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Defend Workers' Right To Organise. Support Grunwick Strikers

Poster
1977 (published)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The Grunwick strike took place over two years at a film processing plant in Willesden, 1976 to 1978. Led by Jayaben Desai (1933-2010), pictured on the right of the post, she led a walkout of a predominantly female, Asian workforce on 23rd August 1976. They were protesting over poor working conditions, institutionalised racism and pay inequality. By July 1977, they were joined by miners and trade unionists in large numbers. The strike led to more than 500 arrests and many charges of police violence.
The Labour government set up a Court of Inquiry (the Scarman Inquiry)where it was recommended that all the strikers be reinstated, proposing that unions assist the company and employees move forward with improved conditions. Four strikers, including Desai, sat outside Congress House in London for three days on hunger strike. Nevertheless, the report was rejected by company founder George Ward, and all the strikers lost their jobs. Jayaben Desai had become a national figure and respected trade unionist. She went on to teach at the Brent Indian Association and Harrow College.

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleDefend Workers' Right To Organise. Support Grunwick Strikers (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Screenprint in red and black, laminated.
Brief description
Poster, 'Defend Worker's Right To Organise. Support Grunwick Strikers', by the Poster Collective, 1977, London, screenprint (laminated).
Physical description
Laminated protest poster . The design is a photomontage of images of the Grunwick strikers and employers.
Dimensions
  • Size of poster height: 76cm
  • Size of poster width: 50.9cm
  • Size of poster laminated height: 79.5cm
  • Size of poster laminated width: 54cm
Credit line
Given by Greenwich Mural Workshop
Subject depicted
Summary
The Grunwick strike took place over two years at a film processing plant in Willesden, 1976 to 1978. Led by Jayaben Desai (1933-2010), pictured on the right of the post, she led a walkout of a predominantly female, Asian workforce on 23rd August 1976. They were protesting over poor working conditions, institutionalised racism and pay inequality. By July 1977, they were joined by miners and trade unionists in large numbers. The strike led to more than 500 arrests and many charges of police violence.
The Labour government set up a Court of Inquiry (the Scarman Inquiry)where it was recommended that all the strikers be reinstated, proposing that unions assist the company and employees move forward with improved conditions. Four strikers, including Desai, sat outside Congress House in London for three days on hunger strike. Nevertheless, the report was rejected by company founder George Ward, and all the strikers lost their jobs. Jayaben Desai had become a national figure and respected trade unionist. She went on to teach at the Brent Indian Association and Harrow College.
Associated object
E.568-2013 (Duplicate)
Collection
Accession number
E.143-2011

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Record createdMarch 2, 2011
Record URL
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