PART 1 OF A THREE-PART SERIES

Goal is to increase percentage of women in trades to 20 percent

By SHERI GASSAWAY
Correspondent

The Illinois AFL-CIO has announced a concerted effort to effectively narrow the gender gap among women in construction trades in the state.

The federation approved a resolution recently that would increase the percentage of tradeswomen in the state to 20 percent in the next five years. Nationwide, women only account for 4.3 percent of the construction workforce.

In Illinois, that percentage comes in a little higher at five percent, said Illinois AFL-CIO President Tim Drea. However, he noted that number has remained stagnant over the last few years.

‘ALL THE SENSE IN THE WORLD’
“It makes all the sense in the world to work to recruit more women into the trades,” Drea said, “Women want all the same Middle Class wages as men, and they want safety and a voice on the job. Women are good union members, and when unions are stronger, the Labor Movement is stronger.”

Drea said one of the catalysts that led to the effort was a standing-room only crowd at last spring’s first-ever Tradeswomen Take Over Springfield event at the state capitol. The event, organized by the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, was established to highlight the achievements and strength of tradeswomen who play a significant role in the Labor force while promoting trade opportunities.

The day began with a press conference featuring tradeswomen, Labor union leaders and other lawmakers advocating for comprehensive legislation, workforce investments and networking opportunities to expand access to trade careers for women and minorities. It also included a career day for female high school students and working women lobbying efforts.

“The event exceeded everyone’s expectation,” Drea said. “We had legislators coming out of their office to see what was going on. It made quite a difference and went a long way in showing how vital women are to the strength and sustainability of our unions and our industries.”

ABOUT THE RESOLUTION
Specifically, the Illinois AFL-CIO’s resolution commits to a unified effort by all affiliates’ organizing departments to work together on a campaign aimed at recruiting women into the workforce. The federation will allocate resources and support to gender diversity, including but not limited to training programs, outreach initiatives and partnerships with organizations that advocate for women’s inclusion in the workforce.

Additionally, the Illinois AFL-CIO plans to annually review its commitment to assess progress, share best practices and ensure that the goal of a 20 percent increase in recruitment by 2029 is met. The federation will advocate for continued funding and support from federal, state, and local governments to sustain and expand these efforts, ensuring that the Labor Movement remains inclusive, equitable, and prepared for the future.

Beth Barton, a member and co-founder of Missouri Women in Trades (MOWIT), was delighted to hear about the resolution to increase the percentage pf women in trades. MOWIT is dedicated to expanding opportunities for women to enter and succeed in apprenticeships and careers in the St. Louis-area building and construction trades.

‘CREATING LASTING CHANGE’
“MOWIT applauds efforts to increase recruitment and retention of tradeswomen,” said Barton, a carpenter by trade. “Intentionally creating strategies to build a diverse workforce including targeted recruitment, addressing barriers to entry for women and ongoing mentorship, are long-proven successful methods to create lasting change in workforce populations.

“Strategies like this have increased tradeswomen participation from four percent to 19 percent in select cities around the United States such as Boston. We look forward to seeing that change amplified by encouraging these policies on a national scale.”

Founded in 2008, MOWIT provides tradeswomen with support group meetings, job information and referrals. For more information on MOWIT, visit mowit.org.

(In Part 2 of our series, we’ll learn more about how some St. Louis-area unions are generating excitement about the construction industry and working to increase the number of women in the trades.)