What Century Is This?

It’s STILL happening. What happened to us is happening to our young sisters and daughters.

RaveGraphix is a college junior.

"I was interviewing with a large printing company (who will remain nameless) today and basically got told I wouldn't be good at their pressman job because I'm a woman. I was told that I was better qualified and more experienced than everyone that they spoke to about the internship position, but that (the interviewer) "doesn't think I have the physical abilities to be able to load lifts of paper into the press and run the feeding system" (due to my smaller stature because I am a woman). I am a national champion sheetfed offset printer, representing the US in international print competition in 4 months. I just really want some feedback on this situation, any comments or advice would be appreciated."
-- RaveGraphix

Print-shops can and usually do have machine sheet and roll lifts. Why? Because even the big and mega strong have backs that go all wonky from having bent over funny or lifting something in not quite the best manner. The machine lifts save time and money, they speed the plough. AND they help companies avoid Worker's compensation payouts or those pesky, possible lawsuits.  

"doesn't think I have the physical abilities to be able to load lifts of paper into the press and run the feeding system" What utterly transparent snot twaddle!

Here are some of the responses from the printer’s forum:

RBS -- that is just flat out CRAZY - especially since really good press-people are SO HARD TO FIND - they will be sorry for their horrible reply

LCN -- It sucks, and I know exactly how you feel. But be strong and be glad that you found out their true colors before you got hired. You will find the right place. My high school print shop teacher wouldn't let me run press because he didn't think I would want to get my hands dirty. I worked hard in college, learned to run press in class and at part time jobs. My first job out of college was a demonstrator with Heidelberg. No one can ever take that knowledge from you. Good luck!

LJH -- get a lawyer.

MBS -- FYI - RaveGraphix is still a student, and just embarking into the work world. This is such an embarrassing way for a company in our industry to behave. Wouldn't you think we would all move past this by now?

Personally, courts and lawsuits (when you can get a case heard...) become so complicated and expensive, I wonder if it would be more effective to just call them out publicly across the industry forums.

ALB -- Sounds like deficiency compensation to me.

**snorts and grins**

BDW -- While I don't run an offset press (I run a large format digital printer) I do move cases of paper everyday and I can out lift most of my male coworkers. They just know that a woman would make them feel inadequate because we are way more hardcore. I have worked through mono, a broken foot, and an intense gallbladder attack. I had a male press operator call out for 2 days because he had a blister on his foot.

Tell it sister!  I’ve come back to work after surgeries that left me deaf, half blind and unable to walk without a cane. I was able to perform my prepress job at peak levels too.

MP -- Out the company name. Women are great pressman, we had one at my old company and she was better than half the men. Accountable, troubleshooted problems and always wanted to do the best possible job. Machine lifts, raise the rolls of paper the same way for women as they do for the male old timers.

RC -- And we wonder why the commercial printing industry is going down the tubes? It's people like the interviewer with narrow, bigoted views of people's abilities that are running these companies. It's no wonder they're making dumb business decisions. I hope she sues!

RaveGrafix -- I'm a student with no money to sue, also no proof other than he said/she said. It seemed like a great opportunity and it just really disappointed me that he said that even though I was more qualified, he didn't think I could do it.

JB -- Awful to hear this type of discrimination happening in 2013! Back in the late 70's I interviewed at a plant that ran roll perfectors. They were concerned I couldn't load the paper and I was allowed to go out on the floor to show them I could. They hired me. I was the first woman at that plant running press, and I was proud of it!

DM -- RaveGrafix, can you relay this info to the interviewers superior?

RaveGrafix -- He's the president of the company, so there is no superior.

 We’ve come so far and there’s so much farther to go.