Women seek power in workplace

Since Sunday, and until Friday, 96 women from nine different states across the Midwest are meeting in the Indiana Memorial Union to improve their skills as activists, share their experiences and learn how to take power in the workplace.\nThis week, the IMU is hosting the Midwest School for Women Workers as it returns to Bloomington for the first time since the mid-90s. The conference is one of four regional summer schools sponsored by the United Association of Labor Education and the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations Education Department. This 25-year-old event is taught by 16 educators, labor organizers and activists. \nThe classes offer range from building a new labor movement, to resolving union conflicts, to ideas in diversity and keeping a hazard-free working environment. \nLaurie Graham, associate professor of Labor Studies at the IU Kokomo campus said the students in attendance are equally diverse, bringing teamsters, nurses, corrections officers and members of the Union of Auto Workers together for the week of workshops.\nThe title for the week's events is "The Power is in Our Hands." The idea stresses one of the prominent themes of the week, making sure that the concerns of women workers -- health insurance, day care and fair pay -- are being met.\n\"The voices of women need to be heard much more loudly," and that part of being heard is cultivating more women leaders in the labor community," said Sue Swartz, coordinator for the Division of Labor Studies and former union organizer.\nGraham emphasized the need for women leaders in the labor community.\n"Women comprise over 51 percent of the labor force. Yet, we only make up 40 percent of the membership in unions. We are only now beginning to break that glass ceiling," Graham said. \nSuch breaking has been pioneered by Linda Chavez-Thompson, vice president of the AFL-CIO's executive board and the highest-ranking woman in the labor movement. She served as the keynote speaker for the week.\n"I have never heard (Chavez) speak like that in front of a crowd. It was inspired," said Ray Sovereign, faculty of the Labor Studies Department at the IU South Bend campus. "Often speakers give standard speeches. But (Chavez) spoke of her feelings, the sacrifices that her mother made and her struggles."\nChavez spoke to the women present about breaking the mold and creating a desire to be different. This desire permeates the week, as in addition to the immediate change in policies and representation, an ideological change is being sought out. \n"We're striving to be more inclusive. Traditional male structures of organization tend to work from the top-down. We're looking to be more vibrant and bottom-up," Graham said.\nSwartz agreed and added with more women leading the labor movement, she hopes much of the arbitrary, "because I said so" reasoning, can be gradually phased out in favor of the "organizing model."\n"Process becomes important," Swartz said. "We want to ask, 'Has everyone been heard?' and 'How can we compromise?'"\nThese are just a few of the many skills and ideas being exchanged this week. \n"I've learned so much already. Labor is a deep subject. I can't wait to bring back these ideas, share them with my team and put them into practice," said Stacy Paul, conference student representing the National Staff Organization.\n"We compare notes and ideas on how to deal with certain situations. Coming to this conference has been energizing and fun," said conference student Jearlean Fleming, a representative of Roosevelt University.