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socialist perspective for women . - page two

WOMEN AS WORKERS

The struggle to become independent, autonomous human beings involves
the struggle for economic independence -=- for most women, the struggle for
equal rights within the working class. :

This means, first of all, job security. The pool of unemployed women
threatens the dobs and wages. of women workers more than men <- they are
constantly replaceable, constantly insecure. In the context of small offices,
factories, stores, etc., this problem can only be overcome through trade
union organization with union control of hiring and firing. This could also
provide the basis for organizing around issues like equal right to promotion.
Since the union would set standards and determine job categories, it could
also cut across the present hierarchical organization of offices -- in
whieh nearly everyone is theoretically management -=- which is used so
effectively now to divide workers.) ae

Equal pay for equal work is an important demand, though one which
canst be implemented effectively unless it is linked to the demand for equal
work (therefore equal educational opportunities) and campaigns against the
system of channeling of women.

Equal opportunity for work and job security cannot be accomplished
unless women have the right to control our own bodies (abortion on demand

birth control) and day care for children (whether co-bperative, statee-
provided, or provided at the work place as part of a trade union contract).

These issues cannot be taken up effectively within the unions as
they are. The lack of initiative and interest on the part of the present
union structures in terms of womens problems is shown by the statistics:
@lmost 60 per cent of male workers are in unions; only 12 per cent of women
workers (B.Co). :

This is largely a result of the ideclogynthat surrounds women in
this society. Women will not be effectively organized until we organize
ourselves; for women to organize themselves requires that they reject the
definition of woman in this society. Ihe concept that women are concerned
with the practical, and must leave general questions to men; that women s
work is primitive, anachronistic housework; that women are only accidentally
and temporarily involved in social production -= must constantly be challenged
7 This challenge involves going beyond the strictly bread and butter
questions, which the present trade union leadership generaly limits itseif
to. When we take up issues on the job as militant women, when we challense
the role that society assigns us as women, we will be challenging much more.
To challenge the role definitions on the job (doctorenurse, boss-secretary,
principaleteacher, etc.) is to challenge the power relationships in this
society. When we demand equality on the job we are not just demanding wages «<6
like militant workers akound the world, we are demanding an increasing ~
measure of control over our lives, over what we produce and how and why we
produce it. ¥9(In an unusual, almost experimental, situation, the office
workers in the Social Sciences division at Regina campus declared that they
refused henceforth to type anything that they did not understand or arree
With ~-- thereby rejecting the definition of their role as women and as
workers!) In terms of issues like birth control and day care for children
w= social responsibility for children -- the demands cf women workers raise
more general questions about the priorities of a society which makes the
raising and supporting of small children the exclusive responsibility of
the individuais who are their parents, which establishes a relationship
where children are an economic bu@den on their parents and totally dependent
on theme :

WOMEN 4S STUDENTS a : | | J