Fact Sheets
- AFSCME: The Union for Working Women The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO (AFSCME) represents more than 1.3 million workers nationwide and in Puerto Rico. The majority of AFSCME members are women.
- Balancing Work and Family Balancing work and family responsibilities has become increasingly difficult to achieve for the majority of working families today. Few employers have family-friendly programs and policies in place to help employees
- Contraceptive Equity The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a decision in late 2000, which could potentially affect thousands of AFSCME members and their families whose health plans currently exclude contraceptive coverage.
- Domestic Violence: How Unions Can Help La Comisión de Oportunidad Igual en el Empleo (EEOC) emitió una decisión a finales del 2000 que pudiera potencialmente afectar a miles de afiliados de la AFSCME y a sus familias cuyos planes de salud excluyen en el presente la cobertura de anticoncepción.
- EldercareMore and more workers are caring for aging relatives — this affects their productivity at work and increases stress as workers try to balance family and work responsibilities. AFSCME recognizes the benefits of negotiating eldercare programs.
- The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a federal law which became effective August 5, 1993. It provides certain employees with up to 12 workweeks of unpaid, job-protected leave a year and requires group health benefits be maintained during the leave.
- Protecting the Rights of Women and Working Families During an Economic CrisisThere's no doubt about it--these are tough times. As the headlines shout "recession!" state and local governments are reporting a budget crisis, employers are laying off workers, and privateers are pushing harder than ever for privatization.
- Sexual Harassment: It's About Power The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that sexual harassment is illegal sex discrimination covered by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. It subjects the worker to adverse employment conditions having nothing to do with job performance.
- Strategies for Winning Fair Pay AFSCME has been in the forefront of the pay equity movement for more than 20 years, winning over half a billion dollars worth of pay equity adjustments at the bargaining table, in state and local legislatures, and through legal action.
- Unions Increase Women's Economic SecurityUnions result in better wages for workers. Union members typically earn about 28% more than non-unionized workers. Union women benefit even more! Read this fact sheet for more information.
- The Wage GapThe wage gap is a statistical calculation of the percent that women earn in comparison to men. In 2004, women, on average, earned 76% of men's earnings. That's almost a quarter less on every dollar men earn!
- Women in Nontraditional Jobs Any occupation in which women make up 25% or less of the total workforce is considered "nontraditional". In 1997, only 5.7% of all working women were employed in nontraditional jobs.
- Your Rights During Pregnancy and Childbirth The Pregnancy Discrimination Act prohibits employers with 15 or more employees, including state and local governments, from discriminating against you because of pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions.
