Happy Labor Day, FSTerhood! Since this COVID era has all of us thinking about our relationship with our work/jobs, this is a friendly reminder that unionizing and collective action is how we improve the lives of the masses! Even beyond the impact of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire of 1911, women like Lucy Parsons, Dolores Huerta, and several others all fought for better working conditions for women (and children, because child labor hadn’t been outlawed yet--good grief). If you didn’t know that there were women taking leadership throughout the labor rights movement (and in the face of open sexism during the labor rights movement) well, now you know.
After the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire of March 25, 1911, a march on April 5 attracted thousands of women calling for safer working conditions and union representation.
We’re also thinking about the relationship that women have historically had with the workplace. There’s still a wage gap in every single career field, and as a whole, professions that are associated with women (teachers, care work, etc.) are severely undervalued and underfunded. Black women were enslaved and forced to give free labor that has still not been paid back. Women of color overall are more likely to have higher financial responsibility for their households and lower pay/benefits. And workplace harassment of all forms is a lurking threat. Clearly, the work to FIX the workplace is ongoing.
Do you have a story about your work life? Constantly putting up a FIGHT? We’re taking submissions for “The F Word” until September 16th, and we take submissions for the Unclenched blog on a rolling basis! Reach out to us for more info.
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