Blue-Collar Women at Work with Men

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Blue-Collar Women at Work with Men Negotiating the Hostile Environment

Jeanie Ahearn Greene

Book Code: C7736

ISBN: 0-275-97736-6

ISBN-13: 978-0-275-97736-8

DOI:

224 pages, tables

Praeger Publishers

Publication: 5/30/2006

List Price: $59.95 (UK Sterling Price: £34.95)

Availability: In Stock

Media Type: Hardcover

Trim Size: 6 1/8 x 9 1/4

Subjects:

Reviews:

Although Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act specifically prohibits gender-based discrimination, women are still being denied access and opportunity--particularly in blue-collar occupations historically dominated by men. In this study, Greene relates the stories of 17 women she interviewed who work in traditionally male blue-collar jobs (police officer, carpenter, etc.). She also suggests ways in which employers, policy makers, and workers themselves can combat workplace hostility towards women.
—Reference & Research Book News August 2006

Description: Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act specifically prohibits gender-based discrimination, and over the past 40 years women have made astounding progress in breaking down barriers in the workplace--from the shop floor to the corner office. Nevertheless, discrimination is still widely practiced, in both overt and subtle ways, denying women access and opportunity, particularly in blue-collar occupations that have long been dominated by men. In Blue-Collar Women at Work with Men, Jeanie Ahearn Greene brings the experiences of blue-collar women vividly to life through interviews and analysis that expose the challenges they face on a daily basis. From Peg the police officer to Gretchen the carpenter, Mary the auto assembly line worker and Angela the trade union president, these women describe the negative situations they encounter in every facet of their work lives--from the hiring process to socializing with co-workers to relationships with supervisors--and discuss the coping mechanisms they have developed for navigating in an often hostile environment. Surprisingly, they do not see themselves as pioneers, mavericks, or martyrs, but more simply as people with bills to pay, families to raise, and modest career aspirations to fulfil. After telling these women's stories, Greene takes the discussion to the next level, exploring the social, political, and economic implications of enduring gender discrimination. She argues that despite formal protections under the law, women are still routinely harassed and discriminated against, to the detriment not only of individual growth and development, but of workplace productivity and social welfare. She concludes with a series of recommendations for employers, policymakers, social workers, lawyers and other advocates, human resource professionals, and women themselves. Ultimately, she contends that in order to have equal employment opportunity, employment policies and practices must exceed the standing protections provided by equal rights legislation and policy.

Table of Contents:

Preface
Equal Employment Opportunity for Women: An Introduction and Overview
Seventeen Blue-Collar Women: The Collective Voice
United States Employment Discrimination Law: A Social Policy Analysis
Pathways to Employment: Early Preparation for Traditionally Male Blue-Collar Jobs
The Hiring Process: Women's Entry into Traditionally Male Blue-Collar Occupations
On the Job, Doing the Job: Reconsidering Job Descriptions, Performance and Evaluations
Walls and Doorways: Employers' Barriers and Supports to Job Performance
Gatekeepers to Opportunity and Protectors Against Discrimination: Management, Supervisors and Unions
Good Guys/Bad Guys: How to Determine What Is Reasonable
How Men Treat Women: "Working" Relationships Between the Sexes
Negotiating the Hostile Work Environment: Strategies for Women to Alleviate Employment Discrimination and Sex-Based Harassment
Mitigating the Hostile Work Environment: Conclusions & Recommendations
Appendix 1: Nontraditional Occupations for Women in 2001
Bibliography

LC Card Number: 2006002746

LCC Class: KF3467

Dewey Class: 344


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