This is tricky. How can I warm your cockles with a true story of feminism in action that deserves to be told, without jeopardizing the heroine under military law? By removing names, ranks and all of the specifics, I suppose. Actually, let’s just say this is fiction:
Someone very dear to me served an 18-60 in the RAF. One of the first non-commissioned female officers to achieve a technical, logistical rank involving responsibility for the lives of crew on fighter jet aircraft, she had a smart eye for detail. Noticing a significant gender pay-gap at this career level (which hadn’t been the case at lower ranks), she set about re-dressing the balance. And what a slog it was…
A letter was sent to the relevant authorities. No reply. Another letter. No reply. This woman, the same one who, in the early 70’s refused to leave a branch of Lloyds Bank without getting what she came in for when told by the manager, ‘We don’t give mortgages to single women, that’s our policy, your earnings are immaterial’, decided not to give up.
The pay issue was presented for discussion at a union-type meeting. Unsurprisingly at this point, there was deemed not to be time to add it to the agenda. Our Airwoman began targeting individuals with the clout to make changes, but her correspondence was undelivered or mislaid. One letter received a reply along the lines of, ‘After reading your extensive list of points, I will concede that there can be no sound reason for males and females of exactly the same rank and responsibility to receive unequal remuneration for their efforts, but now is not the time to bring it up.’
Upon approaching a senior officer at a social, the woman finally had a break-through. It went something like this-
Heroine: “Sir, please could I have a moment of your time to discuss an important issue.”
Senior: “Certainly. What is your name and rank?”
[Heroine reveals her identity]
Senior: (face drops) Oh, I’ve been told not to talk to you.
Heroine: I’ve written a letter about the unfair gender pay-gap…
Senior: Yes, I know what it regards. Please post it to my secretary and I will reply in due course.
Heroine: (forcefully) “I’m sorry Sir, I’ve been made a number of false promises with regards to this matter by officers of the same rank as you. It really can’t wait any longer. I’d like you to read it right now, if you would be so kind?”
Through this woman’s persistence, equal pay became effective in a few short weeks.
In 2015, in many workplaces throughout the UK, unequal pay is still a burning issue. If you find out that this is happening in your company, write a letter, post about it online, gather support and don’t let it drop.
By Rachel James