Some men were still concerned about the employment of women because they were worried that women will take away their jobs. Women work for less wage but produce better quality work and so men were worried that there would be a dilution of labour and wage. Therefore when women started working, they were really harsh and deliberately obstructive. The foreman gave women wrong/incomplete instruction or alter them in such way which made women had to work over time. They didn’t speak or offer help to women, because of that, women’s social life was deeply affected. Men even nailed up women’s drawers and pour oil over everything to make women look stupid and inefficient. From the Government report issued in the early months of the war says, “In every industrial district there was some continuous oppositions from men to the introduction of women.” This also shows the opposition of women workers was not individual case and it was a very common case.
However, not all men were opposed to women working in industry as long as they were paid the same as men. This is because people such as David Lloyd George, the Ministry of Munitions at the time, wanted the munitions crisis to be over as soon as possible, therefore he encourage women to work in industry. Also, people like shop stewards were okay with women workers in industry because they know their jobs were secured.
As I said before, the Trade Unions forced the Government to sign an agreement to ensure that women can take their job but only if they were paid at the same rate as men. Also, when men are back, they must return the jobs to men. This is because women worked for less money but the outcome was better. After all those year of campaigning for better pay, Trade Unions and show stewards didn’t want women to ruin their objective.
Overall, I think some men opposed to women workers in industry because they didn’t want to lose their jobs and their dignity.
Eunice Leung
History Mrs C.A.Theakston
10 AJC
