recommendations the ing that breaks trom stereoTerry Conway While the Equal Pay Act was actually introduced in 1970, in a real sense this year is its anniversary, in that employers were given 6 years to implement its provisions!
While the implementation of the Act did lead to the abolition of some of the most blatant forms of discrimination against women such as the existence of specific grades for women -which existed mainly in manufacturing, as we point out elsewhere, progress has been very limited.
In May 1976, car component manufacturers Trico Folberth got a real shock when 300 women workers walked off the job in their West London factory after bosses refused to implement equal pay.
Two hundred male workers were eventually picketed out, after four weeks of spirited action by the women.
The strikers went on to boycott an Equal Pay tribunal which as they predicted found In Tavour of lie busses
Eventually after 21 weeks of strike action and growing support across the labour movement, management were forced to cave in.
The strike showed the inadequacies of the law and led to the TUC agreeing a motion from shop workers union USDAW calling for the act to be strengthened - a motion it never fought to implement.
The strike was also a very powerful indication that when groups of workers who have not traditionally been heavily involved in trade union structures begin to move, they are often difficult for either the employers or trade union leaders to stop.
The dispute at Trico overlapped with another key dispute which also started thirty years ago, we historic strike dl Grunwicks where mainly Asian women workers fought a tenacious battle for trade union rights.
Future issues of Socialist Resistance will explore the lessons for workers today of that key moment in our history. • Brent Trades Council is organising a major event in celebration of the anniversary of the Grunwick dispute on September 17. For further info or to get involved in the planning contact [email protected]