|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Press Conference: October 23, 1973, 9:15
am, 189 W. Madison Street, Suite 900
Susie Bates, a janitress at City Hall,
will present her charges of sex discrimination against the City of
Chicago (1973)
(Editors Note: Gender discrimination in Chicago city employment was
rampant before the advent of the women's movement. The reigning Daley
political machine was very adroit at fending off challenges, but organizations
like the Chicago Women's Liberation Union(CWLU) and the National Organization
for Women (NOW) were not easily brushed aside.)
Susie
Bates, a janitress at City Hall, will present her charges of sex discrimination
against the City of Chicago ~ in a Public Hearing before the Fair
Employment Practices Commission (FEPC). Preceding the hearing she
will hold a press conference at 9:15 am at 189 West Madison Street,
Suite 900.
At the
press conference Ms. Bates will discuss:
- the specifics of her case against the City
- the relevance of her case to the women ‘s rights movement
- the importance of her case to Black working women
Ms.
Bates is employed by the City of Chicago as a janitress. For 21 years
she has worked side by side with janitors who do work equivalent
to that of the women but are paid over $1000 more per year. In
addition, women workers receive unequal pension benefits and are
denied equal hiring and promotional opportunities.
Ms. Bates
has been carrying out a campaign against the City of Chicago for
over 1 year. Through the City budget hearing she attempted to have
the discriminatory job titles (janitor and janitress) changed to
one category, custodial worker, with a corresponding equalization
in pay and benefits. The City’s response was to come up with the equally discriminatory
classifications of custodial worker (men) and custodial assistant
(women).
Thus far
Ms. Bates’ case has received the endorsement of District Council
19 Of AFSCME the AFL-CIO State Women’s Caucus, and Black Labor
Leaders of Operation PUSH. The support given to Ms. Bates’ case
by these Black and labor organizations indicates the importance of
her case to working women in Chicago.
|
