Category Archives: Uncategorized

In November 2019, a delegation of tradeswomen from around the United States will be joining women construction workers in Kerala India for Building Bridges: The 2019 Tradeswomen’s Training Exchange. The trip will be led by Carpenter Amanda Johnson of New York … Continue reading →

Kelly McClellen, IUOE 101 and member of HWIT- Heartland Women in the Trades, was a Delegate on the 2017 Building Bridges Tradeswomen’s trip to India. Kelly is a leader in making global connections with tradeswomen. At Women Build Nations 2017 … Continue reading →

It has been a long time between posts. Over the past year, I have been more focused on the work in the US of “crushing the barriers of women’s access to good jobs in the union construction trades.” We have more … Continue reading →

The First Delegation of US Tradeswomen to India has been VERY BUSY. Right after we returned from India, members of the Delegation put together a committee to bring a delegation from India to Women Build Nations, the national tradeswomen’s conference held … Continue reading →

So, as I walk down the street while in India I see a ton of construction but I don’t see much PPE (personal protective equipment). All I can think about is every time an inspector says where’s your hard hat, … Continue reading →

Janet is the owner of Federal Concrete, Inc., a union concrete construction company that is signatory to the New England Carpenters, Laborers and Ironworkers. Janet represented union contractors on the trip (and in many other venues in Massachusetts!). Below are … Continue reading →

Late on November 8, 2016, the Indian government announced the “demonetisation” its currency. What did that mean? When the people of India woke up the next morning, the bills in their wallets, tucked in their sarrees, stashed under their mattresses, … Continue reading →

STRICTLY MY OPINIONS!   –Susan January 21, 2017 We were 15 citizens of the United States out of the country on the day that a dangerous and hateful person would become President. We never planned for this to happen. We … Continue reading →

On our last day in Noida, the staff of VV Giri arranged a bus and a translator to take us to a naka, a village intersection where construction day laborers wait to be hired by contractors. This system is familiar to … Continue reading →

On January 17-20, the Delegation was hosted by the V.V. Giri National Labour Institute in Noida, India. We stayed in the very comfortable Institute dorms and were provided with wonderful meals by the Institute staff. On Wednesday and Thursday, the … Continue reading →