Hi i worked for Wilmot Breeden at the time we did three 12 hour shifts and lucky for me i got a part time job labouring for a floor layer on the other days i was quids in.
 
cookie273uk said:
I worked for P O Telephones (now BT) and we were not affected, still a 5 day week for us. Eric
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Worked for Shell Mex and BP and no three day working for us either. We were also issued with petrol coupons when the fuel crisis began, still got them somewhere I think as they were never needed.
 
nickcc101 said:
Worked for Shell Mex and BP and no three day working for us either. We were also issued with petrol coupons when the fuel crisis began, still got them somewhere I think as they were never needed.
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I suppose any fuel-oil company wouldn't be too put out about having no coal. :smug:
 
Bet they were delighted, mind you we also supplied vast quantities of gas oil to the various open cast sites which helped supply coal to the numerous power stations.
 
nickcc101 said:
Worked for Shell Mex and BP and no three day working for us either. We were also issued with petrol coupons when the fuel crisis began, still got them somewhere I think as they were never needed.
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I think we've still got our fuel coupons somewhere. Mind you I think it would be a better world if pay rises were not done by percentages but a set figure (amount) for everyone then the gap between rich and poor would not keep growing!!!!!
 
I remember around the time of the power cuts inflation was running so high that everyone had regular pay rises to compensate. Every few weeks my pay went up, or am I imagining it?
 
sheldontony said:
I remember around the time of the power cuts inflation was running so high that everyone had regular pay rises to compensate. Every few weeks my pay went up, or am I imagining it?
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Being unionised back in those days all non managerial staffs wage increases were negotiated by the unions. I can remember when there were so many final offers that no one ever took them seriously, always expecting more.

In those days the company mostly feared the possibility of strikes and the disruption to fuel distribution, the Drivers in those days held the power which, of course, we all gained by. In the late eighties staff were offered the choice of becoming non unionised for negotiations or not, they chose non unionised. In 1998 all company employed staff were made redundant and contractors filled their jobs, in most cases for half the cost of the former company employees.
 
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Hi Sorry I am Robert at this time I was working in a contract tool room in Ladywood, did 3 12 hr days while power cuts were on.
Lived in Edgbaston fortunately on same supply as Midland Nerve Hospital so no power cuts at home..
 
I worked for PO Telephones (n0w BT) so we were not affected by the 70's disruptions. In the 32 years I worked for them we only had 2 one-day strikes. I had friends who worked for the motor industry and they appeared to strike regularly, often for what appeared to be minor reasons. Eric
 
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