NYS Women Inc – WNY Celebrates 75th Anniversary
January 2009 is the 75th anniversary of the founding of our local Business and Professional Women’s (NYS Women Inc – WNY) organization. The charter was received on January 11, 1934 for the NYS Women Inc WNY.
The local is now known as the NYS Women Inc WNY.
Through 75 years of meetings, events, and membership drives, several themes have remained in the forefront of issues for NYS Women Inc WNY.
Look at the issues in 1935:
- Equality – equal pay, equal opportunity. In 1935 a resolution was passed
by NYS Women Inc WNY “we reaffirm unequivocally our policy of standing for equal pay
for equal work and also for equality of opportunity, regardless of sex”. - Discrimination – resolutions were made in 1935 regarding “discrimination against
married women in government service, and requesting a study of all legislation which
may be regarded as discriminatory (towards women)”. - A resolution regarding education and a decent living for every child as a government
responsibility and extension/improvement of facilities for coping with juvenile offenders. - Resubmission of the Woman Juror Bill to the legislature – women were not
allowed to serve on a jury (not on a federal jury nor on a jury in New York State). - Discussion at NYS Women Inc – WNY conferences noted that “the women of the U.S. were ready for the
honor and are capable of holding the position of president of the U.S., but first the woman must win the support of either one or another of the great national political conventions”.
Our issues today:
2008-09 NYS Women Inc – WNY/USA Legislative Priorities
NYS Women Inc – WNY/USA bases its legislative priorities on the NYS Women Inc – WNY/USA National Legislative Platform. Our legislative priorities fall under four major categories--workplace equity, work-life effectiveness, civil rights and health--and within these categories are the issues listed below.
- Workplace Equity: Pay Equity, Violence Against Women, Minimum Wage, Affirmative Action, Small Business Issues, Contraceptive Equity, Social Security, Long- Term Care & Retirement Security
- Work- Life Effectiveness: Family and Medical Leave, Paid Family and Medical Leave, Healthy Families Act & Child Care
- Civil Rights: Equal Rights Amendment, Title IX & The International Women's Rights Treaty (CEDAW)
- Health: HEART for Women Act, Reproductive Rights
How does an organization keep the momentum going and survive for 75 years?
Membership - NYS Women Inc – WNY has recruited strong women to our organization. Members have always been representatives of local businesses and professions. We have been lawyers, teachers, physicians, businesswomen, social workers, women business owners – women from all areas of employment both then and now. Our members have always balanced work and home life, yet finding time to participate in NYS Women Inc – WNY activities and strive to help working women.
Professionalism - NYS Women Inc – WNY has always been an organization that follows a format of professionalism in conducting its meetings and its legislative activities.
Community involvement – NYS Women Inc – WNY has been seen as an organization active in community issues. Members have served on governmental task forces, participated in legislative fact finding activities, and used our meetings as sounding boards for issues important to women.
Camaraderie - the spirit of friendly, good-fellowship. NYS Women Inc – WNY has been a place to network with other women, share stories, make friends, get advice and help others. Women of all ages are members of NYS Women Inc – WNY. We benefit from the wisdom of those women who have already experienced the challenges of the working world, and we welcome the enthusiasm and viewpoints of new, young women. Mentoring has always been a strength of NYS Women Inc – WNY members. We are women helping women.
Sense of history - NYS Women Inc – WNY members continue on the goals of our foremothers – we have a strong sense of history and of the accomplishments of the women who came before us, and we acknowledge that we must continue to better the life of the working woman so that the women of the future have a better life.
