Chapter Seven
'The Ballot for Shop Steward'
During the spring of 1965, there was an industrial accident at Harrison Gardner's, which was to eventually bring about a change of shop stewards, besides altering the cosy understanding that had previously existed between bosses and workers. At the centre of this change was the determination of Beth to secure justice and the temerity of the mill's shop steward, Ted Hopkins, in his dealings with the Harrisons.
After the yarn and cloth had been scoured and dyed, it was then hanked in wet form and stacked in wooden carts before being moved to a gigantic tumble drier that was colloquially known as 'the wuzzer'. The wuzzer was a huge hydraulic extractor, circular shaped with a radius of six feet. It was operated by an employee called Jack Downs. Jack had been the wuzzer operative for fourteen years.
After the yarn and cloth had been scoured and dyed, it was then hanked in wet form and stacked in wooden carts before being moved to a gigantic tumble drier that was colloquially known as 'the wuzzer'. The wuzzer was a huge hydraulic extractor, circular shaped with a radius of six feet. It was operated by an employee called Jack Downs. Jack had been the wuzzer operative for fourteen years.
Upon receiving his next cart of wet yarn to extract the water from, Jack would skillfully lift the hanks from the cart and pack them tightly inside the wuzzer, shoulder to shoulder. There would invariably be a double tier of hanks evenly packed before the wuzzer was closed and set spinning. The wuzzer would gradually pick up speed and as the increased rotation of spins extracted the water from the yarn and spewed it out from the inside drum via an outlet pipe, the wuzzer would go faster and faster until it reached a speed in excess of 3,000 revolutions per minute. When the extractor had attained maximum speed, it would make a loud wuzzing sound.
Towards the base of the wuzzer was a notice attached to the side of the machine that said, 'Do not open the lid while machine is in operation'. However, once started, and yet, despite its warning, it was an instruction that the wuzzer operative frequently ignored.
Because the wuzzer was situated just in front of the office where Mr John worked all day long as he matched the finished shade of dyed yarn, it would have been simply inconceivable for him not to have known about this practice of the wuzzer operatives. The management weren't blind and therefore never made reference to this irregular practice of which they silently approved. They never once sought to either condone this dangerous practice or condem it; knowing that to prevent it would slow down production and would therefore reduce the mill's daily profits.
You see this notice was meaningless, if one was to do one's job. Every now and then after the extractor had been packed and started, it would start wobbling and making a loud banging sound if the packing inside proved to be unevenly stacked and caused the inner drum to rock to and fro. Whenever this happened, the only way for the wuzzer operative to correct the machine's balance was to open up the extractor while it was running and to drop in another hank of yarn to even it up inside. While extremely dangerous to do without exercising the utmost of care, this process of correcting the machine's imbalance had been used half a dozen times daily over many years.
Ever since the extractor had been in use during more than two decades, there had existed an unspoken collusion between bosses and work operatives about this dangerous practice. Similarly, there were a number of other places in the mill where a laxity towards the safety of the workers had been placed second to maintaining continuity of processing. In order to gain access to cleaning and repairing the machines more easily, the safety guards, which were there to cover certain parts of the machinery were either missing or had been knowingly removed by the operatives.
As far as the mill inspectors were concerned, this body of industrial inspectorate were a complete waste of time. Even by the 1960s, there were fewer than three textile inspectors in the whole of Yorkshire and Lancashire whose designated task was to visit each mill premises annually. While such visits occasionally took place, they were as rare as hen's teeth and the last time a mill inspector had been seen at Harrison Gardner's had been nine years earlier!
You see this notice was meaningless, if one was to do one's job. Every now and then after the extractor had been packed and started, it would start wobbling and making a loud banging sound if the packing inside proved to be unevenly stacked and caused the inner drum to rock to and fro. Whenever this happened, the only way for the wuzzer operative to correct the machine's balance was to open up the extractor while it was running and to drop in another hank of yarn to even it up inside. While extremely dangerous to do without exercising the utmost of care, this process of correcting the machine's imbalance had been used half a dozen times daily over many years.
Ever since the extractor had been in use during more than two decades, there had existed an unspoken collusion between bosses and work operatives about this dangerous practice. Similarly, there were a number of other places in the mill where a laxity towards the safety of the workers had been placed second to maintaining continuity of processing. In order to gain access to cleaning and repairing the machines more easily, the safety guards, which were there to cover certain parts of the machinery were either missing or had been knowingly removed by the operatives.
As far as the mill inspectors were concerned, this body of industrial inspectorate were a complete waste of time. Even by the 1960s, there were fewer than three textile inspectors in the whole of Yorkshire and Lancashire whose designated task was to visit each mill premises annually. While such visits occasionally took place, they were as rare as hen's teeth and the last time a mill inspector had been seen at Harrison Gardner's had been nine years earlier!
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On that day which was to change the cosy relationship between the work force and the management that had existed over a century, Jack Downs the wuzzer man was engaged in extracting the water from a batch of nylon yarn. The peroxiding and dying of nylon was undertaken by few textile firms in the county as the colouring process was so difficult to process and too expensive to produce. In fact, Harrison Gardner's was one of the few dye works for many miles that had both the machinery and the manpower skills to process nylon from start to finish at a viable price. Nylon was still relatively new to the market place and it was heralded as being the fibre of the future. Its synthetic composition gave it a look, feel and strength that made it second to no other yarn on the market. Indeed, its synthetic thread was so strong that it was impossible to break by the force of human hand, unlike many of the natural fibres of other materials.
Jack packed the wuzzer and set it running, but after a few minutes it started to bang louder and louder as it rotated faster and faster. To correct the imbalance of the drum, Jack opened the lid of the wuzzer and looked inside as it spun around furiously. He picked up another hank of wet nylon from the wooden cart and dropped it inside the wuzzer as he had done many times daily for the past fourteen years. The hank partly corrected the imbalance, but it seemed obvious to the experienced machine operative that another hank still needed to be added to even up the load.
Jack packed the wuzzer and set it running, but after a few minutes it started to bang louder and louder as it rotated faster and faster. To correct the imbalance of the drum, Jack opened the lid of the wuzzer and looked inside as it spun around furiously. He picked up another hank of wet nylon from the wooden cart and dropped it inside the wuzzer as he had done many times daily for the past fourteen years. The hank partly corrected the imbalance, but it seemed obvious to the experienced machine operative that another hank still needed to be added to even up the load.
By the time Jack dropped in another hank of nylon, the wuzzer had reduced its rotations by about one third to 2,000 revolutions per minute and was marginally quieter in motion. Unknown to Jack though, a few threads from the additional hank of nylon he'd dropped into the wuzzer had attached themselves to a button on his boiler suit and had wrapped themselves around Jack's arm.
Ten seconds later, Jack Downs was minus his right arm which was now lodged among the white nylon that packed the wuzzer; having been completely severed. Strange as it seemed at the time, it had happened so suddenly that Jack never screamed out. It was only as he fell to the ground in pain and the outlet pipe to the wuzzer started to pour out blood, did the person closest to Jack realise the enormity of what had happened.
Minutes later, Mr Frank emerged from his office upon hearing the commotion and his first reaction upon being told what had happened was to look inside the wuzzer and see if the white nylon batch had been ruined by Jack's blood!
'Get it out!' Mr John urged one of his workers as he pointed to the severed arm among the white nylon. A nearby worker retrieved the arm and placed it to the side. An ambulance was called and Jack was rushed to Dewsbury Hospital, but unfortunately because of the amount of lost blood that had drained away from his severed arm in the wuzzer, the limb was impossible to be surgically reattached to him. Jack was left with one arm and a most uncertain future. There was never any realistic prospect of him receiving any industrial compensation from the firm who naturally denied 'liability' and pointed towards the notice of warning attached to the base of the wuzzer.
'Get it out!' Mr John urged one of his workers as he pointed to the severed arm among the white nylon. A nearby worker retrieved the arm and placed it to the side. An ambulance was called and Jack was rushed to Dewsbury Hospital, but unfortunately because of the amount of lost blood that had drained away from his severed arm in the wuzzer, the limb was impossible to be surgically reattached to him. Jack was left with one arm and a most uncertain future. There was never any realistic prospect of him receiving any industrial compensation from the firm who naturally denied 'liability' and pointed towards the notice of warning attached to the base of the wuzzer.
Ted Hopkins tried to have a word with Mr John about the possibility of obtaining some small measure of industrial compensation for Jack Downs, but as soon as money was mentioned, the boss took off the gloves and started boxing dirty.
"You have the nerve to ask me for compensation for Jack being stupid to do what he was warned against doing!" Mr John shouted at the mildly mannered shop steward. "Look at it from our side. There's a full batch of white nylon absolutely ruined and because Jack opened the machine while it was running, the insurance won't pay out a penny! That will cost the firm over £7,000 as I don't suppose that the work force will be offering to pay, will it? You can forget about your talk of compensation as there'll not be a penny paid by me. I'm sorry for the man and his wife and family, but Jack Downs is lucky that we don't sue him for the loss of the customer's batch of nylon!"
"You have the nerve to ask me for compensation for Jack being stupid to do what he was warned against doing!" Mr John shouted at the mildly mannered shop steward. "Look at it from our side. There's a full batch of white nylon absolutely ruined and because Jack opened the machine while it was running, the insurance won't pay out a penny! That will cost the firm over £7,000 as I don't suppose that the work force will be offering to pay, will it? You can forget about your talk of compensation as there'll not be a penny paid by me. I'm sorry for the man and his wife and family, but Jack Downs is lucky that we don't sue him for the loss of the customer's batch of nylon!"
As Ted was about to leave the office, Mr John opened his wallet and pushed four ten pound notes into the shop steward's hand saying, "No doubt you'll have a whip round for Jack and his family. Here.....put that in for me and the family. When you next see Jack's wife, tell her not to worry and that we'll find Jack some work in the family firm when he's ready to return. It can't be his old job, mind you as it will have to be something lighter, but we'll find him something, even if its sweeping the yard. We look after our own here!" Ted graciously took the four ten-pound notes and left to return to the work force.
Over the months ahead, Jack was told that he'd never be able to do a normal job again that required precision or strength. He was offered the prospect of a false arm, but refused. Ted had managed to raise £742 for Jack and his family which came from a work's whip round and the profits from a charity event evening that was held at 'The Hightown Liberal Working Men's Club'.
About one month after Jack's industrial accident and the loss of his arm, Beth approached the shop steward Ted and asked about the amount of industrial compensation that the trade union would be able to get for Jack. She was completely taken aback by the mere fact that the matter was considered closed and that Jack wasn't strictly entitled to a penny.
"I tried, lass," the shop steward replied. "I tried my best to get Jack a few bob, but Mr John wouldn't hear of it and even threatened to sue Jack for ruining a £7,000 batch of nylon. Because he'd opened the wuzzer whilst it was running in direct contravention of the warning at its base not to do so, the firm is unable to get any insurance payout for its loss of nylon and Jack can't get compensation for the loss of his arm. It looks like they've both lost out and there's nowt that can be done about it."
About one month after Jack's industrial accident and the loss of his arm, Beth approached the shop steward Ted and asked about the amount of industrial compensation that the trade union would be able to get for Jack. She was completely taken aback by the mere fact that the matter was considered closed and that Jack wasn't strictly entitled to a penny.
"I tried, lass," the shop steward replied. "I tried my best to get Jack a few bob, but Mr John wouldn't hear of it and even threatened to sue Jack for ruining a £7,000 batch of nylon. Because he'd opened the wuzzer whilst it was running in direct contravention of the warning at its base not to do so, the firm is unable to get any insurance payout for its loss of nylon and Jack can't get compensation for the loss of his arm. It looks like they've both lost out and there's nowt that can be done about it."
Beth couldn't believe what she was hearing from the mouth of her shop steward and started to berate him for simply accepting it without kicking up a fuss.
"You're not going to leave it there, Ted, are you? Surely the area trade union branch won't let this go without a fight!" she argued.
"I've already seen them and I'm told there's nowt that can be done for poor Jack," Ted replied.
"Nowt that can be done!" Beth spat out in disgust."What are you there for if it's not to stand up and fight for our rights at moments like this?" Beth asked angrily. "Why do we pay our bloody dues if the union does f...all when something like this happens and a worker loses a limb doing his job? The bosses have always known how we correct imbalances in the wuzzer. They've always known and have never once told us to the contrary."
"You're not going to leave it there, Ted, are you? Surely the area trade union branch won't let this go without a fight!" she argued.
"I've already seen them and I'm told there's nowt that can be done for poor Jack," Ted replied.
"Nowt that can be done!" Beth spat out in disgust."What are you there for if it's not to stand up and fight for our rights at moments like this?" Beth asked angrily. "Why do we pay our bloody dues if the union does f...all when something like this happens and a worker loses a limb doing his job? The bosses have always known how we correct imbalances in the wuzzer. They've always known and have never once told us to the contrary."
"They may have known, Beth," Ted replied, "But proving it is a different matter. Anyway, as unsatisfactory as it seems, that's sod's law, so let that be an end to the matter. I've done my best and apart from arranging the whip round, I can do no more, lass."
To tell the truth, moderate in temperament though he undoubtedly was, Ted Hopkins did not take too kindly to having his actions as the firm's shop steward brought into question by an employee of just over fourteen months service at Harrison Gardner's, and a woman at that! He was unaccustomed to being brought to task by one so young and wet behind the ears.
To tell the truth, moderate in temperament though he undoubtedly was, Ted Hopkins did not take too kindly to having his actions as the firm's shop steward brought into question by an employee of just over fourteen months service at Harrison Gardner's, and a woman at that! He was unaccustomed to being brought to task by one so young and wet behind the ears.
Consequently, when Ted heard that Beth had called an extraordinary meeting in the canteen tomorrow lunch time to have the matter discussed by all three hundred employees, he was furious. Firstly, it was the shop steward's job to call any meetings; not any worker who took it into their head to do so, let alone a greenhorn woman. Initially he tried to get the meeting cancelled, but all the women protested strongly, quickly followed by complaints from many of the men. After it became apparent by the nature of responses he received from the other mill workers, Ted agreed to let it go ahead.
It seemed that a closer sympathy of view existed between Beth and the bulk of the other workers at Harrison Gardner's than was shared between them and Ted. Jack's accident had been a great shock to them, but it was the perceived callous and parsimonious response of the mill owner, along with the alleged impotence of the trade union to secure any compensation for Jack that had got the work force all fired up.
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The next day when lunch break arrived, the canteen was filled to the rafters. Usually, the meal time of all the work force would be staggered in two sittings of 150 at a time. This enabled the vats that dyed the yarn to continue running, as to stop them mid process would be to make the dying procedure uneven, and would take an inordinate amount of time to get right again. The custom had therefore long been established that no vat operative was ever allowed to leave their machine unattended while running. To get around this, all visits to the lavatory or the canteen would be made in accordance with a pairing arrangement between one vat operative and the man working the neighbouring vat. Each operative would take it in turn to keep an eye on two vats while their work mate went for his half hour lunch break.
News of the lunch meeting reached the ears of Mr John that morning and although he was unable to prevent it taking place, he insisted that no vat operative leave their machine unattended without proper cover. Although unproven and never admitted by him, Tony Frankson, who cleaned the boss's car weekly had always been suspected of being Mr John's news feeder as to the goings on and the fallings out between the work force. A number of the men would frequently joke behind Tony Frankson's back that his very name designated him as being the illegitimate son of Mr Frank and that was why he seemed to receive preferential treatment from Mr Frank in the past and was now Mr John's pet rat.
"Let's call this meeting to order," said Ted Hopkins as he banged the table hard to get the attention of the assembled audience. Most of the men and women assembled were eating their sandwiches, which they had brought from home in their snap boxes earlier that morning. Although called the 'canteen', it was so named because the workers ate there and no other reason. There were two ladies who worked in the canteen who brewed the tea and could even be persuaded to cook you bacon, eggs and beans; providing you supplied the produce and the cooking lard. However, no food was sold there and the tea was provided three times daily to the workforce for the cost of threepence a mug.
After the shop steward had called the meeting to order, he tried to placate the workforce. "I know that this business with Jack has upset you all and believe me, we all care for him and the welfare of his family now that he can't work in the foreseeable future. But as to the issue of compensation being paid by the firm, I'm informed by the area trade union office that compensation in this instance is not on the cards! Now, given that to be the official union position, I don't know what else you'd like me to do about it!"
After the shop steward had called the meeting to order, he tried to placate the workforce. "I know that this business with Jack has upset you all and believe me, we all care for him and the welfare of his family now that he can't work in the foreseeable future. But as to the issue of compensation being paid by the firm, I'm informed by the area trade union office that compensation in this instance is not on the cards! Now, given that to be the official union position, I don't know what else you'd like me to do about it!"
"Behave like our shop steward," Beth shouted out as she stood on a bench to make herself seen by all present. "That's what I'd like you to do! For once in your life, act like a man and stand up for our rights! Demand compensation for Jack and threaten to walk out on strike if they won't consider paying it!"
"Hang on there and hold your horses a minute," Ted added loudly."Walk out she says? Do you know lass, in the 150 years this family firm's been open for business, not once has its workforce ever walked out or gone on strike. How do you think we are able to earn a higher rate of pay than any other textile firm in Yorkshire? Well let me remind you all........it's because we don't down tools and walk off the job at a moment's notice, especially when it's one of our own that's in the wrong, so to speak."
"Hang on there and hold your horses a minute," Ted added loudly."Walk out she says? Do you know lass, in the 150 years this family firm's been open for business, not once has its workforce ever walked out or gone on strike. How do you think we are able to earn a higher rate of pay than any other textile firm in Yorkshire? Well let me remind you all........it's because we don't down tools and walk off the job at a moment's notice, especially when it's one of our own that's in the wrong, so to speak."
"In the wrong!" one of the male operatives shouted out. "I'll tell thee what's wrong, Ted Hopkins, if tha'll get thee head out of thee arse for two minutes and smell the coffee. Letting the owners off scot free is what's bloody wrong! Everyone knows that the only way that wuzzer can be balanced without emptying it and repacking it every time it wobbles is to balance it out while it's running! You know it, I know it, Jack knew it and even the gaffer knew it. Now, agree with Beth here. If it was you left with one arm and no other bloody prospects for the future, wouldn't you want no less for theesen then we want for Jack?"
"I'm sorry you see it that way," Ted replied when he saw he was on a hiding to nothing, "But if you want to walk out over this and against the advice of the area trade union management, then I won't walk you out. Why not get Beth to walk you out. She's the one with the fancy notion that you can possibly win a lost cause. After all, what do I know? I've only been your shop steward here for the best part of seven years and have secured you better rates of pay year on year. What do I know?"
"I say we elect Beth as our next shop steward at next month's annual ballot," said Patrick Forde. "Yea.... I say we elect Beth and give her a chance of fighting our corner for a change."
"But she's.............she's a woman," added Lucy Small. "I've heard of women reps over women, but never a woman shop steward over both men and women. It would never be allowed,"
"I say we elect Beth as our next shop steward at next month's annual ballot," said Patrick Forde. "Yea.... I say we elect Beth and give her a chance of fighting our corner for a change."
"But she's.............she's a woman," added Lucy Small. "I've heard of women reps over women, but never a woman shop steward over both men and women. It would never be allowed,"
"What's allowed is what we allow," added Sam Beaumont in support of Beth being nominated for the post, "And if it ain't in the rules then we'll amend the rule book to include it! We're the ones who make up this union and pay for it! What say you, Beth. Will you stand?"
Beth was completely overwhelmed by the meeting's overall response and in particular her work mates being prepared to flout convention and appoint a twenty-two year woman as their shop steward over a predominantly male workforce. Being somewhat heady by the compliment, coupled with the fact that this is what she truly wanted if truth had been known by her work mates, Beth agreed to let her name go forward on next month's ballot sheet as shop steward at Harrison Gardner's if she was nominated and seconded for the post.
On the day of the ballot, Ted Hopkins, who obviously had his loyal followers who would never favour another while he was running for the post, managed to secure one hundred and two votes against the two hundred and three votes that Beth obtained. Upon being declared the winner, Beth proposed to reapproach the owners of Harrison Gardner's and press Jack's case for compensation more vigorously than before. Apart from approximately twenty votes and abstentions against her, the overwhelming remainder of the workforce indicated that they were prepared to back her to the hilt!
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The next morning, Beth received a message at her drying machine that Mr John wanted to see her in his office.
"Tell him I'll be there when I've doffed and packed this batch," Beth replied to the messenger.
Mr John wasn't used to be kept waiting by any worker of his and if he hadn't been such a proud and extremely arrogant man who clearly considered himself to be better than most of his peers and most certainly better than all his employees, he would have judged by Beth's precise response to his messenger that she was a person of much greater tenacity than Ted Hopkins could ever be and wasn't the malleable kind who could be easily bent to his iron will.
"Tell him I'll be there when I've doffed and packed this batch," Beth replied to the messenger.
Mr John wasn't used to be kept waiting by any worker of his and if he hadn't been such a proud and extremely arrogant man who clearly considered himself to be better than most of his peers and most certainly better than all his employees, he would have judged by Beth's precise response to his messenger that she was a person of much greater tenacity than Ted Hopkins could ever be and wasn't the malleable kind who could be easily bent to his iron will.
When Beth eventally arrived at Mr John's office, she closed the door behind her and stood in front of the desk where Mr John was sitting. Outside the office, about half a dozen workers who were queuing to see Mr John inched up as close as they could to the office door so they might hear.
"I understand that you wanted to see me regarding Jack Downs," Mr John said. He kept his introduction deliberately short as he had no intention of making his new shop steward's task any easier for her than he had the last. However, he had greatly underestimated Beth, who had never been one herself for wasting her breath by speaking two words where one would suffice.
Looking Mr John straight in the eye, Beth said, "I don't intend to go around the houses, Mr John, so I'll say straight out what I've got to say. Jack Downs deserves a goodly sum of compensation for the loss of his arm while working here and on behalf of all the workforce of Harrison Gardner's, we expect him to receive such. I've already had a word with Jack and after considering his fourteen years of service and loss of arm, he'd be content to receive an amount of £10,000 as a full and final settlement."
"I understand that you wanted to see me regarding Jack Downs," Mr John said. He kept his introduction deliberately short as he had no intention of making his new shop steward's task any easier for her than he had the last. However, he had greatly underestimated Beth, who had never been one herself for wasting her breath by speaking two words where one would suffice.
Looking Mr John straight in the eye, Beth said, "I don't intend to go around the houses, Mr John, so I'll say straight out what I've got to say. Jack Downs deserves a goodly sum of compensation for the loss of his arm while working here and on behalf of all the workforce of Harrison Gardner's, we expect him to receive such. I've already had a word with Jack and after considering his fourteen years of service and loss of arm, he'd be content to receive an amount of £10,000 as a full and final settlement."
Beth then awaited the reply of the mill owner. She could tell by the gorge in his throat and the redness of his face that he was on the verge of exploding in anger, but she was prepared to stand her ground.
"Forgive my French, but.......but who the fuck do you think you are coming in here and making demands as if you owned the firm. £10.000! That's more than ten years wages for him.......I've never seen that much brass myself. You're off your trolley if you think for one moment that I'd fork out that amount of money for an employee who broke all the rules of an operative and lost his arm as a consequence! Now get out of here and think yourself lucky I don't take a law suit for damages out against him. Who the fuck do you think you are coming in here and making your demands? Get out of here. Out!" he screamed.
Mr Frank was not a person who normally swore, particularly in a woman's presence. His coarse outburst therefore told Beth and any other worker who heard his wrath that morning that he'd been incensed by the approach of the new shop steward.
"Forgive my French, but.......but who the fuck do you think you are coming in here and making demands as if you owned the firm. £10.000! That's more than ten years wages for him.......I've never seen that much brass myself. You're off your trolley if you think for one moment that I'd fork out that amount of money for an employee who broke all the rules of an operative and lost his arm as a consequence! Now get out of here and think yourself lucky I don't take a law suit for damages out against him. Who the fuck do you think you are coming in here and making your demands? Get out of here. Out!" he screamed.
Mr Frank was not a person who normally swore, particularly in a woman's presence. His coarse outburst therefore told Beth and any other worker who heard his wrath that morning that he'd been incensed by the approach of the new shop steward.
Beth resisted the temptation to respond with a mouthful and instead she kept her cool and left the office without revealing the slightest emotion. She immediately summoned the entire workforce to close down their machines, make them safe and go to the canteen where she would address them all. Sensing that a ballot for a strike would be called if Jack Downs got no compensation for his injury, one of the women arranged for the copying of some 'Yes' posters with Beth's image on them.
"I've put your views to Mr Frank about compensation for Jack Downs and he just laughed in my face and made it quite clear that he has no intention of paying him one penny. As your shop steward and in accordance with the mandate you gave me, it is my task to tell you that we are now on strike until our demands are met by the owners. Get your things and I'll set up office in a room of the Liberal Club where I'll make up a daily bulletin and let you all know the progress. Meanwhile I'll inform the area management of the strike," Beth said.
"How long will we be out on strike, Beth?" asked Peter Bowlin. Peter had a wife and seven children and even a few day's loss of wages would hit their family hard. A week on unofficial strike would sink the family into a debt that they'd be paying off until next Christmas.
"As long as is necessary to get Jack Downs the compensation he deserves!" Beth added. "That long and not a minute longer than is necessary."
"But Harrison Gardner's has never been on strike," Ted Hopkins reminded the assembled workforce.
"Well, we have now!" yelled a single worker with no family responsibilities, "And about bloody time I say!"
"As long as is necessary to get Jack Downs the compensation he deserves!" Beth added. "That long and not a minute longer than is necessary."
"But Harrison Gardner's has never been on strike," Ted Hopkins reminded the assembled workforce.
"Well, we have now!" yelled a single worker with no family responsibilities, "And about bloody time I say!"
Half an hour later, the only people left on the premises were four office workers, six working foremen and Mr John. The vat operaters naturally made their machines safe and completed the dying batches in them before they went home, as to do otherwise would have resulted in the ruination of many tens of thousands of pounds worth of stock.
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The strike at Harrison Gardner's, being the first one ever held in the history of the family firm in over 150 years and led by the only female shop steward in Great Britain was news that spread all through the country in a matter of days. Not only did it make the front page of every local and regional newspaper, but it was also covered by three national broadsheets and the local radio and television stations. Before the week was out, every newspaper in the land wanted Beth's story, but she refused to allow her overnight fame to deflect from the cause of the strike; of getting industrial compensation for Jack Downs!
Even the area trade union office now wanted in on the act and so they gave the strike official sanction. They quickly realised that they would be judged the weakest of trade unions if they were seen to side with the mill management instead of its workforce members. Three days after the strike had been called, the trade union agreed to back the strike retrospectively and to pay each member of the workforce the nominal strike pay of £7 per week.
Even the area trade union office now wanted in on the act and so they gave the strike official sanction. They quickly realised that they would be judged the weakest of trade unions if they were seen to side with the mill management instead of its workforce members. Three days after the strike had been called, the trade union agreed to back the strike retrospectively and to pay each member of the workforce the nominal strike pay of £7 per week.
Beth's refusal to place her own person and publicity above the cause for which the workers were on strike, told her work mates that they'd chosen well when they'd voted Beth as their shop steward. The more she refused to sell her personal story to the national press simply placed her more in demand. The strike turned out to be a total success. Over the two weeks that the workers of Harrison Gardner's were out, the plight of Jack and his family received more coverage than Beth could ever have hoped for or dreamt of.
Two weeks and one day after the strike had been called, the owners of Harrison Gardner's who had lost over £70,000, along with the good will and future contract of one of their best and most long-standing customers capitulated and agreed to pay Jack Downs the £10,000 as full and final compensation. It was Thursday the 21st March and after the strike had been called off, Mr John asked Beth to get the work force to return tomorrow morning.
"I'm sorry, but I can't do that, Mr John," Beth replied. "You see we've already put it to the vote and have agreed to return next Monday morning and make a fresh start after the weekend. See you Monday. Have a nice weekend," Beth said as she left the office.
She hadn't forgotten either the force of his outrage or the crudeness of his tongue when he had last spoken with her and told her to get out of his office. Beth was determined that Mr John wouldn't forget either as long as he lived.
