Scottish trade unionist and socialist, Jimmy Reid dies August 10th 2010
Submitted by Joffe on 17 August, 2010 - 13:42Jimmy Reid, one of the leaders of the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders (UCS) "work-in" in 1971-72 died August 10th 2010, aged 78. When the Heath government proposed closing down all 5 of the shipyards in Glasgow the workers fought back by organising a 'work in', a political campaign to stop the closures which would have blighted thousands of lives and the city of Glasgow itself.
When he stood as a candidate to be the Rector of Glasgow University the New York Times printed his speech in its entirety and said it was the most important speech since Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. Click on the link to read it in full: http://www.gla.ac.uk/media/media_167194_en.pdf