Made in Dagenham Page #8

Scorch marks all the way up the

curtains where Monty's arse caught fire.

Hello. Excuse me.

Gin.

I need to calm my nerves.

They might vote against us.

- How long we gotta wait?

- They said half an hour.

You know what we can do?

Stick it on Monty.

- Brilliant.

- You're a genius.

In that case, I'll have a double.

Babycham.

- Double gin.

- Eddie.

- Excuse me.

- What do you want, Rita?

Where's she gone?

Most probably needs some air.

Can we have Babycham?

I've come to say sorry.

I mean, I thought about

what you said and

you were right,

I suppose.

You are right.

And it's amazing what

you've done, Rita O'Grady.

And I wanna back you.

See, I was gonna tell you that.

Only then when I come in

and you were speaking

and I heard you up there,

and you was huge.

You was...

I don't know.

Like a force.

Then I thought

I'm not sure me backing you makes

that much difference, to be honest.

Where you are now.

Anyway, go on,

you go back to your meeting.

I'm gonna...

I should...

Eddie?

You've said some pretty

stupid things in your time.

Of course you backing me

makes a difference.

It makes all the difference

in the world.

Very good, gentlemen.

The results of the vote

are as follows:

Delegates in favor of support

for the women machinists:

Seventy-nine.

Delegates against:

Forty-eight.

I declare the motion carried in favor

of the Dagenham machinists.

Their bloody unions

are back in line.

It's verbatim. Our man was there.

Well, well, well.

It really does seem time

to call in Sir Jack.

Good. I'll do that, then.

I'll set up a court of inquiry

which he can oversee

and let's hope

that does the trick.

Oh, yes. One more thing.

Set up a meeting, will you?

Minister?

With the machinists.

Their leaders.

Pardon me?

I want to meet them.

At the earliest opportunity.

But...

Yes?

The minister doesn't do that...

Never has done.

It'll just encourage them.

Give credence to their cause.

I am what is known

as a fiery redhead.

Now, I hate to make this

a matter of appearance

and go all womanly on you,

but there you have it.

And me standing up

like this is, in fact,

just that redheaded fieriness

leaping to the fore.

Credence? I will give

credence to their cause?

My God, their cause

already has credence!

It is equal pay.

Equal pay is common justice

and if you two weren't such a

pair of egotistical, chauvinistic,

bigoted dunderheads,

you would realize that.

Oh, my office is run

by incompetents.

And I am sick of being

patronized, spoken down to

and generally treated

as if I was the May queen.

Set up the meeting!

Morning, Ed.

All right, Albert?

Yeah.

Now, listen. Listen to me.

Now, there's no reason

to panic, Rita.

Okay.

Only, I've had a call

from Barbara Castle's office.

Oh, my God.

Eddie.

What's happened now?

Barbara Castle

wants to talk to me.

Well done.

Cheers.

The secretary of state is seeing

the women? On whose authority?

On her own, apparently. I gather

Mrs. Castle is quite a forceful woman.

Is she?

What are you doing?

I represent Ford. We are the biggest

car manufacturer in the world.

We pump millions of pounds

into the U.K. economy.

I think it's time my bosses reminded

one or two people of that fact.

Have you or have you not invited

the Ford women to your offices?

Prime Minister...

I've just spent the last half-hour

on the phone to Ford,

reassuring him that my government

isn't on the side of the strikers.

It isn't taking sides.

We have to grasp the nettle.

Now is not the time.

Ten years ago,

you were adamant.

I wasn't running the country then.

See the women if that's

what you want to do.

But whatever you do,

do not upset Ford.

I've got enough trouble

with the Americans as it is.

It's all right. It's your

missus I'm after. Is she in?

Rita? What are you doing here?

Rita?

I need a favor.

Come in.

Thanks.

Lisa?

What?

Come inside.

Everything all right?

Want a cup of tea?

Yeah.

Rita. Smile, please.

Over here, ladies.

Excuse me, gotta get through.

Do you think the

strike will go on? How long?

Rita.

Wait a minute.

Hey, Connie.

Sorry I'm late.

You made it.

What if Mrs. Castle says "no deal"?

How will you cope?

Cope? How will we cope?

We're women. Now,

don't ask such stupid questions.

Ladies, ladies.

Come up. This way, please.

Come on, this is it.

All right. See you later.

Stay back, please, gentlemen.

Follow me.

Mr. Tooley.

Madam Secretary.

I wasn't expecting you.

But you are meeting with the women.

I think it is time

I heard their argument, yes.

But if you would care to wait, I will

inform you of any decisions we make.

I think we both want the same

thing, Mrs. Castle, you and I.

I think we wanna see Ford

Motors employing British workers.

Ford is a vital part of our

economy. I am well aware of that.

Then don't make us build our cars

elsewhere. Help us hold the line here.

Support our efforts to

combat these constant strikes

which undermine our ability

to build cars at a profit,

which is why we're

in business in the first place.

Otherwise, we will take

our factories elsewhere.

Are you threatening me,

Mr. Tooley?

I'm trying to stop 40,000 people

from losing their jobs, Mrs. Castle.

That's how many workers

Ford employs.

Not to mention tens of thousands

of peripheral jobs sacrificed.

Now, I don't think that either one

of us wants to take that risk, surely.

Look, look. Eileen and Monica.

I wonder if they can see us.

Get me the prime minister.

Yes. Put me through

to Number 10.

Yes. Yes. Fine. Thank you.

I'm afraid he's on a plane.

Won't land until this evening.

Thanks for coming.

Connie, I'm so sorry.

No, don't.

It's me who needs to apologize.

Don't be silly.

The minister will see you now.

Here we go.

You all right?

Ready?

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon.

Mrs. O'Grady, I recognize

you from the news.

Rita, please.

Rita.

Very pleased to meet you.

Well, and me, you.

Sorry. This is Connie.

Connie.

- How do you do?

- Brenda.

How do you do?

Sandra.

Well, I'm delighted you could

all come. Please, take a seat.

Would you care for a sherry?

Be lovely, thank you.

Thank you.

You haven't got any

whiskey, have you?

Here's a woman after my own heart.

Make that two.

Thank you.

Well, cheers.

Cheers.

Cheers.

Now, I've been following

your dispute very closely

and I want to say how proud I am

of the battle that you fought.

I fully support the struggle

for equal pay and you will have it.

But in time.

What?

Industry'll object,

the lords will kick up a fuss,

the press will have a field day.

It's not going to be easy.

Well, what is

what's worth fighting for?

Return to work.

Go back to your machines

and you have my word

I will push forward with your fight.

No.

Mrs. O'Grady...

No, we need something solid.

Something now.

You've got the authority. You

know, we thought seeing you, we'd...

In politics, you sometimes

have to play the long game...

We ain't politicians,

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes