Female workers have always protested for better working conditions- be it in 1987 or in the present era.
The companies and scenes have changed, however the problem faced by female workers remain a constant.
An article by Minda Honey in success.com talks about the struggle of female employees all over the world.
In the article, the author states that it was the women who suffered greatly during the great recession.
'We tucked away our diplomas to don the uniforms and name badges of low-paying, hourly jobs. Twenty-somethings like me went straight from the dorm room to the childhood bedroom,' she states.
She says that managers and employers took leverage over them and made them work overtime for less wages.
"I knew women who cried in their cars or in bathroom stalls during lunch breaks because they hated their jobs or their bosses but didn’t feel as if they could quit. It was the equivalent of staying in a bad relationship because you didn’t think you could find anyone better to love you. It stifled our creativity and made us risk adverse," she pointed out.
Even though the recession has long gone, the mindset still exists.
She says that she was desperate to get a new job after resigning her old one.
"For the first time, I found myself facing the disappointing reality my peers had faced in 2007, except it was nearly 10 years later. As I prepared to move back to my hometown and in with my mother in Kentucky, I scoured job boards trying to secure something in the writing field. The job I landed paid $15 an hour, less than what I’d made selling cosmetics at Nordstrom, and I’d have to wait three months for my health insurance to kick in. But they were excited to have me and I was told if I “knocked it out the park,” I’d be given a raise in December along with everyone else," she added.
Though the author was told she was the best writer the company had on staff, the boss was taken aback when she asked for her raise as promised.
"I clasped my hands together in front of me on the table and smiled. He made feel small, like a little girl. A little girl who didn’t know her place. The conversation continued, but my mind was stuck on the raise. Without even knowing it, I began to channel those 1917 women, the Russian textile workers who wanted better, who knew they were worth more. I started to mentally list my strengths—my work experience, my professionalism, my skills as a writer. I knew I had to leave because this man was never going to honour my value," she explains how she felt.
But the author was not put down by it and started freelancing and made it to the national outlets.
Though the freelancing work is hard, she said she was determined to honour her own value.
Before you want to do something you must believe that you can do it.
"Sit down and make a list of your profitable skills. Get together with your friends and honestly evaluate each other’s resumes. Reach out to your mentors and ask for an appraisal. If there are weak spots in your resume, take classes or teach yourself the skills you need to increase your value and network with other women who can help you move forward in your career," the author suggested.
IF you think you are undervalued in your role, explore the other opportunities or create your own. You may not have to quit your job today but you can plan ahead.
"For more than 100 years, working women have had to agitate for respect in the workplace. Now it’s our turn to join the fight," the author says.
