Women, minorities gain, but still behind

The tight labor market for carpenters, electricians, plumbers andother building trades workers has led to more opportunity for womenand minorities.

That is not to say, however, that women or people of color havecome into their own in the building business. Although the numbers ofwomen and minorities breaking into the ranks of the historically all-white, all-male building trades unions have grown slowly over thelast decade, they still account for only a small percentage of thetrade workers in the Chicago area.

Chicago Women in Trades, a non-profit organization that offers pre-apprenticeship training programs for women interested in buildingtrade careers, said women have made the biggest gains in carpentry.

"Things are changing to a small degree, but it's still a one-by-one-by-one occurrence. Nobody is calling us and saying they could usefive women now," said Marian Reich, employment manager for theorganization. "I don't think that contractors generally havediscovered women as the resource they could be."

Michael O'Neill, president of the Chicago and Cook County Buildingand Construction Trades Council, believes that access is part of theproblem_people simply don't know how to get into a unionapprenticeship program.

The council now sponsors an annual Apprentice Day. This year, theprogram will have representatives from 18 trades_the constructiontrades as well as flight attendants, auto mechanics and buildingengineers.

The event is scheduled from 2-6 p.m. May 24 at Westside TechnicalInstitute, 2800 S. Western Ave., Chicago.