Women in labor unions

These workers have organized to address issues within the workplace, such as promoting gender equality, better working conditions, and higher wages.

[2] The Women's Trade Union League of America (WTUL) was formed in November 1903 after three meetings at a convention for the American Federation of Labor.

[2] The WTUL also discovered it was difficult to organize women due to lack of union knowledge and family obligations.

[2] Despite initial difficulty in organizing, the WTUL supported spontaneous strikes when the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU) lacked funding.

[2] A body of strong strike leaders and organizers, including Leonora O'Reilly and Josephine Casey, was developed within the WTUL by 1906.

[2] Allies of the WTUL helped to organize walkouts, boycotts, walk picket lines, and raise funds for the league.

[2] Though many saw work as a temporary transition period between childhood and marriage, the WTUL attempted to urge women to view themselves as independent wage earners.

[4] The IWW was founded by Mother Jones, Lucy Parsons, Bill Haywood, Eugene V. Debs, Daniel D. Leon, and Thomas J. Haggerty.

[2] On November 23, 1909, Clara Lemlich's speech inspired the largest women's strike up to that point, which took place among primarily Jewish waist makers on the following day.

[6] Women laid off from the auto industry were also unable to work in defense jobs as they were not protected under the OPM Six-Point Transfer.

UAW leaders and the NAACP advocated for workers of color, resulting in the employment of black women in the automotive industry.

[6] Though protests occurred, the UAW continued to advocate for their African American employees, threatening to fire groups of workers on the opposition.