Labor & Employment Law Daily Wrap Up, INDUSTRY NEWS, TRENDS—‘Working women mourn’ the legendary singer and actress, whose hit movie and song showcased their voices, (Aug 26, 2026)
Organizations Mentioned:9 to 5, LLC | AFL-CIO | Alpine Associates Access, LLC | SAG-AFTRA | Wind Colebrook, LLC
By Brandi O. Brown, J.D.
“She was central to giving a voice to women in the workplace who have been exploited, harassed, and faced sexism.”
Advocates for working women, along with union leaders, have come out to publicly mourn the passing of Dolly Parton, whose movie and song “9 to 5,” along with her personal activism, they say, helped bring to attention the real issues that women faced, and continue to face, in the American workplace.
The organization 9to5, which was created in 1973 and whose members’ experiences were used as the basis for the script for the 1980 movie, announced yesterday that “Working women mourn Dolly Parton.”
“We’re incredibly grateful for the platform that Dolly gave working women over the years, through her music and her advocacy,” said Mica Whitfield, Co-President and CEO of 9to5. “She was central to giving a voice to women in the workplace who have been exploited, harassed, and faced sexism.”
“There is a reason the song and movie still resonate today: they capture the frustration and determination that empower us to keep going,” said Ashley Panelli, Co-President and CEO of 9to5. “The issues that Dolly helped bring into the spotlight–pay disparities, harassment, workplace discrimination, and the need for affordable, quality childcare, affordable housing, paid family leave, and a living wage–are still issues that people of color, women, non-binary people, and low-income workers face every day. And those issues continue to be core issues of 9to5.”
They are not alone in expressing their gratitude for Parton’s legacy. She was a member of SAG-AFTRA for over 50 years, that organization pointed out. SAG-AFTRA President Sean Astin explained that she effortlessly “advanced the cause of professional women” in the movie 9 to 5, and other members of that organization similarly praised her legacy with regards to her many humanitarian efforts.
The AFL-CIO also issued a statement on social media, noting that “Dolly Parton knew what it was like to struggle as she fought for working families her whole career. From providing free books to kids to giving working women our "9 to 5" anthem, she was an icon and an inspiration.”
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