“I will no longer take it. I want my freedom”
(Jayaben Desai to management as she led women workers on strike)
I first heard Jayaban Desai speak at the 30th anniversary of the Grunwick strike organised by Brent Trades Union Council. Jayaben stood firm and show immense courage along with the postal workers and other rank and file members. As the majority of the platform were white male trade unionists it was damn good to see them (along with the audience ) give her a standing ovation.
Strikers spent 14 weeks on a picket line to end up being betrayed and sold out by the trade union bureaucracy. Strike organiser, Jayaben Desai and other women activists went on hunger strike outside TUC House in protest at the way the TUC was selling them out while rank and file activists were supporting their struggle.This strike brought to the forefront of the labour movement issues around racism, migrant workers and sexism. Issues which nobody had really considered before.
Grunwick was a defeat and a betrayal by the very people who should have been supporting these women. The TUC and APEX (now part of the GMB) sold these women out and the trade union movement overall. The TUC was definitely on its knees. But what came out was the heroism of women like Jayaban Desai and other strikers who showed defiance and courage and stood firm against these attacks but also rank and file trade unionists who showed solidarity with these women unlike the bureaucracy who were itching to sell them out.
Jayaben Desai said of the Grunwick strike, “It was what I had to do, and I hope that you would do the same.”
I was really very said to hear that Jayaben had died on the 23 December, she had been ill for several months. The funeral will be on 31st December, 11.00 am at Golders Green crematorium.
Guardian obituary here.
Heroism indeed. When you look back at Grunwick there were few people or groups emerged with any integrity. The Grunwick workers were one of those though.
Absolutely agree Chris!
Can you confirm your source for the report on Jayaben Desai’s death please?
Jane, I received an email via LRC from someone who is active in Brent Trades Council and was part of the Brent Trades Council 30th anniversary of Grunwick strike.
This is the email: “Very sadly Jayaben Desai, who became the public face of the Grunwick strike of 1976/77, died on 23rd December. She had been ill for several months. The funeral will be on 31st December, 11.00 am at Golders Green crematorium. Mr Desai is quite rightly very proud of his wife and would like people to come if they are able, so can you spread the word around?
A sad loss for us all”.
Great blog, keep up the good work for 2011.
In solidarity from the Cornish Republican.
I remember the heroic Grunwick strike as if it were yesterday it was a glorious moment in British working class history. Those women workers are true heroins I salute you Jayaben Desai.