- Conference
- 2011 National Women's Conference
- Date
- 21 October 2010
- Decision
- Carried
The Women Chainmakers’ Festival is held in September at the Black Country Museum in Dudley West Midlands. This festival is held to celebrate the victory of the women chainmakers who in 1910 challenged their employers to pay them fairly.
Led by Mary Macarthur four hundred women of which three hundred were union members staged a ten week strike in opposition to the Trade Chain Board not implementing their agreed minimum wage.
The work that they did was carried out in dark, dirty and hot buildings, often with their children at their side, it was common that women would return to work with their babies only days old. The action they took has contributed to where we are today, the story of their lives and their commitment to fight for equality is a true inspiration to all women. The Festival keeps their memory alive.
In 2009 the event held its traditional march of trade union banners and speakers from the White Ribbon Campaign and the Chair of the Midlands TUC Women’s Committee. Also there celebrating the achievements of these women were Diana Holland Unite and Christine Blower NUT.
In 2010 the Festival celebrated its centenary of the strike. At this event guest speakers included Tony Benn and our vice president Eleanor Smith. Their speeches provided a platform to raise with the wider public the impact that the cuts will have on our members and on those who use our services.
The centenary event celebrated those women strikers who were at the time referred to as the white slaves of England.
This conference calls upon the National Women’s Committee to support this annual event, by promoting it throughout the regions and through the greater trade union movement and to celebrate the victory gained by these women.