Mrs Desai led the strikers at Grunwick in their epic two-year picket from 1976 to 1978. She had a colourful way with words, for example her parting shot to the boss when she led the walkout: "What you are running here is not a factory, it is a zoo. But in a zoo there are many types of animals. Some are monkeys who dance on your fingertips, others are lions who can bite your head off. We are the lions, Mr. Manager."
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Update Jan 2011: This post has been corrected as it incorrectly re-published a report from a local paper (I think, can't locate now) that Mrs Desai had passed away in 2003. In fact she lived till December 2010. Here is her obituary in the Guardian, written by union leader Jack Dromey and here is her page in Wikipedia. I am very sorry for the mistake and any distress that might have been caused. Ed.
1 comment:
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Great lady
The good, brave lady made a difference and will continue to do so for as long as people look for inspiration to progress.
Maybe Willesden should have a statue of her.
Post by : Moz (webcacheh03a.cache.pol.co.uk / )
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Yes, public art is always welcome.
Post by : Cheryl (cache-mtc-am01.proxy.aol.com / )
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I've just been reading that Battles of Grunwick link. I remember seeing the TV reports, but did you know that at the height of the dispute, on one particular day, 20,000 workers turned up to support the strikers? That is inconceivable since Thatcher's legal curbs on union powers. When the BBC drama The Key goes out next month, these issues will be revisited.
Post by : Feargal (host81-129-72-191.in-addr.btopenworld.com / )
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Agitprop
The disgusting propaganda war launched against the working people of this country at that time by the agents of the ruling class was sucked up avidly by all working class Tories, without whom the destruction of our organisations which had taken hundreds of years to build could never have been achieved.
I remember the crap about "The unions are running the country" at a time when we couldnt even get locks put on the toilet doors at our depot. Working-to-rule, often on the most sensible and urgent grounds of health and safety were condemned as Bolshevism and laughably (like the CND) were accused of being orchestrated by the Kremlin.
Fuck Thatcher and her ilk.
Post by : Moz (webcacheh03a.cache.pol.co.uk / )
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Well you know I'm a real lefty - don't let the two Jags fool you. But I still can't see what people objected to when that Grunwick boss said, "I can buy a Patel for £15." I must be thick or something. There's no pleasing some people. In my day, if I got a £15 tip I thought I was rich - and it didn't go on the tax return, mate, that was cash in hand.
Post by : John P. (host81-129-72-191.in-addr.btopenworld.com / )
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