About CLUW: history

March 23-24, Chicago, IL: Founding Conference elects Olga M. Madar as president. Delegates adopt as CLUW's mission four goals: organize the unorganized; promote affirmative action; increase women's participation in their unions; and increase women's participation in political and legislative activities.

Following months of discussion and planning, more than 1,200 union women from across the U.S. convened in Chicago, IL on March 23-24, 1974, to form an organization to address the critical needs of millions of unorganized working women and make unions more responsive to the needs of all working women. The organization they created is CLUW, whose primary purpose is to serve as an entity where working women could share common problems and concerns and develop action programs within the framework of unions to deal effectively with these objectives.

olga.jpg (2723 bytes)

1975

First Constitutional Convention. First National Women's Health Conference. After the AFL-CIO endorses the Equal Rights Amendment, CLUW becomes the first organization to move its convention from non-ratified Equal Rights Amendment state to ratified state. Publishes Women and Health Security.

1976

National Convention. First Conference on Pay Equity.

Back to top

1977

joyce.jpg (2212 bytes)
Joyce D. Miller

National Convention. Joyce D. Miller elected president. CLUW joins with other women's, civil rights and religious groups to lobby for minimum wage increase. Participates in Decade of Women Conference. Publishes booklet Commitment to Child Care.

1978

National Convention. CLUW Center for Education and Research established.

Back to top

1979

First Biennial National Convention: "A Woman's Place is in Her Union." Publishes Effective Contract Language for Union Women and a CLUW health and safety series.

1980

CLUW President Joyce D. Miller becomes the first woman elected to the AFL-CIO Executive Council. First National Conference on Organizing the Unorganized. Publishes Absent from the Agenda, a survey of women representation within the leadership of the labor movement.

Back to top

1981

CLUW participates in Solidarity Day. Publishes Lead: A New Perspective on an Old Problem.

1982

Second Biennial National Convention: "A Past of Progress ... A Future of Promise." Jointly sponsors Baltimore/Washington Women's Organization. Publishes A Handbook for Empowerment of Union Women.

Back to top

1983

National Conference on Working Women and Substance Abuse, second National Conference on Organizing the Unorganized. Organizes the Women's Vote Project, a coalition of 38 national women's organizations to register and educate women voters.

1984

Third Biennial National Convention: "Women in Unions: A Decade of Progress ... A Future of Growth;" National Legislative Conference; National Affirmative Action Conference. CLUW activists register thousands of women to vote.

Back to top

1985

Three national conferences on family and work issues. Publishes Bargaining for Child Care: A Union Parent's Guide.

1986

Fourth Biennial National Convention: "Challenged by Our Past—Forging Change for Our Future." First annual Working Women's Awareness Week. Conferences on older and retired women workers, minority women workers. Sets up CLUW sexual harassment hotline, files brief to US Supreme Court on sexual harassment case (Vinson v. Meritor Savings Bank). Participates in March for Women's Lives.

Back to top

1987

Third National Conference on Organizing the Unorganized.

1988

Fifth Biennial National Convention: "Today's Challenge, Tomorrow's Change." National Conference on Legislation and Political Action. Joint sponsorship of four regional Bargaining for Our Families Conferences. Calls for a national family policy with the American Family Celebration (50,000 union, civil, religious and women's rights activists attend). Establishes annual Hits & Ms.'s List — the Best and Worst for Working Women.

Back to top

1989

Three regional Bargaining for Our Families Conferences. Obtains funding for project to fight government intervention in women's reproductive freedom. Files brief in landmark case on hazardous chemicals and reproductive health (UAW v. Johnson Controls).

1990

Conferences on video display terminals; Maquiladoras and Immigration; Women in Non-traditional Jobs. Expands Reproductive Rights Project. Publishes Women and Children First: An Analysis of Trends in Federal Tax Policy.

Back to top

1991

Sixth Biennial National Convention: "Decade of Empowerment — Union Women on the Move." Conferences on Women and Retirement; Women's Health; Fighting "isms." CLUW participates in Solidarity Day II. Publishes Bargaining for Family Benefits: A Union Member's Guide and Is Your Job Making You Sick?: A CLUW Handbook on Health and Safety.

1992

National conferences held on Sexual Harassment; Organizing the Unorganized; Communicating With the Media; Political Action, Recruitment and Communications; and Women and Economic Empowerment. Hundreds of CLUW activists participate in March for Women's Lives.

Back to top

1993


	Gloria T. Johnson

Seventh Biennial National Convention: "CLUW: The Future ... Challenge, Change and Choice." Joyce D. Miller steps down as CLUW president to serve as Executive Director of Glass Ceiling Commission; Gloria T. Johnson elected CLUW president and AFL-CIO Executive Council vice president. Conferences on Breaking the Glass Ceiling; joint Women's Conference on National Health Care. Participates in National Conference on Women and Children. Charters chapters in Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands. Moves CLUW convention from Denver to protest Colorado's anti-gay referendum. Publishes Union Women Speak Out on Health Care Issues Including Abortion; Women Care About Health; Family Medical Leave Act Resource Guide; and sexual harassment materials.

1994

CLUW celebrates 20th anniversary. Conferences on Strategic Planning for CLUW; National Health Care Reform; and Women in the Global Economy. Conducts CLUW membership survey. Participates in DOL Women's Bureau "Working Women Count" survey. Testifies before Dunlop Commission on labor law reform. Protests NAFTA, GATT and sweatshops ("Come Shop With Me Campaign"). Publishes Shaping the Agenda: Women and Unions Moving Towards the 21st Century (update of Absent From the Agenda).

Back to top

1995

Eighth Biennial National Convention: "Union Women: Power, Politics, Participation." Conferences on Surviving and Thriving as a Labor Union Woman: 1995 and Beyond; Women and HIV/AIDS; Young Women Workers: Solidarity Across the Generations; joint conferences on Campaign Skills Building; Workplace 2000: Women's Rights, Workers' Rights; and Strengthening Women's Voices in the Workplace. Participates in March for Women's Lives; 75th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment march/rally; affirmative action rally. Sponsors affirmative action "call-in day," and "write-in" to the U.N. protesting human rights violations in China. Publishes Affirmative Action: Dispelling the Myths.

1996

Conferences on Voter Education and Participation; Organizing and Political Action; and Union Women for Political Empowerment: ‘96 Get Out the Vote. Joint conference on Full Participation. Other joint campaigns/activities: Come Shop With Me; Stop Sweatshops!; Child Labor Coalition initiative; March to Fight the Right; Stand for Children Rally; America Needs a Raise Town Hall meetings/Labor ‘96 events; National AIDS Quilt Display; Women's Vote Project: Operation Big Vote; and DOL Women's Bureau 75th Anniversary. Survey/report on Mid-life and Older Union Women Talking About Health Care. President Johnson appointed to head AFL-CIO Standing Committee on Women's Issues. Publishes CLUW Leadership Directory.

Back to top

1997

Ninth Biennial National Convention: "Women: Labor's Future," features Women's Health Fair and Young Women Workers Forum. Conferences on Building the Labor Movement Through CLUW Chapter Actions; Unionizing Technology; and jointly, HIV/AIDS. Events/campaigns: Strawberry Workers march/rally/boycott; UPS strike; CLUW Back-to-School Teamsters Project. Participates in "Ask a Working Woman" survey and conferences.

1998

Conferences on Developing Strategies for implementing CLUW's Goals; Working to End Violence Against Women: Union Strategies for Action; Taking Charge of Our Health; and Common Sense Economics for Working Families. Participates in AFL-CIO's Full Participation Conference; the 150th anniversary of the first women's rights conference in Seneca Falls, N.Y.; Equal Pay Day; and Union Women Vote ‘98. Gave 10 CLUW Labor Education Scholarships to members pursuing labor studies. Launched national recruitment campaign: "2000 New Members by 2000."

Back to top

1999

Celebration of CLUW's 25th anniversary at the Tenth Biennial National Convention in Chicago, IL where CLUW was born. Convention theme: "We Didn't Come Here to Swap Recipes — Not Then, 1974 — not now, 1999." Conferences on Saving Social Security: Union Women's Tools for Action; and The Power of the Union Card. Published Sharing Our Stories: Voices at Work, a compilation of stories from 54 CLUW activists about their union experiences.

2000

Launched Election 2000 Project focusing on mobilizing women to register to vote, communicate on political issues, and participate in election activities. Political Action Conferences included Working Together For Change, held in conjunction with the Working Women's Department Conference of the AFL-CIO; and Women Count: If You Don't Vote You Won't; and A Woman's Vote = A Family Win! Participated with women's groups from 157 countries in International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. Joined the Jubilee 2000 mobilization to support debt cancellation for developing countries. Participates in the U.S./African Trade Union Summit on HIV/AIDS in Washington, DC. President Gloria Johnson called on world leaders to help celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Platform for Action created at the U.N. Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing. Gave six CLUW Labor Education Scholarships to members pursuing Labor Studies.

Back to top

2001

Eleventh Biennial National Convention: "Designing Our Own Future" held in Las Vegas in October. Held conferences on CLUW and the Family; Bargaining for Working Families; and Lobbying for Prosperity. Co-hosted Union Leadership Conference on Domestic Violence Training, with Family Violence Prevention Fund. Launched "BushWhacks," a series monitoring George Bush's anti-worker, anti-women policies and actions. Joined the "Fair Taxes for All" campaign calling for rejection of the Bush tax cut proposal. Participated in NOW's Emergency Action for Women's Lives. Initiated campaign for inclusion of contraceptives in union negotiated health care plans. Received $225,000 Centers for Disease Control grant for Labor Leader Initiative on HIV/AIDS Awareness and Prevention Program. Hosted forums for union women leaders from Scotland and Indonesia.

2002

NEB adopts a multi-year strategic plan aimed at getting more union women involved in organizing and political action. CLUW pledges support and action for the UFCW’s Justice for Wal-Mart Workers campaign and UNITE’s Behind the Label anti-sweatshop initiative. CLUW’s 10-point political action plan for the 2002 elections mobilizes hundreds of activists to staff phone banks and get out the vote. CLUW representatives participate in Code Pink and other demonstrations to avert the U.S. war on Iraq; National Executive Board adopts resolution condemning unilateral U.S. military action. CLUW’s Contraceptive Equity Project continues to advocate for all union-negotiated health plans to include contraceptive coverage. Receives $250,000 Centers for Disease Control & Prevention renewal grant for a Labor Leader Initiative on HIV/AIDS Awareness Program. Establishes a Project Advisory Committee and a Labor Leadership Forum staffed with reps from the AFL-CIO and NEA. Holds forum for young women workers, featuring NOW President Kim Gandy, among others. Conferences included Mobilizing and Organizing; and Political Action. Participates in nationwide "Wal-Mart Day of Action" in November.

Back to top

2003

CLUW holds 12th Biennial Convention in Seattle, Washington, with the theme: "Vision, Voices, Votes: Building the Labor Movement." Works with other constituency groups to formulate a joint political action plan for the 2004 elections, and begins efforts to seek funding. Works with the AFL-CIO and other groups on the Immigrant Workers’ Freedom Ride; America’s Choices Forum; and opposition to the Free Trade Area of the Americas campaign. Receives five-year CDC grant in partnership with Academy for Educational Development for "Working Women ROCC (Reaching Out on Cervical Cancer)," an education effort among union women to bring greater awareness about cervical cancer prevention. Conferences include Women in the Global Economy; and Educating to Fight for Economic Security.

2004

CLUW hosts in New Orleans the first of approximately 25 town hall meetings to be held from the spring until Election Day. Sponsored by the Labor Coalition for Community Action (LCCA), the town hall meetings give voters a chance to sound off on the issues they care most about. In addition to CLUW, the other LCCA organizations include A. Philip Randolph Institute, Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, Labor Council for Latin American Advancement and Pride at Work. CLUW is active and was co-sponsor of the March for Women’s Lives which calls for guaranteeing women access to family planning, health care, abortion and reproductive health. CLUW celebrates its 30th anniversary at Loews L’Enfant Plaza Hotel in Washington, DC. CLUW kicks off its "Count to 5" Campaign which mobilizes CLUW members to sign up at least 5 women who promise to vote for candidates who support issues of importance to working women in the general election. CLUW works with the Voices for Working Families’ Women’s Voices project to register voters, to share information about issues that affect women’s lives and to provide opportunities to raise a unified voice for women’s priorities. At the August NEB in New Mexico Gloria T. Johnson steps down as CLUW president and Susan L. Phillips (UFCW) assumes the presidency. Conferences include Working Women in 2004 and Women Voices for Change. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) renews CLUW’s HIV/AIDS cooperative agreement to continue to conduct education and prevention activities in AFL-CIO unions and affiliates under the umbrella of the Business Responds to AIDS/Labor Responds to AIDS Program (BRTA-LRTA). Working Women ROCC (Reaching Out against Cervical Cancer) begins with focus groups, a website and distributing information regarding the fact that this cancer is preventable and if found early curable. In October, the project partners with union rock musician and cervical cancer survivor Christine Baze in her 2004 Yellow Umbrella Tour, which featured concerts promoting cervical cancer awareness in cities across the U.S.

Back to top



Marsha Zakowski

2005

CLUW’s Contraceptive Equity Project scores a number of victories, including the passage of state mandates in Arkansas and West Virginia. CLUW starts its own cervical cancer prevention project, Cervical Cancer Prevention Works, which works in close partnership with Women in Government and the Balm in Gilead. The CLUW HIV/AIDS cooperative agreement completes its funding cycle of April 1, 2001-March 31, 2005. CDC announces that it will conduct an extensive assessment of the BRTA/LRTA Program with no guarantees that its funding will be renewed. CLUW’s e-Activist network which provides e-mail alerts about issues important to union women has about 1,300 subscribers. CLUW NEB programs include Analyzing the New Political Landscape and Building CLUW Membership: The Role of the NEB. CLUW supports the Wake-Up Wal-Mart campaign to bring public attention to the anti-worker, anti-union practices of the nation’s largest private-sector employer. In July Susan L. Phillips resigns as CLUW President and Marsha Zakowski (USW) becomes Acting President. CLUW participates in the Diversity Summit in conjunction with the AFL-CIO Convention. On August 26 (Women’s Equality Day) CLUW members lobby on their home turf to support the passage of the Employee Free Choice Act and join in the national campaign on Human Rights Day in December. CLUW holds the 13th Biennial Convention in Detroit, Michigan, with the theme "Union Women: Building the Movement." Convention Conference focuses on the affect the global economy has on women here and abroad. Convention reception honors past president Gloria Johnson. Marsha Zakowski (USW) was elected president.

2006

CLUW launches campaign to protect and extend Family Leave. CLUW Conferences include Leadership Development and “Gotta CLUW: New Generation of Activists” which focuses on new ways to recruit more women -- especially younger workers -- into struggles for workplace issues. CLUW participates in the July Week of Action demanding that the NLRB do its job and protect workers’ rights. CLUW joins with the Sister Study to help locate women whose sisters have had breast cancers in an effort to find the causes of this disease. During the 2006 elections CLUW members get out the vote and educate our members about issues of importance to working women. We participate in the AFL-CIO Voter Protection Program and in the all-women voter mobilization “Stir the Pot” events. Our conference “Framing the Debate” prepares our members to emphasize working family issues in the elections and learn how to combat the conservative agenda. CLUW’s Contraceptive Equity Project scores a major victory when the largely male Masters, Mates and Pilots Union adds contraceptive coverage for its 6,800 member and spouses. Its Cervical Cancer Prevention Works project works closely with CLUW chapters and unions in CA to successfully secure HPV test coverage there.

Back to top

2007

CLUW Conferences address “Organizing to Win” and “Run for Office? Sure You Can! Union Women and Politics: The Voice of Power.” CLUW celebrates the reintroduction of the Women and Equality Amendment. CLUW participates in the Voices of Iraqi Workers Solidarity Tour which gives opportunity to dialogue directly with Iraqi workers and labor leaders. CLUW participates in AFL-CIO regional diversity dialogues to discuss full participation and inclusion for all members in the labor movement. CLUW continues to push for contraceptive equity. Cervical Cancer Prevention Works continues to use CLUW and labor communications and education channels to make certain that union women have the necessary information so that they will not contract this disease. 14th Biennial Convention takes place in October in Las Vegas with the theme “A New Direction for Working Women.” Convention workshops cover “Policy and Politics: The CLUW to Reality, Issues and Action!”