Interview, Yvonne Smith. Voices from the Factory Floor

Description

Interview with Yvonne Smith re. her work in Polikoffs

Yvonne went to Commercial College after leaving school and began work at 17 (1959) in an accountant’s office. After a year she went to Polikoff’s as an assistant to the Personnel Officer. She started in 1960-1; they made men’s clothing. Her job was to check the clock cards. If late - explanation. Warning, then made redundant. Pressers, packing and cutters mostly men. Rest - c.1700 women. Women supervisors, male foremen – women couldn’t climb ladder. Difficulty of disciplining. Story of the nurses there. Describes factory – bedding department separate. 40 buses brought workers there and back and fore lunchtime. Huge canteen. Playing cards. Entertainment lunch hour. Xmas Eve – workers couldn’t collect pay packet until 4-5 o’clock. Social club in old vicarage. Talking and singing. She checked references and dismissed workers. She also went sick-visiting, e.g. to a Mental Hospital. Parcels of food for flood victims from the factory. 1961 small pox outbreak – immunisation in the factory. Also TB. No sick-pay for factory floor. Women paid less than men for same work. Personal problems e.g. body odours. Disputes over wages. Train trip to London. Nights out in Cardiff – Bill Hailey and the Comets. She left when pregnant 1964-5. Moved to Coventry and back to Neath. Clerk to police for 15-16 years. One manager was a randy old man. Lots of teasing both ways.