JOURNAL ARTICLE

Excluded Voices and the Unions: Muriel Heagney and the WWII era equal pay campaign.

  • Published In: Teaching History (0040-0602), 2025, v. 59, n. 3. P. 28 1 of 3

  • Database: Education Source Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Byrne, Liam 3 of 3

Abstract

The article focuses on Muriel Heagney's pivotal role in the equal pay campaign for women during World War II in Australia. Heagney, a prominent union activist, challenged the entrenched gender biases in the workforce and advocated for equal pay as a means for women to achieve economic independence. Her efforts were instrumental in the Australian Council of Trade Unions adopting a policy supporting equal pay in 1941, despite facing significant resistance from male union leaders and employers. The article highlights Heagney's lasting impact on the union movement and the ongoing struggle for gender equality in the workplace, culminating in the eventual establishment of equal pay rights shortly before her death in 1974. [Extracted from the article]

Additional Information

  • Source:Teaching History (0040-0602). 2025/09, Vol. 59, Issue 3, p28
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Women's Studies and Feminism
  • Publication Date:2025
  • ISSN:00400602
  • Accession Number:188664566
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Teaching History (0040-0602) is the property of History Teachers Association of New South Wales and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Looking to go deeper into this topic? Look for more articles on EBSCOhost.