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G0TEZ > HISTRY 04.12.04 13:53l 72 Lines 2821 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 229_G0TEZ
Read: GUEST
Subj: Re: Working conditions 1900s
Path: DB0FHN<DB0MRW<DB0ERF<DB0HGW<ON0DXC<ON0RET<DB0RES<ON0AR<GB7FCR<GB7BOB<
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Sent: 041204/0627Z @:GB7HVU.#16.GBR.EU #:60944 [Great Harwood] FBB7.00i $:229_G
From: G0TEZ@GB7HVU.#16.GBR.EU
To : HISTRY@WW
G0TEZ/TPK 1.83 Msg #:229 Date:04-12-2004 Time:2:39 GMT
G0TEZ/TPK 1.83 Msg #:225 Date:03-12-2004 Time:22:17 GMT
>http://www.catalogue.nationalarchives.gov.uk/mayday.asp
>
>The heading is "Labouring Men, Labouring Women"
>
>From the (free) website:
>
>Quote:
>
>Subjects covered (dating between 1892 and 1933) include: Working hours,
>industrial disputes, train strikes, equal rights for women workers,
>employment during and after World War I, juvenile labour and safety
>at work.
>
---------------------------------------------------------------Snip.
It's a shame it doesn't include the fight that went on in the UK between
1959 - 1999.
The working hours were reduced from 48/week to 42/week, very nicwe to have
Saturdays off. 1959.
Eqyal pay and conditions for women were faought for as late as the mif
1970s. I know. I was a union man who got some groups of women an increase.
After the years when margaret Thatcher was our Prime Minister. A lot of
things the trade unionists had fought for were scrapped.
Many of them were brought back by the EU, each time after a fight with the
government of the day.
Example: The 48 Hr minumum week under EU Health and Safety regulations.
The minimum wage. Finaly forcrd upon the UK gov in 1998, long after other
countries had had it.
It was needed as I remember workers at McDonald's being on 70 hours a week
for 70p (Ca $1) per hour. In 1989, I worked 60 hour weeks for 90p per hour
though, in practice, I was forced to work another 30 hours unpaid.
The big one, no Brit seems to believe in, is the 4 week annual holiday.
While this has ben common in most European countries, not just the EU, for
decades, e.g., Yugoslavia., we never got it.
I was trying to get it adopted from when we joined the EEC in 1975.
We had it on paper but not in practice.Even now, in the 21st century, most
ordinary workers only get two weeks summer holiday.
We did get a few days extra holiday 'given' to us when we joined the EU,
like Mayday,New years Day, though, not everyone gets these.
We don't even celebrate our national Day. Most people don't even know when
it is. Try telling an American to forget the 4thJusly or a Frenchman he
must give up Bastille day and see what happens.
I have seen laws undone and wages held back by a succession of governments.
In the end, after about 1997, I decided never to vote for a national
government again.
I get sneered at for being a Federalist by the anti - EU lobby but they
don't seem to want to get a four week annual holiday.
I don't know who they thought forced the national minumum wage and the HRA
on an unwilling government.
I wonder if any of that is on a website? Maybe in 50 years time.
"You've never had it so good!"
All the best. Ian.
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