On March 27, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) hosted “Under Construction: Women Building Better Communities” in coordination with New England Blacks in Philanthropy (NEBiP) at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. Inspired by International Women’s Month, the event advocated for funding to support opportunities for women in construction and included a panel of women knowledgeable in the industry.

Karilyn Crockett, Ph.D., Director of Economic Policy and Research for the City of Boston moderates the “Women Building Better Communities” discussion on March 27, 2018

MGC Director of Workforce, Supplier, and Diversity Development Jill Griffin addresses the “Women Building Better Communities” event on March 27, 2018

Moderated by Karilyn Crockett, Ph.D., the Director of Economic Policy and Research for the City of Boston, the event highlighted the lack of a gender pay gap among union trades workers but noted that the vast majority of trades workers are men. A panel made up of women representing labor and industry urged funders to support pipelines and programming for women, especially women of color, to increase awareness of, and access to, such high-paying, quality careers.

Jill Griffin, MGC’s Director of Workforce, Supplier and Diversity Development, provided opening remarks and the panelists included:

• Linda Dorcena Forry (Vice President for Diversity, Inclusion and Community Relations at Suffolk Construction and former Massachusetts State Senator)
• Mary Vogel (Executive Director, Building Pathways Pre-Apprentice Program)
• Susan Moir (former Director of Research for UMass Boston Labor Resource Center and co-founder of Policy Group on Tradeswomen’s Issues)
• Kenell Broomstein (Business Agent At IBEW Local 103)

Panelists at the Women Building Better Communities Event, March 27, 2018. (l-r) Linda Dorcena Forry, Vice President for Diversity, Inclusion and Community Relations at Suffolk Construction and former Massachusetts State Senator; Mary Vogel,Executive Director, Building Pathways Pre-Apprentice Program; Susan Moir, former Director of Research for UMass Boston Labor Resource Center and co-founder of Policy Group on Tradeswomen’s Issues; Kenell Broomstein, Business Agent At IBEW Local 103

Event sponsor Bithiah Carter, president of NEBiP, encouraged funders to “inform, reform or transform” this opportunity which empowers local communities.

Commissioners Gayle Cameron and Bruce Stebbins were also pleased to attend this MGC co-hosted event as part of its commitment to diversity and workforce development. MGC’s ongoing work during the construction phases of casinos in Springfield and Everett seeks to ensure that the casino construction workforce is representative of, and affords benefits to, all residents of Massachusetts.

The Gaming Commission is also a key sponsor of the Northeast Center for Tradeswomen’s Equity’s “Build A Life That Works” campaign, a first-of-its-kind, statewide recruitment initiative to encourage more women to pursue a career in the union building trades. The Build A Life That Works campaign aims to inspire women to pursue a career in the union building trades as a viable path to equal pay for equal work, excellent benefits, and a better future. NCTE has a dedicated goal of achieving 20% tradeswomen in Massachusetts by 2020. Currently, women represent approximately 5% of the industry and 7.5% of union construction apprentices.

Are you a woman interested in learning more about how to become a union construction worker? Visit BuildALifeMA.org and let’s start building!

An example of the “BUILD A LIFE THAT WORKS” messaging campaign featuring Contina Brooks, Springfield resident and worker on the MGM Springfield site