In this recession, men are losing jobs at a faster rate than women. But women, now the primary breadwinners in many families, still earn 79 cents to every dollar that men earn. For minorities the number is even lower. According to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, “Women, and especially women of color, are more likely to land the worst, lowest paying jobs, without health insurance, paid sick days or paid family care leave.” Today on GRITtv we speak to women who work in traditionally male dominated industries. 

Francoise Jacobson Project Manager of Legal Momentum’s Equality Works, Elly Spicer Founding Member of the Women’s Committee of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters Local 608, Wendy Webb member of the Laborers International Union of North America, and Denise Doyle first and only female delegate of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades on the gender gap, working in the trades, and the recession.