Dagenham’s sewing machinists did not go on strike primarily for equal pay
Sarah Boston on the women who fought for and ultimately won recognition of the skill and value of their work
In her long read article (‘Pretty birds and silly moos’: the women behind the Sex Discrimination Act, 18 December), Susanna Rustin details some of the women who campaigned to make illegal the many forms of legal discrimination against women in services and in the workplace. One of the key groups of women she cites in this campaign were the “187 sewing machinists at Ford’s Dagenham Plant” who “forced the issue” with their 1968 strike for equal pay.
The sewing machinists did not go on strike primarily for equal pay. They were outraged that the 1967 new grade structure introduced by the Ford Motor Company had evaluated the their work as grade B. The sewing machinists believed their work was at least semi-skilled and should have been graded C.
Barbara Castle was brought in to negotiate with the sewing machinists, who had brought the Ford production line to a halt. Following her intervention, the machinists agreed to return to work, having been offered an increase in pay which, over two years, would raise their pay from 85% of the male grade B rate to 100%.
It took until 1984 and another strike by the sewing machinists, who once again brought the Ford Motor Company production lines to a halt, for their grievance to be addressed. They made a claim under the Equal Value (Amendment) Regulations of 1983. A panel under the auspices of the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service iunanimously evaluated the machinists’ job as grade C. Finally, they won recognition of the skill and value of their work.
Sarah Boston
London