Dagenham Strike 1968

[lesley33]

Watched the DVD Made in Dagenham this evening about the strike of female machinists and their fight for equal pay - and how this lead to the equal pay act. Now I know from some on line reading that the fight to get the equal pay act was a bit more complicated than the film prtrays.

But I am shocked that this fight has had so little media attention. I am a feminist and knew there had been a famous strike of women in the ford plant, but I didn't realise how important it had been in terms of equal pay and challenging the sexist, as it certainly was then, trade union movement.

How come there is so little known about this? I have read and watched lots of stuff about fights for gay rights, for black people, etc. But equal pay, even then in terms of the proportion of women working, affects such a large percentage of the population. I know women are sidelined in history; but I am honestly struggling to get my head around the fact that there is so little stuff out there about this very historic strike.

[CailinDana]

A big reason it isn't more famous is because it was non-violent. If someone had been hurt or killed in the strike you would know a lot more about it.

[FrothyDragon]

I think an even bigger issue was it was Women protesting.

I've seen plenty of media coverage (films, books, TV shows) covering every other kind of right going.

But even the suffragette movement has been papered over, with a few small references.

If women want recognition in history, nine times out of ten, we have to do something almost superhuman...

[lesley33]

You are right, there is actually very little in the popular media about the suffragette's. But at least people have heard about them. Even after the film there doesn't seem to have been much coverage of the dagenham women. I just find it really depressing to be honest.

[AyeRobot]

It's the same with the NHS Agenda for Change (I think that's what it was called) where job evaluation came in to equalise pay due to the fight by one Speech Therapist, who was a woman. Not to mention all the Council unfair pay court cases.

Actions and campaigns that have had a massive impact, yet one would think they were equivalent to getting speed bumps in a village for all the media/historical attention they get.

[lesley33]

I know about the agenda for change but had no idea that one woman was instrumental in this. Do you have a name for her or a link?

And the council unfair pay court cases - what are those?

[AyeRobot]

Speech Therapists I thought it was one woman who fought with others joining the case, but google is not being forthcoming.

Councils:

Bury
Edinburgh
Sheffield
Birmingham
Cumbria
Swindon
Coventry
Glasgow
Doncaster
Barnsley
Newcastle

I can't remember which was the test case and it didn't get thrown up on the bbc search. I'm sure someone else will know.

[lesley33]

Thank you for all those links - really appreciate it

[RamblingRosa]

The speech therapist was Pam Enderby. There was also a famous equal pay case led by a canteen cook called Julie Hayward. Amazing, pioneering women whose achievements, as you point out OP, aren't celebrated as they should be.

[AyeRobot]

Brilliant, Rosa. Thank you.

[lesley33]

Thank you will read bwhat I can find on these.

[Beachcomber]

Thanks for this thread lesley. It is sad how much history isn't considered important because it was made by women, people of colour, etc.