{"id":13938,"date":"2023-03-08T06:39:05","date_gmt":"2023-03-08T14:39:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/industry-perspectives-op-ed-women-in-the-construction-industry-driving-change\/"},"modified":"2023-03-08T06:39:06","modified_gmt":"2023-03-08T14:39:06","slug":"industry-perspectives-op-ed-women-in-the-construction-industry-driving-change","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/industry-perspectives-op-ed-women-in-the-construction-industry-driving-change\/","title":{"rendered":"Industry Perspectives Op-Ed: Women in the construction industry driving change"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Imagine a world where pay equity is built into the compensation system.<\/p>\n

In the unionized skilled trades, well negotiated collective agreements play a significant equalizing factor.<\/p>\n

A tradesperson is paid based on their level of experience from first-year apprentice to a turned-out journeyperson. Which is something we\u2019re proud of.<\/p>\n

But let\u2019s read between the lines \u2013 women continue to account for under five per cent of the construction workforce. Watch that number decrease when we\u2019re talking leadership positions.<\/p>\n

To be clear, we\u2019re not saying women have reached gender equality. Far from it. But, coming from two women who\u2019ve worked through their own set of challenges and now hold the position of executive director of two provincial building trades councils (comprised of affiliated trade unions), we\u2019re proud of where we are and where the unionized construction sector is going.<\/p>\n

Why? Because we have members and leaders that are committed to real change that is making a difference.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a parent, accessing quality child care that works for my family is a real issue. I\u2019ve sat through the Zooms where my son bursts into the room declaring the need to use the washroom and, while it usually breaks the tension in a meeting, it\u2019s not ideal,\u201d said Manitoba Building Trades executive director Tanya Palson. \u201cAnd, in talking to members across Manitoba \u2013 they need flexible, affordable child care that allows them to go to work, build our infrastructure and know their children are being taken care of.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd it\u2019s any working parent that needs this. That\u2019s why I\u2019m proud of the work the building trades have done to bring forward real recommendations to our governments as we work through implementing child care in the province. Because we need solutions that work for working women.\u201d<\/p>\n

From child care, to proper fitting personal protective equipment, there are issues small and large that create barriers or sometimes mountains for women to overcome to go to work. Something as simple as a bathroom break.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn B.C., we commissioned a report on the sanitation conditions of washroom facilities on jobsites because we know, they aren\u2019t to standard. No longer OK with \u2018it\u2019s the way it is\u2019 \u2013 we ran a successful campaign that brought awareness to the inequity not only of if bathrooms were clean but were they even available for women,\u201d said BC Building Trades executive director Brynn Bourke. \u201cWe used humour to highlight a serious issue and it got the attention and support of not only our members but the provincial government in B.C. and we\u2019re continuing to push because that\u2019s the only way to make real change.\u201d<\/p>\n

Across the country, Build Together Chapters exist that bring together women of the building trades to mentor, support and learn about their own unique experiences and challenges working in the construction industry. Build Together chapters in B.C. and Manitoba have created scholarship opportunities, run awareness campaigns, advocated for menstrual products on construction sites, held training and participated in numerous workshops and conferences.<\/p>\n

As female leaders in a male dominated industry, International Women\u2019s Day provides a day where we press pause, we celebrate the hard-fought wins, losses and challenges we still know lay ahead. But we do it with the support of strong allies \u2013 male, female and non-binary \u2013 that will all benefit from a more diverse and inclusive workplace.<\/p>\n

Happy International Women\u2019s Day sisters.<\/p>\n

Brynn Bourke is executive director of the BC Building Trades. Tanya Palson is executive director of the Manitoba Building Trades. Send Industry Perspectives Op-Ed comments and column ideas to <\/strong>ed****<\/span>@*****************<\/span>ws.com<\/span><\/strong><\/a>. <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n