Workers’ rights

Women in Hackney have been active in movements seeking fair treatment for workers from employers. Many took part in one of the most famous strikes by women workers in 1888 at the Bryant and May Factory. Their success was reported all over the country, inspiring others to see that they could make also make a difference.

One of the main ways that people can challenge unfair treatment or exploitation in their workplace is through a trade union. A trade union is an organised group of workers in a workplace or a type of job which is formed to protect and further their rights and interests.

Workplace trade union representatives can negotiate with management about pay, benefits, and work hours. Everyone in the UK has the legal right to join a trade union if they wish.

In the past women often used union tactics – such as going on strike – without being members of an official union, which tended to be dominated by men. Efforts to increase women’s involvement include members of the Hackney Trades Council creating a Women’s Sub-Committee in 1974. This highlighted some of the issues faced by women trying to organise within union movements, such as lack of childcare facilities meant meetings had to be held at members’ own houses.

Since then, women have held senior roles in local Hackney branches of unions.

BUS Girls’ Strike, 1918

“We women are going to stand strong to the last and will not go back till they tell us we’ve got the 5s”

During the First World War women did many jobs that had previously only been done by men, including working on buses as drivers and conductors. However, women were typically paid half a man’s wages.

In Summer 1918, a five shilling a week bonus was given to men, but not to women.

Women working at the bus depot and garage in Hackney were some of the first to go on strike, stopping work until they were given the same bonus.

Within a week an estimated 18,000 women bus, train, and tram workers around the country had joined the strike. Within a month the government agreed to give women the five shilling bonus.

This pamphlet celebrates the successful strike, and suggests that it will help end the idea that men should be paid more for the same work.

Hackney Homeworking Campaign, 1977-1979

Homeworkers were usually women and recent immigrants speaking little English.

Forced to stay at home to care for relatives or small children, they would sew garments or other work for pay described as ‘slave labour rates’. With no enforceable Health and Safety laws, it was often dangerous. Many were afraid to speak out as they feared they were somehow breaking the law.

This campaign brought homeworkers together to demand better working conditions.

They shared information by producing leaflets in different languages and conducted surveys about the pay and working conditions. In 1978 they identified around 200 manufacturers in Hackney that employed homeworkers, despite only 31 being registered with the council.

As a result in November 1979, Hackney Council became the first in the country to appoint a Homeworking Officer to get firms to register and to investigate alternatives to homeworking.

Rego and Polikoff Strike Songs, 1928-1929

“We mind our manners

Behind our union banners

We want justice

Wherever we go.”

Rego Clothiers Ltd. was a clothes factory based on Bethnal Green Road, Shoreditch. In 1928, the management decided to move the factory to Edmonton without giving the young women workers a say in the decision. The women’s pay was reduced, despite the fact that their travel costs had increased because of the move.

Around 600 women went on strike for fairer pay. To raise money and keep their morale high, they marched around singing popular songs with the words changed to make fun of the factory owners. After 12 weeks the management agreed to a settlement and all the women went back to work.

The following year women at Polikoff Ltd on Mare Street, Hackney also went on strike.

They were unsuccessful, but won public support with the same humorous songs. The strike songs were so popular that a songbook was published to raise money for their union.