Zelda D'Aprano facts for kids

Zelda Fay D'Aprano AO (born January 24, 1928 – died February 21, 2018) was a brave activist who fought for women's rights in Melbourne, Victoria. She is remembered for her efforts to achieve equal pay and better working conditions for women.

Zelda's Early Life

Zelda Fay D'Aprano was born Zelda Fay Orloff. She grew up in a small house in Carlton with her brother, sister, and parents. Her family was Orthodox Jewish. When Zelda was a child, her mother became a communist, and Zelda later followed in her footsteps.

Zelda was a very smart student and was even placed in a special class for gifted children. However, she left school before she turned 14. She needed to work in factories to help support her family.

At 16, Zelda married Charlie D'Aprano. They had a daughter named Leonie when Zelda was 17. Her husband left her 21 years later.

Discovering Inequality

While working in factories, Zelda quickly noticed that women workers were not treated fairly. They often earned less money than men for doing the same work. She was so determined to make things better that she was fired from several jobs for trying to improve conditions for women.

In 1950, Zelda joined the Communist Party. She was a member until 1971.

Continuing Her Education

Even though she left school early, Zelda kept learning. In 1961, she became a qualified dental nurse. She even completed her Leaving Certificate in 1965, at the same time as her daughter! She also went to night school for two years and became a qualified chiropodist (someone who cares for feet) in 1967, though she never worked in that field.

Zelda's Work Life

Zelda had many different jobs. She worked at a shortbread factory and a grocery store. Later, she became a dental nurse at Larundel Psychiatric Hospital.

Fighting for Workers' Rights

At the hospital, Zelda joined the Hospital Employees' Federation No.2 Branch. She found that the union did not support women workers very much. She became a "shop steward," which meant she was in charge of all the women dental nurses. She also worked at a hospital for children with disabilities.

In 1969, Zelda started working as a clerk at the Australasian Meat Industry Employees' Union (AMIEU). She was shocked by the poor working conditions in the office. Even worse, there was no one to talk to about these problems. Zelda tried to make changes and speak up for women, but her efforts were often ignored. She was eventually fired from the AMIEU for criticizing her boss. After that, she worked as a mail sorter at the Mail Exchange.

Zelda's Activism for Women

A very important moment for Zelda happened in 1969. The AMIEU union was involved in a major court case about "Equal Pay." This case would decide if women should get the same pay as men for doing the same job.

Chaining Herself for Equal Pay

On October 21, 1969, the court case failed. Zelda was very upset. During her lunch break, she chained herself to the doors of the Commonwealth Building. Women working inside the building came out to support her. The police eventually had to cut her free.

Just ten days later, on October 31, Zelda took action again. This time, she was joined by two other women, Alva Geikie and Thelma Solomon. They chained themselves to the doors of the Arbitration Court, which was the court that had rejected the Equal Pay Case. Both of these protests received attention from the media. Because of her activism, Zelda was fired from her job at the AMIEU.

Starting the Women's Liberation Movement

The next year, Zelda, Alva, and Thelma started the Women's Action Committee. Their goal was to kickstart the Women's Liberation Movement in Melbourne. Zelda believed that women had been "polite and ladylike" for too long and were still being ignored. This led them to take stronger actions to achieve equal pay.

In 1972, these same women opened the Women's Liberation Centre on Little Latrobe Street.

Zelda continued to believe in left-wing values, even after leaving the Communist Party in 1971. She realized that even the socialist movement often did not fully accept women.

The Women's Action Committee grew and continued its work. They even traveled around Melbourne paying only 75% of the bus fares. They did this to protest that women were only paid 75% of what men earned at the time.

Awards and Recognition

Zelda's important work was recognized over the years.

• In 2000, she received an honorary law degree from Macquarie University.
• In 2001, she was added to the Victorian Honour Roll of Women.
• In 2004, she was awarded the Order of Australia, a very high honor in Australia.