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The Battle for Equal Pay in East London. Watch a talk given by Esther Freeman
1Jan 2019 31 Dec 2020
Watch a talk given by Esther Freeman telling the stories of the women who fought for our rights, and the pay gaps that still exist today.
This year we mark 50 years since the Equal Pay Act, which passed through Parliament following campaigning by the Ford Dagenham Machinists. While the story of these women is well told through films like Made in Dagenham, the wider journey to this important act is less well known.
The fight began 80 years earlier when the first equal pay motion was submitted to the TUC (Trade Union Congress) annual conference in 1888. Since then many women continued fighting, especially during both World Wars when women found them doing men's jobs – including in construction – yet being paid up to 50% less.
Esther Freeman is a social historian who specialises in the history of radical women. Esther works for Share UK, a non profit community group who share stories, skills and ideas, with a particular focus on heritage and arts. Esther has worked with Share for eight years, and has focused specifically on women's history for the last five. For further information visit http://share-uk.org/
Tags: East London, Equality
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