On 1 May 1974 300 workers from four different Leicester factories took unofficial strike action over lack of promotion for migrant workers and unpaid benefits. The strikers were also angry about the lack of support they had received from their trade union, the TGWU. Workers at Imperial Typewriters continued the strike with eventually 500 strikers, many of whom were Asian women. The strike lasted 14 weeks and remained unofficial. The dispute was investigated, at the invitation of the strikers, by the Race Relations Board. However, the strikers withdrew their support for the investigation when it became clear that the Board was not going to support their claims. Most of the strikers were dismissed and the factory was closed the following year.
Documents relating to the Imperial Typewriters dispute are available through the National Archives:
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