The Grunwick Dispute was a landmark 1976–78 industrial action at Grunwick Film Processing Laboratories in Willesden, London, led predominantly by South Asian migrant women challenging low pay, racism, and degrading workplace conditions. This is a memorial to them.
October 1, 2026 at 9:36 PM
The Grunwick Dispute was a landmark 1976–78 industrial action at Grunwick Film Processing Laboratories in Willesden, London, led predominantly by South Asian migrant women challenging low pay, racism, and degrading workplace conditions. This is a memorial to them.
‘We have lost much of the pride and collective power that once came with being part of the working class.’
@tajali1.bsky.social traces a line from the 1976 Grunwick strike to today and asks what it will take to rebuild working-class power: hyphenonline.com/2026/09/24/u...
@tajali1.bsky.social traces a line from the 1976 Grunwick strike to today and asks what it will take to rebuild working-class power: hyphenonline.com/2026/09/24/u...
September 29, 2026 at 10:05 AM
‘We have lost much of the pride and collective power that once came with being part of the working class.’
@tajali1.bsky.social traces a line from the 1976 Grunwick strike to today and asks what it will take to rebuild working-class power: hyphenonline.com/2026/09/24/u...
@tajali1.bsky.social traces a line from the 1976 Grunwick strike to today and asks what it will take to rebuild working-class power: hyphenonline.com/2026/09/24/u...
They didn’t give a fuck about women, or minorities - just look at how they responded to the Dagenham women”s strikes for equal pay or the Grunwick dispute.
![During a decade of industrial unrest, the Grunwick dispute became a cause célèbre of trade unionism and labour relations law, and "at its height involved thousands of trade unionists and police in confrontations, ... with over 500 arrests on the picket line and frequent police violence". The total of 550 arrests made during the strike was at the time the highest such figure in any industrial dispute since the General Strike of 1926. Left-wing journalist Paul Foot described the dispute as "a central battleground between the classes and between the parties".
The dispute was reported nightly on the national television news, depicting the often violent clashes between the supporters of the strikers and the Metropolitan Police's Special Patrol Group.
Grunwick was the first time that this police unit had been deployed in an industrial dispute. The mostly female, immigrant, East African Asian strikers – dubbed "strikers in saris" by the news media – were led by Jayaben Desai, whose membership of the union was later suspended[failed verification] following her hunger strike outside the Trades Union Congress (TUC) headquarters in November 1977. This was also the first dispute where the majority of strikers were from an ethnic minority and still received widespread support from the labour movement – previous disputes involving immigrant workers which had taken place in Leicester and Southall had "remained marginalised" and had even led to "open and ugly racism on the part of white union members and their leaders".](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:o5ziqhe3zamtk74c6tmksehc/bafkreiep65kmodfv3cyr5ftg6h5qhno4sr3rr3puiei33cwmaojalm7l6u)
September 27, 2026 at 10:24 AM
They didn’t give a fuck about women, or minorities - just look at how they responded to the Dagenham women”s strikes for equal pay or the Grunwick dispute.
“But look at the pattern across four centuries. Every time working people of different colours, sexes, faiths and nationalities got together, from Jamestown to Lawrence to Blair Mountain to Hampton's apartment to Grunwick, the response was fast, organised and often fucking lethal.” Winston Brown
September 25, 2026 at 9:58 PM
“But look at the pattern across four centuries. Every time working people of different colours, sexes, faiths and nationalities got together, from Jamestown to Lawrence to Blair Mountain to Hampton's apartment to Grunwick, the response was fast, organised and often fucking lethal.” Winston Brown
‘It took decades of deliberate strategy to erode our sense of pride and solidarity. We’ll need to work equally hard to get it back.’
@tajali1.bsky.social writes for Hyphen on the 1976 Grunwick strike, Thatcherism and rebuilding a fractured working class.
hyphenonline.com/2026/09/24/u...
@tajali1.bsky.social writes for Hyphen on the 1976 Grunwick strike, Thatcherism and rebuilding a fractured working class.
hyphenonline.com/2026/09/24/u...
We need to rebuild an empowered and inclusive working class - Hyphen
It took decades of deliberate strategy to erode our sense of pride and solidarity. We’ll have to work equally hard to get it back
hyphenonline.com
September 25, 2026 at 5:43 PM
‘It took decades of deliberate strategy to erode our sense of pride and solidarity. We’ll need to work equally hard to get it back.’
@tajali1.bsky.social writes for Hyphen on the 1976 Grunwick strike, Thatcherism and rebuilding a fractured working class.
hyphenonline.com/2026/09/24/u...
@tajali1.bsky.social writes for Hyphen on the 1976 Grunwick strike, Thatcherism and rebuilding a fractured working class.
hyphenonline.com/2026/09/24/u...
Had a lovely trip to Manchester yesterday with lots of good food and a look around the People's History Museum's current temporary exhibition - On The Line: 100 years of strikes and solidarity
September 19, 2026 at 12:42 PM
Had a lovely trip to Manchester yesterday with lots of good food and a look around the People's History Museum's current temporary exhibition - On The Line: 100 years of strikes and solidarity
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 ✊🏾
Grunwick 50 years.
September 5, 2026 at 12:15 PM
Grunwick 50 years.
Tomorrow, Saturday 05, is the Grunwick conference with speakers Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, Dawn Butler MP, and Billy Hayes. Book a place or watch online at sandsfilms.co.uk/sands…
September 4, 2026 at 7:27 AM
Tomorrow, Saturday 05, is the Grunwick conference with speakers Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, Dawn Butler MP, and Billy Hayes. Book a place or watch online at sandsfilms.co.uk/sands…
This Saturday, 05 September, it’s the 50th anniversary of the historic Grunwick Strike at Sands Films in Rotherhithe. See the programme at www.sandsfilms.co.uk/sands-films-music-room.html. Speakers Matt Myers; journalist Yasmin Alibhai-Brown; trade unionist Billy Hayes; and Dawn Butler MP.
September 2, 2026 at 12:07 PM
This Saturday, 05 September, it’s the 50th anniversary of the historic Grunwick Strike at Sands Films in Rotherhithe. See the programme at www.sandsfilms.co.uk/sands-films-music-room.html. Speakers Matt Myers; journalist Yasmin Alibhai-Brown; trade unionist Billy Hayes; and Dawn Butler MP.
Come and hear Dawn Butler MP speak at the Grunwick conference Saturday afternoon (Sept 05), at Sands Films, Rotherhithe SE16. Book a place at: www.sandsfilms.co.uk/sands-films-music-room.html
September 2, 2026 at 7:36 AM
Come and hear Dawn Butler MP speak at the Grunwick conference Saturday afternoon (Sept 05), at Sands Films, Rotherhithe SE16. Book a place at: www.sandsfilms.co.uk/sands-films-music-room.html
Come and hear @yasminalibhaibrown.bsky.social speak at the Grunwick conference at 12 noon, this Saturday morning (Sept 05), at Sands Films, Rotherhithe SE16. Book a place at: www.sandsfilms.co.uk/sands-films-music-room.html
September 1, 2026 at 11:15 PM
Come and hear @yasminalibhaibrown.bsky.social speak at the Grunwick conference at 12 noon, this Saturday morning (Sept 05), at Sands Films, Rotherhithe SE16. Book a place at: www.sandsfilms.co.uk/sands-films-music-room.html
Fifty years ago, just next to Dollis Hill Underground Station there was a strike that must not be forgotten about.
The Grunwick Dispute | Striking Women share.google/V1lHYA7ohxyw...
The Grunwick Dispute | Striking Women share.google/V1lHYA7ohxyw...
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...
share.google
September 1, 2026 at 10:41 AM
Fifty years ago, just next to Dollis Hill Underground Station there was a strike that must not be forgotten about.
The Grunwick Dispute | Striking Women share.google/V1lHYA7ohxyw...
The Grunwick Dispute | Striking Women share.google/V1lHYA7ohxyw...
The raid on Entebbe; the Grunwick strike, remember photos of bloody clashes with police in the newspapers; the Black Panther/Lesley Whittle kidnapping case, which was far too grim for a 6, 7 year old to have been aware of.
August 26, 2026 at 11:10 AM
The raid on Entebbe; the Grunwick strike, remember photos of bloody clashes with police in the newspapers; the Black Panther/Lesley Whittle kidnapping case, which was far too grim for a 6, 7 year old to have been aware of.
On August 25, 1977, TV show 'This Week' aired episode "Grunwick - The Scarman Verdict"
August 25, 2026 at 6:22 AM
On August 25, 1977, TV show 'This Week' aired episode "Grunwick - The Scarman Verdict"
The Grunwick strike 50 years on - Frank Hansen reflects on the significance of a mainly Asian women-led strike and lessons to be learned buff.ly/fzK66Af #chartist48
https://www.chartist.org.uk/the-grunwick-strike-50-years-on/
www.chartist.org.uk
August 24, 2026 at 9:00 AM
The Grunwick strike 50 years on - Frank Hansen reflects on the significance of a mainly Asian women-led strike and lessons to be learned buff.ly/fzK66Af #chartist48
On 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
Remembering the Grunwick Strike :50 years on.
teifidancer-teifidancer.blogspot.com
August 23, 2026 at 9:17 PM
On 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
On 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
Remembering the Grunwick Strike :50 years on.
teifidancer-teifidancer.blogspot.com
August 23, 2026 at 9:12 PM
On 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
50 years on, the Grunwick strike is still important labourhub.org.uk/2026/08/22/5...
50 years on, the Grunwick strike is still important
Pete Firmin explores the ongoing significance of a dispute that began fifty years ago this week. 2026 is an important year for the commemoration of significant British class struggles. As well as m…
labourhub.org.uk
August 23, 2026 at 8:27 PM
50 years on, the Grunwick strike is still important labourhub.org.uk/2026/08/22/5...
50 years on, the Grunwick strike is still important
50 years on, the Grunwick strike is still important
Pete Firmin explores the ongoing significance of a dispute that began fifty years ago this week.
dlvr.it
August 23, 2026 at 4:25 PM
50 years on, the Grunwick strike is still important
#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...
On her way out, one worker told her boss: “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."
buff.ly/hAk0FyK
buff.ly/hAk0FyK
Here to stay, here to fight - how the Grunwick strike changed everything - Socialist Worker
Forty years ago this Saturday Asian women workers at Grunwick photo processing plant in north west London walked out. Socialist Worker looks at how their strike, which lasted for nearly two years,…
buff.ly
August 23, 2026 at 1:00 PM
On her way out, one worker told her boss: “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."
buff.ly/hAk0FyK
buff.ly/hAk0FyK
🗓️ On this day, 23 August, 1976, the Grunwick strike started
The Grunwick factory strike became one of the greatest shows of black, white and Asian solidarity on the picket line that Britain has ever seen.
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The Grunwick factory strike became one of the greatest shows of black, white and Asian solidarity on the picket line that Britain has ever seen.
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August 23, 2026 at 1:00 PM
🗓️ On this day, 23 August, 1976, the Grunwick strike started
The Grunwick factory strike became one of the greatest shows of black, white and Asian solidarity on the picket line that Britain has ever seen.
1/2
The Grunwick factory strike became one of the greatest shows of black, white and Asian solidarity on the picket line that Britain has ever seen.
1/2
50 years ago today, on 23 Aug 1976, civil rights leader Jayaben Desai led the Grunwick Strike, campaigning for equal pay and better working conditions.
Honouring Jayaben’s legacy, artist Darrell Vydelingum retells Jayaben’s story through a short film: Factory Girl.
Honouring Jayaben’s legacy, artist Darrell Vydelingum retells Jayaben’s story through a short film: Factory Girl.
August 23, 2026 at 10:10 AM
50 years ago today, on 23 Aug 1976, civil rights leader Jayaben Desai led the Grunwick Strike, campaigning for equal pay and better working conditions.
Honouring Jayaben’s legacy, artist Darrell Vydelingum retells Jayaben’s story through a short film: Factory Girl.
Honouring Jayaben’s legacy, artist Darrell Vydelingum retells Jayaben’s story through a short film: Factory Girl.
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.
August 23, 2026 at 9:55 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.