Public Employee Press

Pioneering women broke down barriers

Studying history helps you to see injustice, author Jane LaTour told participants at the DC 37 Civil Service Committee's monthly meeting March 14.

LaTour, an associate editor at DC 37's Public Employee Press, explained the challenges faced by the pioneering women in non-traditional jobs that she portrayed in her book, "Sisters in the Brotherhoods."

Touching on the themes of gender, race and class, the book recounts the experiences of 24 women who pursued careers in male-dominated blue-collar jobs.

LaTour's presentation concluded with a discussion of the current political attacks on the working class and how today's troubled economy is particularly tough on working women.

She explained that women's thrust into blue-collar jobs dates from the 1960s as the civil rights and women's rights movements encouraged each other and federal legislation opened doors for minorities and women. Still, 80 percent of women today remain in jobs traditionally filled by women, she noted.

The public sector provided important openings. Nevertheless, the oral histories in "Sisters in the Brotherhoods" show that many female public service workers had to confront discrimination, gross sexist behavior and indignities on the job, just like their private sector counterparts(www.talkinghistory.org/sisters).

Today, after lots of organizing and collective action, grievances and legal remedies, it is less rare to encounter women working in construction as plumbers, carpenters and electricians.

Civil Service Committee Chair Faye Moore of Local 371 opened a lively discussion by asking how much progress women have really made. Participants cited significant progress but said women still face discrimination and sexism at work, barriers to jobs and double exploitation as workers and caregivers.

"It's class war and gender war," Moore charged.