2017 Berkshire Conference on the History of Women, Genders and Sexualities

June 01 - 04, 2017

During the past few years, low-wage women workers in the U.S. and around the world have been organizing unions and cooperatives, striking, mounting boycotts, testifying before Congress and the United Nations and building coalitions of workers, consumers, government and business people to raise wages and labor standards for the people who make our clothing, clean our homes, care for our elders and our children. For this plenary the Berks is honored to present Kalpona Akter, Executive director of the Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity and one of the prime movers of the Bangladesh Factory Fire and Safety Accords - now signed by over 200 global clothing retailers who have committed to independent inspection and repair of garment factories; Linda Oalican, Executive Director of Damayan, a global organization of Filipina overseas domestic workers. Global labor historians Annelise Orleck (Dartmouth College) and Premilla Nadasen (Barnard College) will moderate a discussion with these two important labor leaders.