On This Day, 18 January 1918

Birmingham Daily Gazette

Friday 18 January 1918

THE AUSTIN WORKS STRIKE.

Women and Girls Join the Men.

TO-DAY’S CONFERENCE

The strike at the works of the Austin Motor Company, Ltd., extended and became more serious yesterday. A section of the women in the south area, where the protest originated, stopped work early in the morning and their example was followed after a dinner-hour meeting by other women and girls.

The acting chairman of the Works Committee stated in an interview at two o’clock that the day men in the west works had balloted in favour of the strike policy and that a ballot was proceeding among the men in the north works.

Several members of the Works Committee declared on the authority of reports which reached them during their morning vigil outside the works that increased remuneration had been offered to men and women who remained at work. Instead of being influenced by this offer the women and girls in the south area voted solidly for a strike, and appointed the two unofficial members of the National Federation of Women Workers who addressed them to Act as their representatives at meetings of the Works Committee.