Although I had instinctively always been sympathetic toward the victims of the Thatcher years, my only political activity was watching Question Time on television. I had given up my job to care for close family terminally ill with cancer several years ago.
In 1993 Berisford plc chief executive Alan Bowkett bought up Magnet Kitchens. He was not happy with merely de-skilling the long term loyal workforce, some with up to 42 years service. A pay freeze began and the conditions worsened daily. My husband is 51 years of age. He'd spent many happy years at Magnet yet suddenly he could no longer bear the thought of going to work. The stress was unbearable. He was a changed man. Our close knit family suffered with him. In my husband's section they started taking photographs of the workers if they stopped for a couple of minutes and threatened to put them on the wall to shame them into not stopping work. They were even timed if they went to the toilet.
I am a carer for my grandson, four year old Josh. Disabled with severe heart problems, he is awaiting his seventh operation. My husband needed six hours compassionate leave for Josh's life or death operation. He was questioned by management, did he really need to be with his family as it inconvenienced the firm? Even the manager who was ordered to do this squirmed in his seat and said it was now company policy to interrogate the workers regarding compassionate leave.
This firm was now a war zone with reduced wages enforced by years of pay freezes. Yet Alan Bowkett, chief executive, was earning £1,000 a day, there was a bonus of £180,000 for one director and massive pay increases for the company secretary.
A pay rise was denied, so with an overwhelming majority official strike action began on 22 August 1996. On 31 August an ultimatum was issued by Magnet, to sign away all rights to democratic action now and in the future or be sacked. Over 300 men and women stood together to uphold their principles and on 3 September were sacked. Incensed by the ultimatum the Women's Support Group was formed and I became group secretary. We were devastated to find our families could not get state benefits as the firm said we were affecting their profits with our 24 hour picket line outside the factory.
Severe shock and depression set inwas it 1996 or 1936? No free school meals for the children unless they could prove they were on income support, which we could not. For months we survived on strike pay of £35 per week and food parcels donated by wellwishers such as the mining community and the workers at Spartan Redheugh who had experienced similar strikes. Surely we would wake up from this nightmare. We were on official strike, we'd paid into the system for years, yet nobody came to our aid. I could no longer discuss or share problems with my husbandhe was suffering from anxiety and severe depression. This will be etched in our memories for years to come.
He used to go into work even if he had the flu. He would do any menial task willingly and now he felt useless. I will never forgive Alan Bowkett and Magnet for doing this to my husband. I had to fight back. I may be a 'carer' on £37 per week£1 per hour is what the government sees fit to pay carersAlan Bowkett may have his £1,000 a day, but I am so determined along with others to take this man on because for all his money and his power I am certain that we will win this fight for justice. One of our strikers died of a heart attack recently aged 45 years, leaving a wife and daughters. When I think of the stress he endured during the last year of his life, for this I blame Magnet. When a striker rings me in the middle of the night because he hasn't got the will to go on, once a proud hard working man, reduced to tears and thoughts of suicide, for this I blame Magnet. When our families' homes are repossessed, for this suffering I blame Magnet.
Some of our sacked workers live in Tony Blair's constituency. I wrote to him at the start of the dispute to enlist his support. Later I met him and again asked for his support. He then asked me what Magnet made. My hopes were shatteredhere was the man I thought would be our hero when he became prime minister. Alan Milburn, our MP in Darlington, assured us he was on our side, yet no sign of him on the picket line, no motion tabled in parliament for an issue which involves not just 300 sacked workers but their partners and families, totalling almost 2,000 lives. Four unions are involved in this official dispute yet are only paying lip service to their members. I want the unions to get off their knees and not be ashamed any longer of openly supporting us in such a way that they will be heard by the government.
Tony Blair has his massive majoritywhy doesn't he help us? When I stand every day, leafleting Magnet showrooms with strikers and women in our group, I long for the union leaders to come along and win this battle for us, but nothing happens.
For the unions were formed to fight injustice in the workplace. They were formed to stand up for decent conditions and fair wages. Yet what has happened at Magnet Kitchens is happening all over the country. People knock on my door at home to give moral support, strangers approach me in the street, all with the same messagedon't give up because if we lose, the working people all over this country lose.
I truly believe that if this problem is not eradicated soon there will be an uprising in this country, because if ordinary people like me and my family can fight back for justice then so can anybody. I just want some security and hope offered to the young, a steady job and a roof over their heads. Is it too much to ask?
Governments may wonder what happened to the happy family unit. I can tell them they destroyed it when the people of this country lost the right to work in full time employment with a fair wage for all, the right to a decent home without fear of repossession and the right to free healthcare and a decent education for all. We demand these basic rights back from this Labour government. Only this will satisfy those of us who are determined to fight for justice indefinitely.
Victory to the Hillingdon Hospital workers, the dockers and the Magnet dispute.
Messages of support and donations can be sent to the Magnet Support Group, 14 Longfield Road, Darlington DL3 0EW.