Early battles
Guarita/Reflex It also hrought into activily many women women's movement, and although some of and were hostile to the organised labour move- ment as aresult. it meant that in Britain the links between women in the labour movement and int the women's movement were stronger than SOCIALIST OUTLOOK no 9 October 1988 structure and refused to organise croches at ex-Ford strikers on the committee. The basic Tack of democracy led in the cout lo its censed to exist after October, jost as the Women's Liheration Movoment was get- results. It ensured that the subjcct of equal pay would never again he off the agenda and that legislation, however inadequate, would be who were to becomo involved with the them drew negative lessons from the campaign number of unions including the TOWU. and many at local level. During its brief existence it gave support to several strikes involving women, Including the Rrammon thermometer But from a woman's point of view it was Headed by two men, it had no democratic Ils micelings, it was led by members of the Communist Party and their sympathisers. who were able to politically dominate the Toall intents and purposes NJACCWER But It bad two lasting an extremely unsatisfactory organisation. Strike, which was geographically isolated. OLONG FORDS VCE Ford women: 20 years to win equal pay! ting under way. GRADING 1168 destruction. anywhere elso. GRIEV passen principle of equal pay and it resolutions supporting the "In 1969 every trade union was the main topic at the the USA. It was able to gain affiliation from a Trades Union Congress. In 1969 every trade union conference passed pay and it was the main topic at the Trades women's liberation movement in the example and writings of the movement in the United States, the general politicisation of NIACCWER was a key component of this Tast factor, which was much less amportant in it had agreed to concentrate on equal pay, and in May the next year it organised anuther lobby Tended by 1000 women from all over Britain and speakers included Chive Jenkins. Jack resolutions supporting the principle of qual Britain was influenced by three major factors: ol Parliament and a demonstration. This was at- 1966 and the struggles of women workers. Jones, Audrey Wise and Rose Boland. though the campaign had a live-point programme. the committee and Fred Secretary of the NUB. That November, as a result of pressure from women's conference. 10 Twonly areas. Chris Nor- wood MP and Audrey NJACCWER, the TUC through the setting up of seven were quickiy es- responding secretarics I Hunt of the TUC, were Joint Chairmen" (scof National organised a special impossibic acronym without democratic mechanisms, worked Jocal groupy - thirty- shertened to the equally tablished - and cor campHIgn. became the soctelary- discuss equal pay. Union Congress: NIACEWER! Alake. The The an Anti-Discrimination Bill to end all forms of of the men's rate, an improvment of 79, duction of equal pay. (This was finally achcived Conferences, lobbies of trade union con- ferences and of Parliament and many mecangs during the strike led to the formaton of the Na- tional Joint Action Campaign Committee for Women's Equal Right. This snappy name was skills of women, like nimble fingers', whereas The 187 women machinists at Fords won On July I the Ford strike was called off. The women had won a partial victory, getting 92% together with a phased agreement for the intro- On Junc 6 they came out on strike again, this: time until July 1. Rose Boland, a strike leaders said of these actions: "I think the Ford women have definitely shaken the women of this Barhara Castle was made Minuster for the newly-created Department of Employment and Productivity in April the same year and from here she issued her famous invitation to the trike leaders lo bave lea with her! More seriously she set up a working party with her department and representatives from the CRI and TUC, to consider the introduction of cqual However the women at Fords were not claiming cqual pay, bur upgrading to take ac- count of their traditionally underestimated skills. I was a common gnevance, and still 1s. that no allowance was made for the "natural' male skills such as "strengih" were specifically represented by the Natonal Union of Vehicle On May 29, 1968. women machinists at Fords Dagenham plant held a one-day token stoppage, in support of their claim for upgrading. They wanted to match those men who did the same job (sewing car-seat covers) at night, and other men Transport Union. Their strike coincided trikers organised coachloads of women passed a resolution calling for urgent progress towards equal pay', and this was amended as a result of the strike to include a commitment to take industrial action to Equal Pay Bill and Joyce Butler launched Builders: later to be absorhed into the with the NUVB's annual meeting and the from Dagenham and other Ford factones to invade the conference, where there was not The Trade Union Congress that year obtain it. Four Labour MPs sponsored a new only in 1987, after further strike action. discrimination against women. rewanded in grading exercises. country. She was right. using similar skills. one woman delegate! pay for women Page 28
----- pull-quotes on this page ----- for equal pay An otherwise perhaps forgotten anniversary is celebrated by