Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2(pesnta.1.3) 9/5/84; site epicen.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!cbdkc1!desoto!packard!ihnp1!ihnp4!qantel!intelca!t12tst!epicen!jbuck From: jbuck@epicen.UUCP (Joe Buck) Newsgroups: net.women Subject: A new form of institutionalized bigotry Message-ID: <176@epicen.UUCP> Date: Sat, 27-Jul-85 18:44:33 EDT Article-I.D.: epicen.176 Posted: Sat Jul 27 18:44:33 1985 Date-Received: Fri, 2-Aug-85 00:49:01 EDT Distribution: net Organization: Entropic Processing, Inc., Cupertino, CA Lines: 51 I am convinced that women in most female-dominated occupations are underpaid, but the arguments of most "comparable value" advocates disturb me deeply. They seem to want to install a new form of official bigotry: an anti-blue collar, anti-organized labor, anti-working class bigotry that is far too impressed with credentials. As the best example, let's consider the messages about garbage collectors. While garbage collection does not require special credentials, it requires a willingness to take on an extremely undesirable job with large health risks. To get an estimate of the occupation's "value", just spend some time in a city with a garbage strike. The person who suggested that McDonald's workers had about the same value must be hallucinating. If all the McD's dried up and blew away tomorrow society would be none the worse. Other people have suggested that the people who should get less in the glorious EPFWOEV society should be blue-collar, organized labor workers. Nice, huh? Presently, although an executive secretary often gets paid less than a construction laborer, she considers herself to be in the same class as the executives she associates with, and far above the lowly common laborer. Rather than addressing class inequality, many "comparable worth" advocates would institutionalize it, by paying more for clean, professional, female-dominated occupations, and less for dirty, undesirable, male-dominated occupations. We would obtain a two-tiered society; the professionals and the serfs. No minimum-wage construction worker would then dare to wolf whistle at his "betters". Many "comparable worth" advocates will deny that what I'm saying is true. If so, why have I NEVER heard a call for a lowering of pay for lawyers? Because lawyers, as a group, are one of the chief sponsors of comparable worth, of course. Marx would be thrilled to study this new form of class warfare we are about to embark on. The hypocrisy level will be amazing. Every class for itself; the truth be damned. So what do I propose to improve the lot of working women? They should proceed in the same way the blue-collar men did it -- organize and strike. They are in a far better position to do it successfully than the workers around the turn of the century were; then there were no assistance programs, no two-earner families. A striking worker risked starvation or jail, but they did it. Why can't secretaries shut down companies and nurses shut down hospitals until their demands are met? Let the flames begin. [ insert disclaimer here ] -- Joe Buck Entropic Processing, Inc. (epi) UUCP: {ucbvax,ihnp4}!dual!epicen!jbuck ARPA: dual!epicen!jbuck@BERKELEY.ARPA George Orwell: The slovenliness of our language makes it easier for us to have foolish thoughts.