Ellen Cassedy at Harvard Book Store

Harvard Book Store welcomes award-winning author ELLEN CASSEDY—founder of the 9 to 5 Organization of Women Office Workers in Boston that inspired the Hollywood box office hit and the famed Dolly Parton song—for a discussion of her book Working 9 to 5: A Women's Movement, a Labor Union, and the Iconic Movie.

A Return to In-Person Events

Harvard Book Store is excited to be back to in-person programming. To ensure the safety and comfort of everyone in attendance, the following Covid-19 safety protocols will be in place at all of our Harvard Book Store events until further notice:

• Face coverings are required of all staff and attendees when inside the store. Masks must snugly cover nose and mouth.

About Working 9 to 5

Ten office workers in Boston started out sitting in a circle and sharing the problems they encountered on the job. In a few short years, they had built a nationwide movement that united people of diverse races, classes, and ages.

They took on the corporate titans. They leafleted and filed lawsuits and started a woman-led union. They won millions of dollars in back pay and helped make sexual harassment and pregnancy discrimination illegal.

The women office workers who rose up to win rights and respect on the job transformed workplaces throughout America. And along the way came Dolly Parton’s toe-tapping song and a hit movie inspired by their work.

Working 9 to 5 is a lively, informative, firsthand account packed with practical organizing lore that will embolden anyone striving for fair treatment.

Praise for Working 9 to 5

“In her latest work, feminist trailblazer Ellen Cassedy takes us through her journey as a founder of the 9 to 5 movement, where ten brave women came together to take a stand against sexism in the workplace. Their battles fought at the intersection of the women’s movement and the labor movement are even more relevant today, making Working 9 to 5 a must-read for any activist or reader in search for a piece of inspiration.” —Liz Shuler, president, AFL-CIO

“In these days of hard times for unions and workers, it’s good to have Ellen Cassedy to remind us of a struggle that looked pretty hopeless when it started but made a big difference. Women’s work is still undervalued and underpaid, so what are we waiting for? Read Working 9 to 5 for the story of a not-so-distant past that could help us figure out how to make a better, fairer future.” —Katha Pollitt, The Nation

“Working 9 to 5 imbues social history with practical knowledge about movement-building and the day-to-day work of collective power. The timing for this book couldn’t be better—as labor’s popularity surges, especially among young workers, people are seeking exactly these kinds of stories for inspiration and guidance.”—Michelle Miller, cofounder and co-executive director, Coworker.org