"these women stood against oppressive working conditions"
ThinkTank Birmingham Science Museum will host a special screening and panel discussion in August 2026 to mark 50 years since the start of the Grunwick dispute.
Hosted in partnership with DESIblitz, the upcoming event will reflect on one of Britain’s most significant labour disputes and examine its lasting impact on workers’ rights, trade union activism and community solidarity.
At the centre of the event is Saris of Strength, a documentary chronicling the fight led by predominantly South Asian women workers at the Grunwick film processing plant in Willesden, London.
Led by union activist Jayaben Desai, the workers challenged poor working conditions and demanded fair pay, dignity and union recognition.
Their campaign became a defining moment in British labour history and highlighted how race, gender and class intersected within the workplace.
The dispute also exposed the important role immigrant workers played in shaping Britain’s labour movement during the 1970s.
The event description states: “Saris of Strength chronicles the courageous journey of predominantly South Asian women workers at the Grunwick film processing plant in Willesden, London.
“Led by the formidable Jayaben Desai, these women stood against oppressive working conditions, demanding dignity, fair pay, and union recognition.
“Their struggle highlighted the intersection of race, gender, and labour rights, and became a beacon of solidarity within the UK labour movement.”
People from Birmingham and the wider West Midlands were also involved in supporting the strike, underlining the dispute’s national significance beyond London.
Following the screening, invited historians, labour rights activists and filmmakers will take part in a panel discussion exploring the broader legacy of the Grunwick strikes.
The conversation will examine the continued relevance of the dispute in modern Britain, particularly around migrant labour, trade union organising and workplace equality.
Organisers said the panel will provide “in-depth analysis and reflections on the enduring impact of the dispute”.
The discussion will also explore “the significance of the Grunwick Strikes in the broader context of labour rights movements in Birmingham and the UK, the role of immigrant workers in shaping labour history, and the continued relevance of these issues today”.
The Grunwick dispute remains one of the most influential industrial actions in British history.
For many British South Asians, it also represents a powerful example of South Asian women standing at the forefront of political and social change in Britain.
The screening will take place on August 21, 2026, from 6 pm.
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