Status of Jewish Women in the Garment Industry
Status of Jewish Women in the Garment IndustrySocio-economic, religious and political ideologies both work together to sculpt and guide the experiences which Jewish women have had in Canadian society. In order to fully be able to understand the status of Jewish women upon arrival into Canada, one must take a closer look at her experiences within the home and in the workplace. Jewish women were once deprived of many rights and have worked vigorously to be able to be fully ensconced participants in Canada's politics and society so they can be regarded as contributors of the Jewish community. Upon arrival into Canada, the Jewish woman was seen as subordinate and inferior to man, both in the home and at work; but with great effort the Jewish woman is now seen as the building block of the family and work participation is now a fundamental part of her everyday life. The Jewish Woman and the Nuclear Family Almost every single person is faced with the labor force participation decision; this is basically a choice to participate in labor market activities as opposed to other activities such as household work, education, or retirement. As such, it influences the size and composition of our labor force and it has an impact on hou
'The Jewish Woman and the 'Shmata' World of WorkThe working world was already a harsh enough place to be as a female, and being a Jewish immigrant in Canada with limited English could only complicate matters. ' Das Gupta states that most women immigrants lack the knowledge of an official Canadian language (52), which was true for my mother. Much friction occurred between the employers and the Jewish immigrant employees due to the deskilling process. From Frager's works it is apparent that labour degradation, anti-Semitism gender obstacles, increasing levels of immigrant workers and the opposition of unionization has made it considerably tough for the Jewish garment workers of Canada to unionize and work in democratic workplaces. In March 1904, workers at Star Mantle Manufacturing Company walked out under the leadership of the newly organized International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union, which won major concessions from the firms' owners' (Tulchinsky, 206). ' Their low political status, as defined by their immigration status, their racial visibility, their linguistic visibility, their gender and their lack of union protection make them perfect recruits to [the garment] sector. Actions like this prove that Jewish people can succeed in a different society and maintain their people hood, rights and beliefs. By forming an association, workers could obtain better wages and working conditions, however the employers were interested in the highest profit margins possible (Frager, 32). 2 per cent of all Canadian workers in the manufacturing of women's ready-made clothes, 40. According to my mother, having been born in Canada with good demand of the English language would have made job hunting easier and would have definitely changed her odds in acquiring a higher paid position (Tsalkind). Due to the anti-Semitism, many occupations were closed off to the Jewish immigrants, and for this reason they gravitated towards the clothing industry because many of them had already been doing this kind of work prior to emigrating (Frager, 16). Frager's Sweatshop Strife offers a close and in-depth examination of how Canada's needle trade workers' social and cultural lives have evolved in the larger world set by the world of work, their families, politics, religion and their communities from 1883 to 1939. Frager's book explores gender dynamics within the Jewish labour movement. 9 per cent in hats and caps' (Tulchinsky, 228). Employees earned the power, resources and will to protect their rights and freedoms that were essential for democracy to exist in the workplace.
Common topics in this essay:
Das Gupta,
Toronto's Jewish,
Manufacturers' Association,
English Canada,
Christian Jewish,
Sweatshop Strife,
Union America,
Canadian Jewish,
Times Tulchinsky,
Nuclear Family,
jewish women,
garment industry,
needle trades,
das gupta,
garment workers,
jewish woman,
sweatshop strife,
labor force,
jewish labour movement,
clothing industry,
tulchinsky 205,
workers faced shop,
towards clothing industry,
das gupta 52',
women workers faced,
|
Acceptance Essays
