Complicit in Their Own Repression

Hastings, May 1946

The Hastings and St Leonards Observer reported on the recent assembly of the Railway Clerks Association.  Almost 600 delegates attended from around the country - and with accompanying partners this resulted in an "invasion" of an estimated 1000 people. It was a welcome invasion, as it was reckoned that between them they spent over £5,000 over the course of the week.

Topics under discussion were what you might expect at a trade union meeting at that time in history - the rebuilding of Europe, Stalin, Communism, overtime and pay. And then the topic of women workers...who as we all know had just spent the war years helping to keep the trains and buses running. Here's where we were at in May 1946:

Women figured prominently in the debate on a Bristol motion urging that women railway clerks should be permitted to continue their railway service after marriage. There was an amendment by Glasgow Central to introduce the words "only in exceptional circumstances" after marriage.

Women delegates who declared that "they might be old fashioned, but women' place was still in the home" swayed the conference and the amendment was carried.

I don't know where to begin! Firstly, women delegates stating that they shouldn't be there as working railway clerks, but at home. Turkeys voting for Christmas springs to mind. Secondly,  after two world wars were we really no further on than that times of the Suffragettes, when some women were actively against having the vote and gaining a voice? They were complicit in their own repression. And finally, did the idea of choice not occur to the Glasgow delegates? Why shouldn't some women choose to work after marriage - don't young couples need a good income to get set up? Who were they to decide someone else's circumstances? Or were they worried that their jobs would be "stolen" by women, who were on a lower wage and therefore better value to employers? How about campaigning for equal pay then? We were still a long way from that, unfortunately. 

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