The New Jersey State AFL-CIO is proud to celebrate Women’s History month, which was first established in 1987, and has since served as a time to recognize the great accomplishments of women in our society and recommit ourselves to addressing present inequalities and challenges.

 

We are especially proud as a labor organization of the contributions countless labor union women have made in shaping our country’s history. Some of the most prominent and persistent voices in women’s history come from the labor movement. Mary Harris “Mother” Jones was known for her fighting spirit and was a leading voice in opposing child labor. Her words remain a rallying cry for all those who seek justice for workers. Had it not been for the efforts of brave and selfless women like Mother Jones, Rose Schneiderman, Sarah Bagley, Linda Chavez-Thompson and many others, our country would be a much less fortunate place today.

 

Yet, Women’s History month goes beyond celebrating just the prominent leaders and recognizes that it took a movement of women to change the world in which we live. It is to these women, first and foremost, that this month is dedicated. This month should also be a reminder that our priority for the future is educating and inspiring the next generation of women leaders to build and develop our state and nation.

 

Unions continue to empower women as leaders and promote economic and social equality. Women work in all sectors of our economy, lead at all levels of the labor movement, and women are expected to be the majority of the unionized workforce by 2020. Women make history every day and will be the problem solvers of the future. Women’s History month is an important opportunity to support women’s education and empowerment, and see to it that we continue our work towards a more fair and equal society.