Women's Maritime Association Records, 1980-2013
Table of Contents
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Women's Maritime Association.
- Title
- Women's Maritime Association Records
- Dates
- 1980-2013 (inclusive)19802013
1980-1999 (bulk)19801999 - Quantity
- 4 linear feet, (8 boxes)
- Collection Number
- XOE_CPNWS0194wma
- Summary
- The Women's Maritime Association (WMA) formed in 1980 as a support network for seafaring women. The records span the dates 1980 to 2013, and include administrative and organizational records, documents related to activities and education, legal materials and government resources, newsletters, and clippings and reference material.
- Repository
- Western Washington University, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Goltz-Murray Archives Building
808 25th St.
Bellingham, WA
98225
Telephone: (360) 650-7534
cpnws@wwu.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Some restrictions apply - contact repository for details.
- Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- Funding for preparing this finding aid was provided through funds from the Washington State Legislature for the Washington Women's History Consortium. Funding for encoding the finding aid was awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Historical Note
The Women's Maritime Association (WMA) formed in 1980 as a support network for seafaring women. The WMA's mission is "to support and encourage women's activity in their maritime occupations and in their respective maritime unions and to take whatever steps necessary to insure women's right to work, free of harassment."* Although based in Seattle, Washington, WMA members hail from across the United States as well as several other countries. The WMA represents and supports women who work on fishing boats, processors, tankers, tugs, research boats, deep sea merchant ships, ferries, Navy and Coast Guard ships.*
Since its inception, the Women's Maritime Association has sought to promote strong community among women engaged in traditionally male-dominated maritime work, while advocating for fair working conditions, knowledge of health and safety issues and, especially, an end to sexual harassment and discrimination on vessels. With the enactment of the Sexual Abuse Act in 1986, vessel captains were required to report allegations of sexual abuse and harassment to the US Coast Guard. WMA has continued to advocate for stronger legislation to eliminate problems of sexual harassment and abuse at sea. In 1988, the Congressional General Accounting Office (GAO) undertook a two-year study to examine the problems experienced by women working on the high seas. The Women's Maritime Association urged members who had experienced harassment at sea to write about their experiences and submit those testimonies. The GAO study resulted in two official reports to Congress titled "Coast Guard: Information Needed to Assess the Extent of Sexual Assaults on Ships" and "TUNA/PORPOISE OBSERVER PROGRAM: More Needs to Be Done to Identify and Report Harassment of Observers." The reports urged the Coast Guard to take action in monitoring harassment onboard ships, and to provide more effective training and better reporting procedures to combat sexual assault.
*Source: Women's Maritime Association website, www.womensmaritimeassoc.com.
Content Description
The Women's Maritime Association (WMA) Records span the dates 1980 to 2013, and include administrative and organizational records, documents related to activities and education, legal materials and government resources, newsletters, and clippings and reference material. The records document the concerns and activities of this Seattle-based organization, established in 1980 to protect the rights and safety of women working in the maritime industries.
Administrative and Organizational Records span the period 1980-1999, and include historical information, membership materials, meeting minutes, photographs, financial records, and resources from various WMA chapters. There is also a substantial amount of correspondence between WMA members and others, of which some may be restricted.
Activities and Education materials date from the 1980s through the 1990s and include information on various conferences, conventions, and symposia, as well as education, training, and networking opportunities for women in seafaring work. There is also information on affiliated organizations including public relations and outreach work.
Legal Materials and Government Resources span the dates 1988-1992 and document the WMA's work to strengthen legislation protecting women in the workplace. The records reflect the WMA's mission to eradicate sexual harassment and abuse on ships, and to ensure equal pay and fair working conditions for seafaring women. The materials include several General Accounting Office reports to Congress regarding sexual harassment and assault at sea.
Newsletters date from 1980-2013 and represent the official publication of the WMA.
Clippings and Reference Material consist of publications about WMA activities and some of its members. They also document important issues such as sexual harassment, fair working conditions, and networking and community-building among women in non-traditional jobs.
Use of the Collection
Preferred Citation
Women's Maritime Association Records, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, Archives & Special Collections, Western Washington University, Bellingham WA 98225-9123.
Administrative Information
Arrangement
The Women's Maritime Association Records are organized according to the following series arrangement:
- Series I. Administrative and Organizational Records, 1980-1999
- Series II. Activities and Education, 1988-1992
- Series III. Legal Materials and Government Resources, 1988-1992
- Series IV. Newsletters, 1980-2013
- Series V. Clippings and Reference Material, 1980-1999
Acquisition Information
The records were donated by the Women's Maritime Assocation in 2000, 2006 and 2021.
Related Materials
The Women in the Commercial Fishing Industry Research Collection at the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies contains related material.
Processing Note
Researchers should note that this collection contains references to sexual harassment, assault, and rape that may be harmful or triggering. To learn more about problematic content in our collections, collection description and teaching tools (including how to provide feedback or request dialogue on this topic), see the following Statement About Potentially Harmful Language and Content.
Detailed Description of the Collection
Series I: Administrative and Organizational Records, 1980-1999
- Description: Letterhead, logos, and organizational historyDates: approximately 1980sContainer: Box 1, Folder 1
- Description: "Board Biz" - includes membership ballots and questionnairesDates: 1983-1984Container: Box 1, Folder 2
- Description: Membership materialsDates: approximately 1980sContainer: Box 1, Folder 3
- Description: Meeting minutesDates: 1984; 1993-1994Container: Box 1, Folder 4
- Description: Photographs and business cardsDates: approximately 1990sContainer: Box 1, Folder 5
- Description: Printing and related businessDates: 1980sContainer: Box 1, Folder 6
- Description: Other WMA businessDates: approximately 1986-1988Container: Box 1, Folder 7
- Description: WMA chapter materials (Galveston, Texas, and New Zealand chapters)Dates: approximately 1990sContainer: Box 1, Folder 8-10
- Description: Financial recordsDates: 1981-1988Container: Box 2, Folder 1-4
- Description: Grants and fundraisingDates: 1990sContainer: Box 2, Folder 5
- Description: Maritime Academy GrantDates: 1993Container: Box 2, Folder 6
- Description: Washington Centennial Maritime projects (oral histories and workshop materials)Dates: 1988Container: Box 2, Folder 7
- Description: CorrespondenceDates: 1980s-1990sContainer: Box 3, Folder 1-8
- Description: "Published letters" (used in newsletters)Dates: approximately 1988-1989Container: Box 3, Folder 9
- Description: Correspondence from ARCO MarineDates: 1992; 1994Container: Box 3, Folder 10
Series II: Activities and Education, 1980s-1990s
- Description: Conferences, conventions, and symposiaDates: approximately 1990sContainer: Box 4, Folder 1-3
- Description: "Sex and Power Issues in the Workplace" conferenceDates: 1992Container: Box 5, Folder 1
- Description: "Women Underway"Dates: approximately 1990sContainer: Box 5, Folder 2
- Description: Women Underway SymposiumDates: 1994Container: Box 5, Folder 3
- Description: Affiliated organizations and networksDates: 1989-1992Container: Box 5, Folder 4
- Description: Miscellaneous marine and maritime networks and educationDates: approximately 1980sContainer: Box 5, Folder 5
Series III: Legal Materials and Government Resources, 1988-1992
- Description: General Accounting Office (GAO) materials and related correspondence with Representative Mike LowryDates: approximately 1987-1989Container: Box 5, Folder 6
- Description: GAO Reports to Congress
- "COAST Guard – Information Needed to Assess the Extent of Sexual Assault on Ships," December 1988
- "TUNA/PORPOISE OBSERVER PROGRAM – More Needs to Be Done to Identify and Report Harassment of Observers," November 1990
- "COAST GUARD – Magnitude of Alcohol Problems and Related Maritime Accidents Unknown," May 1990
Dates: 1988; 1990Container: Box 6, Folder 1 - Description: Sexual abuse/rights at sea materialsDates: approximately 1988-1992Container: Box 6, Folder 2
- Description: Coast Guard - sexual harassment materialsDates: approximately 1990sContainer: Box 6, Folder 3
- Description: Navy - sexual harassment policies, trainings, etc.Dates: approximately 1990sContainer: Box 6, Folder 4
- Description: Shipping companies - sexual harassment materialsDates: approximately 1990sContainer: Box 6, Folder 5
Series IV: Newsletters, 1980-1999
- Description: NewslettersDates: 1980 July-1984 DecemberContainer: Box 6, Folder 6-7
- Description: NewslettersDates: 1989 Winter-2005 Fall; 2009 Spring; 2013 SpringContainer: Box 7, Folder 1-2
- Description: Newsletter "stuff" including correspondenceDates: approximately 1991-1992Container: Box 7, Folder 3
- Description: "Artwork for newsletter"Dates: undatedContainer: Box 7, Folder 4
Series V: Clippings and Reference Material, 1980-1999
- Description: Articles and clippingsDates: approximately 1980s-1990sContainer: Box 7, Folder 5-7
- Description: General reference materialsDates: approximately 1980s-1990sContainer: Box 8, Folder 1-3
- Description: "Maritime Info to Keep on File"Dates: approximately 1985-1987Container: Box 8, Folder 4-5
- Description: "Safety/ecology" reference materialDates: 1990sContainer: Box 8, Folder 6
- Description: "Womens empowerment/stress management" reference materialDates: approximately 1990sContainer: Box 8, Folder 7
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Sex discrimination against women--History--Sources.
- Sex discrimination in employment--History--Sources.
- Sexual harassment--Law and legislation--United States--History--Sources.
- Women fishers--History--Sources.
- Women merchant mariners--History--Sources.
- Women sailors--History--Sources.
Corporate Names
- Women's Maritime Association--Archives.
Form or Genre Terms
- Records (Documents)
