Female industrial electricians and millwrights

[Sparkett]

I would like to ask if there are any female electricians (E&I) or millwrights in Crossett? I am a 36 yr old female and I work at manufacturing company not far from Crossett. I have been employed for over a year as an E&I technician.I will say that the treatment of females in industry is everything but desirable, the way that some of the guys behave is awful.Not looking to pick on the males of the industry just looking for some encouragement.

[Helen]

I have just started training as an electrician. I have found the blokes on my course and in college very welcoming. They can be pretty blokinsh at times, but I know most of them try to keep it relativley clean!!!

[STUD]

WOMEN BELONG IN THE KITCHEN AND CLEANING TOLIETS. THEN YOU SMACK THEM ON THE BEHIND TO LET THEM KNOW YOU CARE

[mashed taters]

I know that the mill where i work there is only one woman in the maintenance. She is a millwright who has been at the papermill for over 10 years. People treat her a little different because they dont want to say the wrong thing around her. They are not cruel or mean to her just watch themselves. Many people dont like this lady because she doesn't have a single tool in the mill and no one makes her work. She go gets tool for others, holds a light, drives to storeroom for parts but never actually get involved in millwright work. At the same time there are women working production in the mill that do just fine at their job.
I will say there is a little different standard for the men and women even in production. Management does not expect the women to be able to do their jobs like the men and tell the men to take up the womens slack. Some women can out work many men and others just aint gonna get sweaty or dirty like the men beside them have to.
I admire you for taking a job in what some would call " A Mans Job".

[Captain Redneck]

Going and getting stuff,holding a light,watchin out for the boss,that's doing what's needed and it's a job.When your doing work that can get folks hurt or killed, it's best to keep the inexperienced fingers off the trigger.The reason I responded was just to say If you refer to yourself as a laborer,expect to catch hell. Being a journeyman and working a craft means a hell of a lot more than being a laborer.Getting a job working with electricians aint the same as being one.

[mashed taters]

I agree with you but at the same time if someone is being paid for a skilled trade they expect skilled work not just a skilled over paid light holder with no tools to work with after the company has given the person an annual tool alowance for the last ten years and only has a light to work with. Diversity is sad thing!

[millwrightchick]

I am in Canada. I am currently a 3rd year millwright, have been working in industry for 10 years, and construction trades for 5. I think women like what your describing give us hard working chicks a bad name. If you are going to work in trades, you'd better get a thick skin! I work and get dirty with the guys, always have. Just because this woman can pass the paperwork end of being a millwright, doesn't mean she deserves the respect. I have to work harder to get the same amount of respect a man would and I don't mind, it has to be earned, regardless of sex. I work out so I can lift what a man can. I never take offense to bullshit that comes out of people'e mouths, yes I'm a trade chick. I have more tools than I can carry in my pick-up, and I take my career seriously. I understand your frustration, there are several chicks of that work at my plant in different trades, machinist, welder, and millwright. We have all taked about this issue, it was decided among us that you have to like it or lump it!!

[Vivian Price]

It's great to see this cross-national dialogue. We're trying to connect more women together through Facebook. Visit Tradeswomen Archives and check out the pages and links.
I just took my honorary withdrawal from the union electricians, IBEW, and went back to school. I'm active in our blue collar women group but see a need for us to use virtual technology to get out of our isolation.