If anyone ever asks why trade unions matter, look to Grunwick.
Fifty years on, the courage of the Grunwick women reminds us that trade unions are the aspirational vehicle of the working class.
I explore their legacy in @thefabians.bsky.social
Fifty years on, the courage of the Grunwick women reminds us that trade unions are the aspirational vehicle of the working class.
I explore their legacy in @thefabians.bsky.social
July 3, 2026 at 11:48 AM
If anyone ever asks why trade unions matter, look to Grunwick.
Fifty years on, the courage of the Grunwick women reminds us that trade unions are the aspirational vehicle of the working class.
I explore their legacy in @thefabians.bsky.social
Fifty years on, the courage of the Grunwick women reminds us that trade unions are the aspirational vehicle of the working class.
I explore their legacy in @thefabians.bsky.social
If anyone is about 18th March I'll be giving a public seminar for the Manchester Uni history department. The talk will be exploring photographs of industrial struggle, race and resistance and discussing 'Bolton's Grunwick', a mill strike in 1978. All welcome! events.manchester.ac.uk/event/event:...
History Research Seminar - 'Bolton's Grunwick': Bulmer and Lumb and Asian Working Class Resistance | Events at The University of Manchester
events.manchester.ac.uk
March 5, 2025 at 12:00 PM
If anyone is about 18th March I'll be giving a public seminar for the Manchester Uni history department. The talk will be exploring photographs of industrial struggle, race and resistance and discussing 'Bolton's Grunwick', a mill strike in 1978. All welcome! events.manchester.ac.uk/event/event:...
🧵The Grunwick strike began OTD 20 August in 1976, when a small group of workers walked out of the Grunwick Film Processing Laboratories in Dollis Hill, London. Led by Jayaben Desai, the predominantly South Asian female workforce revolted against low pay, rigid bathroom rules, racism, and a
August 20, 2026 at 12:22 PM
🧵The Grunwick strike began OTD 20 August in 1976, when a small group of workers walked out of the Grunwick Film Processing Laboratories in Dollis Hill, London. Led by Jayaben Desai, the predominantly South Asian female workforce revolted against low pay, rigid bathroom rules, racism, and a
Today is the 50th anniversary of the Grunwick strike, led by immigrant workers in London for union recognition.
August 20, 2026 at 11:59 AM
Today is the 50th anniversary of the Grunwick strike, led by immigrant workers in London for union recognition.
In 1976-78, the Grunwick dispute became a UK labour movement cause célèbre
Dubbed the 'strikers in saris', the largely female and South Asian workforce fought for union recognition
Recordings with key participants (in 2007) are available at warwick.ac.uk/services/lib...
#Archive30 #SoundAndVision
Dubbed the 'strikers in saris', the largely female and South Asian workforce fought for union recognition
Recordings with key participants (in 2007) are available at warwick.ac.uk/services/lib...
#Archive30 #SoundAndVision
April 22, 2026 at 1:10 PM
In 1976-78, the Grunwick dispute became a UK labour movement cause célèbre
Dubbed the 'strikers in saris', the largely female and South Asian workforce fought for union recognition
Recordings with key participants (in 2007) are available at warwick.ac.uk/services/lib...
#Archive30 #SoundAndVision
Dubbed the 'strikers in saris', the largely female and South Asian workforce fought for union recognition
Recordings with key participants (in 2007) are available at warwick.ac.uk/services/lib...
#Archive30 #SoundAndVision
50 years ago, the Grunwick women stood up for fairness and the right to organise and changed our labour movement forever.
I’ve tabled an Early Day Motion to honour their courage and legacy.
Ask your MP to sign EDM 762 and stand with the Grunwick women ✊🏾
I’ve tabled an Early Day Motion to honour their courage and legacy.
Ask your MP to sign EDM 762 and stand with the Grunwick women ✊🏾
September 11, 2026 at 12:35 PM
50 years ago, the Grunwick women stood up for fairness and the right to organise and changed our labour movement forever.
I’ve tabled an Early Day Motion to honour their courage and legacy.
Ask your MP to sign EDM 762 and stand with the Grunwick women ✊🏾
I’ve tabled an Early Day Motion to honour their courage and legacy.
Ask your MP to sign EDM 762 and stand with the Grunwick women ✊🏾
Back tomorrow to discuss the 1976 Grunwick strike in the UK
August 19, 2026 at 2:14 PM
Back tomorrow to discuss the 1976 Grunwick strike in the UK
In 1976, Jayaben Desai led South Asian women in the Grunwick strike, demanding dignity, fair pay & union rights.
Their courage reshaped labour history.
#SouthAsianHeritageMonth #StrikersInSaris
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/explore-the-...
Their courage reshaped labour history.
#SouthAsianHeritageMonth #StrikersInSaris
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/explore-the-...
Jayaben Desai and the Grunwick dispute
In August 1976, a group of migrant workers led by Jayaben Desai walked out of the Grunwick Film Processing Laboratory in the London Borough of Brent. Taking a stand against racism, low pay and limited...
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
August 5, 2025 at 12:33 PM
In 1976, Jayaben Desai led South Asian women in the Grunwick strike, demanding dignity, fair pay & union rights.
Their courage reshaped labour history.
#SouthAsianHeritageMonth #StrikersInSaris
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/explore-the-...
Their courage reshaped labour history.
#SouthAsianHeritageMonth #StrikersInSaris
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/explore-the-...
Back tomorrow to discuss the 1976 Grunwick strike in the UK.
August 19, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Back tomorrow to discuss the 1976 Grunwick strike in the UK.
This Day in Labor History: August 20, 1977. The Grunwick Strike began. At the same time that the British union movement really began embracing immigrants, it faced the rise of the anti-union Margaret Thatcher. This strike made her more famous and marked the decline of British unionism. Sad stuff.
August 20, 2026 at 1:53 PM
This Day in Labor History: August 20, 1977. The Grunwick Strike began. At the same time that the British union movement really began embracing immigrants, it faced the rise of the anti-union Margaret Thatcher. This strike made her more famous and marked the decline of British unionism. Sad stuff.
#OtD 23 Aug 1976 picketing began outside Grunwick Film Processing Laboratories in London in what would become one of the iconic strikes of the 1970s, when a predominantly Asian women workforce struck for almost two years. Learn more in our podcast: workingclasshistory.com/podcast/grun...
August 23, 2025 at 10:55 PM
#OtD 23 Aug 1976 picketing began outside Grunwick Film Processing Laboratories in London in what would become one of the iconic strikes of the 1970s, when a predominantly Asian women workforce struck for almost two years. Learn more in our podcast: workingclasshistory.com/podcast/grun...
#OTD 20 August 1976, a group of mainly South Asian workers led by Jayaben Desai, walked out in protest against their treatment at the Grunwick photo processing factory. The dispute became a critical moment for trade unionism and social change.
#GenderHist
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/explore-the-...
#GenderHist
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/explore-the-...
Jayaben Desai and the Grunwick dispute
In August 1976, a group of migrant workers led by Jayaben Desai walked out of the Grunwick Film Processing Laboratory in the London Borough of Brent. Taking a stand against racism, low pay and limited...
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
August 20, 2025 at 5:57 PM
#OTD 20 August 1976, a group of mainly South Asian workers led by Jayaben Desai, walked out in protest against their treatment at the Grunwick photo processing factory. The dispute became a critical moment for trade unionism and social change.
#GenderHist
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/explore-the-...
#GenderHist
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/explore-the-...
Safety matches (brought to you by unions), analogue cameras (up the Grunwick strikers), carabiner clips (the lesbian Internationale), tote bags, photocopiers, helmets, riso printers, lead-free pipes, tattoo guns, autoclaves, thermos flasks, swimming goggles, N95 masks, reusable sandwich bags.
February 18, 2026 at 10:29 AM
Safety matches (brought to you by unions), analogue cameras (up the Grunwick strikers), carabiner clips (the lesbian Internationale), tote bags, photocopiers, helmets, riso printers, lead-free pipes, tattoo guns, autoclaves, thermos flasks, swimming goggles, N95 masks, reusable sandwich bags.
"Wherever there is oppression, there is resistance"
Grunwick Strike Committee, 1976.
Ref E.124-2004, V & A Museum.
Grunwick Strike Committee, 1976.
Ref E.124-2004, V & A Museum.
September 11, 2025 at 6:36 AM
"Wherever there is oppression, there is resistance"
Grunwick Strike Committee, 1976.
Ref E.124-2004, V & A Museum.
Grunwick Strike Committee, 1976.
Ref E.124-2004, V & A Museum.
The Grunwick actions helped break down those barriers. By June 1977, up to 20,000 people a day were marching to support the Grunwick workers. Three Cabinet ministers joined the picket line as well. The Union of Postal Workers refused to deliver mail to Grunwick.
August 20, 2026 at 1:56 PM
The Grunwick actions helped break down those barriers. By June 1977, up to 20,000 people a day were marching to support the Grunwick workers. Three Cabinet ministers joined the picket line as well. The Union of Postal Workers refused to deliver mail to Grunwick.
#OtD 23 Aug 1976 picketing began outside Grunwick Film Processing Laboratories in London in what would become one of the iconic strikes of the 1970s, when a predominantly Asian women workforce struck for almost two years. Learn more in our podcast: workingclasshistory.com/podcast/grun...
August 23, 2026 at 3:25 PM
#OtD 23 Aug 1976 picketing began outside Grunwick Film Processing Laboratories in London in what would become one of the iconic strikes of the 1970s, when a predominantly Asian women workforce struck for almost two years. Learn more in our podcast: workingclasshistory.com/podcast/grun...
'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.'
— Jayaben Desai, 1976-78 Grunwick strike leader
— Jayaben Desai, 1976-78 Grunwick strike leader
March 8, 2025 at 9:28 AM
'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.'
— Jayaben Desai, 1976-78 Grunwick strike leader
— Jayaben Desai, 1976-78 Grunwick strike leader
23-08-1976 UK: Fifty workers at the Grunwick film processing plant in north west London go on strike for the right to join a trade union. www.striking-women.org/module/strik...
The Grunwick Dispute | Striking Women
Grunwick was a photo processing plant in Brent, North London. The dispute took place between 1976 and 1978. The events of this famous [no-lexicon]strike[/no-lexicon] and the background of the women wo...
www.striking-women.org
August 23, 2025 at 10:16 AM
23-08-1976 UK: Fifty workers at the Grunwick film processing plant in north west London go on strike for the right to join a trade union. www.striking-women.org/module/strik...
Today marks the 50th anniversary of the start of the Grunwick dispute, one of the most important strikes of the postwar years
www.striking-women.org/module/strik...
phm.org.uk/blogposts/ja...
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/explore-the-...
workingclasshistory.com/podcast/grun...
www.striking-women.org/module/strik...
phm.org.uk/blogposts/ja...
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/explore-the-...
workingclasshistory.com/podcast/grun...
The Grunwick Dispute | Striking Women
Grunwick was a photo processing plant in Brent, North London. The dispute took place between 1976 and 1978. The events of this famous [no-lexicon]strike[/no-lexicon] and the background of the women wo...
www.striking-women.org
August 20, 2026 at 8:13 AM
Today marks the 50th anniversary of the start of the Grunwick dispute, one of the most important strikes of the postwar years
www.striking-women.org/module/strik...
phm.org.uk/blogposts/ja...
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/explore-the-...
workingclasshistory.com/podcast/grun...
www.striking-women.org/module/strik...
phm.org.uk/blogposts/ja...
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/explore-the-...
workingclasshistory.com/podcast/grun...
This week in August 1976 saw the beginning of the strike at Grunwick Photo Processing Lab in north-west London. Led by South Asian women workers, the strike lasted almost two years, involving thousands, and is considered a turning point in the history of British trade unionism and race relations.
August 19, 2024 at 10:13 AM
This week in August 1976 saw the beginning of the strike at Grunwick Photo Processing Lab in north-west London. Led by South Asian women workers, the strike lasted almost two years, involving thousands, and is considered a turning point in the history of British trade unionism and race relations.
Sundari Anitha looks back at the #Grunwick strike and the role of South Asian women in challenging labour exploitation.
🔎 Our #ConnectedSociologies Curriculum Project offers free open-access educational resources, including video lectures, detailed lesson plans and reading lists.
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🔎 Our #ConnectedSociologies Curriculum Project offers free open-access educational resources, including video lectures, detailed lesson plans and reading lists.
buff.ly/3P4F9uf
The Grunwick strike - Prof Sundari Anitha
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January 3, 2025 at 8:32 AM
Sundari Anitha looks back at the #Grunwick strike and the role of South Asian women in challenging labour exploitation.
🔎 Our #ConnectedSociologies Curriculum Project offers free open-access educational resources, including video lectures, detailed lesson plans and reading lists.
buff.ly/3P4F9uf
🔎 Our #ConnectedSociologies Curriculum Project offers free open-access educational resources, including video lectures, detailed lesson plans and reading lists.
buff.ly/3P4F9uf
'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.'
— Jayaben Desai during the 1976 Grunwick strike
— Jayaben Desai during the 1976 Grunwick strike
November 16, 2024 at 9:33 PM
'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.'
— Jayaben Desai during the 1976 Grunwick strike
— Jayaben Desai during the 1976 Grunwick strike
Thank you for that; it's important to remember (I talked about this and Grunwick recently) solidarity works.
And it often strikes me as incredibly patronising when people suggest "white working class" don't care about things like LGBT rights, or imply their natural state is racism.
And it often strikes me as incredibly patronising when people suggest "white working class" don't care about things like LGBT rights, or imply their natural state is racism.
June 26, 2026 at 10:17 AM
Thank you for that; it's important to remember (I talked about this and Grunwick recently) solidarity works.
And it often strikes me as incredibly patronising when people suggest "white working class" don't care about things like LGBT rights, or imply their natural state is racism.
And it often strikes me as incredibly patronising when people suggest "white working class" don't care about things like LGBT rights, or imply their natural state is racism.
We are working with eleven young people to co-curate our next exhibition, the Grunwick Strike Revisited. The exhibition, being delivered in partnership with University of Manchester, will explore the legacy of the Grunwick Strike 1976-1978 and will open this summer.
February 10, 2026 at 10:00 AM
We are working with eleven young people to co-curate our next exhibition, the Grunwick Strike Revisited. The exhibition, being delivered in partnership with University of Manchester, will explore the legacy of the Grunwick Strike 1976-1978 and will open this summer.
50 years ago today, the Grunwick strike began.
Led by South Asian woman Jayaben Desai, the strike showed the strength of women standing together against unfair treatment at work.
1/2
#Grunwickstrike #JayabenDesai
#SouthAsian
Led by South Asian woman Jayaben Desai, the strike showed the strength of women standing together against unfair treatment at work.
1/2
#Grunwickstrike #JayabenDesai
#SouthAsian
August 20, 2026 at 10:07 AM
50 years ago today, the Grunwick strike began.
Led by South Asian woman Jayaben Desai, the strike showed the strength of women standing together against unfair treatment at work.
1/2
#Grunwickstrike #JayabenDesai
#SouthAsian
Led by South Asian woman Jayaben Desai, the strike showed the strength of women standing together against unfair treatment at work.
1/2
#Grunwickstrike #JayabenDesai
#SouthAsian