Forty years ago, clerical workers at the University of Cincinnati voted to unionize under the "9to5" label.
The movement to win workplace protections for clerical workers — almost all of whom were women — had been gaining traction in several cities in the 1970s.
These "9to5" groups and their stories formed the foundation of the 1980 film 9 to 5, starring Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Dolly Parton.
After the movie's release, the 9to5 groups formed a labor union. Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland had the first successful vote to join the union. An initial vote at the University of Cincinnati in 1981 failed. But a subsequent vote in 1983 to join the union succeeded.
To observe the anniversary of that successful vote, Community Shares and the University of Cincinnati's Office of Equity, Inclusion and Community Impact will present the Cincinnati-area premiere and exclusive local screening of a new documentary called Still Working 9 to 5.
An ensemble from MUSE Cincinnati Women's Choir will perform at the event, which starts at 6 p.m. May 10. More information, including how to get tickets, is available online.
On Cincinnati Edition, we talk about the new documentary and Cincinnati's history with the women's equality movement.
Guests:
- Gary Lane, co-producer and co-director of Still Working 9 to 5
- Ellen Cassedy, founder of 9to5 and author of Working 9 to 5
Listen to Cincinnati Edition live at noon M-F. Audio for this segment will be uploaded after 4 p.m. ET.
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