Person    | Female  Born 2/4/1933  Died 23/12/2010

Jayaben Desai

Categories: Politics & Administration

Countries: Africa, India

Trade Unionist and teacher. Born as Jayaben Suryakant Patel in Dharmaj, Gujarat, India. She moved with her husband to Tanganyika (now Tanzania), but was forced to leave for Britain following the country's independence and the introduction of its policy of 'Africanisation'. She found employment at the Grunwick film processing plant, but refused to accept the treatment meted out to low-paid migrant workers, particularly the managerial control and compulsory overtime at short notice. She led a walkout which was the start of the Grunwick workers strike. She went on to teach at the Brent Indian Association. Died at the Middlesex Manor Nursing Centre, Wembley.

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

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Jayaben Desai

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Jayaben Desai

Commemorating Jayaben Desai, 2nd April 1933 to 23rd December 2010. Leader of ...

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