On Monday, August 26th, Heartland Women in Trades (HWIT) hosted an Equity Roundtable to facilitate a conversation around Missouri’s infrastructure opportunities and to discuss how unions and their allies can work together to build a more diverse workforce. Wendy Chun-Hoon, the Director of Women’s Bureau at the Department of Labor, Kansas City, MO Mayor Pro Tem Ryana Parks-Shaw, and representatives from OSHA and the Office of Apprenticeship were all in attendance, joining Stacy Zerr from the Mechanical Contractors Association and representatives from Clarkson, JE Dunn, Turner, and Kissick. Ralph Oropeza, Business Manager of the Greater Kansas City Building & Construction Trades Council, Plumbers Local 8 Business Manager Matt Harris, Pipefitters Local 533 Business Manager Kevin Hendrickson, and Business Manager Aaron Brown and President Mark Jones from Operating Engineers Local 101 were in attendance, joining a number of other union members and women representing various trades.
The conversation at the Equity Roundtable focused on the hard reality that there is a need to bring in more women into union construction trades and part of doing that is making sure the industry is accessible and then making sure that the culture of the industry is positioned to allow for retention. Heartland Women in Trades is an organization of “union tradeswomen offering knowledge and skill which empower each other to become independent, successful tradeswomen through education, mentoring and creating opportunities for women in the trades. ”
HWIT’s mission is a serious one. The construction industry is in a serious crunch for apprentices, with some reports suggesting that the United States needs three million more apprentices, and women only make up a tiny percentage of those currently working in the trades. In the United States, unlike in other countries, apprenticeships have long been stigmatized as a path that is inferior to college, despite the significant benefits attached to union jobs. Now, as much of the construction industry’s workforce ages out in a time of massive federal construction funding, we have to broaden the scope of who wants to join construction unions more than ever.
“We had a great discussion about recruiting women in the construction industry and a lot of focus on how we then turn around and retain those women. We sifted through the barriers for retention, really focusing on the big question, “How do we, as unions, make this industry more accessible to women?” said Kelly McClellen, Secretary for HWIT, who emphasized that the unions in Kansas City have really focused on this issue. “One of the hardest things for not just women in this industry, but all people new to the work, is struggling against the existing culture of the construction industry. We need to make the culture of our union construction trades accessible and welcoming for all our brothers and sisters. I think we have really zoomed in on the details needed to move in the right direction and I am thankful for all the business managers who have been so supportive of HWIT and our mission.”
Heartland Women in Trades is equipped to come into your union or come to your contractor and provide training on culture changes that allow the industry to be more supportive of all people who want to be union construction workers. McClellen referenced programs that are run in other cities where union construction is strong, like Chicago or Seattle, that address some of the issues that face women in the industry.
“The Department of Labor Women’s Bureau is proud to support Heartland Women in Trades, a partner in our Tradeswomen Building Infrastructure grant and a driver of women’s success in higher-paying, nontraditional fields, like construction. And I’m pleased that we are expanding this grant to give organizations like HWIT more resources in the coming year – but it’s not enough,” said Director of Women’s Bureau Wendy Chun-Hoon. “The reality is that there are still too few women in the skilled trades and too many barriers to entry. That’s why HWIT’s work to share knowledge and mobilize partners is so important as we work to achieve gender equity in all fields.”
“Empowering women in trades is not just about breaking barriers–it’s about building a brighter future for our communities. I appreciated the opportunity to join the HWIT roundtable,” said Mayor Pro Tem Parks-Shaw. “Together we can forge a path where every woman has the opportunity to thrive and lead in the skilled workforce.”
Go to heartlandwomenintrades.org to learn more or to get involved!
Tristin Amezcua-Hogan is the Editor of The Labor Beacon and a member of LIUNA Local 264. Tristin also serves as the Director of Communications for the Greater Kansas City AFL-CIO and the Chair of the Kansas City Regional Transit Alliance.
Tristin grew up as the son of a UA Local 669 member in Tecumseh, KS and the great-nephew of George C. Amis, longtime leader of the United Rubberworkers (now USW Local 307) in Kansas. Growing up in rural Kansas as the child of teen parents, Tristin quickly came to appreciate the life-changing benefit of a union job.
Tristin and his partner, Rebeca Amezcua-Hogan, are residents of the Westside, Kansas City, MO's historic Mexican neighborhood. They are proud members of Kansas City's New Reform Temple.
