A need for gender parity in the trades
One of the reasons I love the trades is because it doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from — your work speaks for itself. Anyone who wants to work hard and do a good job is welcomed to do their part and push the industry forward.
International Women’s Day is March 8. Every year, I write about how important it is to include and encourage more women to enter the trades — such organizations as Skills Canada and WorldSkills are doing a great job on that front.
Or I’ ll talk about women who have made a big impact on the trades, historically, as well as women working every day on job sites, shops and rigs across the country. I’ve talked about my daughters — one works on my crew and the other is heading my company — and sometimes I think my message is getting through, but realistically I know we still have a long way to go.
Sometimes the word “feminist” gets thrown around when we talk about Inter- national Women’s Day, and I don’t always hear good things. I want to make something really clear: “Feminist” is not a bad word. I am a feminist. And guess what? You probably are, too.
If you believe in gender equality — that includes women having a right to vote, a right to ownership and equal pay for equal work — then you are a feminist. It’s as simple as that.
Being a feminist does not mean male bashing. To think that, is just ignorant.
If you are a woman working in the trades, you are a feminist. Why? It means you believe in equal opportunity. That’s what trades competitions like Skills Canada and WorldSkills are all about. There is no male division or female division — it’s one competition and may the best tradesperson win.
Every year, International Women’s Day has a different theme. This year, it’s gender parity — and to give us a picture of where we really stand, I can’t think of a better example than the skilled trades.
Working in the trades offers a great career. You can earn a lot of money based on your skills and your work. The harder you work, the more you can move ahead — and it’s also stimulating work. You are always thinking on your feet and when you do a good job, you get that immediate satisfaction of seeing a smile on someone’s face. There’s nothing like standing back to see something you built, fixed, invented or put together and know that you did it and made it right.
It’s not enough to just en- courage women to enter the trades and give them a job. It’s about valuing their work on the same playing field as everyone else. One of those values is equal pay for equal work.
If two people start working on a crew, both as general labourers and both with equal experience, you know they both deserve the same respect and the same wage. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always end up that way, for whatever reason. And it isn’t just a problem in the construction industry.
In 2014, the World Economic Forum said that we wouldn’t have gender parity until 2095. Last year, that time frame changed — it now will occur in 2133.
It looks like we’re moving backward instead of forward. For me, it comes down to simple math: more people earning more money by doing quality work helps build and support i ndustries, while also creating demand for others. It’s about using resources, including labour, wisely. Remember, women represent half the population; they make a big difference when it comes to our economy.
It’s time to get more quality players on the team, because the only way we’re going to win is if we play fair together.