The International Brotherhood of Teamsters hosted a conference on March 9 attended by numerous labor and governmental organizations seeking ways to give Americans the best public service available.

The meeting was held to discuss President Obama’s Executive Order on “Creating Labor- Management Forums to Improve Delivery of Government Services.” A key aspect of the order is the role labor-management forums will play in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of federal agencies.

Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland and Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia, spoke of the important work federal employees do, and other panelists discussed ways to use constructive labor and management relationships to improve performance and the quality of worklife.

Michael Filler, Director of the Public Services Division, said “the gathering of more than 30 organizations at the Teamsters marks a historic beginning for labor and management in implementing the President’s executive order.”

The conference was co-sponsored by American University, Syracuse University and Wayne State University.
 

Web Sites

Biography.com
The biography.com site has a special section featuring a variety of interesting material related to women’s history, including an interactive quiz and timeline, photos and movie clips. There is also a comprehensive list of biographies on notable women in history.

History.com
This site also has a special section with some interesting information and video suggestions.

National Women’s History Museum
This site has current information related to the museum as well as a “cybermuseum” which includes notable women, events and activities in American history, sports, the arts and sciences.

Library of Congress
This site has many options for exploring all aspects of women’s history, as does a sister site, www.womenshistorymonth.gov.

AFL-CIO
The section “Working Women” under the Human, Civil and Women’s Rights subheading has information on current women’s issues.

The following web sites also have information related to women’s history:

• National Organization for Women
   
• Coalition of Labor Union Women
   
• African-American Women Online Archival Collection –Duke University
   
• Women in America, 1820-1842

• Civil War Women: Primary Sources on the Internet

• Living the Legacy: the Women's Rights Movement 1848-1998

• The Emma Goldman Papers and Site

• Women Come to the Front: Journalists, Photographers and Broadcasters During World War II

• What Did You Do in the War, Grandma?

• American Women in Uniform, Veterans Too!

• Women Inventors
   
• Good Work, Sister
  

Noteworthy films and documentaries related to women’s history (available from Netflix):

• “Iron Jawed Angels”

• “One Woman One Vote”

• “Not For Ourselves Alone,” documentary on the work of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony

• “Women’s Achievements in History” (documentary series)

• “Chisholm ’72: Unbought and Unbossed,” on Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm

• “Fly Girls,” on women pioneers in aviation

• “Nellie Bly: Around the World in 72 Days,” on pioneering woman journalist

• “The Long Walk Home”

• “Ida Wells Barnett,” documentary: journalist, civil rights leader, black suffragette

Books 

• “100 Women Who Shaped the World”
  By Gail Meyers Rolka

• “Well Behaved Women Seldom Make History”
  By Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

• “The Feminine Mystique”
  By Betty Friedan

• “The Second Stage”
  By Betty Friedan

• “When Everything Changed”
  By Gail Collins

• “American Women: 400 Years of Dolls, Drudges, Helpmates and Heroines”
  By Gail Collins

• “The Founding Mothers”
  By Cokie Roberts

• “Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions”
  By Gloria Steinem

• “Sisterhood of Faith: 365 Stories of Women Who Made a Difference”
  By Shirley Brosius
   
• “No Small Courage: A History of Women in the United States”
  By Nancy Cott