Lynn is in bed, eating breakfast prepared for her by Beryl, while Kevin is getting ready for school. Kevin tells his wife that she should skip school, but she says they both have an exam. Kevin says they should both stay home, but Lynn says she's got to try. She says she hasn't done enough study, but she reckons Kevin will pass because he's so brainy. Kevin changes the subject, saying it's time they wrote their 'thankyou' notes. In the kitchen, Beryl is preparing a flask of hot drink for David, who is off to the picket line. Angela comes in in her receptionist uniform - a bright yellow dress and white tennis shoes - and says how much she hates it! When Angela has gone Beryl says she thought the outfit looked nice! David tells his wife that he was doing the sums last night, and he asks what bills there are to pay. Beryl says the 'phone and electricity bills have just come in, but can wait until the end of the month. David says that if the strike goes on for more than two or three weeks, the Palmers could have problems. Beryl says she'll get out the depression recipes.

Jill is busy cleaning when Fiona reminds her that John has invited the two of them to the stud. She then asks if she can go to the hospital with Jill - she says she's warming to Wayne. Fiona thinks he might need some help with the Woombai project, and the two of them could toss ideas around. She says she wants to do it because she needs a project to throw herself into to keep her mind off Scott. Jill says she's sure Wayne will be grateful.

John checks with Alan Pascoe to see if it's still alright for his friends to come to the stud. Pascoe says it is. He tells John that Gordon is very impressed with his work, but he adds that Mr. Hamilton is having problems with the strike. Pascoe tells John that the stud could be affected by the action because money is channelled into the stud from the Hamiltons' transport business, and without that money, things could be grim.

When questioned by Patricia about how much Wayne knows of what is happening, Gordon says his son is aware that there could be financial trouble. Patricia says there'll be no Woombai project unless Gordon does something. Gordon says he has a possible solution, but he doesn't want to discuss it until he's put it to the men. He says he's invited the union rep. to Dural, and if Patricia doesn't like that, she can stay out of the way. When the rep. - Les - subsequently arrives, he suggests to Gordon that they get straight down to business. Gordon says an extended strike could send him and his company to the wall, and that will mean the men will lose their jobs. He tells Les that he wants to hire owner-drivers. Les says, "Scabs?" and starts to walk off. Gordon says it's a question of survival, but Les says it's still using scabs. Gordon says it will save jobs, and will only be to fulfill a minimum number of orders. Les says the union will blacklist all the men if they become scabs. Gordon asks Les to put it to the men, and Les unhappily agrees to do this.

Jill and Fiona arrive at the stud. Jill tells Fiona that she's pleased Wayne is letting Fiona help. John sees them and offers to show them a mare that is foaling. Jill says her stomach isn't up to it, but John points Fiona in the right direction. When Fiona has gone, John comments to Jill that Fiona is in a good mood. Jill tells John that Fiona is worrying about Scott.

Gordon is waiting for the 'phone to ring, and Patricia tells him to stop pacing. She asks if there's an alternative, but Gordon won't reveal this. The telephone rings - it's Les calling to say the men have turned Gordon down. Gordon says he understands. He dials a number - he speaks to someone called Andrew, to ask if he's still interested in buying Gordon's transport division. The answer comes in the affirmative.

Fiona is being soppy over the horses, and John helps Jill onto her horse. Alan Pascoe calls over to John to say that Gordon wants to see them both at Dural. John leaves Fiona and Jill to it.

When they get to Dural, Gordon tells John and Alan that noone's obliged, but he needs help to make the best of a bad situation, and he wants the stud workers to help with truck loading. John says they'll be scabs. Alan Pascoe reckons the men will be in it. Gordon says he's sold his transport business to a national company, but the stud should be alright. He says he'll give half the money from the sale to Wayne to help with Woombai, and he'll put the rest into the stud. John reckons he's smart enough to know that they're talking about strike-breaking, and he says he wants nothing to do with it.

Kevin shows Beryl some photocopied wedding pictures-cum-'thankyou' notes, and Beryl says they're great. Lynn and Kevin go to their room to write the names on them, and Kevin looks through the presents they received, including a plug-in timer, an all-in-one tea maker and an alarm clock. Lynn says it's not fair Beryl running around after them, and she tells Kevin that he'll have to get up to make her breakfast in the morning! Angela arrives home and says she's useless, as she's been sacked again - she bought some new shoes to go with her uniform, but her boss didn't like them, and Angela stupidly made a big deal of it - plus she mucked up three times in the morning. She says she'll look for something else, but she's got to learn to keep her mouth shut.

Fiona tells John that she had a wonderful ride. She adds that she talked to Alan Pascoe about John falling out with Gordon. John says he thought Gordon was straight-down-the-line, but he wants to use scabs. Fiona points out that maybe Gordon isn't terribly proud of himself. She says Pascoe told her about Gordon's financial troubles. John says it still doesn't make it right. Fiona says John either respects Gordon or he doesn't. If he does, then he should give him a fair hearing. If he doesn't, he should quit his job. When Fiona leaves the room, John rings Dural. Patricia answers and asks John if he wants to apologise. He says he wants to talk to Gordon. Gordon invites John to Dural, but John says that might be difficult, so Gordon says he'll call at the boarding house.

Beryl is watching a comedy on TV when David creeps up behind her and tickles her. She tells him that Angela got the sack and feels she's let the Palmers down. David says he told his picket line mates not to take part-time jobs, but to put more effort into the action. Beryl offers to look for employment, but David says it's up to him. He says John made the right decision in going to Sydney - if he had still been at the depot, he would have been mixed up in the strike as well. In their bedroom, Kevin demonstrates to Lynn the breakfast-making system he's devised by rigging up the alarm clock, timer, tea-maker and toaster!

John tells Gordon that he worked with blokes like that in Melbourne - and David's one of them. John asks about Gordon's principles. Gordon says the men are sticking to their principles just like he is. He says that if the strike lasts six weeks, he'll be bankrupt, and he's too old for that. He says he wants to keep John on, but he'll understand - it's up to John. John says Gordon had better be ready for a fight on his hands from the men.

Angela apologises to David for being unemployed. David says they'll manage. Angela says she's been a nuisance since she's lived in Melbourne - John left, Susan doesn't come over, she's created work for Beryl... She says it's all her mother's fault for bringing her up to marry someone like Simon Armstrong. She says she wishes Patricia had left her behind, so that she wouldn't have been such a spoilt brat. David points out that at least Angela got out of her uniform. Angela smiles and says, "I guess I did!"