During WWI large numbers of women were recruited into jobs vacated by men who had gone to fight in the war. New jobs were also created as part of the war effort, for example in munitions factories. The munition factories became the largest single employer of women during 1918 due to the high demand of weapons. There was still initial resistance to hire women for what was seen as ‘men's work’. The introduction to conscription created the need for women workers urgent.
Women's wages and rights
Women's employment rates increased majorly during world war 1 because of the lack in men. The employment of married women increased sharply – accounting for nearly 40% of all women workers by 1918. Many women refused lower pay for what in most cases was the same work as had been done previously by men. Women went on strike to demand the same increase in pay as men, This was the first equal pay strike that commenced, led and won by women. However because women were paid less than men there was worry that when the men returned employers would continue to employ women in these jobs. This did not happen; either the women were sacked to make way for the returning soldiers or women remained working alongside men but at lower wage rates.