The Struggle For Women's Rights

3.1 National War Labor Board It was not until April 8, 1918, when President Woodrow Wilson first formed what is known today as the National War Labor Board. This federal agency was made to ensure labor reliability and productivity during the war by mediating the friction between workers and their employers. This agency, however, was dissolved in 1919 due to it not reaching its ratification quota, and reestablished on January 12, 1942, by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. To successfully do this, the National War Labor Board of World War II “urged employers in 1942 to voluntarily make adjustments which equalize wage or salary rates paid to females with the rates paid to males for comparable quality and quantity of work on the same or similar
When the men left to go fight in World War II, “some trade unions serving traditionally male occupations like engineering began to admit women members.” (“Striking Women”). This is an example of what could have been a great stride to equality for women, but, like always, they still did not get paid as much as men did when they held those jobs. They blindly held the economic power in the palms of their hands, quite unsure what exactly they were supposed to do with it. This is the time period that sparked the women’s rights movement, and, coincidentally, the period of sustained economic growth. Even with women working the same exact jobs that the men had before they went off to war, “women’s pay remained on average 53% of the pay of the men they replaced.” (“Striking Women”). This is most likely due to the fact that nobody cared what a woman made. It did not matter how much money was in her pockets at the end of each day, because, ultimately, “women’s wages were not considered central to family’s homes. They were considered “extra” for things such as holidays or new consumer durables.” (“Striking Women”) Upon their return from the war, “most women were pushed out of their jobs to make room for returning Veterans.” (“The Equal Pay Act”). Once again, women were left behind to take the jobs that did not require physical effort. After the war ended, women started to make a bit more money. Around this time,
For as long as anyone can remember, women were offered more unskilled jobs than slightly skilled jobs in comparison to men. Those jobs that required little to no effort were designated as women’s jobs. “Women were only offered jobs of little to no physical requirement” (Groepl, Jennifer.). Women have always been seen as secondary workers, and there’s nothing that could have changed the stigma. “Until the 1960s, newspapers were allowed to publish jobs for men and women separately. Jobs were categorized according to sex, with higher level jobs listed almost exclusively under ‘Help Wanted – Men’” (“The Equal Pay Act”). This is a prime example of how excluded women were of gaining opportunities, and achieving great things. During World War II, men were sent to fight, so women were put in place of them to do their jobs. “Government figures show that women’s employment increased during the Second World War from about 5.1 million in 1939 (26%) to just over 7.25 million in 1943 (36% of all women of working age). 46% of all women aged 14-59 and 90% of all able-bodied single women between the ages of 18-40 were working.” (“Striking Women”). Even then, their pay scales were brought down to what was thought to be suitable for a woman. “At the end of WWII, most women were pushed out of their jobs to make room for returning