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From THE FIGHTING MACHINISTS, A CENTURY OF
STRUGGLE
by Robert G. Rodden |
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Women Entering the Trade
Despite constitutional language originally limiting
membership to males, women were accepted into membership even before the
constitution was changed to include them. Though few women were likely to
enter the trade, an early report in the Journal indicates that male
machinists did not object to those who did. According to a somewhat
enthusiastic account in the February 1890 Journal, |
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Miss Nellie Patterson, one of the prettiest girls
in the village of Mt. Carmel, Montgomery County, N.C., has just
completed a four-years' apprenticeship at the machinists' factory of
the Mt. Carmel Belt Company, and there isn't a machinist in the
whole shop who can do a better job or in any less time than the fair
young workman. Four years ago, when Miss Nellie began to think of
the means whereby she could earn her living, she looked over the
entire field of woman's work among the trades or occupations which
the pushing woman could make her own. There none she especially
liked. She was a bright girl, with a great deal of cleverness and
considerable ingenuity and inventiveness, and having been advised to
enter a machine shop, she applied for a place as apprentice. For the
past four years she worked faithfully, and a few days ago her time
expired, and she is now a full-fledged machinist. She is able to
block up a piece of work on the planer, or turn up an arbor on the
lathe. She uses the drill and handles the file as well as any man in
the shop. Miss Paterson is the only female machinist in North
Carolina. |
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Though there were undoubtedly many like Miss Patterson throughout the
country the IAM's first female member was a Miss Nellie T. Burke, who was
initiated into a lodge in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., in 1904--a full seven years
before the constitution was officially amended to admit women members.
According to the March, 1904 Journal, Miss Burke was admitted to
"all the rights and privileges of complete membership" in
recognition of "the fundamental trade union principle that a woman
should receive the same pay as a man when she renders similar service. In
other words no discrimination shall be made against a woman in the way of
wages when she does the same work as a man. Her sex shall be no barrier to
her progress."
Apparently the event was considered newsworthy by the local press.
According to a Wilkes-Barre paper: |
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Miss Burke . . . secured employment when a young
girl at the lace mills and from the very commencement took an active
interest not only in the work assigned to her but in the machines .
. .
Several years ago she undertook, during the absence of the regular
machinist, to repair a machine, and she did so well it elicited
commendation from the management. Shortly afterward she was made an
assistant machine fixer, a duty that was performed with some
excellence.
Being conversant with her won capabilities, the young woman
requested an increased rate of wages, which was granted. Several
days ago a dispute arose over some trifling matter, and in order
that she should be on the safe side the woman machinist sent for
Business Agent Galligan, of the Machinists Union, and requested
permission to make a formal application for membership in the union.
The request was granted. |
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The Journal congratulated both Miss Burke and the lodge and
offered the hope that by regularly attending local lodge meetings the
young woman would make "every one of her fellow members a thorough
gentleman." Unfortunately, surviving records do not indicate such and
optimistic result. In the Officers' Report to the Davenport Grand
Lodge Convention in 1911, O'Connell acknowledged that women had been
accepted into IAM membership for some time despite language to the
contrary in the constitution. He pointed out, "We have female members
. . . because of [union shop] agreements." The Resolutions Committee
also noted the presence of "a considerable number of female
members" and drafted a resolution, adopted by the delegates,
instructing the Law Committee to make any needed amendments to the IAM
Constitution that would encourage "the organizing of all females
engaged in our trade."
Back to IAM History
MORE NOTABLE WOMEN IN LABOR
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Comments or Suggestions? E-mail the Communications Officer
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