Letter 34 - Rita Added Her Voice!
Hello Bregdan Women,
Rita was only 20 when she found her voice…
I love it when I hear from my readers! This letter came to me after Rita read about Vicki Sherpa. I’m not changing anything - Why would I? I want to give all of you the chance to meet this remarkable woman!
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Ginny:
Memories surface with a story to tell. My name is Rita Holgers. Thank
you for this opportunity to share, my peers at age 92 are few and far
between to listen.
I graduated high school in Elmhurst, Illinois the year was 1951. I was
hired to start working for Public Service Company in Maywood, Illinois
the same day. I am reminded of the young girls in the Bregdan Chronicles
as I felt it was important for companies to pay equal pay for equal work.
During my third year working for Public Service Co. (an electric company)
I found my voice. We were paid $2.12 per hour in 1953, working 40 hours
a week. Gas for the car was 27 cents a gallon, coffee 10 cents a cup.
My voice presented itself when an issue came up regarding the work
schedule for overtime. Needless to say, overtime was designed for a man.
When I asked my supervisor why women did not have this opportunity
to earn extra money. The supervisor told me men have to support a
family. They need the extra money. Women to not support a family so
they do not need to work overtime.
If a girl became engaged and soon to be married, she received notice that
when she married, she had to quit working for the company.
I brought the equal pay issue to my supervisor. I reminded him the male
worker who was given all the overtime in my department was not married.
He lived with him parents in the family home. He acted surprised!
He tried to show the wording in the administrative directive binder to me
so I would understand why the male was given the overtime. Overtime
paid time and a half per hour. This work was done on Saturday when
very few employees were in the building.
I reminded my supervisor that we employees were union members and believed in equal pay for equal work. I believe he acknowledged my
bringing this to his attention when he announced a new schedule for
overtime work for his department. All employees in the department
would be included in the overtime schedule on a rotating basis.
1953, I was 20 years old. Today at age 92 I honor my boldness to
bring the issue to the proper supervisor instead of only complaining
to fellow women employees.
Some stories need to be in the light and told through the generations.
Sincerely,
Rita, I am a Bregdan Woman
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YES you are, Rita! Thank you for sharing your story with me.
Thank you for initiating an action that helped lead to the changes in labor law, in how women are treated, and what they believe about the rights and freedoms we deserve.
To those of you reading - things still aren’t EQUAL. No matter where you live in the world, women continue to fight for Equal Rights.
People continue to fight for Equal Rights.
How will you use YOUR voice today? Who will you speak up for?
It might be for yourself.
It might be for someone else in your country.
It might be for someone else in the world.
Rita’s decision to speak out changed things for her fellow employees - causing a company to change a policy that had a ripple effect for so many people.
You can do the same!
I’m on this journey with you!
Ginny