«Breaking Pic News» Modern women get a taste of 1960s factory life

Modern women have been sent back in time for a taste of working on factory production lines as part of a new TV series.

Back in Time to the Factory, presented by The One Show's Alex Jones, is a living history series that follows 20 women aged between 17 and 62 to see how they cope with the challenges of living and working in the textile factories of the Sixties, Seventies and Eighties. 

On the show, which airs on Thursday night, they soon discover that as women in the they are seen as second class citizens to men in the factory, paid a fraction of their salary for triple the workload, and even banned from the pub. 

One woman is even let go from her role because she is pregnant - a routine occurrence for female workers in the Sixties.

Pregnant Cas Sheehan was told she no longer had a job thanks to working regulations in the sixties that saw many expectant women let go from their positions, because raising children was seen as a priority

The women in the sixties are tasked with creating silk slips, working as a team each person would stitch a part of the garment until one complete slip is created 

The factories had all-female workers including the receptionist, pictured Tamara Brabon, 19, who had to manage office duties as well all paperwork for the women

Women were expected to put motherhood before all else in the Sixties and not expected to return to work until their children were of at least school age.

For pregnant participant Cas Sheehan, 37, a language teacher and experienced sewer, as soon as she hit the six month mark she was told in a letter her services were no longer required.

'That's a bit of a shocker isn't it! I have to go home,' Cas exclaimed in the middle of her working day after getting her notice.

Her fellow factory girls all gasped and agreed it was 'disgusting' as she revealed she'd been sacked.

'I'm one of the more experienced people out there. This was actually happening to people, so they would have lost all these skills,' she remarked.

'I have to remember that this isn't actually my life. I'm absolutely fuming.

'I think what I'm cross about is that it takes any decision-making away from the woman,' she said.

'I'm not saying you shouldn't stop working when you're six months pregnant if that's your choice. [But] if you want to work up to your due date and you're fit and healthy that is your choice, and that's what I am struggling with at the minute.'

In 2018 pregnant women are entitled to 39 weeks maternity pay and their roles are kept open for a year, but in 1968 they were routinely sacked - no matter how much of an asset they were to a business - with no maternity pay and no job to come back to.

Linda (right) is furious that even as a skilled worker she is earning less than the junior apprentice Alex. She gets a weekly wage of £8 compared to Alex's £14

Even apprentice Alex is shocked at the difference in pay saying he doesn't think it's right that women should be paid less just because of their gender

Back in Time to the Factory, resented by The One Show's Alex Jones, is a living history series that follows 20 women aged 17-62 to see how they’ll cope with the challenges of living and working in the textile factories of the 60s, 70s and 80s

The women are also up in arms when they get their pay packet for the week only to learn that the young male apprentice is paid a staggering amount more than them. 

Each worker is placed in a band according to their skills and with Linda one of the more experienced she is paid a weekly wage of £8, whereas the lesser skilled Lydia gets £4.

But for Alex, a junior apprentice in the factory he gets £14. 

Linda exclaimed: 'It’s because he’s a man and he’s on more money, it’s not your fault we’re having a go at the system.’

'That isn't right. I'm quite shocked myself,' admitted Alex.

That's not the only moment where men are treated more favourably, as the single women who don't have husbands to look after, find out when they try and enjoy a drink after work.

Presented by The One Show's Alex Jones it demonstrates how women were seen as second class citizens to men, paid a fraction of their salary for triple the work and banned from the pub

 The women experience what it was like before any laws were passed that gave them equal rights to men

The local pub doesn't allow women in their bar, instead reserving a smaller separate salon for them to drink away from the men. 

In the 1960s the pub was a male domain and there was no women allowed except to serve and refusing to serve women in the pub wouldn't be illegal until 1982.

Lydia Stephens, 21, a retail assistant and the first member of her family to go to university, finds it rude that women weren't offered equality.

'I would definitely call myself a proud feminist and I think in the 21st century as women we educate ourselves to see what got us to this point here.' 

Lydia added: 'Not being allowed into a pub is something I would challenge and I would not be okay with it at all.'

The women in the sixties are tasked with creating silk slips, working as a team each person would stitch a part of the garment until one is created.

They were expected to sew ten per hour but eventually only managed eight, meaning they failed to reach their targets.

Back in Time for the Factory airs on Thursday 6 September on BBC Two at 8pm 

Link article

https://hienalouca.com/2018/09/05/modern-women-get-a-taste-of-1960s-factory-life/
Main photo article Modern women have been sent back in time for a taste of working on factory production lines as part of a new TV series.
Back in Time to the Factory, presented by The One Show’s Alex Jones, is a living history series that follows 20 women aged between 17 and 62 to see how they cope with the...

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