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Sep-Oct 2008
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Women@Work: Events
WIMDOI 2003
This year saw Women In Male Dominated Occupations and Industries (WIMDOI) conference celebrated its 10th anniversary with 35 women from Male Dominated Occupations and Industries converging in Adelaide last week (10th-13th November) for their bi-annual conference.
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The original WIMDOI concept was that women from non-traditional backgrounds be provided with a forum to share their experiences and idea's with like minded women in similar situations, build concepts/initiatives that strengthen their workplaces through greater equality and provide each other with a support network that would empower them to continue in what can often be difficult and isolated work.
This years WIMDOI saw women attend from a range of unions, industries and workplaces, paper mills, forestry, police and correctional services departments, construction, distribution and even a couple of academics (from the U.S. studying women in male dominated industries) not to forget of course stevedoring representatives Mich-Elle Myers and Sue Virago from the maritime industry. (Patrick's and P&O Ports respectively)
I personally had the pleasure of attending WIMDOI and was given the opportunity to make a presentation to the conference regarding my secondment to the Maritime Union of Australia as our Women's liaison officer, this included what my role entails in regards to improving women's participation rates in the union/industry, introducing paid maternity leave entitlements and greater flexibility, addressing harassment and bullying through extensive education and awareness campaigns, and reserving women's positions on decision making bodies at the union level, PLUS MUCH MORE!
WIMDOI is due to happen again in 2005, and I would recommend it to ALL MUA women activists, as a great source of new contacts, empowerment, knowledge of union business and the solidarity of what we stand for as union women. So look out for details, and talk to your local union representatives about your chance to participate in this fantastic conference in the future.
Sue Virago
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