VSE042 Yvonne Smith, Polikoff's, Treorchy

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.