Usdaw celebrates the role of women in history and in the future of trade unions

Joanne Thomas – Usdaw general secretary says: “The Chainmakers’ Festival is an important annual event that celebrates the history of the important contributions that women have made to the trade union movement, politics and wider society. At the centre of the festival is a re-enactment of a famously rousing speech by Mary MacArthur to striking women workers in the chainmaking industry. Usdaw is very proud that Mary was a member of one of our predecessor unions and a pioneer in organising women workers.

“The women chainmakers suffered inhumane conditions and had no say or control over their working lives. The women had few rights; their living and social conditions, lack of education and limited experience outside of their immediate community made them vulnerable to exploitation. Today, in Britain, sweated labour still exists. People work in precarious circumstances, in unsafe working conditions, for low wages. So, as we celebrate the brave battles of the past, we continue to organise and campaign for improved workers’ rights today and in the future.”