Union Maid
There once was a union maid, she never was afraid
Of goons and ginks and company finks and the deputy sheriffs who made the raid.
She went to the union hall when a meeting it was called,
And when the Legion boys come 'round
She always stood her ground.
Chorus:
Oh, you can't scare me, I'm sticking to the union,
I'm sticking to the union, I'm sticking to the union.
Oh, you can't scare me, I'm sticking to the union,
I'm sticking to the union 'til the day I die.
This union maid was wise to the tricks of company spies,
She couldn't be fooled by a company stool, she'd always organize the guys.
She always got her way when she struck for better pay.
She'd show her card to the National Guard
And this is what she'd say
Chorus
You women who want to be free, take a little tip from me
Break outa that mold we've all been sold, you got a fighting hist-to-ree
The fight for women's rights with workers must unite
Like Mother Jones, move those bones to the front of every fight!
Chorus
A woman's struggle is hard even with a union card
She's got to stand on her own two feet& not be a servant of the male elite
It's time to take a stand, keep working hand in hand
There's a job that's got to be done & a fight that's got to be won
Chorus
(Anne Feeney lyrics)
When this song was first sung
Our fight had just begun
And union maids in the union trades
Organized 'til the job was done
And lady's auxiliaries Of giant factories
Side-by-side, they won their pride In CIO victories
Chorus
Now union maids are found
In coal mines underground
Climbing to new heights on construction sites
And they'll never keep us down
In offices and schools
We'll redefine those rules
Working every day toward comparable pay
And with union men we say
Chorus
Credits: Woody Guthrie, Anne Feeney