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Working 9 to 5
by Natasha Beck
Mr» Yvonna C ardlw all. clark-typlat for the City of Portland.
Women remain concentrated in
the traditionally female occupa
tional fields; in 1982, 99 percent of
secretaries, 96 percent o f nurses,
and 82 percent of elementary school
teachers were women, according to
"W om en at W ork: A C h artbo o k,"
published by the U.S. Department
of Labor.
Women are on the payrolls of
every m ajor industry group but are
especially concentrated in the ser
vice-producing
sector
of
the
economy O f all employees in the
service-producing sector in 1982,
half were women; in contrast,
women made up a little over one-
fourth o f the workers in goods-pro-
ducing industries, according to a
U.S.
Labor
Department
publication.
Between 1972 and 1982, the num
ber o f women working in clerical
and professional occupations rose
by more than 50 percent to 23 m il
lion. A substantial increase also
occurred in the service occupations,
which in 1982 accounted for one
out of five employed women, ac
cording to a U.S. Department of
Labor publication.
Women have constituted the
major share o f labor force growth
since the 1960s, and are projected to
account for seven out o f ten addi- /
tions to the labor force in the 1980s,
according toe "W om en at W ork: A
C h artbook," published by the U.S.
Department o f Labor.
(Photo Richard J. Brown)
9 to 5, the National Association
o f W orking W omen, celebrated its
tenth anniversary this winter. The
organization is concerned with
many working women's issues: pay
equity, office automation, health
and safety, and rights and respect,
Formerly called "W o rkin g Women,
National Association o f Office
W orkers," the name change reflects
a return to its "ro o ts ." The first
office workers’ organization in the
1970's, founded in Boston by fo r
mer secretary Karen Nussbaum, was
known simply as " 9 to 5 .” Nuss
baum is now executive director of
the organization, which has branches
in a number o f cities. O n the West
Coast, chapters are active in Los
Angeles and Seattle.
The national organization pub
lishes a monthly newsletter which
deals with the above issues as well as
child care, the working family, and
practical advice on office politics.
During National Secretaries' Week
in A p ril, the organization holds
demonstrations and rallies, high
lighting the "sexist boss of the
year." (A recent winner was an em
ployer who required his secretary to
mend his pants while he was wearing
them.) Offices with especially pro
gressive policies are also recognized.
Karen Nussbaum predicts that the
1980's will be for office workers
what the 1930's were for industrial
organizing. Clericals are 20 percent
o f the U.S. workforce and 35 per
cent o f all women workers. The in
dustrial. predominantly male, blue
collar sector is declining due to plant
closures in rubber, steel, auto and
lumber with an accompanying de
cline in union membership. Thus it
is necessary to organize the two ex
panding sectors, clerical and serv
ice, which are predominantly fe
male, both minority and white, and
constitute 80% o f all working
women.
To this end, 9 to 5 is now engaged
in joint organizing projects with the
Service Employees’ International
Union (S E IU ). A recent success
occurred this spring at the Univer
sity o f Washington where clerical
workers joined the S E IU bargaining
unit; Seattle 9 to 5 was instrumental
in the victory, which is particularly
significant in a period of high unem
ployment and decreased union or
ganizing.
As in industrial work, automation
is a major concern to office w ork
ers. The introduction of VDTs
(Video Display Terminals, or word
processors) to office technology has
had mixed results. On one hand,
word processors eliminate the need
for retyping; changes can be made
quickly and easily. On the other
hand, VDTs cause many health and
safely hazards, and have eliminated
lobs. Hazards include eye, back and
neck strain, radiation, and boredom
from repetitive tasks and lack of
control over the work process.
Advantages of secretarial work
have been the ability to organize
one's work and variety in tasks per
formed. In some offices automation
has eliminated this autonomy by
having one worker file, one type,
one phone, and one supervise. Use
of a word processor doubles or tri
ples a worker's output, but this in
creased production is not compen
sated.
9 to 5 published several brochures
on health and safety, including a
consumer's
guide
to
V D T ’s.
Adequate rest breaks, low glare
screens, and chairs with good sup
port are essential to reduce the
health hazards o f V D T work.
In a speech in Salem last fall,
Nussbaum stated that Western
European countries such as West
Germany and Sweden are far ahead
o f U .S. businesses in recognizing
these hazards; 15 minute rest breaks
every hour, a maximum o f 4 hours a
day on the word processor, and 4-6
weeks vacation are common policies
to reduce stress. (V D T operators
have the highest stress levels of any
occupation, and secretaries rank
second.)
Another stress factor for clericals
is the double day — 8 hours on the
job in addition to hours spent on
housework and frequently child
care. O ffice workers who are single
parents face even greater responsi
bilities. Hypertension, anxiety and
depression are byproducts of unre
lieved stress. Exercise, adequate rest
and recreation, sharing o f house
hold tasks among fam ily members
and quality child care facilities are
necessary prevention tactics.
Stress is also caused by the low
pay and lack o f respect clerical
workers receive. Clericals average
$11,000/year, with little promotion
al opportunities; most jobs are
"dead-end." Overall, women w ork
ers receive 59% of what men earn;
the figure is even lower for minority
women. The small number o f fe
male managers are mostly recruited
from outside the companies, and
most female supervisors are in the
lower levels. Thus management is
still dominated by white males, who
in many white collar industries are
paid higher salaries and have longer
career ladders than the "w om en’s
jobs."
Organizing is one solution to low
pay. Clericals in unionized jobs re
ceive 30% more than their unorga
nized counterparts. They also get
contracts to spell out all their bene
fits, grievance procedures, and pay
scales.
Another solution to occupational
segregation and low salaries is pay
equity, or equal pay for comparable
worth. Several unions, including
S E IU and A F S C M E (American
Federation of State, County, and
Municipal Employees), have en
dorsed this concept, which involves
upgrading jobs by rating them ac
cording to skill, education and re
sponsibility. Clerical work involves
communication, technical and ad
ministrative skills which need to be
recognized and compensated.
The State o f Washington has
started the process of ranking its
state jobs by the above criteria
State Senator Margie Hendriksen
(D-Eugene) will chair a committee
formed by the 1983 legislative ses
sion to study implementing a similar
system in Oregon. On the municipal
level, San Jose, California con
ducted a survey o f its city classified
jobs following a strike of its clerical
workers.
Lack o f respect for secretaries is
shown by requests for personal serv
ices (buying presents, non-business
typing, making and serving coffee
and food), sexual harassment, being
addressed by one’s first name yet re
quired to address the boss formally,
not being allowed to participate in
staff meetings: in other words, any
action which undermines one’s
dignity or ability to perform the job.
Respect can’t be written into a job
description or union contract, but
having these safeguards can facili
tate better treatment. 9 to 5 distri
butes an "O ffic e Workers’ Bill o f
Rights" which spells out equitable
treatment: the right to refuse per
sonal errands, the right to choose
one's lifestyle, freedom from age,
race and sex discrimination, among
other things.
,
The office workers’ movement is
growing and changing. The issues it
raises are essential ones tor women,
minorities and all working people.
Adult women returning to the la
bor force have provided a large
share of labor force growth and are
expected to constitute an even larger
share in the future, according to
"W om en at W ork: A C hartbook,”
published by the U.S. Department
o f Labor.
REWARD YOURSELF WITH CONFIDENCE
Solid foundations help support what
we build Whether a house a protect
or a life One ot the surest founda
tions is confidence And Shan Ichida
Busse has it
An early hunch that led to her first |ob
at WGN-Chicago also opened the
door to the career she maintains today
Once just on the ground floor ot Traffic
Operations lor the Illinois station. Shari
now oversees an entire department as
Traffic Manager for KPTV The confi
dence that grew with her is well-
earned It also had to be learned
I
Lessons could be found from home
and from honest self-assessment On
the one hand. Shan recognized the
example of her parents Though both
second-generation Pacific North-
westerners. they were interred in the
American concentration camps that
sprang up after the bombing of Pearl
Harbor Determined to put the experi
ence behind them, they relocated after
the war and raised their family with
values to depend on. such as perse
verance and respect for life
For her part. Shan moved gradually
through the ranks of her business spe
cialty. becoming familiar with all its as
pects The desire tor a fresher, more
hospitable environment impelled her
to seek work m Portland where she
and her husband then moved Her will
ingness m Chicago to master the new
computer-based Broadcast Industry
Automation System — now standard in
the business — enabled Shari to trans
fer her abilities to TV-,2 Patience with
much to be learned agam proved
worthwhile as she garnered further
experience necessary for her present
position
After so much effort. Shan is comforta
ble with her proficiency, but not surpris
ingly. she still pays close attention to
what is before her Keeping her staff
motivated Upholding organization
Handling the turnover ot technical
data These are simply par tor the ex
pectations she sets and upgrades In
her view, "You ve got to take pride m
what you do. no matter what ' That
means, "overcome the past, rise
above it and strive to be better Shan
also senses the importance ot educa
tion, formal and informal "It you don t
have guidance, find if from someone
who knows With such a blueprint, ef
forts are rewarding, and confidence is
inevitable
Whether or not your training is
broadcast-related, the skills you
take pride m might be applicable to
a television career To learn more
about such possibilities consult the
KPTV Personnel Department
KPTV 15
I