Fred Moffatt is The Gaffer, the director of a recession-hit, light-engineering company who is always teetering on the edge of disaster.
It's just another day for Fred Moffat, long suffering managing director of his own light-engineering company, when Harry, the shop steward, threatens to down tools.
Harry, the shop steward, is at it again - this time he has out-manoeuvred and outgunned Fred to the extent that he is now on strike outside of his own factory!
Betty has managed to get her cousin Albert a job in the factory and it's not too long before he is causing mayhem. It seems that a lot of ingenuity will be required to help him find the exit door...
A friend of Fred's from their army days starts working at the factory - but his military methods are not popular on the factory floor...
Fred has often moaned that the factory is plagued by women but when his secretary Betty takes a holiday, the temporary replacement, Rose, makes him regret his outbursts.
In an attempt to boost his sales overseas, Fred finds his efforts are not welcomed by his staff or his clients - and, for his part, the bank manager has a lot to say about proceedings as well.
Fred's problems increase when his ever-loathing son, Spencer, is kicked out of university and asks his father for a job - worse still, he enlists the aid of shop steward, Harry.
There are cash flow problems at Moffat Engineering Works and, with the bank manager on his case, Fred has to look elsewhere for investment ...
Losing customers to hated rival Joe Gregory is one thing but stealing his secretary is another - Fred Moffat does not take defeat lightly ...
Fred is not happy when shop steward Harry stays away from work and tries to claim sick pay. He is also a little concerned about the part salesman Stan is playing in his absence.
The work force are, once again, demanding pay rises so it doesn't help his cause when he starts looking for a new car after his old one breaks down...
Charlie has a problem with his girlfriend's brother, Bad Back Barker, because he won't get work. Fred decides to give him a job but his motives are not philanthropic.
When Fred offers himself up as a candidate to the major parties at the local council election, his forthright views win him few friends. He decides to stand for a new party - his own!
Betty takes a leaf out of Harry's book and asks for a pay rise - when Fred refuses Betty pickets the office door and gets reciprocal support from Harry sees it as a way to get his bonus. Fred gives a temporary job to Charlie's girlfriend, Mary, in order to avoid paying either of them ...
For once, it looks like Ginger's libido has worked in Fred's favour as he has been chatting up a managing director's daughter - but will he be able to benefit from the arrangement?
Fred visits Joe Gregory's office and warns him off Harry who is moonlighting for Joe. As he leaves the office, the new buyer for Garfords mistakes him for Joe and Fred tries to use it to his advantage ...
Having been elected to the council it's time for Fred to stop the likes of his arch-rival, Councillor Joe Gregory, from milking the system ...
When he finally gets an order, Fred is horrified that his best worker, Charlie, is getting married and going on honeymoon during the 14-day delivery date. In order to get things sorted Fred becomes best man and a dog lover ...
Fred has introduced the Japanese system in the factory but not to streamline production - just to get them all at each others throats ...
When Ginger's girlfriend keeps ringing the factory, it causes Fred to give up and pack his bags ready for a new life Down Under! A workers co-operative take over the factory but how long will it be before factory goes down under as well!?
Complete episode guide for The Gaffer with detailed information about every season and episode including air dates, summaries, ratings, and streaming availability in United States.
This episode guide is organized by seasons, making it easy to track your viewing progress or find specific episodes. Use the episode information to plan your binge-watching sessions or catch up on missed episodes.