Women of the Building Trades Launches in Nova Scotia

Halifax, NS – April 9, 2018 – The Mainland Nova Scotia Building Trades Council is pleased to announce the formation of Build Together Nova Scotia, the first Chapter of a program on the East Coast that promotes, supports and mentors women in the skilled construction trades.

The official launch of the Committee is happening tomorrow (April 10th) at the Mainland Building Trades’ 5th Annual Conference being held in the Baronet Room at the Delta Halifax. The session begins at 1:15pm.

Build Together is a national Canada’s Building Trades Unions (CBTU) program represented by tradeswomen (apprentices and journeypersons) of Canada’s Building Trades Unions across the country. There are currently Chapters in British Columbia & the Yukon, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The Nova Scotia Chapter consists of women from the Insulator, Electrical and Carpenter Unions with representation from Halifax to Cape Breton.

Specific aims of this newly formed committee include: introducing women to the trades, providing mentorship and support to apprentices, journeypersons, and women considering a career in the trades, promoting retention and challenging policy makers and industry on the barriers that prevent the retention of women in the industry, and creating a more inclusive, respectful and diverse workforce and workplaces.

Ramonda Martin, Insulator with the International Association of Heat & Frost – Local 116 is one of Build Together Nova Scotia’s committee members. With not much in the way of mentorship opportunities for women in the trades, and being the only female Insulator in her Local, Ramonda was more than eager to participate, stating, “I firmly believe that this Committee is the first step for women and minorities to level the playing field in the trades, and build an understanding and an open line of communication between all workers, the companies we work for and Unions.”

The Mainland Nova Scotia Building Trades Council, through our affiliated unions, provides highly trained, safe working industrial-commercial-institutional tradespeople to the Nova Scotia construction industry. Our mandate includes promoting and developing business for our 11,000 members, and providing a united voice on issues affecting the professional trades.

For more information, please contact:
Alison Casey, Marketing and Communications Manager
Mainland Nova Scotia Building Trades
902-478-8967
alison(at)mainlandbuildingtrades.ca