< PreviousWhile the biggest challenge facing women remains the lack of representation –according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women make up only 10.3% of workers in the construction industry—the figures are rising. Companies are now actively seeking to diversify their staff and advocacy groups are busily educating the industry. One such organization is the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC). Founded in 1955, NAWIC is a professional association that provides support and resources to women working in the construction industry. It offers education and training programs, network- ing opportunities, and mentorship programs. Similarly, there is the Women Builders Council (WBC). Founded in 2004, the WBC is a national organization dedicated to advancing women in the construction industry. The WBC advocates for women's rights in the industry and hosts an annual confer- ence that brings together women from across the country. With this being said, the reality is that the North American con- struction industry is at a crossroads. Supply chain disruptions are impacting companies and customers equally. Decarbon- ization is a constant challenge for every sector while an aging workforce is struggling to keep up. This is exemplified by the startling statistic that for every four people leaving the indus- try, only one enters. All the while, governmental investment on the failing infrastructure network has yet to take off. It is within this context that the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER), conducted focus groups across North America with 176 tradeswomen. The goal was to “better understand their unique contributions to the con- struction industry and get their opinions on how to make the industry a preferred choice for women.” The results of these focus groups formed the basis for white paper report, titled “In Her Own Words” which was published last month. NCCER produced the report with the aim of addressing and highlighting both the challenges and opportunities for women working in the construction industry. The paper was based on the aforementioned focus groups, interviews with women who have experience in the sector, as well as industry experts and stakeholders. The results made for interesting reading. Given that most reports on the topic simply report on statistics and numbers, NCCER sought to go beyond this and explore the lived experience of these women. While not entirely surprising, “In Her Own Words” highlights the fact that women experienced significant challenges and barriers to accessing a sustainable career in the field. In addition to the underrepresentation of women in the industry, the report explored the barriers women face, and how these barriers impact the industry in terms of productivity and diversity. Despite the PR campaigns and press releases, the most alarming aspect of the responses is that bias and discrimi- nation is still being experienced by women. Responses show that the recruitment process in particular is cause for major | 10 APRIL 2023concern with most respondents claiming that they have been overlooked for promotions and are paid less than their male counterparts. “A survey of 272 tradeswomen found that 57% have never had a female supervisor during their time in the industry. However, 69% of the same tradeswomen indicated that they wanted to be in a leadership position at some point in their career. This is a clear sign of a disconnect in the lead- ership pipeline. This discrepancy between women seeking leadership roles but not seeing other women in leadership positions can directly affect the retention of women at a company and in the industry as a whole.” The inflexible nature of the industry, particularly when it comes to working hours and site-based roles, was highlighted as another challenge in terms of equal opportunity. According to the report, invisible barriers such as these can make it difficult for women with caring responsibilities to enter or progress in the industry. “A survey of 770 women in construction found that 25% of tradeswomen reported facing disciplinary action for missing work to attend family emergencies. Whereas only 4% of women in managerial, administrative, and technical positions reported being disciplined for missing work for sim- ilar reasons.” As one focus group participant explained, the reality for many women is that they are expected to perform a dual role. “Women have to have more options for flexible hours or childcare because a lot of women are the providers and they’re also the caregivers.” One very significant finding was that many of the women interviewed struggled to access training and development opportunities, particularly those focused on technical skills. In fact, many of the focus group women reported that they were routinely assigned “easier” or “basic-level tasks” than their male colleagues. However, in this regard, there were also positives to be found. When training opportunities were offered, the companies involved benefitted significantly in terms of output and loyalty. “The women we spoke with talked a great deal about how the craft training they received opened doors for them and created loyalty to the companies who provided it. Some of the tradeswomen with a partic- ular firm started out in basic roles, such as a bus driver or custodian. Once they were exposed to construction, they were interested in advancing for both financial reward and personal empowerment.” Significant other issues were raised throughout the white paper such as limited networking opportunities and a lack of visible role models. In all, the report suggests that claims being made that construction is becoming more diverse may be misguided or, at the very least, premature. However, while these headline-grabbing results make for uncomfort- able reading, the report was not without its positives. Both focus group participants and industry experts such as proj- ect management teams shared the view that women bring remarkable and unique qualities to the jobsite. The most frequently noted benefits were focus on teamwork, attention to detail, jobsite cleanliness and organization, and improved safety performance. According to the NCCER, the reasons for this are fascinating. “The management team members shared how women are much more focused on following the prescribed work process as designed, instead of relying on experience and physical strength. This can result in positive effects on safety and reduce injuries. Furthermore, it was stated that women often follow the plan and think through how they can complete the work without rushing.” The construction industry may not yet be in crisis, but it is certainly rife with challenges. Labor shortages, rising costs, and a reputation for being the most dangerous occupation on earth. The results of the NCCER white paper seem bleak. The truth is, however, that it might just offer the industry a roadmap to future success. For the full report, visit: nccer.org/docs/default-source/research/in-her-own- words-white-paper.pdf “The women we spoke with talked a great deal about how the craft training they received opened doors for them and created loyalty to the companies who provided it.” | 11 APEIRON CONSTRUCTION| 12 APRIL 2023WRITTEN BY DAVID O’NEILL C onstruction is one of the most fast paced and diverse industries in the world. Technological advances across all sec- tors mean that companies can now reshape the industry environment on a near seasonal basis. External challenges, an omnipresent feature of the industry, can be navigated with skill and innovation. However, with such positive develop- ments in our day-to-day experiences, it could easily be forgotten how much the construction world has developed and thrived since the industry took off over a century ago. Using any metric, the industry is better paid, safer and more inclusive than ever before. While more can always be done, it is important to acknowledge where the industry is now. | 13 APEIRON CONSTRUCTIONThe Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA) is one of the largest unions in North America with over half a million members. Established in 1903, its highly skilled and experienced members work across a range of sectors in both the construction and energy industries. However, while the core focus and goal of the union is to enhance the opportu- nities for its members, the overarching ethos of LiUNA goes much further. “A half-million strong, we are united through collective bargaining agreements which help us earn fam- ily-supporting pay, good benefits and the opportunity for advancement and better lives.” The LiUNA story is one of dedication and empathy and, in the words of Joseph S. Mancinelli, LiUNA’s International Vice President and Regional Manager for Central and Eastern Canada, it has led to the betterment of all workers, unionized or not. “The basic rights that someone has were achieved through the fights of the unions of those days. So, even peo- ple who don't have anything to do with trade union, are the beneficiaries of the struggles and conflicts of the past.” The conflicts he is referring to are the struggles that took place on job sites all over North America around the beginning of the twentieth century. As industry boomed, the pressure placed on laborers was immense. Exploitation and a non-existent legislative program led to workers being forced into deeply unsafe environments with no protection or advocacy. These workers represent the “true heroes in the labor movement” because, as Mancinelli stresses, the gains they secured are still being felt today. “They had absolutely no protection, no legislative protection, and no legal protection. They had to fight for a glass of water on the jobsite. I mean, things that we take for granted nowadays. These heroes fought for human rights and civil rights and those fights were not easy. In the early days the employers fought back by paying private police forces. People got hurt and people got killed to fight for the basic rights that nowadays we would take for granted.” For those at LiUNA, these rights that benefit all construction workers throughout North America are much more than entries in the history books. In fact, the work being done by the union every single day is designed to ensure that these rights are both maintained and built upon. As Mancinelli explains, the thrust of the work being done at LiUNA is to ensure that workers are protected, and the current high standards are maintained. “Much of our work is legislative in order to maintain the hard-fought battles of the past. You have to keep on top of the legislators all the time and it is vital for us to have a strong and vigorous legislative agenda. “The work being done by the union every single day is designed to ensure that these rights are both maintained and built upon.” Joseph S. Mancinelli International Vice President, Regional Manager for Central & Eastern Canada | 14 APRIL 2023Our work is spread out over many levels of government and what that means is countless amounts of hours spent with federal politicians, provincial politicians, regional politicians, and municipal politicians.” While much of this work takes place in order to further the opportunities of its members when it comes to governmental funding, LiUNA also works tirelessly to advocate for its members and protect their rights in terms of health and safety. While the construction industry is considerably safer than it was a century ago, Mancinelli explains that for LiUNA, there will always be work to do in this regard. “The construction industry is obviously much safer than it was in 1903. Nevertheless, there are still some dangers that that need to be addressed. For example, work- ing at heights is one of the most important ones. There have been far too many workers who have either died or been seri- ously injured by workplace falls. Road accidents are another important one. Our workers are working on highways, and we need to continue working with governments to ensure that proper safety measures are put in place on these highways and that barriers are put in place while our members are working so that they're protected from drivers.” One important aspect of the work LiUNA does is to educate and empower workers to advocate for themselves. This advocacy comes through high quality training in areas rang- ing from safety to productivity. For Mancinelli, the rationale is simple. Healthy and productive workers are popular workers that will be welcomed with open arms onto any jobsite. “We have education and training centers in every municipality across the country. We educate our members on health and safety protocols. They can become advocates on the jobsite, and they can protect their own lives and safety. You know, your ability to stay employed depends on your ability to work and if you get hurt, you can't work in construction anymore.” | 16 APRIL 2023fengate.comWhile health issues may pose a threat to the number of con- struction workers available for work, there is a more pressing challenge, one that is putting huge strain on the industry’s ability to meet the demands of aging infrastructure and natu- ral growth. The shortage of skilled workers is something that companies and unions have struggled to address for a num- ber of years. Unfortunately, there is no quick fix, no overnight measure that can produce the required number of workers. Mancinelli accepts that it may be a long road to attract young workers to the industry, but LiUNA is not waiting around. In fact, the union has developed relationships with both school boards and government alike, working together to provide training, exposure, and insight at all educational levels. “We hold career days for school age children at our training cen- ters. We have partnerships such as the Ontario Youth Appren- ticeship Program where students can earn while they learn. Also, we hold summer programs where students can get an insight into a career in construction. On these programs, they learn new skills and earn income at the same time.” For LiUNA, the problem is multifaceted, and the solution is a long- term one. Mancinelli explains that a generational aspect is at play where parents are directing their children into university. A huge body of work is needed to educate young people on SGCONSTRUCTORS.CA(289) 863-5000 | 18 APRIL 2023the benefits, both mentally and financially, that are available to the modern construction worker. “Most parents over the last, let's say, 30 years have wanted their children to go to university and become accountants, lawyers, teachers, doc- tors, nurses. We have to market ourselves and help the public understand that this is a viable, long-term profession. It is one with the opportunity to have great financial returns and it is also a profession that gives you a lot of fulfilment. You can drive by a building and say, ‘I built that.’ There is a huge sense of satisfaction in that.” It is clear that the work being done by LiUNA benefits its members and the construction industry in general. Educa- tion and advocacy work are its core goals. However, these long-term strategies are coupled with supporting the needs of its members today. The marketplace is a challenging one where businesses use any means necessary to get ahead. This is amplified even further when the economy goes through its eventual low periods. LiUNA, in recognizing this, uses its $12 billion pension plan to invest in construction projects that benefit its members, the industry and local communities alike. “We create work by investing in con- struction projects. All of a sudden, we are seeing a greater level of economic activity and work and also the ability for our contractors to bid on that work.” While the history books may show that the workers that started collective bargaining in North America are real heroes, the spirit of community and support is very much alive and well at LiUNA. As work continues to support mem- bers each day, plans for future proofing the industry and its workers remain top priority. For Mancinelli, these two facets of the work LiUNA does cannot be disentangled. Simply put, the work being done today by its members lays the founda- tion for the next generation. “This leads to a shift in attitude. Not only from our contractors, but from communities and the regular guy on the street because we are investing in community projects that are desperately needed like res- idential and affordable housing. This will also help to get people into the construction industry. It’s circular. We invest in the communities and young people in these community want to be a part of it.” | 19 APEIRON CONSTRUCTIONNext >