Chapter 1<br > Introduction<br > This study is an examination of the concepts of dissatisfaction and<br >consciousness as they were experienced by women office workers who<br >belong to a working women s organization. While there have been studi~s<br >of the history of women workers and how they fit into the occupational<br >and social structure，1 little attention has been paid to the worker herself<br >or to the problems she encounters on the job.~ Consequently， we have lit-<br > tle information to help us understand how or why the recent workers <br > movement has arisen. This study focuses on the process by which women<br > have become aware of their own dissatisfaction as workers， and to what<br > extent they see this as tied to their specific jobs and/or the fact that they<br > are women.<br > In order to pursue this issue， I conducted a case study of one<br > organization， Baltimore Working Women， that is part of the working<br > women s movement. I have concentrated on the dissatisfactions that the<br > women experience at work and the consciousness that prevails as they<br > participate in this office workers" organization. I also investigated their<br > work experiences and other relevant information pertaining to the par-<br > tieipants. Included in this study is an examination of the origins and<br > history of the group itself， its present structure， an overview of the issues<br > raised by its members， and strategies for action.<br > In essence， I investigated the types of consciousness that women in<br > clerical work roles experience in relation to class and gender as they par-<br > ticipate in working women s organizations. These findings help clarify the<br > unique conditions for women who experience specific demands in terms<br > of family obligations and at the same time must work for wages outside<br > the home. With many women entering the work force today， we can<br > ~h，~r，~ will he changes in the family and in the society as sex-based<br >