When 2,000 Sunderland jobs hung in the balance: A battle royal from the 1970s

A top Wearside delegation was set to meet Government officials in London over the fate of the huge workforce at Plessey.

On their way to London

A meeting of representatives of 15 organisations decided at Sunderland Civic Centre to send representatives to discuss the factory’s closure in 1977.

They were due to meet with Alan William, Minister of State at the Department of Industry.

After the Civic Centre meeting the Borough Council Leader, Cllr Len Harper who had presided, said he was still not optimistic over the planned Plessey rundown.

‘What we say may give people hope where there is no hope’

He said at the time: “I would not like to say at this stage what we have discussed, except the action we are taking. It is a very difficult situation to say the least, and what we say may give people hope where there is no hope.”

Cllr Harper was right to be sceptical.

By June of that year, the Echo reported that about 300 Plessey workers could leave their jobs soon in the first stage of the factory rundown.

Hopes for a small workforce

Proposals for redundancy terms and a planned rundown of the factory - which was due to close on June 3, 1977 - were agreed between the unions and the company.

Fred Willey, the MP for Sunderland North in 1977, planned to meet the company again, and unions would then seek an early meeting to talk over other plans to keep a small workforce at the factory.

Did you work at Plessey and what are your memories of your time there?

Who did you work with and how long did you remain at the plant.

Get in touch by with us by emailing [email protected]. Let’s share the memories.