ILONA GERSH took advantage of affirmative action when she started work as a labourer on the iron range in Minnesota, USA, eighteen months ago.
She is now an electrical apprentice, an active member of the Organisation of Women union - the United Steelworkers of America.
Liz Lawrence interviewed her af the. 30th convention of the Workers Party and found out what life is like for women miners in the •Lales Af Affirmative action creased opportunities® women in industry.
For instance, where I work in US Steel iron ore mine the number of women is now about 10 per cent - 450 out of 4,500 — and it's more than tripled in the last year and a halt.
The company complied with the regulation yet through and this is one thing that women in industry are fighting fortoday.
Independent Women are concentrated in the labour crews at the bottom of the pay serles. They sweepers, they hose mud, they shovel rocks, they drive service trucks, they work in the warehouse... last year larger numbers of women have become apprentices in the killed crafts.
There are quite a few electrical apprentices and some are becoming mechanics and welders.
Entering non-traditional areas of female has tremendous impact on women. one thing, for the first time they're economically independent because of the large incomes they receive. They Cd t suppol themselves families. So many women don't feel as tied to marriage as they did before. Plus it's given women a tremendous sense of confidence and that's why a large number of women National and of her Socialist has Infor certainly haven't per cent Janitors, but in the forward.
attitudes changing.
had For do.
Men have generally been and their pregnant. ILONA GERSH — iron ore miner industry are becoming interested in all kinds of political ideas - because for the first time they have some control over their lives and want to move women are Five years ago, when women first came into the mines, It wasn't established that it was a place But today there are so many of us that men generally accept that we can do the same jobs as men supportive in showing us the ropes. There are some exceptions and those are usually the right wingers who are opposed to women's rights and those who think that women should be barefoot and The company bears .a lot responsibility, for male hostility. The company doesn't like women moving into the mines.
When women are on probation, a period when they can be fired for any reason at all, the foremen usually give women the hardest jobs and use the excuse that they think the women want to prove that they can do as good a job as the men.
This tends to discourage women. Women have also been SETTEY discouraged by foremen from entering the skilled cratts and are told that they won't be able to get through the technical schooling or that men in the craft won't accept them.
Women who do enter the crafts and become electricians or welders find that the workers are supportive and that they can make it through.
We've found department in the women have been harassed by their male co-workers ¡directly to the foremen's attitude towards women and their discussions with male workers.
In my union local the number of women participating in union activities has increased When I started there were maybe two or three women Ilactiles.
Feminism Hin ye aern. Wee got usues within the union.
Amendment, for abortion rights, for childcare, for affirmative action which the union had abstained from until then, although union members were very interested in these issues.
The National Women has had quite an impact on American unions.: Quite a few miners are members of NOW. In fact it was primarily women miners who helped to establish a chapter of NOW on the iron range, with other women on the range.
They see NOW as a real ally in of bringing issues to the union because they recognise that NOW, with over 100,000 members across the country, is extremely powertul, has authority and that people in the union are going to listen to that kind of organisation.
A move bv women into basid industry is important in the struggle for women's liberation. In fact I think the new rise of women's liberation today around questions like affirmative action is due to more woniel getting IntO independence They feel that they have power as working people who run the country to change things. And that they have allies backing them up NAC & that every YoNL Ol it can be traced INi. Adm:z>p September phone 01-359-8371.
tremendously.
attending union feminist issues Equal Rights back Corbishley, .
UDILI 'FREE Organisation of London N1 2XP HULI •UClalS industry and gaining recently obtai Merseyside.
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WOMEN MINERS CAN DIG IT TOO!