the Midlands TUC run this event annually on the first Saturday of July in Cradley Heath.
The 2021 TUC Women Chainmakers’ Festival was Sat 3rd July – the event involved two panel sessions focussing on leading women in the movement and from women who’ve been on the front line fighting for workers this year.
10.30 – 11.30: Women leading the way
- Rehana Azam, GMB National Secretary
- Tracy Brabin, West Yorkshire Metro Mayor
- Frances O’Grady TUC General Secretary
- Louise Regan, NEU National Officer and TUC Midlands Chair
- ‘Call to Arms’ re-enactment (Sheila Chamberlain)
12.00 – 13.00: Women striking for success
- Sarah Evans, PCS, DVLA
- Venda Premkumar, Redbridge NEU
- Vanessa Roberts, GMB, British Gas
Chaired by Kathryn Salt, TUC Midlands Women’s Committee
Mary Macathur centenary exhibition
https://www.tuc.org.uk/sites/default/files/2020-12/LifeofMaryMacarthurTUCLibraryExhibition.pdf
2020 Women Chainmakers’ festival virtual event
+ New digital exhibition explores the historical significance of trade union leader Mary Macarthur and the work of the National Federation of Women Workers.
Using the TUC Library’s archives it illustrates the harshness of women’s work in the early 20th century and the campaign to organise women workers into trade unions. Visit the exhibition here….
2020 TUC Women Chainmakers – ‘Forging New Links – building a better future for working women’
1) The famous Mary Macarthur ‘Call to Arms’ and ‘Victory Speech’.
2) Short chain making related films.
3) ‘Forging new links’ interactive panel discussion.
Panel included:
– Dana Mill, writer and activist.
– Eleanor Smith, ex- MP for Wolverhampton South West and long
standing local activist.
– Zarah Sultana MP, Coventry South
– Nicky Downes, Joint Branch Secretary Coventry NEU
Chair: Katherine Salt, TUC Midlands Women’s Committee, Chair
The panel will explore how progressives can build wider coalitions to broaden support and secure real and lasting change.
The National Education Union (NEU) is hosting this event on behalf of TUC Midlands Region.
NEXT outdoor EVENT WILL BE JULY 2021
annual Midlands TUC Chainmakers Festival, Saturday 6th July 2019, the largest celebration in Britain of women’s political history.
11.00 – 20.00 | Mary Macarthur Gardens
This year the festival was revamped with all activities taking place in Mary Macarthur Gardens.
Stalls, the new ‘Leftfield Tent’ withactivities for kids, as well as political debate, with panels exploring the role of women in trade unions and society and how to organise young workers.
The much loved theatrical re-enactment with a banner parade around Cradley Heath,plus main tent with speeches and music.
Headlining the festival was the Latin funk band Wara
Leftfield Tent
12.00 Children’s activities workshop (and ‘Call to Arms’)
13.00 Young Workers Panel debate
14.00 ‘Women in Leadership’ panel
14:30 Victory Speech
14:45 Banner Parade
Main Tent
15.10 Third Junction
16.15 Steph Peacock MP
16.30 Sunflower Thieves
17.35 Cathy Hunt & Louise Townsend
17.45 Emily Lockett
18.15 Wara
Tired of working day and night for starvation wages, the Women Chainmakers of Cradley Heath in the Black Country in 1910, downed their hammers and stood up for their right to earn a living wage.
Led by the founder of the National Federation of Women Workers, Mary Macarthur, their ten week strike successfully established the right to a minimum wage.
This year’s event will be exclusively held on Mary Macarthur Gardens (junction Lower High St/Sydney St) with a banner parade up the High Street at Cradley Heath.
A family friendly street festival involving market stalls, fun fair rides, speeches, street theatre, music and debate.
How to get to Cradley Heath from Wolverhampton by train:
off-peak Day Return
leave Wolverhampton Rail Station, taking London Midland train towards Walsall
change at Smethwick Galton Bridge Rail Station
take London Midland train towards Kidderminster
arrive at Cradley Heath Rail Station see the journey planner here….
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