Albert Passingham Quotes in Made in Dagenham (2010)

Albert Passingham: This dispute's got nothing to do with what skill level you are. Ford decided to give you less money because they can. They're allowed to pay women a lower wage than men. All over the country women are getting less because they're women. You'll always come second. You'll always be fighting over the scraps from the top table, until you...

Rita O'Grady: Until we get equal pay, yeah.

Albert Passingham: Yeah.

Rita O'Grady: What I don't get is why it's so important to you.

Albert Passingham: I got brought up by my mum. Me and me brothers. She worked all her life. And she paid my aunt Lil to take care of us during the day. And it was hard, especially as she was getting less than half than what the blokes at the factory was getting, for doing the same work. And there was never any question that it could be any different. Not for her. Someone has got stop these exploiting bastards getting away with what they've been doing for years. And you can, you can, Rita, believe me.

[Albert is being accused by his union of scuppering other negotiations with management by supporting the women's equal-pay strike]

Bartholomew: As a union we have to remember who comes first. The Communist Party. And Marx himself said "Men write their own history". That's "men", Albert.

Albert Passingham: But didn't he also say "Progress can be measured by the social position of the female sex"? Or was that a different Marx? That was Groucho, was it?

[Bartholomew is lost for words]

Albert Passingham: Equal pay across the board. You telling me that ain't worth fighting for? Of course it is, and you know it. I'll tell you something. This Rita has got a bigger set of balls than you three put together. And she ain't scared to lay 'em on the line, neither. And I for one am gonna help her. And if you are what you say you are, an organisation pledged to support its members, then you'll get off your lazy fat arses and you'll help her too. Good fucking evening.

[Albert walks out of the office]