Speaker meeting - John Davis: My years at Fords

Rotary Speaker Thursday 15^th September 2011.

Councillor John Davies.

Today we welcome Councillor John Davies (a member of Barking & Dagenham Council).

John(now retired) talked about his working life at the Ford works Dagenham where he spent the best part of 39 years after a short spell working at the Ritz and national service in the RAF. He talked mainly about the role he played as a Transport & General Workers Union Shop Steward representing workers particularly in the Foundry and the Engine Plant. At the peak of its activity there were more than 32000 workers employed by Ford at Dagenham.

John spoke about the industrial unrest and the role played by management and trade unionists. He referred to the campaign for equal pay led by the women machinists (immortalised in the recent film 'Made in Dagenham') and the benefits of Trade Union membership to workers highlighting the legal protection afforded in personal injury claims (e.g. deafness through noise) and the resolution of disputes.

 Rotarian Keith Darvill moved the vote of thanks to John on behalf of the Club.