Women in the Trades, 1981-1985

This study was designed to explore the experiences of women employed in nontraditional blue collar jobs and to identify some common concerns of these women. Twenty-five women employed in the trades in Washington state were participants in this study. The women worked in various industries including aerospace, shipbuilding, maritime, and forestry. No two women were in the same trade. The sample included white, African American, Asian American, Chicano, and Native American women. They ranged in age from 24 to 69 years old. They varied according to marital status, parental status, and sexual preference. Participants were recruited through word-of-mouth. Through one 125-item, open-ended interview, the researcher examined issues central to the lives of these women employed in nontraditional work. Issues investigated included the women's backgrounds and reasons for entering a trade; their experiences on the job and reaction to their minority status; sex discrimination; occupational health and safety; union involvement; and the ways that nontraditional work affected their families and their self-perceptions. The Murray Archive holds additional analogue materials for this study (typed interview transcripts). If you would like to access this material, please apply to use the data.