Former 'Craig worker's poem

Dec 4 2008 By Richard Mooney

A FORMER Ravenscraig worker emailed the Press thanking them for their article and video on the old steel plant.

William McLuckie, from Motherwell, told us that they brought back nostalgic times from his days at the ‘Craig.

He said: “I was really proud to see the story of Ravenscraig in the Wishaw Press, as it brought back memories of my younger years working there.

“ When I seen the story and reminisced I had to look out the poem I had written many years ago regarding my feelings of being made redundant.”

Like many after the plant closed William faced a struggle and during this time he wrote a poem about his experience of the ‘Craig’s closure.

The poem is below:

Injustice                   

Ravenscraig, one of British steels largest plants,
All employees their, worked harder than little ants.
They broke all production records  in their last few years.
When notified of closure they broke down in tears.

I dreamt of working in the steel industry when I was a young boy,
Sixteen years old and I was fortunate to get a job in the Clyde Alloy.
Being an ancient steel plant its future and mine were really vague.
I.S.T.C. Union representatives arranged crossmatches into Ravenscraig.

Working with white hot steel from a furnace I rapidly became a man,
Operating heavy machinery as well as driving a forklift and overhead crane.
Shift work became part of my life and upset my daily lifestyle wheel,
Morning, noon or night I would be producing the best of British steel.

I worked from 1981 until 1992 in the Ravenscraig (Hot Sheet Finish).
Then Ian McGregor altered the order books and watched the plant diminish.
Nissan a major car industry, demanded their steel came from Ravenscraig,
Government politicians instructed all customers to avoid us like the plague.

Maggie Thatcher,(The Iron Lady) and her government party of Tory swines,
Attempted to demoralize trade unions by closing down prime coal mines.
She arranged her private police force to attack the miners already feeling drab,
Forcing Steelworkers to break their picket lines transfiguring me into a scab.

Creating animosity between two strong unions hatred became abundant,
The Iron Lady won the battle as union leaders fell and were made redundant.
Farcical training centres reduced employment figures as I returned to School.
Redundancy payment was helpful, but being unemployed was sore and cruel.

Married with two children, a mortgage, and finance payments for my car.
The British Steel redundancy payment for 11 years service truly was  mar.
Job seeking it wasn't easy at interview sessions I would be really tense.
Eventually British Alcan employed me due to my steel work experience.
 

William Mcluckie (1992).