Women’s Issues

December 6: National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women
Machinists' News

The IAM and all Canadians remember the 14 female engineering students who were murdered at l’École Polytechnique de Montréal on December 6, 1989 by an act of gender-based violence. We also commemorate the missing and murdered Aboriginal women, the trans-women and each and every woman in Ontario and across the world whose lives have been harmed or lost to gender-based violence. The 14 women at l’École Polytechnique de Montréal, were

Women Machinists at Magellan
Machinists' News

Longtime employees say Michelle Park is the first woman machinist to work at this Magellan aerospace shop in about 70 years. She and two other women machinists from Canada’s Local 717T share their passion for the field they love.

Nothing is as it appears!
Machinists' News

Vancouver, BC – “We would like to believe that we have achieved some level of inclusion in our workplaces, but that simply isn’t true,” said IAM District Lodge 250 Directing Business Representative Walter Gerlach. “When representatives of BC Centre for Women in the Trades (BCCWITT) made their presentation to our delegates meeting earlier this month, they certainly opened a lot of eyes and minds.” BCCWITT is a two-year pilot project

Two IAM Canadian Sisters honoured at the 2019 IAM Women’s Conference
Women's Issues

Las Vegas, NV – Two IAM Canadian sisters were honoured at the 2019 IAM Women’s Conference concluded over the weekend. The 2019 Women’s Conference, titled Women Rising Unite the Fight, featured t-shirts bearing the winning design of IAM Local Lodge 2797 President and Communicator, Roswita Hildebrandt. The design, featuring words of empowerment within a solidarity fist, was selected by a panel of independent judges. Roswita has been a union activist

We Got This: Women in Non-Traditional Work
Women's Issues

The last day of the conference continued on the momentum set from day one. The morning focused on Sisters who work in non-traditional fields, from steel mills to the fishing industry, proving that women can do it all and anything we set our minds to. However, all panel participants shared that regardless of their skill and knowledge level, they had to work twice as hard just to get their male

Uniting to fight, uniting to organize: Day Two of the Women’s Conference
Women's Issues

Uniting to fight, uniting to organize: Day Two of the Women’s Conference Day two of the conference kicked off with several fantastic speakers who shared their experiences and path in the labour movement. It was an uplifting morning leaving attendees energized and inspired to take action. One particularly inspiring speaker shared her story of growing up in the Southern United States during segregation. Her innate sense of justice and fairness

Fighting Machinist Women: Uniting to Fight
Machinists' News

By Ivana Saula, IAM Canadian Research Director April 3-6th marks an important event for the IAMAW and for advancement of women’s issues within our union. After nearly twenty years, the Women’s Department has organized an event to help female leaders network, address issues that affect them as members and women, and to discuss creative solutions. Attendees heard from trailblazing women who made it through the ranks and have taken on leadership

Bread, Roses, and Pensions: Why Pension Is a Woman’s Issue - Ivana Saula
Machinists' News

By Ivana Saula, IAM Canadian Research Director In celebrating Women’s History Month, we are not only reminded of struggles women have faced in the past, but struggles that remain. When we talk about women’s issues what comes to mind are a broad range of topics; gender violence, economic equality, reproductive rights, parental leave, child care, healthcare, discrimination, under-representation in the political sphere, the list goes on. One issue that is overlooked

International Women’s Month – volunteer and get involved!
Machinists' News

Toronto, ON – March is International Women’s month and Friday March 8th is International Women’s Day. Since the first International Women’s Day in 1911, the idea has become a global phenomenon, IWD is not a country, group or organization, rather it’s a collective effort of all of those who care about human rights. One of the strongest supporters of human rights is organized labour. The female members of the IAM

Balance for real change – It’s everyone’s business #BalanceforBetter
International News

Balance for real change – It’s everyone’s business The first International Women’s Day occurred in 1911, supported by over one million people. Today, IWD belongs to all groups collectively everywhere. IWD is not country, group or organization specific. Gloria Steinem, world-renowned feminist, journalist and activist once explained “The story of women’s struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organisation but to the collective efforts of