NOW Strikers Rally at State House

Although more than 50 women rallied at the State House yesterday to support a national women's strike, response at the Harvard-Radcliffe community was minimal.

The women gathered in Boston in response to a call by the National Organization for Women (NOW) that women from all professions, classes and backgrounds refrain from their normal activities for one day to demonstrate their social and economic importance.

The strike was not, however, endorsed by the Boston chapter of NOW.

Deanna Lackaff, vice-president for public relations of Boston NOW, said yesterday that the local unit urged women not to spend money, but would not call for a work strike because of the present economic situation.

Jeopardy

"If a woman feels she would not jeopardize her job, then she should walk off," Lackaff said, "but because of the economic situation we are simply urging women to wear yellow arm bands to show their support."

NOW selected yellow bands because Susan B. Anthony, one of the earliest proponents of women's suffrage, wore yellow hair-bands, Lackaff said.

The strike was named "Alice Doesn't" after the book and movie "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore" dealing with a widow's attempt to persevere amidst economic hardship.

Responses to the strike within the University community were limited.

The Radcliffe-Harvard Women's Center Collective was not informed of the strike by NOW, Mary S. Hennifer, a member of the Collective, said yesterday. She said the group supported the strike by wearing yellow armbands.

Eight of 30 women employees at the Graduate School of Design did not report to work yesterday in support of the strike, one striking employee reported yesterday.

Susan Hershey, a secretary at the Department of Landscape Architecture and one of the eight, said the strikers had "hoped to get more people involved." She added that several members of the registrar's office did not report to work.

Hershey said the absent employees would "probably get docked a day's pay, or take one of three 'floating holidays' allowed to employees," and added that she expected the administration to take no disciplinary action.

Maurice D. Kilbridge, dean of the GSD, was not available for comment yesterday.

District 65, the Union that claims to represent clerical workers in the Medical Area, did not participate as a union, Leslie Sullivan, an employee, said yesterday.

Individual members may have participated, she added.