Our Own People

Synopsis

A small textile mill in Yorkshire, 1975.

Hussein, an Asian nightshift worker at Darley Park Mills, finds himself at the centre of a strike that exposes deep-seated racial and class divisions. As Asian workers fight for fair treatment and promotion opportunities, the white workforce, led by the outspoken Joan Dawson, resist change. The dispute escalates, drawing in union representative George Jowett, company management, and a government-appointed mediator, Baroness Cockburn.

Edgar’s play unfolds as a gripping courtroom drama, using the format of a public inquiry to peel back layers of prejudice, exploitation, and institutional racism. Through a series of testimonies and confrontations, we witness the complex interplay of workers’ rights, racial tension, and economic pressures. The playwright deftly balances moments of biting humour with stark revelations, creating a nuanced portrait of a community in flux. As the inquiry progresses, alliances shift, hidden agendas are exposed, and characters are forced to confront their own biases and complicity in a system that pits worker against worker.