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| Mel Lowney, one of a handful of men at the conference, is proud of the progress the building trades have made and the changes women entering the trades have brought to the profession. When he joined the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters over 50 years ago, a woman plumber was unimaginable. “Back in 1955 there weren’t any women, and the attitude towards women was quite belligerent,” he explained. “In those years, construction people were characterized as individuals that stooped over and dragged their knuckles as they walked. That's no longer the case, and women have been a big part of improving our image. These ladies are very intelligent, fantastic individuals and have been a credit to our industry. A lot of them have reached supervisory and management positions. They have really broadened our horizons about the capability of women. And of course they have really improved the quality of language at the workplace. Everyone has benefited.” Lowney works with Helmets to Hardhats, an organization attempting to get union construction jobs for soldiers returning from Iraq. |
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