The Battle for Equal Pay part 5: Dagenham Ford Machinists (1968 and beyond)

09/18/20 • 16 min

Rebel Women is a podcast about history's troublemakers.

This episode is the final instalment of our five-part series about the battle for equal pay; a journey that spans nearly 100 years, from the late 1880s to the 1970 Equal Pay Act.

The 1960s was a decade unlike any other. Young people across the world were rising up - with opposition to the Vietnam War, the 1968–69 civil unrest in France, the US civil rights movement and Women's Liberation.

But while Soho and Mayfair may have been swinging with style and revolution, out in the East London suburbs it was quite a different picture. In working class corners of the capital, post-war traditionalism ran alongside social and cultural change. While middle class women may have enjoyed new opportunities and freedoms, in places like Dagenham the options remained slim and wages low.

The fight for equal pay may have been forgotten altogether if it hadn't been for a group of working class women at the Ford factory in Dagenham. Change was coming, but would it be enough?

For show notes, reading lists and further stories about East London women, visit our website eastlondonwomen.org.uk. Or find us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram or Pinterest.

Rebel Women is part of the Women Activists of East London project, which has been developed by Share UK, a non-profit community group based in London.

Special thanks to the Barry Amiel and Norman Melburn Trust for their support of today's episode.

Main theme by DanoSongs. Incidental music by Purple Planet Music.

Produced and edited by Steve Woodward at PodcastingEditor.com.

Further reading and links

Dagenham sewing machinists recall strike that changed women's lives (Simon Goodley, The Guardian, 6 June 2013)

Protests in Paris, May 1968 – photographs then and now (Alicia Canter and Guy Lane, The Guardian, 2 May 2018)

My part in the anti-war demo that changed protest for ever (Donald Macintyre, The Guardian, 11 March 2018)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rebel Women is a podcast about history's troublemakers.

This episode is the final instalment of our five-part series about the battle for equal pay; a journey that spans nearly 100 years, from the late 1880s to the 1970 Equal Pay Act.

The fight for equal pay may have been forgotten altogether if it hadn't been for a group of working class women at the Ford factory in Dagenham. Change was coming, but would it be enough?

For show notes, reading lists and further stories about East London women, visit our website eastlondonwomen.org.uk. Or find us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram or Pinterest.

Rebel Women is part of the Women Activists of East London project, which has been developed by Share UK, a non-profit community group based in London.

Special thanks to the Barry Amiel and Norman Melburn Trust for their support of today's episode.

Main theme by DanoSongs. Incidental music by Purple Planet Music.

Produced and edited by Steve Woodward at PodcastingEditor.com.

Further reading and links

Dagenham sewing machinists recall strike that changed women's lives (Simon Goodley, The Guardian, 6 June 2013)

Protests in Paris, May 1968 – photographs then and now (Alicia Canter and Guy Lane, The Guardian, 2 May 2018)

My part in the anti-war demo that changed protest for ever (Donald Macintyre, The Guardian, 11 March 2018)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Previous Episode

The Battle for Equal Pay part 4: Women war workers are back (1939-1945)

Rebel Women is a podcast about history's troublemakers.

This episode is the fourth in our five-part series about the battle for equal pay; a journey that spans nearly 100 years, from the late 1880s to the 1970 Equal Pay Act.

As the Second World War began, women rose up once again to do their bit. They went to factories producing munitions. They built ships and aeroplanes. In the auxiliary services they became air-raid wardens, fire officers and drove ambulances, trains and trams. They worked on the railways, canals and on buses. They even built Waterloo Bridge.

As with World War One, the same anxieties rose up about women in the workplace. And the same issues surrounding wage inequality refused to go away. But this time, women were not messing around.

For the first time they started to win claims for equal pay. However, the gains were not all everyone hoped for.

For show notes, reading lists and further stories about East London women, visit our website eastlondonwomen.org.uk. Or find us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram or Pinterest.

Rebel Women is part of the Women Activists of East London project, which has been developed by Share UK, a non-profit community group based in London.

Special thanks to the Barry Amiel and Norman Melburn Trust for their support of today's episode.

Main theme by DanoSongs. Incidental music by Purple Planet Music.

Produced and edited by Steve Woodward at PodcastingEditor.com.

Further reading and links

Millions like Us – Women's Lives During the Second World War by Virginia Nicholson

Women and work - World War II: 1939-1945 (StrikingWomen.org)

Air Transport Auxiliary website (Museum & Archive at Maidenhead Heritage Centre)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Rebel Women for Kids: The Suffragettes

This is Rebel Women for kids, a new podcast for ... well kids. It's full of amazing stories of daring and adventure, and the best thing is that all these stories are completely true. And even though this is a podcast for you kids, we think your grown ups might quite enjoy it too.

This podcast is designed to be used alongside our activity pack for 5-11 year olds, allowing them to explore history through play, imagination and creation. Sign up to receive a pack in the post at www.eastlondonwomen/learning/primary. By signing up for our postal packs you will receive free resources to help you in your tasks, but if you just can't wait you can download the activity sheet at www.eastlondonwomen/learning/primary.

Rebel Women for kids has been produced by Share UK, as part of our Women Activists of East London project. When not making podcasts for kids, we make shows for adults. Subscribe to make sure you don't miss an episode. Thanks to the William Morris Big Local for funding today's episode.

For further stories about East London women, visit our website eastlondonwomen.org.uk. Or find us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram or Pinterest.

Theme music by Purple Planet Music.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.