Under the Bus: How Working Women Are Being Run Over

by Caroline Fredrickson

Called a “damn fine book” by Elle magazine, the hardcover edition of Under the Bus changed the conversation about women at work―the question is not only about those women at the top trying to “break the glass ceiling” but instead why millions are stuck on the sticky floor.

Fredrickson shows that our labor laws are based on outdated, misogynistic, and racist assumptions that leave huge sectors of the workforce without a minimum wage or the right to unionize and subject to wage theft, physical and sexual abuse, and pregnancy discrimination, despite laws that purport to protect all workers. Laws are written through compromise and negotiation, and in each case vulnerable workers were the bargaining chip that was sacrificed to guarantee the policy's enactment.

“Unpack[ing] the history of the racism and sexism that has left so many working women and people of color without adequate protections" ( Mother Jones ) Under the Bus offers "a call to action for women who have been left behind in the fight to secure fair labor standards" ( Washington Independent Review of Books ).

Genres: Nonfiction, Feminism, Politics, Social Justice, Womens, Business

256 pages, Paperback

First published April 7, 2015

About the author

President of American Constitution Society. Former special assistant for legislative affairs to President Bill Clinton.

Reviews

[Caroline Fredrickson]

So, I'm a bit biased . . . .

[Bob Tate]

I learned a great deal from this book about quality of life obstacles women, and disproportionately women of color, face on account of retrograde and self-hindering U.S. policies that simply do not address critical issues and make balancing work and family life needlessly exasperating or impossible to navigate. I found it a well-written, accessible polemic that packs a punch and am recommending to a number of people I know. Kudos to Caroline Frederickson for this book and for her efforts more broadly to sound this trumpet.

[Aaron Chu]

Empowering and informative, Frederickson reveals much of the shambles that is the current Labor laws, which continue to exploit working class women (many women of color) since the New Deal. From the exclusion of small companies in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act to the malicious re-categorization of "employees" as a way for companies to avoid paying benefits, Frederickson illustrated many road blocks in the fight for gender equality in today's work place. My favorite part is the stories that are told in the book, which is crucial for one to understand what these non-elitist women have to go through as women, and sometimes as mothers as well. Not all women have the luxury to "opt-out" and these stories inspire us not to "Lean In", but lean together and in solidarity.

[Joanne]

I had wanted to read this for a while and I was not disappointed. What is disappointing, however, is how women continue to economically fall behind. Even though there are fair pay, family leave and antidiscrimination laws, the population most in need of protection (low-wage women of color) are left out or minimally covered.

[Michael Bassili]

Excellent insight into the injustices against women that have been instituted in American society.

[Marya]

While the information covered within was insightful, the writing itself was mediocre. I liked learning more about the topic, but ran out of time to trudge through the prose to finish it. It's great to see that there is at least one book covering women for whom putting food on the table for their family has to trump any considerations on whether to "lean in" or not.

[Barbara]

Highly recommend picking this up. It's a good exploration of how laws and legislation have been constructed in ways that continually push lower class workers down. Includes some amazing sexist and racist quotes from the congressional record, and the authors discussion of how she helped writes legislation that perpetuates discrimination workout really being aware of how she was doing so.

[Sherry]

How they are being run over is detailed carefully. How to fix it is described as well. Every woman should have access to fair treatment, fair pay, child care, health care, leave options and more. It's infuriating to read, how time after time, women and particularly women of color are excluded from all protections.

[sacha kenton]

you have to be a moron not to know the stuff in here. i mean the info is ok but kudos to you if you learned something you didn't know. you're alive? i feel like this could be called 'duh'
oh and it's highly publicized for some reason like this is the new twilight genre

[suzbug3 suzbug3]

Outstanding. A bit polemical but for someone who knew nothing about the loopholes surrounding labor laws, a remarkable eye opener.

[Melissa Ooten]

Just what I've needed to add to my Gender and Work course.

[Rebecca]

Heard about on a Politically Reactive podcast.