Spring Hill, Tennessee— More than 60 union merchants from 18 states and Canada gathered for the first-ever Union Sportsmen’s Alliance (USA) women’s fishing event just outside downtown Las Vegas in conjunction with the 12the Tradeswomen Build Nations Annual Conference: The world’s largest gathering of women traders.
“The women who attended this event are electricians, insulators, blacksmiths, elevator builders, painters, day laborers, carpenters, cement workers, plumbers and pipefitters and millworkers, who are breaking down barriers and paving the way for other women in the trades,” she said. US Communications Manager Kate Nation, “So it seemed very appropriate to bring them together through fishing and the outdoors, and hopefully inspire them to take up the sport and pass it on to other women and girls of all ages.” .
Union volunteers from Plasterers and Cement Masons Local 797, Masons Local 13 and Blacksmiths Local 433, as well as professional fisherman and fishing guide Ashley Nichole Lewis, a member of the University of California Student Workers Union represented by Local 2865 of Auto Workers attended to help the participants and share their experience.
“This event was deeply meaningful because working in male-dominated fields, whether it’s construction or fishing, can be isolating, and the opportunity to connect with other women builds much-needed community,” said Quinault member Lewis. . Indian Nation of Western Washington. “The event was also diverse both in the fields of work the women represent and in race, ethnicity, age and fishing experience. With such varied backgrounds, it only makes sense to connect through a shared interest in the outdoors.”
A 30-minute drive from the Las Vegas Strip, Floyd Lamb Park, centered on a series of small lakes in the Mojave Desert, gave women a new perspective on the city and a chance to connect with union sisters from other trades.
“I haven’t been fishing since 1993, almost 30 years,” said Rita Neiderheiser, a member of UA Sprinklerfitters Local 669, “and it’s fun to be here with my sisters just kicking back, no pressure and having fun. ”
“We couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome of our first-ever women’s fishing event,” said Walt Ingram, USA CEO and CEO. “We greatly appreciate the support we received from the Construction Unions of North America. (NABTU) to host the event during their Tradeswomen Build Nations Conference and all that they did to help promote it. While women are always welcome and encouraged to attend all US events, we recognize the value of women-focused events like this one and look forward to doing more in the future.”
As the Women’s Fishing Event wrapped up, volunteers from OPCMIA Local 797 gave away fishing rods to a mother and her two daughters who were visiting the park to celebrate Nevada Day. Lewis showed them how to bait their hooks and taught them how to cast with their new rods, and soon they were practicing on her own. Local union workers will donate the remaining fishing poles used during the event to other members of the Las Vegas community.
Union Sportsmen’s Alliance (USA): USA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to unions whose members hunt, fish, shoot and volunteer their skills for conservation. America is uniting the union community through conservation to preserve North America’s outdoor heritage. For more information visit www.unionsportsmen.org or plug in Facebook, Twitter Y Instagram.
Ground Work Boots (WBG): WBG is America’s flagship conservation program that brings together union members willing to volunteer their time and expertise for conservation projects that enhance and enhance public access to the outdoors, conserve wildlife habitat, they restore America’s parks and mentor youth in the outdoors. The U.S. Work Boots on the Ground program works closely with federal, state, and local agencies and other conservation groups to provide the labor needed to complete critical projects that might otherwise go undone.