The Men's and Girls' Works Committees

Description:The following photographs depict the Men’s and Girls' Works Committees at Cadbury in 1907. The Works Committees were established in 1905 as management committees. The Girls' Committee consisted of nine members appointed by Cadbury’s management board and one member from the Men’s Committee. The Committees had joint responsibility for working conditions, health and welfare, wages and catering.^{<small>1</small>} The Committees also dealt with issues regarding working practices, including the management of spoilt work.^{<small>2</small>} The forerunner to the Works Committees was a Suggestion Scheme established in 1902. Employees were invited to make suggestions, including production improvements to benefit Cadbury. Gender segregation was upheld and separate groups managed the men’s and women’s suggestions. The scheme aimed to encourage the cooperation and support of employees, whilst bringing to the management’s attention employees suitable for promotion.^{<small>3</small>} When a suggestion was put into practice by Cadbury, the originator received a monetary prize.^{<small>4</small>}

The Works Committees were the forerunners to the Works Councils, which were established in 1918.^{<small>5</small>} The Men’s and Women’s Councils were slightly more democratic. Each Council included an equal number of representatives from the Shop Committee and the management side.^{<small>6</small>} They also included two directors, and two chairmen to represent the workers and management, as well as secretaries from each side. This rather formal grouping met fortnightly within working hours to discuss a range of issues. The aim of the Councils was ‘to make and consider suggestions for securing permanent improvement in the relations between employers and workmen’.^{<small>7</small>} In particular the Councils managed the Suggestion Scheme, as well as maintenance of discipline through representation in the Discipline Tribunal. These Councils represented some of the earliest women’s councils in industry.


<font color="#666633"><small>¹ T.B. Rogers, Century of Progress: 1831-1931 (Bournville, 1931), p.67
² Iolo A Williams, The Firm of Cadbury: 1831-1931 (London, 1931), pp.109-110
³ Williams, pp.103-4
⁴ Williams, p.106
⁵ Williams, p.109
⁶ Shop Committees consisted of about 130 members elected by the employees to represent each department in the factory. Shop Committee representatives would regularly bring issues to the Works Committees.
⁷ Williams, p.115