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The dressmakers’ grievances were many, especially when it came to the sexual harassment to which they were subjected and which they called favouritism, or “groping.” Those who consented to being touched or to performing other sexual favours obtained more pieces of fabric to sew, or pieces that were easier to assemble. These were definite advantages in a piecework industry, where speed of execution was paramount to increasing their wages. Also, women who were related to each other often recorded their working hours at the factory on the same timecard, thus saving the boss a wage. This is what Léa refers to when she says, “two on the same card.”

Reference: Dossier Pioneers of Feminism and Unionism : Léa Roback and Madeleine Parent