Behind the Keys: Women's Place?: Interview with Women Office Workers

Raises. Raises job promotions. That's the best way I think you know anybody can tell you you're doing a good job you know you're doing a good job. You know pat on the back for that. Give me a rest. I have felt very energized by working and when I didn't work when I was home just raising children I think the quality of childcare that I gave my children wasn't as good as when I was able to to get out of the house and interact with other adults. I did run the best office and everything like that and I was well recognized for. But I had no I had no voice into what happened. Where were Dora. The whole office comes to a standstill when that girl is not in all those years from 70 to 78 79. I sat at the same desk in the same chair and worked for you know in the same office without ever having the opportunity for advancement.

Mum's perception of how things are done is the correct way in their eyes because they hold the power. They're the ones that are in management. Most women who have were boys you know have a job. It's still the same old control. They want control of you Vera the boss they're always in control women. The women oh I could get I just couldn't strike. I just couldn't I don't mind striking a vote for a strike but I could stand on the picket line and they found out how easy it was. They found that they could. One good thing about it you know it's a protection you get. It's just something about getting up in the morning going down the highway you know going to work. The satisfaction of getting a job. But I feel like I should stand up and I'm going to continue to until I can get somebody to move in that we're all together in this really comes down with that's like hers and agree. That it was an operator. But I don't. Know me.

Well. When I'm in the prime.

In recent years the image of the working woman has become an accepted part of popular culture. But while newspaper articles and television shows concentrate on the small numbers of women employed as construction workers electricians and plumbers jobs traditionally held by men. The reality is that most women work in traditionally female jobs clerical work is now the largest sector of

the labor force and women make up the majority of clericals 32 percent of all women workers are clericals. Why is clerical work women's work and how does the image of the office girl affect women on the job. Despite the persistence of the idea that women's place is in the home in many families a woman's paycheck is now a necessity. But the same old ideas serve to keep women locked into women's jobs paid work is still seen as secondary a prelude to marriage in the family. Women's real job in 1977 women earned 59 cents for every dollar that men did. Employers have used the myth that women work for pin money to justify paying them low wages in this society. The value given to work is reflected in the paycheck occupational segregation allows the value of women's work to be lower than that of men's equal pay is not given for different work. The low economic and social

status of women is directly tied to the concept of women's work. Originally it was the only work that women did. So there's no reason it would be you and me more or less. This is a very a sector. That's OK for most of the people that have been hired for those jobs have been women and I think it's because I'm not sure which came first the chicken or the egg but the the pay in those jobs are held down because they're women holding them and we don't have to pay are much. You know she's not working for the money she's just doing it for pin money she's just going to keep herself busy. I think maybe it's those type of attitudes that got women stuck in those johns and as long as only women are in it is going to be one of those. Jobs. That was the place I thought I could get a job anywhere as opposed I looked that was the natural place if I didn't work in a

counter or did you know behind a lunch counter if I didn't work a five and dime or department store then the only other place for me for a job would be you know in office work there was no it was a matter of what attracted me that was just about the only place you could look for. In the 19th century offices were small and secretaries were male. It wasn't until the introduction of the typewriter in the early 1900s that large numbers of women were employed in offices or office work had been characterized by personal contact with the boss. The need for varied skills and the possibility for promotions. While women were moving into offices the nature of the work was changing. Tasks became increasingly simplified and the older system of close identification with the company was replaced by a hierarchical division with man in managerial positions and women in low paying secretarial posts as businesses grew. The work environment became more rationalized and impersonal

techniques of scientific management were employed in the office and efficiency became the watchword. It is interesting to note that the early typists were called typewriters. They were seen as part of the machinery clerical work in itself as it gets kind of boring and I guess in a way you know it's kind of hard to move in a secretarial position you know. In all those years from 70 to 78 79 I sat at the same desk in the same chair and worked for you know in the same office without ever having the opportunity for advancement. But you still reach that plateau beyond which you cannot go. If you are in the clerical class I can think that a lot of times you get into a clerical position and figure well that's the only thing you are going to do that where your secretary and that's why she's a secretary. What else could she possibly do in my 25 years of service with the government and all of the different numerous reduction in force. I've been through. I

have yet to see a man go out the door but I have seen the current house go out. And you put all that money into training them and getting their skills in and everything you lose then they go off and have a baby and never come back. You know that that type of an attitude always enters in. I'm an administrative assistant. There's no other step over that. They only way I see advancement is if I was take some courses and get a different type of job. You know the had very little to do with secretarial work in the past few decades the need for clerical workers has rapidly expanded the functioning of the economy is becoming increasingly centered around paperwork. The growth of the communications industry and the consolidation of corporations are some of the factors responsible for creating millions of new jobs in offices. The organization of the office around efficiency in mass production increases the number of dead in jobs and locates power in the hands of upper level management

as unskilled workers. Women are more vulnerable to layoff and unemployment since they are more easily replaced. The women are used as a reserve labor pool and employers depend on the reserves as a source of cheap labor. The vast majority of women in clerical positions have no voice in the office. The bottom line is that the nature of women's work is lack of control over some things. I feel sometimes in a position of power maybe authority or or expertise in certain matters but an overall scheme of things I don't feel like I possess possess much power I feel like I'm very low on the totem pole and we take orders we don't. We don't make policy. We carry out policy men's perception of how things are done is the correct way. In their eyes because they hold the power. They're the ones that are in management still the same old control. They want control of you there the boss they're always in control women.

Why. The boy. The Girl Friday. Dependable polite loyal pleasant. These are just some other popular images of clerical workers encouraged by employers in the media is expected that the secretary be there to serve her boss not only to type his letters but also to attend to his personal problems. Even though the secretary is not paid

to listen to her boss's problems these tasks are usually part of her unwritten job description. Attitudes of employers toward their secretaries reflects societal conceptions of women. For example the popular concept that women cannot make decisions is used to justify the lack of control that characterizes clerical work. 919 I expect from my stint AGA for the same service that I get from the sun with the exception the sun often goes on a strike and it is necessary for me to use artificial light. But I pay my eyes to nog refer to work six days out of every seven and I expect her all the while to radiate my office with sunshine and sympathetic interest in the things I am trying to do. It's a helping role and women are observed as helpers like the nurse or the teacher or the waitress or you know that kind of a person. I think in the beginning it was. It just seems like it was

more somebody to help somebody else with their important things like the wife helps her husband in his important job. The one thing they expect you to be there every day at any time during the day where you're supposed to be on duty regardless of all the errands that you have to do for the office. Every time they turn around and need you they expect you to be there. I have even been taking dictation over the phone and have had them interrupt me because they thought it was a personal phone call and you'd have to put that excuse yourself to the party on the line and they're on the line. Put them on hold and look about them and say Did you in 1938. The buzzer means now it gives a personal call for you to appear immediately. That call takes precedence over everything else in hand. Under certain circumstances a secretary will even interrupt a telephone call with Will you hold the line a moment please so that she can step to her employer's desk to assure him that she will be at his

service in a moment. Then she will resume but swiftly complete the telephone conversation. When the buzzer rings you are in mystery as to his necessity. But you know that there is a reason for his calling. When you go into the office. You get there. Shine your shoes almost everything they can think of for you to do. And you know women only exist to do as men tell them. Not only. Get. That make their coffee their coffee cups. Yeah it is service to them and to all the visitors who come yeah through all this you're supposed to have a pretty smile on your face from oh yes you're there to be dressed to the hilt and very little money goes around with it when your secretary will expect you to even do their personal work even though you know like here you're not supposed to be required to do their purse. But if you say anything throw 1940 to

keep cheerful a cheerful worker makes the bosses heart glad too many are grudging and morose in their work. Be polite to everyone. It is important to your future that everyone in the office should like you that your relations with everyone should be pleasant. You do not have to talk to anyone to accomplish this. You could do it by being polite to everyone. I personally had a very bad experience. Not too many months ago when I was expected to run the sweeper in our building and do some heavy cleaning wash the windows. I in fact one of the lieutenant colonels that worked in our office came over one day to bring a friend he want this friend to meet me and he found me on my hands and knees scrubbing the baseboard and I was directed to do this. And it certainly did not fit into my job description in 1968. Secretaries are marvelous people. They are ornamental and they are useful. They

take down what you say and improve on it. They know where to put in the double L's the commas and the paragraphs. They hold the mad letters until tomorrow they answer the telephone sidetracked the bores and put through those on the important list. They remember the birthdays and the anniversaries. They remind you when it's time to get along for the lunch date they see when you need a haircut. You know one of the things I've noticed in my own office is that the men look upon the women in the in the clerical field anyway. Any woman behind the type this is supposed to be there at their beck and call for any kind of conversation so they go up in the process. Their daily lives with that person. And it's like the women also have to mother that that role is is laid upon them. While employers expect secretaries to place certain nurturing roles there are few acknowledgements that clerical workers can think. The image so often portrayed by the media of the dumb secretary has been used by employers to keep women out of positions of authority.

They won't take orders from the Dando woman what they say. And they have a hang up over you know if you have anything at all you know you're a dumbell Kirk you say. And I've even had them say to me Oh you're just a dumbell Kirk. And I heard him say well those come a correction over there and write all that stuff for us to do and they don't even know what it's all about. Recently there was this task that we had to perform. OK it was a major task of putting together a comprehensive report on the thing and the members of the apartment had not done this in the past even though they were supposed to do it. So finally I got this thing completed right. And I felt pretty good about it because I said finally I'm going to do it. But what happened was a little later on the per another person in the apartment said look what I've done waving this thing and I said What do you mean i've done we have done.

Yes but I was expected to accomplish it. I'm the pinnacle at the top of the pyramid and so therefore I'm the one that's responsible for doing it. I said You should've told me that before I put all the work and 1938 I want a girl who will anticipate my wants. That is one of the leading demands of the employer who is searching for someone who can help him day in and day out in order to anticipate the needs of a busy man. You must be interested in the success of his business. You will always be thinking ahead watching his ways of working and saving him here a moment there a moment. Nothing is too little or too big for a secretary to think of to save her employer's time. It's very clear to all three of the women that work there that. This is really a man's world. The three of us carry three women carry their program I feel with a little dab of. Help. From. A male. And. We get. The pay.

They see me as just a secretary and so they want to bypass me. When a lot of the things that they want to do or want to ask are things that I do already know where first door the whole office comes to a standstill when that girl is not going that I'm not sure they necessarily would be able to put it into words why they were dissatisfied they just say well she's not married she doesn't do it like Mary did. And knowing that that they think oh you mean married to Carol and I have to do it now. They realize that that a lot of things that get done are because I do them and they don't even know they get done and they don't you know they have to. Well I can't relate to what I see on TV you know because you see a segment there you see her in a plush office. Lord knows my office is my own. However Black and everything's quiet you know maybe there's a pipe in the US and there's the boss in the ratings she said and we're waiting on the typewriter with no mind. No it's the

mud which is not true. I think that the secretary asked and almost as much as her boss because essentially the office the popular images of clerical workers serve to devalue the work the secretaries actually do. This devaluation not only justifies their low pay but also disguises the vital role the secretaries do play in the office. Their work is neither recognized nor respected. These cultural images do not encourage women to see themselves as important to the functioning of the office and in turn serve to increase the power of the employer. You know I think it should be changed because I get so far I guess said Well I I don't know. We can't i have company you know that somebody would come over nothing. I think it is I have to find out. As much as we do. It's more than that but the absence of people outside I just feel it when you're secretary you have to file. And so

if six people believe that there are 6000 or so immaterial anything changed that you are in. With.

With the. With. With. The contradiction between established notions about women's place and the reality of an expanding female workforce creates problems for women office workers. Economic need is the major reason why so many women are working outside the home. One third of all working mothers with children under six years old are heads of families. Yet even though in most families the woman's paycheck is an essential support. Men are still considered the breadwinners the vital economic role that so many women perform is considered secondary to their roles as mother and housekeeper. While employers gain by paying women low wages they do not hesitate to throw them out of work in times of economic downturn. In 1970 married women were 59 percent of the female labor

force. Most women work for wages but society still views them as economic dependence. Why don't women who are work because they have to and if you don't go out into the. Workforce then you have no funds of your own. You're a dependent when really out of necessity or even though your were pretty much grown. It was getting harder and harder to. To make a living and narrowly in the war so it's absolutely a must. A working woman she has it harder there's no doubt she's not working for a house she's working for some reason she's either supporting somebody or for some reason they almost have to work now days I think everybody has to work now days for two people of the average family you know what we don't want fortunate to have housemates are making 30 something thousand forty something thousand dollars a year like management. We do have hundreds that. Will support us if we have the

only thing in your analysis certainly let down you lose a lot here and you can start a new one. Women status in the home is connected to their status at work. Modern industrial life is full of tension and calls for constant adjustments in the lifestyle and understandings of working people. The family is supposed to provide sanctuary from outside pressures and women are held responsible for its care while men can identify themselves as workers women workers must also see themselves as mothers wives and dependents because women are the keepers of the home. They can be viewed as intruders in the job market. The difficulties women face caring for a family and holding down a job have not been resolved. During the Second World War when large numbers of women were needed to work in industry the federal government set up daycare centers and community kitchens.

But as soon as the war ended these essential services were withdrawn. Today working women are still fighting for adequate social services which would make it easier for them to work. Meanwhile economic need and family responsibility combine to place working women in a double bind. Most women more than wherever the boys have a job and. It's really hard I can fight it when I leave. You're saying I surf and you don't make sense and I say that for what you are. Especially American men that kill. They go home and even though they're what their wife is out working they expect her to rush home and have their dinner on the table by the time he gets home. You know and have the kids grabbed and looking presentable

so that when he walked in all you do is they go and sit down to dinner. I was getting too uppity. And so it caused a lot of problems of his family when I was working because Mary should be home taking care of her son. But I was determined and I made up my mind that I was going to work and that was what was going to be. I am devoted to my family and you know I try to reach a happy medium between the two. I feel a lot of pressure. I think it's a real myth that women can get along. And the fact people have wives workers mothers all the many roles that they attempt to fulfill and with other making every attempt that we can to maintain a household and. Give the children that the attention that we feel they need and so on. It just does not work. There just are not enough

hours in the day to be able to do all of those things. A good. Boy. And that was.

The only energy you like to look at you know you have a little bit better in there and it will come. But my husband is there able because he feels that I really didn't like my job placement as I do that I'm more fulfilled at home. Let's go a little bit worse in recent years. Inflation and rising living standards have shed new light on women's work. As long as paid work is not a threat to women's place it is readily accepted by society. But while economic need is an acceptable reason for working fulfillment is not. Women should seek jobs not careers is how the argument goes. Clerical positions that are low paying unskilled and have little possibility for advancement. I support the idea that women have jobs not careers. Women office workers are asked to see themselves as temporary laborers and to view

their work as not important. But the experience of working outside the home has changed the content of many women's lives. The gap between the way women feel about their work and how they are asked to think about it is widening. Women office workers are beginning to expand the definition of women's sphere discovering new strengths and new possibilities for change. I think I always were and always will. It's just something about getting up in the morning going down the highway and you know going to work or the satisfaction of getting a job. You know I have felt very energized by working. And when I didn't work when I was home just raising children I think the quality of childcare that I gave my children wasn't as good as when I was able to to get out of the house and interact with other adults. Let me kind of like a security blanket. That type of thing. It

was me this drew in the resources in. The and I don't know what the motivation to get into a lot of things I wouldn't. I think I also set myself up as a model for my three daughters who are work and in see that as not a choice but as a way of life. Because that's what mother did and and also for my granddaughter. She sees that all the women in this family work and so she doesn't question it. And I think that that's going to help her. I think it has helped my own daughters in feeling any conflict between being a mother and a worker. While more women are wanting to work and having to work the move in the office

towards increasing automation is making it harder to find fulfilling work. The newest trend in office technology is the use of word processing machines. An informal survey of one hundred seven large companies found that 70 percent already use word processing in combination with electronic mail. The business asserts that automation means better jobs for the workers. In fact studies have found that the jobs continue to be low rated and low paid often descaling of jobs that results from automation. Is used as an excuse to cut salaries. As in the case of one large bank that reduced its average pay for its clerks by 22 percent after automation. As automation is targeted primarily at clerical work it is women who are being affected clerical workers are being forced to work in jobs that are becoming increasingly

mechanical unskilled and isolating. And it is the most degrading it. It has put off as were bad reviews as I mentioned this is my FIRST YOU him know it. I brought him in and that is your sole duty. Well supposedly they were saving many by sitting at the word processing center and that they were losing manpower spaces in the

consolidation of the center as opposed to a secretaries or typhus out in the area. And by cutting those slots they were supposed to be saving money. Efficiently and not being able to get out the amount of work with less people. I was I was in there longer. You get the such a feeling of being isolated. You really are you are. You are actually forgotten about. I was in the office when they set the thing up in the base there. They could only go and knock on the door and the supervisor would look like they had a little cubbyhole window like that and she would talk to them. They were not allowed to talk to any of the women where I could put up with a lot of that except the feeling of isolation. I had the feeling I mean there were people right across the partition from me.

But I didn't have that feeling. Automation is leading to the creation of a dehumanizing workplace clerical workers are kept isolated from each other and are expected to complete only their specific fragmented task. Interestingly as work in the office has become less skilled the clerical field has become more open to black and other minority women. Between 1960 and 1970 nearly one fourth of employed black women changed occupations shifting the occupational distribution of black women toward clerical and other female dominated occupations. Help Wanted versatile workers to improve productivity willing to work days and nights no vacations or safe leave job environment may be tedious or hazardous. Must have perfect vision and concentration applications unlimited health personnel. I had a. Rather rough time adjusting after coming out a word processing I.

I didn't really know how to talk to people anymore. I just felt real giddy. I think if I would have stayed and word processing any longer I probably I don't know what I would have. What I've lost something. Got. I got a point.

To get. Back to. That list the Brits. Don't. Like. December 1973 109 members of local 20 Service Employees International Union strike at Syracuse University April 977 women office workers rally in New York City demanding decent wages proper job descriptions and to sex discrimination in the workplace may 977 two hundred twenty union employees strike at Harper and Row

80 percent of the members of the local district 65 are women. December 1978 women of the Wilmer bank employees association and Willmar Minnesota strike against the citizens National Bank protesting sex discrimination and failure to negotiate a union contract. Summer 1978 secretaries at Antioch College strike when the administration failed to negotiate their union contract. The women recently voted to join the local United Electrical radion machine workers union of America women are employed in areas which have traditionally been considered hard to organize and offices are a prime example. But as the nature of office work has changed so have the understanding's of office workers. The recent rapid influx of women and minorities into clerical positions has brought about a rise in white collar unionism a growing number of teachers government workers clerks and typists are organizing the unionization of clericals has made slow progress. Today only one out of every eight working women are union members.

Family Responsibilities lack of organizing experience and the nature of clerical work are some of the obstacles that women face. Despite these obstacles more women and offices are analyzing their problems together and voting to join unions. The realisation that we were never going to get any place in our feelings in our problems in our blogs and our ideas and our needs and wants would not be heard or even listened to unless we had some organized front. And some way of saying you have to listen to us. You know it was. You have to recognize that were important and that we deserve consideration and that you have to listen as we're here and we're part of this place and whether you like it or not we're very important part of it. One good thing about it you know it's a protection you get that's a good thing about the union. I feel a little more secure in my job you know because I know that I just can't be fired if there's somebody just doesn't like me. You know so

I could always go to the grievance committee or something. I like the idea of a union. I think that a union helps to cut down on the types of personal services that you're required to do and make it so that it's more of a. The position that you have skills that you use for a low. As for the fear of God. And most people know about you. So I watch him because it would jeopardize my job. It's awesome. You know OK so what your job from that is you really don't have a job and with labor union membership affects the status of women in many ways. Differences in pay between men and women are less severe when women are unionized. However women remain sorely under represented on union governing bodies and are often denied equal access to seniority. In 1970 white collar union men earned 80 percent more than union women. The scarcity of

female union officials has also made the unionization of clericals more difficult. But a man in May for an office says you want to call a man that when you have a form you take him down along the face of it once again. Now they can be the women. Oh I could. I just couldn't strike. I just couldn't I don't mind striking a bumper strike but I could stand on the picket line and they found out how easy it was. They found that they could a lot of people are even afraid to breathe. I think they're afraid to be a member for fear of reprisal or harassment of some type. Now I have known of the Union and I always rather had the sphere because I wanted the job I didn't want to.

Take a chance on being fired because I had myself and two children to support. I think it was difficult to organize women because some women would say or my husband doesn't want me to do this whereas it's very doubtful that you'd find a man as a why wife doesn't want me to do a union you know. So that attitude came across in the other was that or I've got kids at home I can't come to a meeting I've got to get home or get supper to get on the table I've got you know I've got kids waiting I've got a baby sitter that's leaving and you know we had those problems. The only way that you can get things squared is have somebody strong union in there who know the case and fight for it. But you can you can only fight in numbers you can't fight individually. I'm not disillusioned anymore and think that it's that you know that the union's going to be the answer to all of our problems. Also I have come to realize that the only way the union is going to be the answer to any of our problems if we constantly work on it. Why.

While some unions have been attempting in recent years to address their needs working women have begun to create their own organizations. In 1974 the coalition of labor union women formed with the purpose of organizing the 32 million an organized women and helping female union members gain a greater voice. The working women organizations a national association of office workers has also been expanding

across the country working to win rights and respect for office workers and some clerical workers have been coming together in informal groups to talk about the daily problems they encounter on the job. The uniting of women office workers in both formal organizations and informal support groups has enabled women to begin fighting their isolation recognize their common problems and demand changes. I had a problem in my office and in talking to Betty there was another lady by the name of Betty. She had a problem also. So we got organized just us three in the initial meeting. It was more or less just a get together to talk to one another about what had happened to us to release our tension and to someone who could understand because it had happened to them too. It's sort of frightening because here I have I've changed a great deal and I want to tell him you have changed which I didn't realize it was changing. I mean I didn't start out to do this it's just something that

evolved and it's in a way it's sort of. Frightening. On the other hand it's not like. I feel like I should stand up and I'm going to continue to until I can get somebody to move I get braver and stronger each week. It's amazing what just knowing that there are other people who are having problems. Knowing they are out there to any problems that we're all together in this really. There are a lot of changes to be made around me and I know I want to be a part of those changes.

You know they feed me is just a secretary and so they want to bypass me with a lot of the things that they want to do. Or want to ask them things that I do already know I don't think that a secretary asked in them almost as much as me. Because essentially he ran the office. I also set myself up as a model for my three daughters who are work and in see that as not a choice but as a way of life because that's what mother did. But knowing they were out there to having problems and that we're all together in this really. By coming together like this that we're all gaining strength. When I saw that I was like. It was a good job so that I could have some control over my own. But you can only fight in the numbers you can't fight individually. The office would close down without sectors and agree. That it would not permit and we feel very energized by the changes that are going on in our society you know and I let them

know around there. I'm going to be here a long long time and I think it's about time that women had their day. You know what I mean. The same conditions which create problems for working women also create the potential for bringing about changes as more women have entered the workforce. The contradictions between society's image of their role in the workplace and women's experience has become more obvious. Women's understanding of themselves and their position in society is changing. Through organizing together working women are demanding not only raises but also respect for the work that they do. But if working women are to become a powerful force for change they must move beyond demands for reforms and begin to challenge the basic structure of work. They must push for greater control of the work process and the organizations which represent them in the workplace in order for fundamental changes to occur in the workplace. A redefinition of the nature of work in the society is called for. The divisions between work and leisure fulfillment and survival and individuals

and community must be eliminated. The experiences of working women provide the potential for bringing about peace changes. Behind the keys was produced by Dana back and Barbara's solo with the help of the women of you a local 7 6 1 and the members of Betty's flock. Thanks to our narrators Evelyn Berrien Mary Anne Marie Virginia Garrett Melville Rue Paris and Michael Page. Very special thanks to Mary and Mark and Betty Jean

Carroll for their constant support and advice. And.