LAST WEDNESDAY the Dagenham machinists strike over regrading was made official by the Transport and General Workers' Union.
afraid that if it gives into the women's demands for regrading this will unleash a wave of demands from skilled workers in Fords for increased pay.
The demand the Ford women are raising to be upgraded in the work they do can be traced back to the battle they had for qual pay in 1968 While the principle o equal pay was concede al hat time, and the Labour government went on to lltroduce the Equal Pay Act in 1970, the company adjusted the machinists evaluation marks ut From grade Bro Cem from grade to 'C' What the Ford women are now up against is the deviousness of employers who all over the country in ine last 14 years nave reorganised their workforce, change job categories or have into categories, to avoid the equal pay legislation being effectively applied.
When Lil Thompson one of the shop stewards at Inland 6 months t8:
12 months e15 Overseas (12 months only)
Europe (17: Air Mail C?+ (Double these rates for multi-reader institutions Name Address Please send me as special offer But the company is still refusing to negotiate. It's Dagenham, says "The reason we are in this grade is simple, it's because we are women' she scene right. The dispute is about lorcilg Convally recognise that skills are of equal value to men's. 1g battle it is an regrading battle it anti-discrimination battle.
Bernie Passingham, T&G convenol Dagenham, also points out unfair grading is. "It sticks out ike a sore thumb' he says.
If you analyse the way in downgraded you can see emolovers undervalue WULN The marks the women receive are separated into TOUT categories. aggregate of these marks at lic moment is lour polis below grade C.
But the women claim SUBSCRIBE I enclose cheque/PO payable to Socialist Action for f .... Sendio: Socialist Action Subs, 328 Upper St. London N/ 2XP. Transport and General Transport and Ge Workers' Union