The bitter and intense industrial disputes of the autumn and winter of 1978/9 helped change the course of British politics.

The Winter of Discontent, as it became known, saw a wave of crippling strikes across the country - and led to the election of Margaret Thatcher.

It was a pay claim by Ford car workers - 30 years ago this month - that set the tone for 6 months of union unrest.

Radio 4's 'The Archive Hour' looks back at what happened:

'The Archive Hour: Then was the Winter of our Discontent' will be broadcast on Radio 4 at 2002 BST on Saturday 6th September 2008. It will then be available for 7 days on the BBC iPlayer.

The slideshow includes BBC archive material, and interviews with politicians, union leaders and commentators Denis Healey, Rodney Bickerstaffe, Brendan Barber, Geoffrey Goodman, and Lord Bernard Donoghue.

Slideshow production by Paul Kerley.