Wages for Housework highlights several women who campaigned internationally for rights not only for women but minorities as well. We follow the movement that began in the 1970’s; through feminist, civil rights and anti capitalism to the current movement of Members of Global Women.
A very informative book that details each women’s’ journey forming their groups and the conflicts they encountered. The work that went into forming and keeping these groups moving, bringing international attention to these ongoing issues is impressive. This book makes you think and debate some of the issues discussed. How would you feel then and how does it relate to today?
This book is well written and a lot of research went into creating such an informative read. There are several quotes that really resonated and I felt like I was highlighting the whole book; however the facts and figures become too much like reading a history or text book and lost some of it’s luster as you get close to half way through.
Although impressed by all the women who contributed and Emily for putting it all together, it felt like too much information and some redundancy as a whole.
There is much to take away and if you enjoy historical facts, then I highly recommend.

Thank you Net Galley and the author for the ARC to review

Emily Callaci, Wages for Housework The Feminist Fight Against Unpaid Labor, Basic Books | Seal Press, March 2025.

Thankyou, NetGalley, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.

Emily Callaci has brought together five activists for whom wages for housework was a part of their feminist work for improving women’s lives. It is important to recognise that this is what the movement sought to do, and to come to the writings, and Callaci’s introduction and commentary, with this understanding. It is also vital to acknowledge that wages for housework as an effort to address the unequal burden placed on women who might work outside the home, and then work unpaid inside the home, was complex. The women in this collection have addressed the complexities, making an important contribution to the history of the women’s movement, as well as making salient points in a debate that remains the subject of research today – who does most of the housework?

The collection is noteworthy for its inclusion of working class and black women, together with discussion of the middle-class nature of many of the 1970s feminist conferences and gatherings. Of particular note is Selma James’ work, including reference to the documentary, Women Talking, and her appearance at Ruskin College for the National Women’s Liberation Movement. Mariarosa Dalla Costa’s story begins sadly. Hoping to hear her voice on a tape, access won with great difficulty, Callaci was subjected to a male commentator’s reflections, and a small contribution by Dalla costa. Fortunately, this brief appearance belies the material Callaci was able to garner though further investigation, including discussion with Dalla Costa and a marvellously detailed description of her stage appearance in a working-class area in Venice. Silia Federici begins the section set in America, as she speaks in Brooklyn, decrying the idea of housework as ‘love’. The New York movement features heavily, with British women joining a conference organised by the New York Committee. Wilmet Brown is charged with expanding the movement and is a particular focus. Lastly, the chapter introducing Margaret Prescot, co-founder of Black Women for Wages for Housework, is an amalgam of her work, International Women’s Decade and attempts to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. Here, the conflict between aspirations for women became apparent, only sustained lobbying leading to the inclusion in the National Plan of Action a plank, Women, Welfare, and Poverty aimed at replacing ‘welfare’ with ‘wage’.

The Epilogue discusses housework as it is being discussed in the 2020s, after the Covid epidemic. Callaci suggests that current debates are free of the friction raised in past discussion and activism. There is a useful list of abbreviations and notes, as well as some illustrations, listed at the front of the book. Callaci has brought together a fine collection of material, interspersed with her commentary.

I needed this book. As a working mother, or even a woman in general, I feel like I am drowning in housework. I even attend my husbands dietitian appointments to learn what he can eat, because of course I do most of the cooking, shopping, and management.
But even if we divide all those chores, just keeping the floors swept and the laundry put away takes most of my nonworking/awake hours. How do people have clean houses while working fulltime?
There are some quotes in this book I will never get over. One is about being materially dependent on two men: a man and his boss. I think that still fit today, at least here in Utah, women only make 67% of what men do. I feel like this book review is a good place to say "do not blame our choices for certain industries paying a lot less." a teacher is just as valuable as a programmer, but our wages don't reflect that.
And the part about it destroying romance (same paragraph) is completely imbedded in my soul now.
I also love the part about how everyone has a claim to women's time.
This has me thinking about how women have always had to step up and do a lot more in times of crisis. During the world wars women went to work but they also gardened and rationed and made clothes. Now we can't afford things in America so women are cooking more, gardening, and taking on gig work. We are all developing new skills and ways to prep and survive. But we are not getting more out of it.
Love the book. It has given me a lot to think about.