Z852/2/7

Interviews with Shakil Zaman , Christopher Jones, K Mohammed and Annette Wilson relating to their work experiences. Side A: (1) Interview with Shakil Zaman details include working for Fairights Packaging Ltd, Leagrave Road Luton, working for Ross Young Prepared Foods Ltd, Leagrave Road, Luton, recruitment through employment agencies, local pay and conditions, experience of race relations as a pupil at Denbigh High School, Luton, taking a motor mechanics course at Luton University, history of his parents settling in Luton, aspiration to establish his own business, and the present education or employment circumstances of his siblings. (2) Interview with Christopher Jones, of Afro - Caribbean origin aged 22 unemployed doing voluntary community work details include, working two weeks as a paintmaker with Ogden & Cleaver, Selbourne Road, Luton, c.1989, specialist paintmakers, description of paintmaking, health and safety risks of the job, then worked 3 - 4 years as warehouseman for Novatex Ltd, Non -Woven Fabrics ( cleaning fabrics ) off Dallow Road, Luton, description of the business, ineffective management of staff, boredom with the job, did a lot of 'drifting' eventually sacked after 8 written warnings for his 'wayward ways', racial composition of the work force, started to do community work in 1992, experience of the Employment Training scheme, criticism of the schemes for not catering for specialist courses, wish to specialise in drug rehabilitation skills, about to be sent on a 15 week part time course in London, the need for black drug rehabilitation workers with whom young blacks can relate to, high satisfaction gained from helping other people, analysis of the changing pattern of black employment, the older generations of blacks being passive tended not to challenge racism, many Afro - Caribbean's never intended to settle in Britain but to return to the West Indies for their retirement, his own parents have returned to their home island where they are 'living large', Britain owes a debt to every black person on earth because of colonial exploitation, now is 'pay back time', all Commonwealth citizens should have a right to settle in Britain. Side B: (1) Continuation of the above interview details include his father's employment history, his elder brother's experience of serving in the RAF, RAF racism not as bad as the army or navy, happy recollections of no racism in his white dominated primary school, discovery of racism at Challney Boys Secondary School ( ? ), teachers dislike of his class non racial, negative expectations of many teacher's of the pupils potential achievements, classroom disruption common, the science teacher 'the mad professor' who showed video nasties to his classes to keep them entertained, the work ethic of his parents generation has not been passed to his generation, analysis of changing employment patterns for blacks, his mother's employment history, 1983 riots in Luton were essentially copycat disturbances in Bury Park and some scuffling in the town centre, more cautious policing since the riots, the difficulty of changing police attitudes at street level despite good contacts with senior offices, Asians used to be at the bottom of the pile in street attacks, and racist attacks are not increasing in Luton. (2) Interview with Kula Mohammed concerning his work in the food trades details include working in the Shapla Tandoori Restaurant, 45 Wellington, Luton, working hours, wages and conditions, working for UB Frozen Foods Ltd sandwich making, father unemployed formerly worked in Vauxhalls, brother still at school and feels some jealousy of the profits made by the restaurant owners. (3) Interview with Annette Wilson part time youth worker, working in an Asian owned wedding dress factory, working conditions including health problems ( hay fever ) with the dust, sessional worker with the Probation Service until made redundant, and voluntary with the Rape Crisis Centre in Luton. ( Original Ref. SS 7 C.Jones/A Wilson Shakil Zaman).

1994

From: 1994 To: 1994

item

Zaman, Shakil,
Jones, Christopher,
Mohammed, K.,
Wilson, Annette,
Fairights Packaging Limited,
Ross Young Prepared Foods Limited,
Ogden & Cleaver,
Novatex,
Mohammed, Kula,
UBP Frozen Foods,
Vauxhall

tape recordings, ETHNIC GROUPS, Denbigh Road High School, mechanic, African Caribbeans, paint worker, RAF, Asians, general clothing trade, Luton Leagrave Road, LUTON, Luton Selbourne Road, Luton Dallow Road