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Dozens of building trades affiliates, union leaders, contractors
and construction workers gathered Wednesday for Illinois
Tradeswomen Advocacy Day. Attendees met with elected officials
to discuss ways to recruit and retain women in construction
careers.
“With the attacks on organized labor and working people coming
from the White House, it is critical that we show our solidarity
and the power of the labor movement,” said Tim Drea, president
of the Illinois AFL-CIO.
The AFL-CIO announced a plan last December to increase the
percentage of tradeswomen in Illinois to 20% in the next five
years. It is now closer to 5%, with Drea admitting that the
percentage has been stagnant the past few years.
State Rep. Lisa Hernandez, D-Cicero, has introduced a resolution
in an effort to create equal access to job opportunities in
construction.
“To reaffirm our state’s commitment to advancing tradeswomen and
to bring to mind the power that women have in our workforce,”
said Hernandez.
President Donald Trump has been calling for the end of what he
calls “illegal DEI discrimination.” In his address to Congress
Tuesday, Trump said the U.S. will be “woke no longer.”
“Whether you are a doctor, an accountant, a lawyer or an air
traffic controller, you should be hired and promoted based on
skill and competence, not race or gender,” said Trump.
As soon as he took office, Trump began issuing executive orders
to dismantle DEI programs in the federal government. Some U.S.
companies followed suit to align with the Trump administration. |
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