How far did working conditions and opportunities improve, 1939-1979? Flashcards
p1
p2
p3
Improvements
Improvments for women
Limitations
P1:
E1: WW2
-Considerable changes to employment in Britain
- construction and manufacturing experienced a short-term boom= demands of war production and rearmament
- 1944= 33% involved in war work (including 7 million women )
- Full employment
- Minister of Labour- Bevin issued Essential work order 1941= Gov power to organise labour force
= improved wages and conditions to increase productivity= tied people to jobs essential for war effort =hard for employers to dismiss them + canteens an medical centres
E2: Post ww2
-rapid expansion of new industries = new opportunities for blue collar workers:
-Car industry (major employer
=1950’s 1960’s = employed over 500,000
- average wages rose 88% (1950-70)
- low inflation= buying power rose
- increased oppurtunites = growing affluenece and consumer boom = never had it so good
increased opportunities for white collar workers in the service and professional sector:
-the expansion of government intervention + creation of the welfare state =lots more public
sector jobs
-the NHS = biggest single employer in Europe by the 1970s
What were the changes to employment like in Britain?
considerable
Which industries experienced a short term boom and why?
construction and manufacturing
demands of war production and rearmament
In 1944 what % were involved in war effort?
33%
including 7 million women
Experienced full what
employment
who was the minister for labour]? and what did he issue?
Bevin
Essential work ord3er 1941
What did the essential work order do? and what was the result
Gov power to organise labour force
improved wages and conditions to increase productivity=
Which act tied people to jobs essential for the war effort?
Essential work order 1941
Post ww2 there was rapid expansion in what?
New industries
oppurtunites for blue collor workers
which industry was a major employer?
how many employees
car
over 500,000 1950’s and 60’s
how much did avergage wages rise by in 1950-70?
88%
Low inflation led to
increase buying power
Increased oppurtunites led to
= growing affluenece and consumer boom
Who stated that the British public never had it so good?
Macmillan
Increased oppurtunites for white collor workers in what sectors
Service and professional
What led to the creatoion of more public sector jobs?
the expansion of government intervention + creation of the welfare state
who was the biggest single employer in Europe by the 1970s?
NHS
P2
E1: ww2== increased working opportunities
-8 million women in “male-dominated” industries
BENEFITS=
Women better paid as a result of employment
Many reached levels of importance and seniority that were not available in civilian life
-Bevin -efforts to make the workplace more accessible for mothers: creches and medical cares introduced
Married women
-more likely to work due to the removal of the ‘marriage bar’
- In industries: Civil service 1946
- Bnaking 1949
- Late 70’s , approximately 50% of all married women retaining their jobs
women were given more opportunities to pursue , career :marriage and children were no longer a significant barrier
E2:Government action in the 1970s ensured that women were protected against discrimination in the workplace:
- Equal Pay Act (1970) was made compulsory in 1975: improved pay = steps towards equality
prohibited less favorable pay or conditions for women
a significant milestone on the road to economic equality
-the war had a broader impact and contributed to slowly changing attitudes
-post-war it became more acceptable for women to work (particularly in the services industry)
Sex Discrimination Act (1975) provided legal protection against discrimination in employment and education
- tribunals deal with sexual harassment
- Labour gov - Equal oppurntinies commission
Employment Protection Act (1975) made it illegal to sack pregnant women, provided the right to maternity pay
and guaranteed their job would be protected: removed some of the difficulties of becoming a mother
ww2 increased oppurtuniteis for what
work
how many women in “male dominated” industries?
8 million
Bevin mae efforts to make what more accessible for who and how
Workplace
mothers
creches and medical cares introduced
Benefits for women of increased employment in war
BENEFITS=
Women better paid as a result of employment
Many reached levels of importance and seniority that were not available in civilian life
In 1944 how many women worked on farms away from home
80,000
what became more acceptable post war for women
women to work (particulary in service industry)
Why were maried women more likey to work?
removal of the ‘marriage bar’
:marriage and children were no longer a significant barrier
Removal of marriage bar in what industries
Civil service 1946
-Bnaking 1949
In late 70’s what % of married women retained their jobs
50%
What ensured that women were protected against discrimination at work?
Government action in the 1970s
what did the equal pay act 1975 do?
improved pay
prohibited less favorable pay or conditions for women=
a significant milestone
what did the sex discrimination act 1975 provide?
legal protection against discrimination in employment and education
what was set up in the sex discrimination act to deal with sexual harasment?
tribunals
Which act made it illegal to sack a pregnant woman
?
what did it provide
Employment Protection Act (1975
maternity pay
what did the employment prtection act guarentee and what did it remove the stress of?
job protection
becmoing mother
P3
+ educational opportunities
E1: HEAVY INDUSTRY DECLINED in 60’s’70’a
- Lack of LT investment
- Growing comp from overseas competitors
mining, construction, and agriculture all struggled to compete and there were heavy job losses in industrial regions
car industry, also struggled against international competition: a down-turn in car manufacturing in the 1970s had a knock-on effect in other industries such as tyres, plastics, steel, and glass
1970’s= cannot maintain full commitment to full employment
1972= 1 million umeployed
new reality of joblessness vs ideas on job security
North,south wales,midlans, scotland= decline in heavy
e.g Midlands- car manufacuting main indusry = knock on effects
E2:Women-
Limited working opportunity
“Womens work”
: most left school at 15 and few attended universitas
late as 1965, women were mainly employed in low-skilled work (60%) –
only 15% of lawyers and doctors were women
1979 women were paid 60% of a man’s wage due to glass ceiling that kept them in part time or low skilled jobs
Social attitudes= barriers
- ⅓ of women married when they were a teenager in the 1960s
- employers were still reluctant to employ or promote mothers
2 main reasons for decline of heavy industry
Lack of LT investment
growing competition from overseas competitors
where were there heavy job losses?
Industrial regions
3 industrie that struggles to compete
Mining
construction
agriculture
which indutry stuggled against international comp?
car
effect of struggling car industry
a down-turn in car manufacturing in the 1970s had a knock-on effect in other industries such as tyres, plastics, steel, and glass
employment in 1970’s
Cannot maintain full employment
1972 how many unemployed
1 million
new reality between what
ideas of job security and joblessness
5 areas with decline in heay indsutry
North,south wales,midlans, scotland
Midlands main industry
car manufacturing
women were still limited in what
Working oppurtunites
educational oppurtunites
how many women went to uni and at what age did most leave school by
few
15
what % of women in low skilled work
60
what % of women lawyers and doctors
15%
in 1979 women were paid what % of a mans wage
60%
why were women kept in part time of low skilled jobs
glass ceiling
social attitudes were still a what
barrier
what fraction of women were married as a teen in 1960’s
1/3
what were employers still reluctant to do?
hire women
