A women workers' demonstration was held in Hull last night. Mr A.A. Purcell, MP, president of the Trades Union Congress, who presided, said there was greater need today for the organisation of women in trade unions than ever before. Their wages were extremely low and their hours long. In his opinion the conditions under which they were employed were a serious danger to society. Low wages among women were greater temptation to immorality than among men.
Miss Margaret Bondfield, Parliamentary secretary to the Ministry of Labour, moved a resolution expressing grave concern at the present industrial situation, especially as it affects women wage-earners, and calling upon all women workers to join their appropriate trade union for their own protection and for the furthering of measures required for the adequate treatment of unemployment and a raising of the standard of living of the workers generally.
Miss Bondfield said there was no reason why women should not do any process in industry for which she was fitted. The only thing they asked was that women should not sell their labour more cheaply than the recognised rate for the job. They had every right to say that the trade union organisation should take any steps it could to shut out that unfair kind of competition. They should not shut out women's labour simply because it was women's labour, but it was perfectly right to say that women coming into a trade must be asked to take their share of the responsibility for maintaining the standard of living in that trade. They should not be allowed to degrade the standard which others had spent their lives building up. It was in those trades in which women were mainly employed that they had the greatest difficulties to contend with in relation to the degradation of the standard of life.
Other speakers followed, and the resolution was adopted.
