Tony Benn joined over 1,000 trade unionists and activists at the chainmakers’ festival at the Black Country living history museum in Dudley last Saturday.
The event is held to celebrate a ten week strike by women working in Cradley Heath in 1910 to establish a minimum wage of two and a half pence per yard of chain as opposed to the two pence they were receiving at the time.
Sarah Veale, a representative from the TUC, said, “Equal pay is still today’s struggle.”
Banners from the CWU, GMB, NUT and Unison unions were present.
Singer Billy Bragg performed at the end of a day that marked an important piece of history for trade unionists and activists of the left.
Strikers are demanding an unallocated €1.6 billion go towards workers' pay rise
London march on 27 October
Another day of mass resistance
Plus: 500 on Leeds unity march
