A Woman’s Place…
You’ve heard the saying, “A woman’s place is in the home”, or you’ve certainly heard variations of this little expression. Interestingly, but not surprising, most of these declarations of a woman’s place are from men. I read somewhere that it started with the Greeks and playwright Aeschylus, who in Seven Against Thebes, 467 B.C., wrote: “Let women stay at home and hold their peace.”
From the United States Supreme Court, to fighter pilots, and who knows, maybe even soon—The White House—women are demonstrating leadership acumen with style and grace. Even in the labor movement. I like to say we’re in a Golden Age of women union leaders. Everywhere you look women are taking the reins of some of the most influential organizations, and helping to keep labor and nations focused on the issues that matter and make a difference in the lives of working families.
Here in the United States, there’s Randi Weingarten, Lorretta Johnson, and Mary Cathryn Ricker at the American Federation of Teachers; Mary Kay Henry at Service Employees International Union; and Elizabeth Shuler at the AFL-CIO. Right here at NEA I am fortunate to have my colleagues, Becky Pringle and Princess Moss, who help guide our work on behalf of students, our members, quality public education, and working families.
This week I had the opportunity to join another group of inspirational women from around the globe for a panel discussion at the 7th World Congress in Ottawa, Canada. Our stimulating conversation focused on the impact of women in unions, and the impact women leaders have had on issues of gender equality and other issues affecting women in their respective countries.
It makes me incredibly proud that with more women leaders, unions are more focused on social issues such as immigration, gun violence, college affordability, health care, marriage equality, and budget cuts to education and things that matter to real people. I believe our renewed focus on these issues will help positively drive union membership and result in a renaissance for the labor movement all over the world.
A brief look at history shows us focusing on social issues is a good thing. In the 1900s, Mother Jones, a former teacher, led the charge on social justice related to child labor, mine safety, and collective bargaining. “Miss Lucy” Randolph Mason also tackled child labor and the minimum wage in the 1920s by using boycotts to pressure fair wages in manufacturing jobs. In the 1960s, NEA’s first black president, Libby Koontz, established the Human & Civil Rights division of the NEA; organized teacher protests for fair treatment of black teachers in the South; and fought for passage of the Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
These brave leaders established a historical precedence of women making meaningful progress by advocating for social justice and issues that help working families. Without doubt working families have benefitted from the causes advanced as a result of women leaders.
The first leaders of NEA in 1857 didn’t even let women become members. Today, women comprise 58 percent of NEA’s board members, 60 percent of state presidents, and 52 percent of local presidents. Overall, women are an increasing proportion of U.S. union membership. Currently 44 percent of U.S. union members are women with that number jumping to 50 percent or more thanks to strong unionization rates in certain job sectors such as nursing, teaching, and clerical work. By 2020, women will be a majority of U.S. union members.
Let’s be clear though, our work is far from done when it comes to increasing the imprint of women leaders. I’m A Woman’s Place… - Lily's Blackboard:
