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Back in Time for the Factory

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A group of modern workers experience working life in a factory in the 60s, 70s and 80s.

A group of modern workers go back to the 60s, 70s and 80s to learn how an unsung army of factory girls took on the fight for equality at work and at home.

Series 1

Back in Time for the Factory 

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Alex Jones

Catrin Griffith

Wall to Wall Media

Back in Time for the Factory: Series 1: Episode 4

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Episode 4

BBC Two - Back in Time for the Factory, Series 1, Episode 4

Modern women go back to 1983 to discover the harsh reality of life on the factory floor.

A group of modern women go back in time to 1983 to learn how an unsung army of female workers fought to keep their jobs in the face of foreign competition. Hosted by Alex Jones.

It is 1983 and for our women it is all big shoulder pads and back-combed hair. Annie Lennox and Bonnie Taylor are topping the charts and Britain's first female prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, has been returned to power in a landslide victory for the Conservatives. Women had battled throughout the 70s to win equality in the workplace, and whilst many of those battles had been won, in law at least, they now had another fight on their hands - the fight to hang on to their jobs.

With the change in government in 1979 had come a dramatic change in economic policy - the Tory government wanted businesses to stand on their own two feet without subsidies and the early 80s saw a slump in manufacturing across Britain. Those factories that did manage to stay open were facing a battle against the steady march of globalisation and cheap labour abroad. On the factory floor, in this era of cutbacks, our modern workers face harsh new targets if they are to hang on to their jobs. They are tasked with producing a velour tracksuit, the height of fashion in the early 80s.

After the sky-high inflation and soaring prices of the 70s, by 1983 inflation had been curbed to a 15-year low of 4%, but unemployment had rocketed - with more than 3 million people in Britain out of work. In their typical 80s valleys' home Emma, Jason, Angelea and Tamara Brabon will have to adapt to the new economic reality. But it is not all doom and gloom. With welcome distractions in the form of aerobics, lingerie parties and nights in singing along to Top of the Pops, our feisty factory girls take on the 80s in style. The modern-day workers will chart just how far we have come in 50 years.

Back in Time for the Factory: Series 1

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A group of modern workers experience working in a factory in the 60s, 70s and 80s.

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