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Pittsburgh 2018 Women's Day Marchers: 'Women’s Rights! Workers’ Rights! Same Struggle, Same Fight!'

90.5 WESA | By Sarah Boden

Published March 8, 2018 at 5:45 PM EST

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Bernadette Brogden, who helped the coalition organizing the 2018 International Women's Strike Pittsburgh: Paid Sick Days Now, says she came out to stand by her fellow women fighting for equality.

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In Pennsylvania, women are paid 79 cents for every dollar paid to men, according to the National Partnership for Women and Families. Many signs in the crowd reflected the desire for fair pay.

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Organizers Camille Goleb introduced several speakers at the march. There was an emphasis this year on bridging the gender wage gap and pushing employers to provide paid family and medical leave.

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At the foot of the City-County Building, a table of Planned Parenthood pamphlets and information also included pens and pins with empowering messages.

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At one point, speakers asked who in the crowd had experienced discrimination based on several factors--age, race, gender, mental health and disability. Participants were asked to raise their hand for instances that affected them.

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More than a dozen organizations formed the coalition that planned the March 8, 2018 event, including the Socialist Alternative Pittsburgh, Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania and Women's Law Project.

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A participant of the 2018 International Women's Strike Pittsburgh records organizer Camile Goleb at the steps in front of the City-County Building downtown, where people had gathered to promote gender equality.

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A sign referencing the singer Cyndi Lauper's hit "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" was one of many homemade signs that participants carried throughout the demonstrations downtown on Thursday, March 8, 2018.

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Pittsburgher Andrew Bellesis with the Socialist Alternative Pittsburgh holds a sign that reads "Fight Sexism With Solidarity." He says it's "very important to keep a strong women's movement."

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People marched through the streets of downtown Pittsburgh Thursday afternoon, holding signs and chanting slogans in support of paid sick leave.

After a brief demonstration with speakers at the City-County Building, participants in the International Women's Strike Pittsburgh marched down Grant Street to Liberty Avenue and through Market Square.

This demonstration was intentionally held on International Women’s Day.

“Women’s rights! Workers’ rights! Same struggle, same fight!” shouted marchers.

Activists said that women, especially women of color, who work low wage jobs can often face a difficult choice.

“I had to choose between going to work and taking care of my kids,” said Darnika Reed, a mother of three and activist. “Parents shouldn’t have to make the kind of choice.”

Some also pointed out that it’s not sanitary to force workers to clock in when they're sick, particularly if they’re employed in the food service industry.

Marchers Shannon Tomanovich (left), with Pittsburgh Democratic Socialists of America, Stephanie Reynolds (center), with the Coalition of Labor Union Women, and Maria Swarts (right), who decided to participate while she was on her lunch break.

Pittsburgh’s Paid Sick Days Act, passed in 2015, requires all employers in the city to provide sick time to employees. That ordinance is currently being challenged at the state Supreme Court.