ATU women and allies from across the U.S. and Canada came together for day one of the 38th ATU International Women’s Caucus Conference. International President John Costa traveled to Las Vegas, NV, to welcome attendees by speaking about the importance of women's leadership in our Union, highlighting our recently elected International Executive Vice President and the first female and Latina to hold the position, Yvette Trujillo.
“You may have heard me say before that I tell our Locals, if you want to get something done, make sure you have women on your board, as shop stewards, as your Local leaders.” Costa also spoke about the epidemic of violence on our transit systems and attacks on our members, especially our female members, and how our Union has won important protections. “Physical assault, passenger aggression, and verbal abuse, including sexual harassment, are the top issues experienced by women in transit,” Costa continued. “I’m a father of two daughters, and this is personal for me. We must do better. I want each and every one of you to embrace your power and never ever settle for anything less than what you deserve. Our Union has been working every single day to secure better protections for you for years. Safety is a fight we will never give up on until all our members are safe on the job.”
International staff also presented on the bus of the future and gave other tools to sharpen our members' skills. Trujillo and International Secretary-Treasurer Ken Kirk also addressed attendees. International Vice Presidents Michelle Sommers, Natalie Cruz, and Amanda Sawyer-Turner also participated. Thank you to International Women’s Caucus Chair Jackie Jeter, the entire executive board, and Local 587-Seattle, WA, for hosting us for this powerful event.