Voices from the floor: women in factory work in Singapore, 1960 to 1974.

Nine women, who worked in factories in the 1960s and early 1970s, were interviewed for this research project. The relevant historical background covered in Chapter One, will 'set the scene' for documenting the participants' stories. The context of this research, with broader research into female factory workers in countries in Southeast Asia and the Pacific Rim which have similar industrial processes, is outlined in Chapter Two. The findings of this research will be compared with broader historiography of the 1960s and early 1970s. The oral history methodology and how it relates to the conduct of this research is discussed in Chapter Three, which also contain the mini biographies of all the participants. Stories from the participants about their family and home lives will be documented in Chapter Four. The factory work environment, the demands of work and the strategies adopted by the female factory workers to manage those demands, will be described in Chapter Five. The conclusion draws together the issues in the lives of these women and how they coped with the rapidly changing environment in Singapore as a result of the government's objective in modernising Singapore.