Overcoming%20Barriers%20to%20Women%20in%20Organizing%20and%20Leadership%20Report%20to%20the%20AFL-CIO%20Executive%20Council%20March%202004

1
Overcoming Barriers to Women in Organizing and
LeadershipReport to the AFL-CIO Executive
CouncilMarch 2004
2
Where Are We Now?

• Study commissioned by EC Working Womens
  Committee in August 2002
• ? Are we taking advantage of the opportunity to
  organize women?
• ? Are we making enough progress with women
  leaders?

3
Womens Participation in the Workforce and in
Unions is Growing

• Women make up nearly half the workforce.
• 43 of union members, 55 of newly organized
  workers.
• Between 1990 and 2000, women union members grew
  by half a million. Increase greatest among
  African American women.

4
We Win More Union Elections with Women Workers
and Women Organizers

• 62 wins ? women majority
• 35 wins ? women minority
• 82 wins ? 75 or more women of color
• 55 wins ? women organizers
• 42 wins ? male organizers
• 89 wins ? majority women of color and woman of
  color as lead or staff organizer

Source 2003 study by Kate Bronfenbrenner.
5
Womens Positive Feelings Toward Unions are
Declining
Source AFL-CIO opinion polling data.
6
Are We Taking Advantage of the Opportunity to
Organize Women?
7
Perceptions of Unions

• Unions fight for members, provide job security
  and help secure raises.
• There is corruption in unions.

8
Perceptions of Unions

• Equal pay, work family issues and control over
  work hours are strongest reasons for joining a
  union.

9
Perceptions of Unions

• Women want proof the union can deliver on
  promises.

10
Perceptions of Unions

• Self-reliance and individualism resonate among
  working women.

11
Perceptions of Unions

• Unions are mainly for men.
• Dont believe that unions have white collar
  members.

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RecommendationsFocus on Issues of Priority to
Working Women

• Equal pay, control over work hours and work
  family issues like paid family leave and child
  care.
• Highlight work and family issues in bargaining
  fights.
• Actions about people, not about power and
  influence.

13
Recommendations Show Women Have a Place in
Unions
14
Recommendations Show Women Have a Place in
Unions

• Use unions or the union movement, not
  labor.
• Appoint, recruit and elect more women to
  leadership positions at all levels.
• Recruit and retain more women organizers.

15
RecommendationsAddress Fears and Doubts about
Unions

• Use examples of worker strength.
• Unions back up women without reducing their
  independence.
• About workers, not institutions.

16
Are We Making Enough Progress with Women Leaders?
17
Barriers Inhibiting Women from Entering
Leadership Positions

• Commitment from unions
• Work and family programs
• Womens structures and programs
• Mentoring

18
Recommendations Commitment from Unions and Top
Leaders

• Establish mandates and policies.
• Ensure women participate in all union events.
• Appoint women to positions with core
  responsibilities, not as tokens.
• Expand union executive boards to include more
  women.

19
RecommendationsDevelop Work Family Programs
and Policies

• Child care at union events.
• Hold meetings at times when women can attend.
• Develop family-friendly policies for women
  leaders.
• Make structural changes.

20
RecommendationsDevelop Structures Programs
for Women

• Create womens departments and committees.
• Build womens priority issues into organizing,
  politics and bargaining.
• Hold smaller, advanced leadership trainings for
  women.

21
RecommendationsHelp Women Rise as Leaders

• Identify women and bring them along by
  providing mentoring and individual leadership
  development at all levels.

22
Next Steps

• Where do we go from here?