Agrotiki magazine, a monthly review of agricultural and livestock issues and issues related to the agricultural economy, agricultural industries, rural environment and cultural heritage, was an information and communication tool of the Agricultural Bank of Greece (ΑΤΕ) first published in 1975 by the Bank’s Public Relations Department. An article examined that year the female employee of ATE and her position in the Bank in order to evaluate her contribution to the organization and to draw a small outline of her future role:
"During the first years of the establishment and operation of ATE, which of course the somewhat older ones remember with a certain amount of nostalgia, the presence of women in the Bank was very limited. That is why her position was rather difficult. Timid and reserved, the woman sat, only acting as a typist behind a large black typewriter, constantly pressing the keys. With her head always lowered, she looked only either the manuscript and or the typed document. In her blue, strict, conservative attire determined by the regulation -which her innate elegance made sure to embellish with a white and elaborate collar-, she stood out in the male set. To the point that she often causes the vague looks or smiles of clients or her male colleagues. How difficult her position was!
But the need to work to help helpless parents, siblings, or to feed children, gave her courage. Courage to get used to a strictly male environment. But also mental strength to come to terms with her female finesse, which did not allow her to expose her carbon or polygraph ink-stained fingers to public view. In short, she needed a lot of patience to win a better position."
And she did win it. Gained ground, she advanced. And if "a certain mentality that wanted the woman only as a typist was not willing to make concessions", she "became indispensable over time: in the allocations, in the accounting, in the supplies, in the secretariat of the Department, in the secretariat of the Directorate", and she served "the Greek farmer, who became accustomed to her presence, with the same eagerness and with the same speed as the male employees." Thus, in 1975, the percentage of female employees of ATE was estimated to 15%, women were already working as a agronomists or Supervisors of Cooperatives, and the future seemed promising.
PS. The advancement of a woman to the highest hierarchical position in a bank, that of the manager, with a different educational background of course, is the case of Eftychia Pylarinos, at the Hellenic Industrial Development Bank, in 1991-1992.
source: K. Papakonstantinou, "The woman, employee of ATE", Agrotiki, issue 7-November 1975, 16-17.
