Women Made It Happen
March 11, 2009
In 1981, when AFSCME librarians in San Jose, California, saw glaring inequities in jobs dominated by women and the ones dominated by men, they went on strike for pay equity, marking the first time workers went to the picket line over this issue. (Photo credit: AFSCME archive photo)
AFSCME is celebrating Women’s History Month by remembering the women before us who made it happen and looking to the future of our labor movement. Early union women took on issues like child labor, safe working conditions and better pay. In 1881, washerwomen in Atlanta went on strike for better wages and gained the support of the entire city to establish black workers as instrumental to the New South’s economy. One hundred years later in 1981,
AFSCME San Jose Local 101 went on strike, marking the first time women workers went to the picket lines for equal pay. Women continue to be a force in unions — it is predicted that by 2020 women will be a majority of the unionized workforce.
Earlier this month, AFSCME Secretary-Treasurer William Lucy joined a celebration of International Women's Day at the United Nations — archived video of his speech at the event is available on the UN site. President Obama's proclamation in honor of Women's History Month is available on the White House website.
