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A Letter To Women In World War One

478 Words2 Pages

In World War One, with the men being sent off to fight, there became many vacant places in the workforce. In order to fill those voids, many businesses turned to women. The following letter is one that was sent from an English woman at home, to her beloved spouse who has gone to war: My Dearest Matthew, I hope you have recovered from your flu. I am constantly thinking about you and concerned for your health. Currently, I have taken upon your role as a bus conductor. My friend has taken in ‘piece work’ and receives money for doing tasks such as sewing and ironing. Although the days are long, I enjoy working outside our home and would much rather be here than at home working on ‘piece work.’ I feel a sense of independence and power, being able to contribute to our families income. …show more content…

The women at my work are all in agreement that we deserve the same pay as the previous men did when they worked here. After much consideration and planning, we decided to go on strike. On August 16, we met at the bus garage and demanded for an increased pay of five shillings each week. Although this increase was not equal to the wages that the men received, it was a start. Within days, female bus and tram workers from other garages started to join our strike. With the boost in numbers, we started to demand equal pay. At this time, there were women transport workers from across the country joining the strike. Our slogan was ‘Same Work- Same Pay.’ It was not easy to stop working because I needed the money to provide for our family. Also, whether or not I want to admit it, I know that this job is only temporary. As soon as you and the rest of the men return from war, us women will be forced back to our daily routines as domestic housewives. This makes me question if what we are doing is truly worth fighting for. I miss you and am extremely proud of you for fighting for our country. Please return home

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