David Buckle

David is a former District Secretary of the Transport and Workers' Union (from 1964) and had particular responsibility for improving the pay and conditions in the Witney Blanket Industry and among the car plant workers in Oxford. He recalls that in his experience the most militant people at Witney were the women, who always stuck up for their rights. In negotiations with Walker's, Smith's and Early's managements he found that nine times out of ten strikes and disputes were avoided through compromise and agreement. The managers in the blanket industry were open to discussion and fairly receptive to change, in contrast to the motor industry where he was often met by a brick wall.

A recorded interview with David is available from Oxfordshire Studies - details are available on the Search the Collections page (search for his name).