The London omnibus women who began to go out on
strike last Sunday, and were followed by women employed on the trams and tubes, did so to enforce their demand for the bonus of 5s. per week recently given to the men by the Committee on Production. On a strictly legal footing, they were wrong in doing so, for at least two reasons : the women in striking disobeyed their leaders, and they went out without notice, putting the public, including munition workers and soldiers on leave, to much serious and avoidable hard- ship. None the less the claim of equal wages for the same work, without reference to sex, will have to be met. The statement on behalf of the omnibus company that many women have no dependants, and that many draw separation allowances, is quite irrelevant. The question of women's wages in general is discussed by a contributor elsewhere. In this special case there can be no doubt that the women have a grievance. As we write on Thursday there is hope of an early settlement.
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