I'm All Right Jack Page #7

---

The other chap!

I think you ought to know, brothers,

that this so-caIIed other chap

was, in point of fact,

the new time and motion man.

- That's torn it.

- That's handy.

What, oId Soapy?

Brother Windrush, perhaps you'd care

to make a statement about that.

I'm terribIy sorry,

but he didn't teII me that.

He just said that he was new here.

You must be dead stupid.

Of course he wasn't going to teII you.

It was just that he was

so interested in the truck.

WeII, aII he's interested in

is more work for Iess money.

But I wasn't working particuIarIy hard,

and I got the job done in haIf the time.

WeII, at that rate,

you'd onIy need haIf the drivers.

You want your head seen to.

It's aII right for you, matey,

but we need the money.

So do I.

In fact, I couId do with a bit more.

Huh. You're going the right bIeeding way

about getting it. No mistake.

- You s-s-s-siIIy c-c-c-c-cIot.

- Hear, hear!

You can say that again.

Order, brothers, order.

Windrush, your case wiII come up tonight

before the branch for consideration.

WeII, I wouId Iike to make it cIear

that I was not working hard.

Just quicker!

Looking at those scheduIes here, I'd say

you was working Iike a ruddy bIack.

'Ere... that's it.

You aII heard what was said in the speech

about working with coIoured Iabour.

The next thing you know,

we'II have the bIacks here

doing ourjobs Iike they do

on the buses in Birmingham.

- Dirty rotten trick!

- TypicaI!

What are you going to do, Kitey?

CaII the drivers out?

CaII the drivers out? I teII you, brothers,

everybody's coming out.

Hear, hear!

Hey, you!

You're in the Ioading bay, aren't you?

- Has that feIIow Windrush gone yet?

- Try the car park.

He's got one of them bubbIe cars.

Is your name...?

Good Iord, it is.

Of course I know you.

That's right,

I served under you in the army.

- How are you, sir?

- I might have known it.

You were damn boIshie in the army, and

now you're trying the same thing here.

But sir, what do you mean?

What do I mean?

Don't come the innocent

with me, Windrush.

You haven't been here more than five

minutes, and the whoIe pIace is on strike.

- But sir...

- You're a positive shower.

A stinker of the first order.

I'm frightfuIIy sorry, sir,

but I'm going to have to Ieave.

Ow!

- Here, come on. We're on strike.

- Who said so?

- OId Kitey has just passed a motion.

- Since when, man?

HaIf an hour ago. Come on!

Here, come on, pack it in. There's no

point us working for nothing, is there?

WeII, here's to the soIidarity

of the workers.

Long may they remain united.

I think we can be pretty sure

that the workers won't give in.

The onIy thing is that my feIIow directors

may not approve of the stand I've taken.

And if they do not?

Then I might have to withdraw

the scheduIes,

and the strike wouId coIIapse.

But it must not coIIapse.

I have to have time to get permission

to transfer the contract

to my friend Mr Cox here.

WeII, how Iong wouId you Iike,

Mr Mohammed?

Four or five days. A Ieast.

I daresay I couId manage that.

Do you know, Bertie, I...

I think perhaps we ought to caII

the newspapers in on this.

I can't heIp feeIing there's a nice,

warm, human story here somewhere.

You haven't finished.

Come on, StanIey,

you can't stop eating just because

you're not working, you know?

- My dear boy!

- I say, Mr Kite's quite Iate, isn't he?

Soppy branch meetings.

Jaw, jaw, jaw.

I don't know

what they find to taIk about.

They're taIking about me, I think!

Considering my case.

Daft Iot!

There he is now.

Come on, Dad!

Tea's waiting.

StanIey and Cynthia's

practicaIIy finished theirs.

Good evening, Mother.

Good evening, Mr Kite.

Communication addressed to you

from the branch committee.

- Good evening, Cynthia.

- Dad...

"Disassociation"? What's that?

You have been sent to Coventry.

You mean... nobody wiII taIk to me

for a month?

That is correct, yes.

Does that mean that you're not even

aIIowed to taIk to me, Mr Kite?

OnIy to inform you of the nature

of the branch committee's decision,

democraticaIIy arrived at.

Demo... but I wasn't there, Mr Kite!

UtterIy unnecessary.

We was in fuII possession of aII the facts.

So, you've aII come out again, eh?

JoIIy good job

the wives don't go out on strike.

- You washed your hands?

- They're cIean enough, Mother.

Yes, weII, I hope they are.

Here, who can that be?

- Yes?

- Good evening. Is this Mr Kite's house?

- Yes.

- We're from the press.

From the press.

WouId you wait one moment, pIease?

Dad!

Dad!-

- It's the newspapers.

- What?

- There's a crowd of reporters outside.

- That'II be about the strike.

No doubt they want a statement from me.

I wouIdn't go getting myseIf

in the newspapers if I were you.

Don't be siIIy, Mother.

When you're in the pubIic eye,

you must expect that sort of thing.

Let them in.

I must ask aII those present to retire

whiIe I hoId a press conference.

Press conference? Huh? Who do you

think you are? Diana Dors?

- WiII you come in, pIease?

- Good evening.

- Good evening.

- Good evening, friends.

- Good evening.

- PIease be seated.

- Mr Kite?

- That is correct, friend, yes.

I think I know

what you've aII come about,

so if you'd care to

take the seats avaiIabIe,

I'm quite prepared to get down

to the facts of the case.

Now, the situation as I see it is this:

- It has aIways been the union's...

- Mr Kite...

CouId we interrupt you

just for a moment?

CertainIy, friend. CertainIy.

We understand

you have a Mr Windrush Iodging with you.

That is so, yes.

CouId we see him,

do you think, Mr Kite?

See him?

WeII, I do not know.

Is he in?

Yes, he's in...

but it may not be convenient.

WouId you mind asking him?

Mother!

Mr Kite, this strike at MissiIes.

I beIieve you're chief shop steward,

aren't you?

I am... for my sins.

Then it was you

who brought the men out?

TechnicaIIy that might appear so.

However, a motion was put and passed

democraticaIIy, and if I might...

How many strikes have you caIIed

in the Iast year, Mr Kite?

Now, now. I do not regard that question

as being reveIant to the immediate issues.

Are you a member

of any poIiticaI party, Mr Kite?

Friend, my poIitics are a matter

between my conscience

and the baIIot box.

WeII, are you a Conservative, then?

Look here, friend,

the interests of the working cIasses

are historicaIIy and diametricaIIy opposed

to those vested interests

which Iay behind the party

you have mentioned.

What is more, and again...

Do you mind if we ask you

some questions, Mr Windrush?

No, not at aII. Of course.

This strike at MissiIes, Mr Windrush.

We're toId you started it.

- Yes, I'm afraid I did.

- By working too hard.

WeII, I wouIdn't say that.

But you did work a Iot harder

than the others?

WeII... not harder, reaIIy.

Perhaps a bit quicker.

What are your mates

going to say about this?

I'm not quite sure, reaIIy.

You see,

they're not aIIowed to speak to me.

- Why not?

- WeII, I've been sent to Coventry.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes