Overview
Based on the firsthand stories of dozens of women leaders in the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW), Women United examines what workplaces were like for women, how they became involved in the union, and the challenges women faced, sometimes at great personal cost. From struggles for representation in their union to their fight for affirmative action and childcare, and work against gender-based violence and harassment, Peggy Nash and Julie White show how these feminist activists were joined in struggle not only by their union sisters, but also by their sisters from the broader women’s movement, who learned from them about the importance of women’s workplace rights. Nash and White document the decades-long struggles of generations of women activists in the CAW, who, despite their few numbers, managed to build a better, more inclusive union. A testament to the union’s motto that ""fighting back makes a difference,"" Women United makes an important contribution to feminist, labour, and social history.
Full Product Details
Author: Peggy Nash ,
Julie White
Publisher: Between the Lines
Imprint: Between the Lines
ISBN: 9781771136839
ISBN 10: 1771136839
Pages: 272
Publication Date: 02 February 2026
Audience:
General/trade
,
General
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming
Availability: In Print
Limited stock is available. It will be ordered for you and shipped pending supplier's limited stock.
Reviews
“The timing of this brilliant, feminist, activist book could not be more perfect! Who better to bring a sharp analysis, plucky optimism, and state the case for struggle for universal empowerment in the labour movement than Nash and White? The world needs this book now more than ever.” – Donna Baines, professor, School of Social Work, University of British Columbia “Nash and White have put together an informative and engaging history of the struggles and victories of women activists at the CAW. It is critical we recognize the women who worked to pave a path for inclusivity and equality in our unions. A more inclusive union is a more effective union, and we stand on the shoulders of those women union activists across Canada who ensured their voices were heard.” – Bea Bruske, president of the Canadian Labour Congress “Women United is a must-read which delves into the significant history of women’s struggle for justice and equality in the union movement—and by extension, wider Canadian society. Nash and White amplify the voices of women who fought to pave the way for future generations by carefully bringing together countless stories that would otherwise go untold. The interviews of women in the union movement provide important lessons on combatting sexism, patriarchy, and all forms of oppression from an intersectional perspective. Embedded in the stories of struggle are the webs of solidarity forged to propel action and hope for better working and living conditions.” – Dr. Janelle Brady, assistant professor, School of Early Childhood Studies, Toronto Metropolitan University; president, Ontario NDP “Nash and White bring to life union women who helped to drive—and drew strength from—the women’s movement. Fierce, visionary, and willing to challenge their own unions, they fought for equal pay, childcare, reproductive rights, parental leave, harassment-free workplaces, affirmative action, gender and racial equality, 2SLGBTQ+ rights, and union rights legislation—winning the support of male allies along the way. With solidarity and love, their struggles transformed their union, reshaped the labour movement, and sparked broader societal change, leaving a legacy to inspire new generations of feminist activists.” – Barb MacQuarrie, community director (retired), Center for Research and Education on Violence Against Women and Children, Faculty of Education, Western University “Women United is a fascinating, meticulously researched, insiders’ account of how women gained their place in unions and advanced women’s rights from equal pay to affirmative action to gender-based violence. Its insights into the strategies and tactics of mobilizing quickly and leveraging allies within and beyond, without sugar coating the challenges of navigating male-dominated environments, is invaluable. As Peggy Nash reminds us: ‘Your belief in building a better world will see you through the tough times. When you have to fight to make change, remember you are also making history.’” – Wendy Cukier, Diversity Institute, Toronto Metropolitan University; co-founder of the Coalition for Gun Control “This extraordinary book is a powerful testament to the strength and resilience of women in the labour movement. Nash and White weave together a complex tapestry of history, personal story, and sharp analysis, and in doing so, show how women have shaped labour in Canada and continue to redefine the meaning of solidarity. At a time when workers’ rights are under attack, this powerful rallying cry reminds us that women have long been the unsung heroes at the heart of progress and are wholly deserving of respect in workplaces, in unions, and in history.” – Lana Payne, national president of Unifor “In Women United, Peggy Nash and Julie White document the essential and often overlooked contributions of women to the development of the Canadian Auto Workers union. These compelling stories, based on extensive interviews and the authors’ own experiences, show how union feminists from the 1940s on persisted in the face of obstacles both inside and outside of their union. Through creativity and militancy, women and their allies won pathbreaking victories that transformed their workplaces, their fellow union members, and themselves. Part memoir, part labour history, part activist guidebook, Women United is a must-read for anyone interested in the messy and rewarding work of building a more equitable and just labour movement.”– Stephanie Ross, associate professor, School of Labour Studies, McMaster University
Author Information
Peggy Nash is the executive director of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. She was the former senior negotiator in the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW), where she had the privilege of working with many groundbreaking union women from the 1980s to 2011. She led the CAW’s Women’s Department for many years and initiated innovative leadership programs. She was the first labour woman to lead national auto bargaining. Nash later became an NDP Member of Parliament, a lecturer in politics at Toronto Metropolitan University, and an author. Nash was named to the Order of Canada for her work in the union and was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Laws from Brock University. She lives in Toronto, Ontario. Julie White is the former long-time Director of the CAW-Unifor Women’s Department. She held many leadership positions in her local union including becoming the first woman president of CAW Local 27. She was elected to the union’s National Executive Board and was later appointed Director of the CAW Women’s Department. In this role, White was responsible for the union’s equity campaigns, education, mobilization, and workplace advocacy. She advocated for reproductive rights, childcare, the need for gun control legislation, and other measures to end gender-based violence. She lives in London, Ontario.
