In every corner of the world, women are faced with a gender inequality gap that, according to global indicators, will take 132 years to eliminate. This means that at least five generations of women will continue to face disadvantages and barriers compared to their male counterparts.
It is challenging not to feel disheartened at the slow pace of change and to continue making a case for women’s issues to be at the forefront of our social justice and advocacy efforts. Despite evidence that the road to achieving better outcomes for women in the global workforce and leadership positions is far from over, the Steelworkers Humanity Fund (SHF) wants to hail the women who are examples of determination and strength whom we were fortunate to work with, as well as many other as part of our projects and activities in 2023.
In Brazil, Alba Almeida is the president of “Mulheres que Reagem” (women who react), an organization led by Afro-Brazilian women living in low-income neighbourhoods in Rio de Janeiro. In 2023, the SHF provided them with funding for education and training courses to women in welding and quality inspection. The objective was to open new employment opportunities in typically male-dominated occupations. As one participant in the training stated, “make way because I’m here to claim my spot! This project gave me a unique opportunity to take a premium quality course and even mentor us in the job search. These jobs are not just for men.”
2023 has been a difficult year of layoffs for garment workers in Honduras who make clothes sold in Canada. In this context, the SHF got to meet resilient women like Rosa Quiroz, a worker and union leader at the Delta Honduras Garment Factory. Rosa credits the work of the Independent Monitor Team (EMIH), the SHF’s main partner in the country, as fundamental in her union education journey and feminist activism. Rosa spoke about attending the diploma program on ergonomics facilitated by EMIH: “When I spoke about workers’ health issues, I felt that I was not only sharing concepts or suggestions, but also offering my own real-life experiences at the factory.” As a result of her participation with EMIH, she joined the health and safety committee in her workplace, then later her union’s collective bargaining committee. She now contributes to improving of the working conditions of all her colleagues.
Workers’ exchanges or delegations are learning opportunities for USW union members to travel to a new setting, learn about the local labour context, and meet other workers fighting for their rights. In September 2023, Johanne Gosselin from District 5 joined our nine-woman delegation to Mexico City. She shared with workers in Mexico her work at the union and years of experience in collective bargaining as a member of the executive of USW Local 1976 and unit president in the telecommunications sector.
The Mexico delegation also included women like Ninfa Cayo, a fearless labour leader in her native Bolivia who is one of only three women leaders at the National Federation of Mining Unions of Bolivia. Ninfa, an Aymara-speaking woman, is a proud miner who aspires to elevate the lives of all working women. She is also training to become a lawyer and speaks passionately for workers’ rights.
At the October USW International Women’s Conference in Pittsburgh, the SHF’s impact was on full display when Sharen Brownson from District 6, president of Local 9422 shared the stage with Imelda Jimenez, Political Affairs Secretariat from the Los Mineros union in Mexico. Sharen and Imelda told to the hundreds of USW sisters present their experiences at the recent international workers’ exchange and made a case for the importance of global solidarity within our union.
These and many other inspiring women with whom the SHF collaborates are not waiting for changes to take place, and for barriers to be dismantled on their own; everyday they enact the change they want to see in favor of gender equity.
Watch the SHF 2023 Mexico women delegation video.
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