Author(s): Gay Simpkin, Marie Russell

Feminism | Politics | Aotearoa New Zealand Non-Fiction | Women's Histories

In the late 1970s, as the women’s movement was fracturing, trade union women put forward a new agenda to bring feminists and women workers together. The one-page, 16-clause Working Women’s Charter covered … ★ the right to work ★ equal pay ★ an end to discrimination at work ★ better conditions, family leave, flexible work arrangements ★ free, quality childcare ★ reproductive rights … and more. Challenged by patriarchal union traditions, the women worked hard to win union support for their demands. Women will rise! Recalling the Working Women’s Charter includes chapters by women who promoted the Charter, and others looking at what has been achieved since — and what remains to be done.

Contents: The Working Women's Charter, 1980 - 6 Preface - 8 Introduction - Grace Millar, Gay Simpkin & Marie Russell -10 1 The lesson of the Working Women's Charter: There is no gain without struggle - a personal reflection - Margaret Wilson -19; 2 History of Charter activism - Hazel Armstrong - 33; 3 Taking the Charter to the Federation of Labour, and the work of the women's sub-committees - Therese O'Connell - 55; 4 The Working Women's Charter and feminism - Sue Kedgley - 77; 5 The New Zealand Post Primary Teachers' Association and the Working Women's Charter - Helen Pearce - 85; 6 Equal pay - Martha Coleman - 95; 7 Taking control of sexual harassment - Wendy Davis & Gay Simpkin -118; 8 Mana wahine Maori, Mana fafine Pasifika: Claiming equity in the labour market - Linda Hill -130; 9 What happened after the Working Women's Charter? - Marie Russell -167; Afterword - Grace Millar - 203; Recommended reading - 209; Contributors - 210; Notes - 213; Abbreviations - 229; Index - 230