Day 22 Stamp Challenge
You would be hard pressed to prove it but since 1969 men and women doing the same job have received equal pay. Yesterday’s 4c stamp increased 50% overnight on September 28 1970. That day the same stamp, the Sturt’s Desert Rose became 6c. At that time inflation was steady at 3.5%. The only reason I can use to justify the increase was women, who were paid 75% of the male wage ofter parity in 1969 must have made up 75% of the Post Office wages bill, thereby justifying the sudden postage increase. To put it into perspective, a 1970 $1 is equivalent to $13.07 today. Meaning that there was overnight increase from 52c to 78c in today’s money. So if you think prices are out of control today you have nothing to complain about because by March 1975 inflation was running at 17.7%. The stonking 1990s were worse though. Just hang on for the ride if inflation goes off again like it did back then. This was not the only time the Post Office revalued the same stamp but this was perhaps the most dramatic change.
#stamps, #Sturt’sDesertRose, #flowers, #inflation, #socialhistory, #Auspol