Over the last few weeks TWU working women from different Divisions have been working hard to make the time to meet and discuss issues important to working women and their families.

Local 100 held it’s sixth annual women’s conference on Oct. 10 to rededicate themselves to increasing the role of women in the Local and expanding the rights of all working women. The conference honored three TWU women leaders: Sandra Burleson, Susan Resch and Marsha Spinowitz. Resch is the first-ever female administrative vice president of TWU, Burleson serves as both the head of TWU’s Civil and Human Rights Department, and Spinowitz has served as president of TWU Local 101 for 23 years, making her the Union’s longest service local president.

The Local 100 women also announced a great success: the Local’s recent contract arbitration award requires the creation of a joint labor-management Women’s Employment in Non Traditional Jobs Committee to develop strategies to prepare, recruit, train and retain women in non-traditional titles. Unfortunately, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is challenging the award in court, but it is expected that the court will rule against the MTA.

In early October the ATD Working Women’s Committee met at the ATD headquarters for its third meeting of the year. Elections were held for the positions of Chair, Co-chair and Secretary. Local 513’s Angi Tucker was elected Chair, Local 555’s Margaret Sadler was elected Co-chair and Local 575’s Diana Thomas was elected Secretary (shown in the photo above from right to left).

The outgoing chair, co-chair and secretary – Local 565’s Sharon Riffle, Local 502’s Sharon Polk, and Local 512’s Diana Tiggs, respectively – thanked the committee for their work and extended their help to the incoming leaders.

The women heard from an array of guest speakers including Becky Moeller, President of the Texas AFL-CIO. Director of Legislative and Political Affairs Portia White spoke on the work done through her department, how the WWC can get involved with politics, and explained the health care debate and where the TWU stands. Read more about the TWU position on health care here.

The working women’s committee also discussed that October is breast cancer awareness month and encouraged members to get a mammogram and participate in walks that promote awareness and help raise money for the cause.

Read about some inspirational stories about strong cancer survivors at twu556.org and in the Sept./Oct. issue of the Insider found at http://www.twu.org/international/insiders.