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Last Updated: January 29, 2012
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UNION OF AUSTRALIAN WOMEN

On this page: Thelma Prior; Marian Vickers

Thelma Prior

An abridged version of a talk by Union of Australian Women member for 50 years, Thelma Prior, at the launch of Bread & Roses, A personal history of three militant women and their friends 1902-1988, Audrey Johnson, LEFT BOOK CLUB 1990

After reading Bread and Roses I feel great admiration for the incredible strength and determination of all these ordinary women who go out into the streets and join together to march and demonstrate outside government departments and markets, demanding women's rights.

I am very much akin to two of the women in this book as, like them, I also worked in a textile factory, packing stockings. I became a Shop Steward at the age of 15 years. I saw speedup and unguarded machinery which caused the death of a girl.

I did a safety course at night school for 12 months to help improve safety on the job. I was involved in many campaigns for reduced working hours - from 44 hours to 35 hours a week.

In 1949 I was sacked for fighting for an increase in junior wages of 2 shillings and 6 pence a week. I was blacklisted throughout the trade.

In the same year I transferred to the Federated Iron Workers Association and got a job as a process worker for Lightning Zip-Fasteners. I was elected shop steward and remained there for 37 Years.

Today (1990) women are represented on union executives, however back in my time, this was not so. As a shop steward I had great trouble getting co-operation from the unions on problems facing women in the workforce.

I relied very much on discussions with the women at work, in the Union of Australian Women (UAW), and other women's groups, to help me with many of the problems faced by women at work and at home.

These women signed petitions against high prices, for peace and Ban the Bomb and supported many of the campaigns the UAW took up.

In 1956 I was elected by my workmates to represent them at the Second World Peace Conference. The workers at my factory helped to pay my fare. Peace was something these girls understood - many of their people had been killed in the war.

I nearly did not get back to Australia. On arrival back in England, I, with two other delegates had to go to Court at the Old Bailey to contest the Australian Menzies Liberal government's Order of Deportation.

The English judge told the Australian government that they did not want us - so we were allowed to come home. We had our Australian passports taken from us in Perth.

So, may the experiences of the three militant women in the book Bread and Roses, so in keeping with those of their many sisters, serve as an inspiration to future generations.

I have great pleasure in recommending this book. Thank you.

Marian Vickers

Luckily the Union of Australian Women organised a public meeting for interested women. I remember clearly the relief mum and I felt at that meeting - just meeting other DES daughters and mothers and sharing experiences.

At the meeting Bon Hull outlined the history, effects and the politics of the DES issue. A small group formed consisting of DES mothers and daughters, and interested women. The UAW "assigned" Yvonne Smith to help the fledgling group and she was an invaluable resource, providing support and practical suggestions.

Wendy Lowenstein also was a great support, and in fact lent us her PO box as our address until we organised our own. Yvonne, Bon and Wendy were our early mentors and great role models.

Since 1971 medical research has revealed an ever-increasing range of long-term effects of oestrogen exposure. I have often thought it was like a stone thrown into a pond, with the ripples slowly moving out in ever-widening circles.

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