By Deborah Levinson-Estrada

1. The Loneliness of Working Class Feminism: Women in the “Male World” of Labor Unions, Guatemala City, 1970s. By Deborah Levinson-Estrada

2. History • Trade unionism was rebuilt in the late 1950s and 60s when there was a substantial industrial growth in Guatemala. • By the 1970s the growth was concentrated in Guatemala City, and had become the site of labor movement that called for revolutionary change. • This caused a increase in violence and a decline industry as working class leaders were either dead or in exile.

3. Sonia Oliva's Story • Worked in a Japanese owned company called ACRICASA- a thread factory in Guatemala City. • Unconventional childhood • Left by her mother and lived with her father. • She was the only women in the house, so she had to take over the women’s duties in the house. • Finished elementary school • Went to live with her aunt so she could go to high school, but her aunt refused and made her work. • Eventually went to live on her own.

4. Sonia Oliva’s Story • Her father was supportive of her desire to have an education, which led her to have a different reality of gender roles. • Her awareness of this oppression enabled her to become her own feminist historian. • Her leadership in the union enabled her to became the activist that the women need during this time. • Scaled a fence while six months pregnant when they demanded that they get paid overtime • Would bring her day old son to meetings instead of leaving it to the care of another family member, so that they could implement a day care in the factory. • Even left him their over night so that they could have the day care open during night shifts. ( to make a point)

5. Sonia Oliva’s Story • When the union leader was assassinated, Sonia and her son Pavel were kidnapped • Sonia was beaten, but they were ultimately only held for fifteen hours before they were released. • On the condition that Sonia leave the country • Which she did

6. Author’s interviews • The central drama to their lives where that the fathers were failures in maintaining their family, it was the mothers who were successful. • The women were not only domestic servants, schoolteachers, but also had modern employment with capitalistic factories.

7. Treatment of Workers • Machines received more care and benefits than the workers of the factories. • Because there was no transportation to the factories, women were vulnerable walking at night to get to work. • A drive was organized, but was risky because they were at risk for being fired. • Sonia became one of the leaders of this drive which led her to become one of the executives on the union committee • Mainly because no one else would step up and do the job.

8. Treatment of Workers • Working class was seen as prideful, but dumb. • Intertwined with “tough, male worker” • Physical labor meant that they were short on mental labor, meaning they were short of brains or “stupid”.

9. The Union • It took nine months to gain legal recognition, then fifteen months to win a contract. • Even with the contract they still had to use pressure to get the company do abide by it. • Used tactics like putting up signs with the plant of services that they believed they deserved • Like a bus service or a wage increase. • Also put them on the manager’s cars • Their fame as persistent unionists spread.

10. Conclusion • Sonia Oliva’s story changes the way we see motherhood and womanhood when it comes to the working women. • Even with the implementing of the unions, the companies still treated and oppressed their workers. • The working class labor isn’t seen as anything but a necessity, they are the low ones on the totem pole.