Women In Trades

Women In Trades Fair History

The first Women In Trades Fair was held November 10, 1979 at the Seattle Labor Temple. Sponsored by Mechanica, the Fair was organized and produced by working tradeswomen who felt the need to join together, experiencing their collective strength and celebrating their survival. The first Fair featured a number of hands-on exhibits where women could experiment with mechanical and building tools and tasks. Women had the opportunity to try forklift operating in the parking lot of the Labor Temple. Women interested in tradeswork were able to meet and network with women already working in trades.

Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights legislation, which prohibits employment discrimination, opened the door for the peace-time entrance of women into trades. The women in trades movement in Seattle began with the establishment of a women's cooperative garage in the early '70's. Brenda Spencer helped found this garage and was the first woman to teach auto mechanics to women in the Seattle area. Ann Emigh founded Mechanica at the University YWCA in 1975 with a grant from the United Way Campaign for Human Development. A CETA grant funded a position at Mechanica for Gay Kiesling and she served as the co-director. Mechanica worked at opening the apprenticeship system to women, establishing reasonable affirmative action goals for employment of women in tradeswork, and monitoring enforcement of the goals. Mechanical lobbied to have women hired in non-traditional jobs at the city, county, state, port, and University of Washington. Mechanica joined a national lawsuit sponsored by the League of Women Voters with the goal of opening tradeswork to women. Mechanica was the second tradeswoman's organization to be formed in the country; the first was in Denver. For a period of time in the late '70's, Washington State had the highest percentage of women working at trades jobs in the country.

Sponsored by the Department of Labor Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training and the Seattle Office for Women's Rights, the second Women In Trades Fair was held July 11, 1981. The Women In Trades Fair Committee was established in 1981 undertaking the task of producing the Fair. The Committee has been registered as a non-profit organization since 1983 and has a 501(3)c status. Committee membership includes tradeswomen, educators, community advocacy agencies, and representatives from public and private employers.

The Women In Trades Fair also encourages participation from school personnel and students. In order to help create a societal acceptance of women in non-traditional careers, the Fair does more than offer support to adult women interested in tradeswork. It serves as an informational forum for female students, educators, and career counselors.

The Seattle Times sponsored with Fair from 1990 til 1995. Since then, The Seattle Center has sponsored it. Most recent Fairs have been particularly successful, growing each year in scope and coverage. The Trades Fair has become an annual event where women workers and their advocates gather to show support and provide information about employment and training opportunities for women in skilled crafts and trades. The Fair has broadened to encompass the full range of non-traditional options.

History prepared for 1993 Fair program by Soren Henderson with special help from Brenetta Ward, Seattle Office for Women's Rights.

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