A work-in is a form of direct action under which workers whose jobs are under threat resolve to remain in their place of employment and to continue producing, without pay.
In June 1971, Upper Clyde Shipbuilders in Scotland entered liquidation after the Heath government refused to provide further subsidies to save them from closure.
[6] Among those who attended the protest were Vic Feather (the TUC general secretary), Billy Connolly, Matt McGinn and Tony Benn.
[6] The chief constable of Glasgow's police, David McNee, told the government he could not guarantee public safety if the yard closures went ahead and asked for 5000 extra officers to maintain order.
[8] With past strikes having been generally ineffective, workers met and, taking inspiration from the UCS work-in and factory occupations by French car-makers during May 1968, decided to occupy the steelworks.
[8] Instead, management removed tools, ladders and power to try to shut down the steelworks and called on the Federated Ironworkers' Association (FIA) to intervene in the dispute.
[8] The work-in was defeated by the use of the New South Wales Summary Offenses Act,[10] with Harco issuing trespass notices to the workers ordering them to leave.
[15] During this time, they seized 65,000 watches (30,000 of which were smuggled out of the factory and hidden across Besançon)[11] and attempted to set up a self-management system under the slogan "We produce, we sell, we pay ourselves".
[15] On 18 June, workers endorsed the idea of restarting production, with leading shop steward Charles Piaget using the UCS work-in as an example.