Page 7 - Work Force March 2020

CSEA paving a path forward for women in the workplace
Every March, we celebrate Women’s History Month to honor women’s contributions in American history, especially when it applies to developing roles in society, business and in the workplace.
In the United States, labor force participation rates for women have deeply affected by traditional gender roles, wartime military service, family commitments, discrimination, changing economy, technological change and by personal decision- making.
Women’s history is still an evolving story, and CSEA and other union women are playing a key role in advancing issues of concern to working women, including social and economic justice, fair pay
and benefits, political action and workplace safety and health.
Women are still paid only about 81 cents for every dollar men are paid. The gap is even wider for non-Caucasian women. While our contracts have narrowed this gap for
union women, there is still progress to be made. While there are many continuing struggles for equality,
the labor movement has made
great strides toward a more equal workplace. Union women are paid more, have health benefits and more rights in the workplace than many of their nonunion counterparts.
In CSEA, women comprise more than 60 percent of our union’s membership, with CSEA President Mary E. Sullivan leading the way.
“As we look at Women’s History Month, I think it’s most important that we recognize that it’s the 100th anniversary of the Constitutional amendment that granted women the right to vote,” Sullivan said. “It’s a precious gift that many people fought and even died for. As union women, we should honor their memories by exercising our vote at every opportunity, whether it’s the school board, the local village or county, or in the national elections every November. As women, it’s our
right and our responsibility.” To help advance women and
issues of concern to all workers, CSEA women play active roles in our union’s statewide, region, local and unit women’s committees.
CSEA Statewide Women’s Committee Chair Karen Pecora said that one important role for union women’s committees is to continue to advocate for safe and healthy workplaces.
“Our Women’s Committee
is focused on the continuing advancement of women in our workforce,” Pecora said. “Health and safety is one of our utmost concerns, so as we recognize the women in
our history who have fought for the health and safety of women in our workplaces, we aim to continue that legacy.”
Region women’s committees are also working hard to advance issues of concern to working women.
Steuben County Local activist Brenda Campbell, who co-chairs
the Western
Region Women’s Committee, said women’s voices are often undermined when workplace policies and contracts are being considered.
Campbell
Szymura: CLUW vital to giving union women a voice
BUFFALO — CSEA Erie County Local and Unit President Denise Szymura believes that it’s extremely important unions continue to take an active role as positive change agents to advance women’s rights.
Szymura
absolutely vital for positive change to occur.
Szymura started her public service career with the county in 1981 and said she has
seen limited progress for working women. “We are
not even close to where we need to be,” she said.
“CLUW really provides a
network for union women from different organizations to connect on the simplest level,” said Szymura. “We discuss what is going on in our workplaces and share strategies
and remedies common to women. We develop action programs within the framework of our unions to deal effectively with those objectives.”
Szymura highlights a 2016 Economic Policy Institute study that reported that union women were paid 23 percent more than nonunion women. Moreover, she added unions have narrowed the gender wage gap significantly.
“It stands to reason if we want to improve work and life conditions for all working women, we must
support the efforts and mission of our constituency groups like CLUW,” Szymura said.
“Considering the fact women make up the majority of
our CSEA membership, we also need to stake out our
rightful place in making sure all our efforts are coordinated and fully inclusive of women.”
“Besides, women union members are also more likely to have various types of paid leave to balance work and family,” Szymura said. “Some union women are doing better than others — we would also like to level the playing field for workers who are lagging behind. That is something every worker, union and nonunion, should be fighting for. It’s just the right thing to do.”
— Ove Overmyer
“If we are to
advance equality for women in
the workplace, we need to keep speaking out for equal pay, child and elder care benefits, job security, safe workplaces, affordable health care, and protection from sexual harassment and violence at work,” Campbell said. “Because we are organized, unions are a natural vehicle to get the job done.”
For more information about Women’s Committees in your region, contact your region office.
— Ove Overmyer and Mark M. Kotzin
Szymura, chief dietician at the Erie County Senior Services Department, also serves as the Western New York Chapter President of the Coalition
of Labor Union Women (CLUW), an AFL-CIO constituency group that works to unify all union women to determine common problems and concerns, and to develop action programs to address them.
Szymura, who received our union’s Irene Carr Leadership Award in 2017 for her efforts to advocate for union women, readily admits union organizations like CLUW are
Interested in joining CLUW?
The Coalition of Labor Union Women is America’s only national organization for union women. Formed in 1974, CLUW is a nonpartisan organization within the union movement. CLUW has a strong network of more than 40 chapters, including four in New York State:
• Kate Mullany CLUW (Albany) • Long Island Chapter
• New York City Chapter
• Western NY Chapter
For more information about joining a CLUW chapter or to learn more about CLUW, visit cluw.org.
March 2020
The Work Force 7