Last-gasp talks fuel hopes of breakthrough in car makers’ pay dispute

The Sunday Post reported on industrial strike action at a time when there was widespread dissatisfaction with pay among workers.

“Less than an hour before the car maker British Leyland’s midnight strike deadline, and after 13 hours of talks, a possible settlement is in sight,” reported the paper.

“A peace formula is being hammered out. Shop stewards leaving the

Westminster headquarters of ACAS, the conciliation service, said the strike would go on until Tuesday, and then the formula would be put to mass meetings of the workforce.

“John Boyd, general secretary of the Engineering Union, said: ‘We have a recommendation for a settlement but it has to go to the workers.’

“He refused to say more. Later, shop stewards indicated it would take union leaders at least

another hour arguing over the details of the formula.”

The union claimed at the time that the reward for unemployment is worth within £10 a week of a pay packet.

“Meanwhile, the strike went ahead at midnight. Talks began at 10am between all the BL board’s executive members and 11 union leaders. The BL workers had rejected a 3.8% pay offer. The company refused to raise it, saying they’d no more cash.”