This film is based on events which took place in Leeds during the winter of 1970. Thursday February 12th 1970 … when there were twelve pennies in a shilling. Play for Today: Leeds United, by Colin Welland, BBC 1974
I wouldn’t want my time over again not for bucket of bloody bobs. ibid. woman on bus
The company has no contractual arrangements relating to incapacity to work due to sickness or injury covering your employment. ibid. employers’ commentary
The company has no contractual pension scheme covering your employment. ibid.
I’ve got a skill. A trade for life. ibid. young woman
We want a substantial increase … We want equal pay for women. And when you see how these lasses work, they bloody well deserve it. ibid. union rep
Sod the union, give us a bob! ibid. chant of branch meeting
We are at war with our union because they are incompetent, they are inept and at times they are downright bloody cowardly. But the real enemy’s still up there, the bloody masters, the most ruthless, arrogant and vindictive bosses in contemporary industrial Britain. ibid. union rep
‘First there’ll be the blacks and Asians. Then the Jews and Irish. And this ain’t easy speeches – this is true. And then it’ll be the unions. Oh ar make no mistake. The Labour Party: that’ll do. The others too. All in the interests of the nation. And to save the nation, they’ll destroy the nation. All of it except themselves. And if we let ’em, we’ve got ourselves to blame. Our fault. We turned our back.’ Play for Today: Destiny, BBC 1978
It’s about they sent someone down here to sort this port out. The Wednesday Play: The Big Flame ***** by Jim Allen, man to Mr Garfield from the ministry, BBC 1969
Any attempt to change the basic working habits of men and to introduce new ideas and new methods of production is bound to create a certain climate of fear and apprehension. Now this we can understand and sympathise with. However, what we cannot understand, and what the government cannot tolerate, is the activities of a certain group of irresponsible people who exploit the situation by fomenting strikes and discord within the industry. ibid. Garfield
The only people who didn’t see the [Devlin] Report was the dockers themselves. ibid. union rep in meeting to Garfield
The biggest exponents of restrictive practices are the employers themselves. ibid.
We’re on a mandate to come and put to you our proposals. ibid.
There’s bound to be a certain shakedown in labour. ibid. Garfield
You’ve neither given nor offered us anything. ibid. union rep to Garfield
You’re really exposed, you’re really out on a limb, and the only thing that you can cling to is your own mates, and the objective of what you’re fighting for. ibid. dockers’ commentary
The men have done everything they can to settle things peacefully: the strike is the last resort. ibid.
Well, we’ve got 10,000 lads out and their families. ibid. docker
I mean, being thrown out of the union isn’t a bad thing, is it. ibid.
I want to see the big flame, Danny. I want to see one big solid mass of us that’s point the finger at those raiders and say, You failed in your management of society, so pack your traps, think yourself lucky, and go. ibid. Jack
Either you continue with this hit and run policy or the dockers take over the ports … Let’s have a workers’ control now. ibid.
For the first time in your lives you’ve been offered a taste of true democracy. ibid. rep to collected workers
But at least let’s make the attempt. ibid.
It doesn’t need no boss. ibid. Commentary
At every pit, at every factory, at every building site, at every docks, the work people involved will elect their own delegates, the best men on the job, the most responsible men. They in turn will elect delegates to the Congress or to the Parliament. The Congress for the first time in history will be composed of people directly representing the work people, in the factory, on the job, at the point of production. They’ll be subject to the right of immediate recall. They’ll have to explain every decision they make. This is the basis of taproots. ibid.
All day long convoys of troops have been arriving, and additional police reinforcements drafted in from neighbouring towns, as this takeover by 10,000 Merseyside dockers enters its second day … ibid. news
We’re here to assist the police in maintaining law and order … The reason we’re here is to see there isn’t any violence. ibid. army bloke
It’s a conspiracy, it seems obvious, between the employers and the government. ibid. union rep
Man’s never had the chance to show how good he can be. ibid. Jack
‘Don’t mourn. Organise.’ ibid. docker quotes Joe Hill
There inside the gates! The police and the army! ibid. Docker
Now it’s the ringleaders we’re after. ibid. man with megaphone
Now, gentlemen, there’s only one major item – the appointment of the new governess and assistant teacher … We’ve only one application. Screen Two: The Burston Rebellion by Elaine Morgan starring Eileen Atkins & Bernard Hill et al, BBC 1985
She’s the best governess we ever had. ibid. Pupil
This is none other than the House of God. This is the Gate of Heaven. ibid. hardcore minister
You’re going to stand there and talk about rights? ibid. hardcore farmer to Tom
Somebody’s got to stand up to them. Anyway, what can they do? ibid. Tom to locals
We want our teacher back … Justice … ibid. children’s protest banners
There must be a whole secret network of radicals and anarchists plotting to corrupt the minds of decent honest working people. ibid. hardcore rector
Mr Matthews, I don’t want to fight this war … We are being forced by your’ and mine’ peers and masters to fight people who could be our neighbours … The working classes of England are being forced to fight and kill the working classes of another country. Days of Hope I: Joining Up; written Jim Allen; directed Ken Loach, BBC 1975
Those who made the war aren’t fighting it; they’re sitting in desks in Whitehall. ibid.
Brain’s too active. That’s what comes of reading too many books. ibid. father
Hasn’t the trade union movement always argued for compulsion of our trade union interests? ibid. trade union official
Sergeant-Major, take these men [pacifists] to the front. ibid. army big knob
I couldn’t agree with you more. But we must honestly look after our selves. Days of Hope II: 1921, union official
A district settlement with miners competing against each other. ibid. Joel to Ben
While this strike lasts you are allowed to breathe. And that’s all you’re allowed to do. ibid. rozzer
So tell me, are things really so bad? ibid. Mr Pritchard
A reduction in wages: there is no alternative. ibid.
The cause of our trouble is the decay of our religious spirit. ibid.
Democracy is based on the rights of property. ibid.
I’m sorry but we’re gonna confiscate this food. ibid. rozzer
You know what’s going to happen after this, don’t you? Victimisation. ibid. striking miner
My concern is the poor misguided people out there. ibid. union official
A miracle. Less than twenty years since its birth, the Labour Party forms a government with Ramsay MacDonald as Prime Minister. Although outnumbered in Parliament by Conservatives and Liberals, Labour is the biggest party. Many feel that the task of legislating socialism into existence can now begin. Days of Hope III: 1924 ***** captions
Perhaps the only thing to do is to scrap the lot, start all over again. ibid. Ben
Organised Labour Supports the Dockers. ibid. Daily Herald headline
I shall open my mouth when I’ve something to say. ibid. Hargreaves MP to neighbouring Tory MP
Things will be different from now on. ibid.
It’s a lot of hard work joining the communist party. ibid. sister to Ben
This union will strike as from February 16th. ibid. meeting
You spoke about legislating capitalism out of existence within the institutional framework ... You really think that the ruling class will sit back and allow itself to be liquidated? ibid. journalist to Hargreaves MP
What I’m saying is that the Cossacks are all around you. ibid.
Josiah Wedgwood to Labour big knob: Doesn’t really matter which party’s in power, a general strike could lead to a Bolshevik-inspired revolution. Neither of us wants that, do we? ibid. journalist reveals Labour leadership’s class-collaboration treachery
Big business holding the purse strings, calling the tune. ibid. Ben to Hargreaves MP
They own the schools, the colleges, the army, the police, what else? Courts, papers … ibid.
1923: More than half the old bosses are members of the communist party. ibid. activists’ discussing Russia
These plans were intact when the Conservatives resumed office a few months later. At no time were Parliament and People informed about them. They were used as the basis of the strike-breaking force of 1926. ibid. captions
1926 General Strike: In 1925 the coal owners decided to reduce the miners’ wages. The miners resisted and other unions stood with them. On 31th July, Prime Minister Baldwin announced a subsidy for nine months while Sir Herbert Samuel held an inquiry into the industry. The Government spent the nine months putting the finishing touches to its plans to confront the miners when the subsidy ran out. The TUC did nothing. The subsidy was to be withdrawn on 30th April 1926, and the miners were to be locked out of the pits unless they accepted reduced wages and longer hours of work. On April 29th, a delegate conference of all unions was called to consider strike action in support of the miners. Days of Hope IV: captions