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Trabajadoras: A Union Voice for Working Women

Mar 27th, 2012
by Lily.
1 comment

Trabajadoras is the Spanish word for Working Women. Today was an important day for Latina Working Women. Not necessarily a happy day. But an important day.

Because an organization that fights for them, The Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, released a first-of-its-kind report on the working world of Latinas in our country and the challenges they face. It’s not a pretty picture.

Trabajadoras: Challenges and Conditions of Latina Workers in the United States has stark graphs of statistics that clearly show the high poverty rates; the low education attainment; low homeowner rates; the dismal employment ratios; lack of health insurance and any sort of retirement plans of Latinas.

The report is not a cry for pity or charity. It’s a call to action.

We ignore the reality of these numbers to our peril. To our communities’ peril. To the country’s peril. These women are hardworking, talented people with as much potential as anyone on the planet. Why are the numbers so astoundingly headed in the wrong direction? Many reasons.

(more…)

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The Attacks on Teachers and Unions in Wisconsin Should Concern Everyone

Feb 17th, 2011
by Lily.
48 comments

Photo by Emily Mills

Fifty years ago saying you were a “poor teacher” was redundant.  Teachers were mostly women who wanted to teach, not to get rich, but because they loved kids.

However, 50 years ago, teachers and education support staff such as school secretaries and lunch ladies were expected to be polite and obedient and accept what they were given.  They had no power to come together and bargain a better salary with administrators, who were, coincidently, mostly men.  They were constantly exploited and underpaid.

Wisconsin, 50 years ago, became the first state in the country to do something about that.

They gave public employees, like teachers, the right to come together and negotiate for something better.  When you negotiate, you have to work within a budget; you don’t get everything you want, but it stopped the exploitation of individuals.  It meant that teachers and school support staff could move into the middle class and be treated with respect.  Wisconsin should be proud of that.

And Wisconsin should be ashamed of a governor who threatens to reverse that proud history.

Governor Scott Walker says it’s all about the budget.  But that doesn’t make sense.  The teachers and support staff and their unions have already agreed to sit down and work together for what schools need, acknowledging that it will have to fit within an austere budget.  They’re not at impasse.  No unreasonable demands have been made.

This is about politics and payback.  This is about punishing people who didn’t support his election, and it’s shameful.

Teachers today are still mostly women.  They are still modestly paid.  They still become teachers because they love kids.   But because they have had a voice in education issues, they have become a powerful force in making Wisconsin public schools some of the best in the country.

What possible good can come from silencing that voice? (more…)

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