Save the Triumph Bonneville! – The inside story of the Meriden Workers’ Co-op (Sample pages)

Contents Dedication. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Foreword by Tony Benn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Prologue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 1 Baptism of fire. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 2 Battle for Triumph. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 3 Factory occupation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 4 Glad to be back. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 5 Facing up to commercial reality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 6 Stage 2 Co-op ideology revisited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 7 Going our separate ways. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 8 Advisors return . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 9 Inherent and irreconcilable contradictions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 10 Freedom of the press. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 11 Retirements and redundancies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139 12 Government sword of Damocles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 13 Partnership negotiations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 14 Legal proceedings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170 15 Japanese negotiations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180 16 British negotiations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189 17 New beginnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202 18 Optimism or false dawn?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208 19 Confronting reality. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221 20 Coming of age. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232 21 Pay our way or close. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244 22 Cauldron of activity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256 23 Mandate for change. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274 24 Make or break . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286 25 Crisis management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302 26 Buying time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318 27 Politics take over. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329 28 Financial reconstruction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344 29 Clash of operating cultures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354 30 More sinister than coincidence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374 31 Words are no longer enough . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385 32 Capital and labour partnership. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 397 33 On the brink of receivership. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 413 34 Receivership or liquidation?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 423 35 Epilogue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 436 Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 443

3

FACTORY OCCUPATION

D

ennis Poore’s factory closure declaration on 14th September 1973 was seen by the Triumph family as an attack on its motorcycle and way of life. The employees’ reaction was therefore very predictable: total opposition to NVT and its leader Dennis Poore’s proposals. Initially, the workforce continued to work normally, though this was soon to change. The factory occupation required a bargaining position – it was ‘what we have we hold’.

Everything within Triumph Meriden was secured by a 24 hour, seven day a week security picket, whose role it was to prevent anything moving.

The pickets’ placards outside the factory proclaiming the occupation force’s intentions said it all! (Courtesy Mick Duckworth’s archive)

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SAVE THE TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE!

John Hallard trained in the experimental department, and quickly developed a reputation as the Co-op’s ‘wheelie king.’ Here he is aboard a prototype T140D Bonneville special. (Courtesy John Hallard’s archive)

Mr Craddock and the Co-op’s Mr Martin had jointly drawn up a press statement to announce this fact. Following minor amendments this was agreed and issued on 6th December 1977. The press statement simply thanked GEC for its “valuable contribution,” and confirmed that should further advice be required from GEC, it remained only “a telephone call away.”

On 11th December we met the Under Secretary of State for Industry Mr R Cryer, Mr N Atkinson (Labour MP for Tottenham) and Mr A George from the DTI office at Birmingham.

Mr Kean gave the visitors a tour of the factory so that they could witness Co-op motorcycle production first-hand. Following this, discussion concentrated upon the possibility of a Metropolitan Police Motorcycle order and research and development co-operation with Dr Geoffrey Roe’s team at Manchester University. The Met Police had tested and liked the contra rotating balanced Triumph police prototype, and were now, subject to availability and specification, considering buying British instead of German.

On the 14th December, Mr Barclay announced that the T140E 1978 USA emission standard test motorcycle had satisfactorily completed the 9500 miles special cycle endurance programme.

To achieve this, two test riders and support staff had been working twelve-hour shifts at the Motor Industry Research Authority (MIRA) at Nuneaton. We all breathed a sigh of relief; Triumph Motorcycles could continue to be sold in our vital US volume market in 1978.

88

MAKE OR BREAK

The TR65T Tiger Trail, now with the 650cc engine, is exhibited for the first time.

(Brochure picture)

Electrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12v alternator Ignition system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . electronic Instruments . . . . . tachometer and speedometer Triumph TS8-1: Triumph’s most expensive model, the TS8-1, now in limited production, was also featured on the show stand. In its 1983 production form, observant Triumph enthusiasts would spot the two main differences to the late arriving prototype model shown last year. The twin headlights were now rectangular in shape, and the direction indicators were faired into the bodywork.

Triumph Bonneville Executive: The T140ES Bonneville Executive-Electro also made a show appearance. As with the TS8-1, it utilised the AV frame developed exclusively for British police forces. The Triumph Super Cruiser now offered the ultimate in long distance comfort and smoothness, with quickly

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SAVE THE TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE!

Geoffrey Robinson, MP, Chief Executive of the Co-op, meets a very concerned delegation of Triumph supporters outside the Department for Trade and Industry, London.

(Courtesy Bob Haines’ archive)

The Triumph Bonneville’s prestigious MCN Machine of the Year award was also celebrated with an advertising poster.

194

SAVE THE TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE! Bernard (Bunny) Hallard, one of the Triumph machine tool fitters who kept the obsolete machinery working, surveys the silent machine shop in readiness for the auction.

(Courtesy photographer Suresh Karadia – Times Newspapers Limited)

Bunny Hallard looks at the racks of paint masks that made possible the fantastic finish on Triumph motorcycles. (Courtesy photographer Suresh Karadia – Times Newspapers Limited)

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