A record number of rank and- file women attended last year’s “Women Build Nations” conference in Seattle on October 12-14. The annual event aims to support women who are already working or training to become members of 14 different building trade unions that operate in the US and Canada. While not part of the National Association of Building Trades Unions (NABTU), the ILWU women who attended were warmly welcomed and encouraged to participate.
“Some ILWU women have attended this conference in the past on their own, but this was the first time that we attended as a recognized union,” said Fran Grove of Local 94. “It’s important for our union to be included at this level because we move construction equipment and materials that make it possible for other women in the trades to build nations.” Grove organized ILWU attendees by mailing letters to locals and by reaching out to sisters via social media. She was also the point person who contracted NABTU on behalf of the ILWU delegation. Thousands of women attended the three-day conference that unofficially opened on Friday with a community service project coordinated by Habitat for Humanity. Several ILWU women volunteered for the effort that built four small houses for Seattle’s homeless.
“It was truly amazing to work side-by-side with ladies from the building trades who helped people get off the streets,” said Vanetta Hamlin from Local 10. “I learned some new construction skills, and refined my skills in team building!” Hamlin is the Records Clerk at her local. An opening reception on Friday night featured buffets, speakers, and live entertainment – plus a preview of what was coming in the next two days.
“Friday night really set the stage for the rest of the conference,” said Maria Adame from Local 13. “Women from all over the country attended and I really wanted to get to know them.” Adame is the first female crane trainer lead on the west coast. Saturday morning began with a plenary session that featured prominent speakers from various governmental agencies that enforce workplace safety and health laws. The morning’s highlight was a session with Kayleen McCabe, a general contractor who stars in the reality TV show, “DYI.” She dazzled her audience with humorous anecdotes about working as a union construction expert who stars in her own weekly show.
After lunch, members from each union were asked to stand. The ILWU was the last union called, but the sisters from our locals were probably the loudest, especially when the emcee added the W-O when she said International Longshore and Warehouse-WO-men! The applause was thunderous! Later that afternoon, almost 3,000 women took to the streets of downtown Seattle, making an impressive banner parade that culminated with a rally at Westlake Park, five blocks from the Washington State convention center where we were meeting. Each union was represented by sisters who chanted and cheered old and new labor songs while proudly displaying their union banners. The parade seemed to grow stronger as each of us gained confidence from being there with so many participants. It’s important to note that our parade was supported by family members, including other men, women and children who marched with us and remained for the rally.
“The parade was both a testament of solidarity and demonstration of camaraderie among women from all different unions,” said Stef Flores, a member of Local 54 in Stockton, CA, who also serves as an International Representative to the ILWU Canada Young Workers Committee. “I just had to stand there to take in the fact that we’re all part of a larger movement.”
Besides the general sessions and plenary meetings, there were many smaller break-out sessions for topics that included 12-Step Meetings, union caucuses, group exercises, a musical jam session, and a double feature movie at night. Optional registration was required for a special task force on issues facing women at the national level, including a political action clinic and policy forum. Other workshops held throughout the weekend covered topics including health & safety, getting involved in union leadership, strategies to make change in the workplace, mental health and dealing with pressures on the job.
“Female ILWU workers have everything in common with women in the traditional building trades, except for how we are hired into our union,” said Grove. “We deal with the same issues and endure the same hardships as any woman working in the predominantly male industry. That’s why it’s so important for us to interact with women from other trades, so that we can learn from each other.” Grove plans to use the WBN model to organize a conference exclusively for ILWU women. A planning committee is pending with representatives from every local. Grove notes that the biggest obstacle will be securing funding to enable women from every ILWU local to participate and attend.
“It will take a lot of work from our sisters and a lot of support from our brothers, but it can be done,” said Grove. The ILWU Women’s Conference is tentatively set for San Francisco in March of 2020.
Vivian Malauulu
Local 13