The 1st May is ‘Workers Day’ here in South Africa. It’s a national public holiday that’s been celebrated annually since 1994 and one that draws attention, and pays homage to, the historical struggles of workers and their efforts to win fair employment standards and establish a culture of human and worker rights.
How uncanny that factory workers building one of the world’s most beautiful cars back in 1963, the Jaguar E-Type, would’ve been celebrating the passing of the Contracts of Employment Act 1963 on this same day 50 years ago. The Act introduced the requirement to give reasonable notice before dismissal and written details of a contract of employment, legislation that’s widely regarded as the first example of modern employment protection.
We imagine the workforce at Jaguar must have been rather pleased in 1963, as they went about their business fulfilling over thirty-nine thousand orders for the E-Type Series 1 between 1961 and 1968. Comedian and talk show host Jay Leno recently acquired a mint condition example and we’ll let him tell you all the ins and outs of the iconic ‘E’.
