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The Spokeswoman Vol. 2, No. S April 30, 1!H2 An independent monthly newsletter of women's news

"EQUALITY OF RIGHTS UNDER THE LAW SHALL NOT BE DENIED OR ABRIDGED BY THE UNITED STATES OR BY ANY STATE ON ACCOUNT OF SEX." On March 22, due to the inde­ fatigable and coordinated efforts of hundreds of feminists across the country, the Senate passed the by a vote of 84-8. Hawaii ratified the ERA several hours after it passed in the Senate. Now at least 37 more state legislatures must ratify the ERA before it will become part of the Constitution. Feminists are urged to launch a letter-writing campaign to your state House and Senate Majority and Minority leaders urging immediate state ratification.

CHILD CARE A unique and important action organization has developed in Chicago to struggle for the rights of women over the issue of child care. The Action Committee for Decent Childcare (ACDC) now has several hundred members strung across metropolitan Chicago. ACDC includes women who need child Action Committee care, who work in child care centers or who belong to community organizations actively working on For Decent Childcare the issue. They use a multi-level approach, combining research, negotiation, service and direct action. It is a citywide organization with black and white women from many different types of communities and backgrounds. In the struggle to meet women's concrete needs, they have found unity across many of the barriers which traditionally have divided women. Since they began thay have a) forced the city to review all licensing cases and incorporate many of their specific revisions, b) opened up the issue of child care through public hearings and media publicity, c) organized community groups to pressure local officials on the issue and d) successfully defended several centers and tot lots against arbitrary or politically-motivated government attack.

ACDC is now developing a network of chapters which include parents and single women and of child care councils, which focus on people working in childcare centers. Each chapter or council is repre­ sented on the policy-making steering committee. The steering committee is beginning to discuss alliances and joint campaigns around such related issues as women's health and employment.

The ADCD organizers see the group as "a model through which women can come together to fight for and win some power over their lives and can make their institutions responsible to them. According to ACDC, "this model begins with having an overall vision- universal, free, parent-controlled, 24-hour childcare. It converts that vision into concrete and winable objectives or reforms that will do three things: I) make things somewhat better in reality, 2) build a base of organization that will give women a sense of their own power and 3) somewhat alter the control of irresponsible institutions over women. This strategy combines the needs of both realist and idealist. We have chosen a direct action approach because we feel that people learn from doing. Rights are never given, but are only real when they are fought for and won."

The women hope their successes with child care in Chicago will spark other women across the country to develop direct action organizations. Some of the ACDC members are willing to help train others interested in learning the skills they have developed. Contact: Heather Booth, ACDC, 5006 South Dorchester, Chicago, Illinois 60615 (Tel: 312-538-3063).

The Spokeswoman is an independent monthly newsletter published at 5464 South Shore Drive, Chicago, Ill. 60615. (Tel: 312-667-3745). Subscription price is $7 per year by individual check and $12 per year by institutional check. Copyright €) 1972 by The Spokeswoman. Material from this newsletter may be used as long as The Spokeswoman (including name, address and cost) is credited. Editor and publisher: Susan Davis. Office manager: Miriam Desmond. Circulation manager: Sandy Contreras. Women's studies editor: Janice Law Trecker. Printer: Ruby Bailey. EMPLOYMENT "After a month and a half of maintaining a picket line in the worst of winter weather, the Harvard Square Waitresses' Union and their supporters feel that a settlement with Cronin's Restaurant could be imminent," reports the latest issue of Eastern Massachusetts NOW News. All but three of the Harvard Square waitresses at Cronin's, a restaurant in Harvard Square, have been on strike since early December. Waitresses Union Mr. Cronin has been "very reluctant" to enter serious negotiations although he has recognized the group as a legitimate bargaining agent. The waitresses are now in the process of becoming an inde­ pendent union local under the regulations of the Labor Relations Board. The women's demands include an increase in the minimum wage from $.96 to $1.35 an hour, sick pay and overtime pay. Contact: Pat Walch, Harvard Square Waitresses' Union, 689 Green St., Cambridge, Mass. (617-547-6674).

Household Finance In a landmark discrimination suit settlement, Household Finance Corp. has agreed to hire more women Settles Sex Suit and nonwhites, pay $125,000 in back wages to an estimated 175 women, give preference to women for "branch representative" spots in HFC's 1280 offices, guarantee blacks, Chicanos and American Indians at least 20 percent of all job vacancies in certain categories, and grant equal borrowing opportunities to blacks, Chicanos and American Indians.

20 Percent Dropoff What's going wrong with administration of the Equal Pay Act? Fiscal 1971 was a record year for paymel)t In Equal Pay found due of corporations to women workers under this act; with the $17-million total almost doubling that for the 5 years before! Yet this year is showing a 20 percent dropoff! In the first four months of Fiscal1971, $5,057,637 was found due to 10,335 employees under the Equal Pay Act. In the same per­ iod of Fiscal 1972, $4,147,413 was found due to 7,704 employees. Does the dropoff have anything to do with the fact that Morag Simchak, long-time overseer of the Equal Pay Division, has been detailed to the Office of Federal Contract Compliance? To urge renewed vigor in EPA administration, contact Horace Menasco, administrator, Wage and Hour Division, D1~pt. of Labor, Washington, D.C. 20210.

EDUCAr/ON One hund!:ed.-women employes ofthe Uni.vm-sitv-of-M.ich-igatHecei.ved satar.y.incl'eases. totaUng $94,295 February 28 as the result of reviews of salary equity in academic and non-academic posi­ tions. As we went to press, the University's Commission for Women was working with outside man­ Academic Women agement consultants to develop new classification descriptions and compensation scales for professional Get Smart and administrative staff. Meanwhile, the University Record published excerpts March 20 of the Cluster Reports, a 200-page document which assesses the University's progress on affirmative action. A year ago, the Commission on Women established "a network of volunteer committees representing grouped units throughout the University" called "clusters," which were to review and evaluate affir­ mative action goals submitted by each department. Their resulting report is a milestone in university . at Michigan affirmative action. Contact: Commission, President's Office, U. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

. at Berkeley The Leagu..e of Academic Women (LAW) and twelve women faculty, non-academic and graduate student plaintiffs filed a federal court sex discrimination suit Feb. 15 in San Francisco against the University of , Berkeley, and the Regents of the . The 64-page complaint, citing University-gathered and admitted sex discrimination statistics, documents discrimination against women that LAW says "parallels that of Mississippi against blacks." For a copy of the lawsuit and related information, send a $3.50 check to: Marsha Jo Taft, Information Coordinator, LAW, 2700 Bancroft Way, Berkeley, California 94704. (Te~l: 415-845-2727).

... at Wisconsin Women from widely separated campuses of the University of Wisconsin are impressing the administration by how "together" they are. A casually-called system-wide meeting of women was so heavily attended that it gave birth to the aggressive Wisconsin Co-ordinating Council of Women in Higher Education. WCCWHE recently presented eleven anti-discrimination proposals to the University administration calling for everything from upgrading jobs commonly held by women to filling 50 percent of all high­ level job vacancies with women. Meanwhile faculty women. angered by a stalemate in getting retro­ active salary adjustments, are considering filing a federal suit. Contact: Joan Roberts, WCCWHE, 243 Education Building, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (Tel: 608-263-2939). . r f h t en best men in the divorce courts. LAW&ORDER A new and startlin: repo~t is challenging th: :;:~::~:d c~~~~ere~ :re:::h more limited than is generally States this report, The nghts to support o 'I bl though scant indicates that in practically known and enforcement is very inadequate. The data aval a e, . . ' . . . on all cases the wife's ability to support herself is a factor in determ.nmg the amount of ~~~m~nv, that ahm V Alimony is granted in only a very small percentage of cases; that fathers by and large are contnbutmg less tha~ half Testimony the support of the children in divided families; and that alimony and child sup_port awards are very dlff. icult to collect." For the eye-opening report by the Citizens Advisory Council on the Status ~f Women, entitled A7i'mrmy and Child Support Laws,contact the Women's Bureau, Dept. of Labor,Washmgton, D.C.

For the first time in history, women who have experienced divorce have drawn up a bill to c~rrec_t the NOW Announces injustices they see in the existing law. Two of the more flagrant examples are the preS:nt laws f~1lure Model Divorce to give women their just share of the family savings at the time of divorce and to prov1de for their old Reform Bill age, reports the NOW Committee which worked with the divorced women to dev:lop the r~­ form bill. The bill was introduced by NOW on January 13 at public hearings on New York dJV~r~e legis­ lation and NOW is seeking legislators to sponsor it as a bill. The reform bill includes these prov1srons: 1) equal division of marital property (community property}, 2) management and control of own share of community property in marriage, 3) legal recognition of marriage as an equal partnership, 4),equitable alimony and child support with cost-of-living increases, 5) legal fees awarded to wife before trial tore­ tain attorney equal in ability and fees to attorney employed by husband, 6) security bond equal to one year's projected support payments, 7} compulsory payroll deductions, 8) compulsory financial disclosure, 9) financial investigation and enforcement bureau with authority to conduct pre-trial investigations, sub­ poena all records of income and assets, and enforce support orders, 10) training and vocational guidance bureau for separated and divorced persons, 11) new mutual consent grounds for divorce and 12) widows rights to half of all assets. As a separate effort, the NOW Marriage and Divorce Committee is also pushing for family insurance which would cover the contingency of divorce. For further information and copies of the divorce reform bill, contact Betty Berry, 541 E. 20tb St., Apt. 7C, New York, N.Y. 10010.

MEDIA Chicago women held a press briefing on women's liberation projects for sympathetic media women Dec. 6 to strengthen these ties and to increase their opportunities for feature coverage. Spokeswoman for some 19 activities ranging from the liberation School for Women to N.O.W.'s Women's Advocate Corps gave Press Briefing On short presentations and distributed press releases. The meeting was sponsored by The Spokeswoman, Women's Projects the Chicago Women's Liberation Union, National Organization for Women and the YWCA's Loop Center. Cost of printing the news releases will be covered by selling the 20-page press packet for $4. A special bonus is the media guidelines developed by NOW for the mass media. The guidelines include a critique of the way media presently cover women and suggestions for better coverage of women and the women's movement. Send checks and orders to The Spokeswoman,5464 South Shore Drive, Chicago, Ill. 60615.

UNIONS Margie Albert is a secretary who successfully joined with sister office workers in to negotiate for employment rights. When initial discussions with management led nowhere, the women Help In Organizing contacted District 65 of the National Council of Distributive Workers and subsequently worked through Your Office them. As a result they won guaranteed annual wage increments plus cost-of-living increases, 15 days sick/personal leave, minimum three-week paid vacations, twelve legal holidays plus four religious or other holidays, and complete medical coverage through a 5 percent wage deduction. Ms. Albert has described how the women proceeded at each step of the way, learning what they needed to know as they went, in an article in the Winter 1971-72 Up From Under. "Taking Care of Business" is a wonder­ ful resource article for women interested in unionizing. Contact: Up From Under, 339 Lafayette St., New York, N.Y. 1,0012 (60 cents plus postage).

WOMEN'S Women's studies will soon have two new publications. Women's Studies, an interdisciplinary journal, STUDIES is now accepting articles. Contact: Wendy Martin, Dept. of English, Queens College, Flushing, N.Y. The Year's Work in Women's Studies will report on scholarly research and innovative projects with its first summer issue. Contact: Women's Center, Barnard College, New York, N.Y. 10027. BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE The Spokeswoman PAID 5464 South Shore Dr. Chicago, Ill. IPermit No. 3193 Chicago, Illinois 60615

KA1'llLEEN L. OSER SOUTH STREET CLWTON, N.Y. 13323

MEDIA I'm Running Away From Home But I'm Not Allowed to Cross the Street: A Primer on Women's Liberation by Gabrielle Burton. To appear June 1, this book will be the first published by KNOW, Inc., the well-known feminist books news service launched in the fall of 1969. Send $3.50 plus postage to KNOW at their new address: Box 86031, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15221. book club Feminist Book Club. Offers a complete stock of books relevant to the feminist movement at substantial discounts from list prices. Charter memberships cost $2 and include an attractive catalogue with an up-to-date list of feminist publications. FBC sends you only what you order and there is no minimum number of books to buy. Contact: Feminist Book Club, 2083 Westwood Blvd, Los Angeles, California 90025. periodicals WEAL Washington Report is a monthly legislative summary of Congressional and court action of interest to women published by the Women's Equity Action League (WEAL}. $2.50 for six months. Contact: WEAL Washington Re­ port, 1254 Fourth St.. SW, Washington, D.C. 20024. Good, concise and clear. "Children's March for Survival." Extensive coverage of historic event in March 1972 issue of The Welfare Fighter, monthly newspaper of the National Welfare Rights Organization. To join NWRO and receive newspaper, send $10 to NWRO, 1419 H Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20005.

Majority Report. Excellent monthly newspaper published by FOCAS (Feminist Organization for Communication, Action and Service}. $3 for 10 issues from the Women's Liberation Center, 36 West 22nd St., New York, N.Y. 1001 0.

The Furies are here. A new lesbian monthly paper from Washington, D.C. (Box 8843, Southeast Station, Washing­ ton, D.C. 20003.} The first issue has a fine article on Queen Christina of Sweeden (a lesbian}, political analysis, poetry, and a section called "What's Going On," covering national news, events, etc. concerning lesbians. Yearly sub: $5. publications "The Business and Industry Discrimination Kit." All about the law and how to file individual and pattern-of-practice suits against employers. Available for $5 from National Organization for Women, 1957 East 73rd Street, Chicago, Illinois 60649. Includes analysis of Executive Order 11246 as amended.

The Feminist Press has two new publications: Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Forthcoming are two reprints by Rebecca Harding Davis ("Life in the Iron Mills") and Charlotte Perkins Gilman ("The Yellow Wall­ paper"}. They are looking for other lost works by women writers- speeches, poems, stories, novellas, etc. -so send them your suggestions at SUNY, Box 334, Old Westbury, Long Island, New York 11568. films "Films on the Women's Movement" is a list of feminist films put together by Janice Mendenhall for Federal Women's Day. Copy available free from Ms. Mendenhall, GSA, Office of Civii.Rights, Washington, D.C. 20405. A N N 0 u N c I N G The Spokeswoman An independent monthly newsletter of women's news

Straight coverage of women's news has been almost non-existant. Now The Spokeswoman has become recognized as the national vehicle to make active women visible and to provide a public platform for women's programs. Each month the newsletter describes what women all over the country are doing to meet our own needs and to open opportuni­ ties formerly denied us. The Spokeswoman is a source of news and more. In its year of publication, women have turned to its pages to learn how women are tapping existing resources for our own projects and are fighting the battle against discrimination.

Where did The Spokeswoman come from? It was started by Susan Davis at Urban Re­ search Corporation in June 1970. Its cover­ age is based on U RC's Newsbank of mater­ ials from more than 800 newspapers and publications. On July 1, 1971, URC agreed to sell the newsletter to Ms. Davis on gener­ ous terms so that it could be an independent publication supporting and being supported by the women's movement. The Spokeswoman's Advisory Board includes five active feminists from the fields of journalism, equal oppor­ tunity, economics, education and law: Gloria Steinem, Aileen Hernandez, Mary Houghton, Bernice Sandier and Flo Kennedy.

-44••••This special 3%-page sample issue illustrates the scope and content of the regular 8-page monthly newsletter. Each month The Spokeswoman brings you stories you would probably never see about how women are helping themselves and each other through action projects. The newsletter also monitors national news events and trends releyant to women. Here are the topics we regularly cover:

Employment sex discrimination cases, "affirmative action" pro- grams, labor organizing, de-sexigrating help-wanted ads.

Education discrimination against women at all levels, women's studies courses, liberation schools, back-to-school opponunities.

Child care cooperative and parent-organized centers, industry and government programs, resources available for child care, model programs, child care action organizations.

Abortion national repeal movement, status of state laws, new medical approaches, abortion counseling programs, birth control.

Legislation and legal action progress of Equal Rights Amend- ment, relevant federal and state bills, court decisions, class action suits for women.

Welfare activities of the National Welfare Rights Organization, new government regulations, client actions.

Politics formation of women's political organizations, campaign coverage of anti-racist, anti-sexjst candidates, _can2idat_~ sc.~o()IS~

Media media misrepresentation of women including "sex-sell" ads, women's monitoring programs, feminist programming.

Organizations progress reports on all women's groups - pro- fessional women, organizations of the poor, educational and action groups, radical women and women's caucuses within other groups.

Guidelines new publications, articles, reports, surveys, docu- ments, conferences and women's notices.

The Spokeswoman also periodically reports on women in religion, business, government, health, consumer affairs and peace.

Enclosed is my check for a one-year subscription to The Spok!JS· woman ($7 when paid by personal check, $12 when paid by in­ stitutional check). Mail to: The Spokeswoman, 5464 South Shore Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60615.

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