E67: The Grunwick strike, part 1
Working Class History
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The History of Solidarity Action
Nearly 150 workers joined the strike and Grumwick retaliated by firing all of them. The company offered to rehire them only if they gave up their demand for union recognition. Solidarity or sympathy action as it's sometimes known was common before the 1980s in Britain, when workers were much more likely to win disputes. Banning solidarity action was one of the main tools used by Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government to create the situation we have today. This ban was never repealed by Labour once they regained power.
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