Tribute paid to shipbuilders
THE dedication of those who took part in the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders work-in has been honoured ahead of the 50th anniversary. Martin Docherty-Hughes MP has tabled a motion in the House of Commons marking the upcoming anniversary of the 1971-1972 work-in.
The parliamentary motion recalls the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders (UCS) industrial action taken in response to the then Conservative UK Government’s attempts to force closure on five Clydeside shipyards, including John Brown’s in Clydebank.
Rather than downing tools in strike action as was traditionally done, shop stewards at the yards – including the late Jimmy Reid – took the unprecedented measure of organising a work-in.
By fulfilling the order book, it ensured the viability of the shipyards at the time and demonstrated the skills of the men and women who worked there.
In doing so they helped to successfully secure the employment of thousands of Clyde workers who had been threatened with redundancy.
Mr Docherty-Hughes, the MP for West Dunbartonshire, said: “Although I was just a bairn in 1971 when the UCS work-in first began, my father worked at John Brown’s and like so many families whose livelihoods depended on the yards the determination of these workers continues to inspire me today.
“The actions of the Tory government to force closure on the UCS were unjust and indefensible. It is testament to the solidarity of the workers, and crucially the communities who backed them, that right won through.
“The eyes of the world were on the Clydeside for what has become a defining part of Scotland’s history.
“It’s important that we remember and pay tribute to the diligence, dignity, and discipline of all those who stood firm in defence of their right to work.
“Fifty years on from the success of the UCS work-in, it’s a timely reminder for us all in Scotland that we are not powerless in the face of a Westminster government which treats the needs of our communities with callous disregard.”
The determination of these workers continues to inspire me today