Publicity

James Cloughley 2004

The UCS shop stewards or trade union leaders who organised the 'work in' were asked to give evidence at a public enquiry into the dispute. This valuable extract from the shop stewards' 'Bulletin' or newsletter sets out the case the workers' leaders made for the government supporting UCS.

James Cloughley was involved in publishing the Bulletin. Interviewed in 2004.

"We did produce propaganda. The propaganda was based on decisions which were taken by the coordinating committee which was relayed to the women and men. That information was sent across the world: leaflets, handbills, pamphlets and posters."

The note which accompanied John Lennon and Yoko Ono's flowers and cheque to the workers

Advertising poster for a fund raising concert.

Extract from UCS Shop Stewards' Bulletin

Issue No 2, 8th September 1971

We are fighting this campaign because of the disastrous social and economic repercussions and closure of the U.C.S would have on the West of Scotland and on the Scottish community, and what it would mean in terms of unemployment, not only in shipbuilding but in all ancillary industries.

The history of the U.C.S. is that five shipyards were merged which were in varying degrees of obsolescence due to the neglect of the previous owners who had not re-invested in the industry but had milked it dry.

Losses on pre-existing contracts were inherited by U.C.S. to the tune of £12 million, the former owners having been paid for these contracts and anticipated profits on these contracts.

New contracts were taken on during the initial stages of the consortium which were responsible for losses of £9.8 million. The liquidator stated on the day prior to the enquiry that, of the incurred deficit of £28.1 million, 75% of that deficit was incurred during the first nineteen months of the operation of the company.