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View Willo's Profile Willo Flag South coast - west of Brighton. 06 Nov 17 4.29pm Send a Private Message to Willo Add Willo as a friend

Originally posted by hedgehog50

There was strike over which union's members should put three screws into a dashboard and one by polishers because a car was retuned for re-polishing

Probably a strike decided not by a democratic ballot but by a show of hands at a meeting attended by union bullies.

 

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View steeleye20's Profile steeleye20 Flag Croydon 06 Nov 17 4.35pm Send a Private Message to steeleye20 Add steeleye20 as a friend

RIP Mr.Robinson.

I have been looking online and I can't find anyone who has a good word for him poor man worse than Adolf.

So with that in mind he was probably a decent guy you would have a pint with.

Did you know that he was responsible for the winter of discontent? As a shop steward in a car factory he allowed rubbish to pile up on the streets.

It looks like he has gone to his grave without the critical question being answered:-

Who was it who put a square wheel on the Allegro?

 

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jamiemartin721 Flag Reading 06 Nov 17 5.06pm

Originally posted by Willo

It was 'Red Robbo' who brought the company to it's knees with the turmoil he generated.

As I mentioned before between 1978 and 1979 there were over 500 walkouts with industrial action ruthlessly enforced by picket lines and shouts of "Scab" and worse at anyone who dared to challenge the rule of the mob.

The Longbridge plant in Birmingham whic once employed 18,000 people was almost impossible to run with the culture one of political oppression.

Edited by Willo (06 Nov 2017 4.30pm)

So how did that lead to the cars not selling, or the absurd decisions re: marketing (sh*t) or directly producing different models that competed with other BLMC cars.

Yes, the unions were out of control, but then the people in charge of BLMC didn't really have a plan or understanding of having to compete. In the 60s and early 70s, they were dominating the UK market by the end of the 70s they were producing cars no one wanted to buy, or cars that would never make it to market (the Rover 8 and 9).

Simple fact of the times, is that BLMC didn't understand the market anymore, and the Unions didn't help with production costs - but then nor did BLMC either, failing to minimise production costs by creating competing models within BLMC.

 


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hedgehog50 Flag Croydon 06 Nov 17 5.24pm

Originally posted by jamiemartin721

So how did that lead to the cars not selling, or the absurd decisions re: marketing (sh*t) or directly producing different models that competed with other BLMC cars.

Yes, the unions were out of control, but then the people in charge of BLMC didn't really have a plan or understanding of having to compete. In the 60s and early 70s, they were dominating the UK market by the end of the 70s they were producing cars no one wanted to buy, or cars that would never make it to market (the Rover 8 and 9).

Simple fact of the times, is that BLMC didn't understand the market anymore, and the Unions didn't help with production costs - but then nor did BLMC either, failing to minimise production costs by creating competing models within BLMC.

Nationalised industries Jamie - they couldn't run a tap efficiently.

 


We have now sunk to a depth at which the restatement of the obvious is the first duty of intelligent men. [Orwell]

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View Willo's Profile Willo Flag South coast - west of Brighton. 06 Nov 17 5.27pm Send a Private Message to Willo Add Willo as a friend

Originally posted by jamiemartin721

So how did that lead to the cars not selling, or the absurd decisions re: marketing (sh*t) or directly producing different models that competed with other BLMC cars.

Yes, the unions were out of control, but then the people in charge of BLMC didn't really have a plan or understanding of having to compete. In the 60s and early 70s, they were dominating the UK market by the end of the 70s they were producing cars no one wanted to buy, or cars that would never make it to market (the Rover 8 and 9).

Simple fact of the times, is that BLMC didn't understand the market anymore, and the Unions didn't help with production costs - but then nor did BLMC either, failing to minimise production costs by creating competing models within BLMC.

One can engage in debate about the British Leyland management and strategy and of course there might have been failings but due to the antics of 'Red Robbo' and his union bullies the company became increasingly synonymous with shoddiness and struggled to compete in the marketplace. Not that 'Red Robbo' cared for with the ideology of the Far Left he didn't believe in the market.

As for Corbyn, those dark days were not a nightmare but a golden age of Left Wing ascendancy and he is desperate to return to those days of union power.

Edited by Willo (06 Nov 2017 5.28pm)

 

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View steeleye20's Profile steeleye20 Flag Croydon 06 Nov 17 5.28pm Send a Private Message to steeleye20 Add steeleye20 as a friend

Originally posted by jamiemartin721

So how did that lead to the cars not selling, or the absurd decisions re: marketing (sh*t) or directly producing different models that competed with other BLMC cars.

Yes, the unions were out of control, but then the people in charge of BLMC didn't really have a plan or understanding of having to compete. In the 60s and early 70s, they were dominating the UK market by the end of the 70s they were producing cars no one wanted to buy, or cars that would never make it to market (the Rover 8 and 9).

Simple fact of the times, is that BLMC didn't understand the market anymore, and the Unions didn't help with production costs - but then nor did BLMC either, failing to minimise production costs by creating competing models within BLMC.

I think the culture that existed then really was a gulf in class between workers and managers.

Don't hear blue and white collar mentioned any more.

As an example now workers on the mini production line all get a bonus its not just managers.

They are treated quite differently from those days.

 

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View Midlands Eagle's Profile Midlands Eagle Flag 06 Nov 17 5.54pm Send a Private Message to Midlands Eagle Add Midlands Eagle as a friend

Originally posted by hedgehog50

I just googled images of it. No go faster stripes or three foot spoiler on the back. But it does 170 mph which is of course essential. What is the point of these things?

Apologies. I will remove it from my short list immediately and replace it with a second hand Ford Mondeo which should hopefully appeal more to your left wing views

 

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View Willo's Profile Willo Flag South coast - west of Brighton. 06 Nov 17 6.21pm Send a Private Message to Willo Add Willo as a friend

Originally posted by Midlands Eagle

Apologies. I will remove it from my short list immediately and replace it with a second hand Ford Mondeo which should hopefully appeal more to your left wing views

Nothing wrong with a Morris Ital or an Austin Allegro.

 

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View steeleye20's Profile steeleye20 Flag Croydon 06 Nov 17 7.09pm Send a Private Message to steeleye20 Add steeleye20 as a friend

Originally posted by hedgehog50

Nationalised industries Jamie - they couldn't run a tap efficiently.

No it depends on the situation.

Remember Rolls Royce was saved from bankruptcy By Mr.Heath and returned to private ownership later after 16 years publicly ownership.

Sometimes public ownership is the only way and is beneficial.

~It depends entirely on the situation.


 

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View Midlands Eagle's Profile Midlands Eagle Flag 06 Nov 17 7.25pm Send a Private Message to Midlands Eagle Add Midlands Eagle as a friend

Originally posted by Willo

Nothing wrong with a Morris Ital or an Austin Allegro.

Yes there is. 40 years ago I had a Saab 99 Turbo and when it developed a fault the dealership loaned me a Morris Ital. I was driving it home and tried to take a long sweeping corner at the same speed as I did in my Saab and didn't think I was going to make it as it's cornering ability was so poor.

I'm sure that it was around this time that my wife had an Allegro and that was a pretty dreadful car too

 

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View BarEagle's Profile BarEagle Flag Monmouth 06 Nov 17 7.27pm Send a Private Message to BarEagle Add BarEagle as a friend

Originally posted by Willo

Nothing wrong with a Morris Ital or an Austin Allegro.

If they get a puncture, I was once told they are a great car because...

"A leg grows"

 

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legaleagle Flag 06 Nov 17 9.16pm

Originally posted by Jimenez

It was also nationalised at the time. So even allowing for some of the perceived lack of investment as you claim it was the Unions who nailed their own coffin shut.

BL was part nationalised in 1975,by which time the legacy of bad management and lack of investment had already done a lot of damage. Post being part nationalised,it continued with lack of sufficient investment and bad management.The unions weren't managing it

 

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