Suchergebnisse

Historically trade unions were in the forefront of social reform, campaigning against child labour, against the 12‐hour day and for free public education and universal suffrage. But with their achievement of great power and influence in the modern societies they have been less sensitive to the present day exploited and oppressed — to women and guestworkers and all those foreign in colour and language, in customs, sex and tastes. To be sure these groups are often unfamiliar with unions, and reluctant to join them even if invited because of the fear of employer reprisal and their weak position in the labour market. Characterised as they have been by transiency, dependency and divided loyalties, the unions long wished them away or accepted them if they behaved like native men, that is to say in an understandable way and with acceptable rationality. Although the similarities between the problems of women and foreign workers or workers of colour in the labour markets of the industrialised countries is an intriguing study, we shall here look specifically at the case of women, recognising the while that their problems are not unique and their oppression not unprecedented.

Four aspects of women's participation in trade- union life are examined: the attitude of unions today toward protective legislation for women; the effect which the recent federal legislation on "equality" has had on women's opportu nities in the shops and the unions' attitudes toward handling these new kinds of grievances and demands; the degree to which unions include special clauses covering women's wages and conditions in their contracts; and the participation of women in the political life of the unions. Few changes in attitudes or practice are found to characterize the unions in the 1960's as compared with those in the 1940's, when THE ANNALS last carried a report on this subject.

4 aspects of F's' participation in trade union life are examined. (1) The attitude of unions today toward protective legislation for F's-most unions continue their traditional support for protective legislation, with the important exception of the United Auto Workers which has found that such legislation is occasionally discriminatory. (2) The effect which the recent federal legislation on equality has had on F's' opportunities in the shops & the unions' att's toward handling these new kinds of grievances & demands-it is found that on the whole, even where questions of physical strength & job demands are not clearly r'ed, M's & F's are assigned diff jobs according to traditional classifications. (3) The degree to which unions include special clauses covering F's' wages & conditions in their contracts-such clauses are found to be rare, & are usually related to state laws rather than union action. (4) The participation of F's in the pol'al life of the unions-there is less attention now than there was earlier in the cent to the special needs & problems of F's, & there is little pol'al union activity among. F's. Few changes in attitude or practice are found to characterize US labor unions in the 1960's as compared with those, in the 1940's (see Gladys Dickason 'Women in Labor Unions,' Annals of the American Academy of Political & Social Science, 1947, 251, May). Modified HA.

Includes bibliography (p. 240-242) and index. ; Mode of access: Internet.