Recollections
Recollections are interesting because we all have different selective memories on what went on. So for what it is worth here is mine from a spouses perspective on the night of the resignations.
Phone call. "We all have to meet at the union office within the next 2 hours" No reason given. Why because if the pilots had been told many would not have turned up.
Meetings were held at the same time nationwide so that no-one had the opportunity to telephone a colleague interstate.
No wives allowed. Husband comes home later that night explaining that he had just signed a resignation. Natural response, " You did WHAT?". " Oh dont worry they are not going to be used!"
That may sound very naive on my husbands behalf but he honestly believed what he was told and had me convinced not to worry.
Someone not involved in the dispute may argue what business was it to have a wife involved in the union meeting. Ordinarily I would agree. However when a resignation is being flippantly signed to be used only as a bluff and then submitted without his consult it started to be very much my business.
Interesting that wives were not privy to the signing of those resignations and I know that if they had, many would not have been signed. Also from that point on wives were included in the meetings and the rallies and the reason why!! The AFAP knew that the wives had to be fed the same propaganda and lies to keep their pilots on side