The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) recently hosted its largest Women’s Leadership class to date at the Winpisinger Center. The event marked a milestone for the union, as it was the final Women’s Leadership class led by Julie Frietchen in her role as IAM Women’s & Young Worker’s Director. Frietchen will soon assume her new position as Director of the Winpisinger Center.
“It’s very exciting news that the numbers are growing every year in these programs,” said Frietchen. She noted that there was a waitlist for the class, which included IAM women from across the United States and Canada.
The Women’s Leadership program aims to empower IAM women, providing them with skills to enhance their leadership roles in their workplaces and communities. Over the past three years, Frietchen has led the program and mentored members to promote gender equity within the IAM and the broader labor movement.
During the week-long program, participants attended workshops covering organizing, collective bargaining, public speaking, communications, union leadership, political advocacy, and women’s history. The program also focused on building connections among participants and reaffirmed IAM’s commitment to supporting women in leadership roles.
As part of the course, participants collaborated to create a post for IAM Union’s social media accounts, which was included as an exercise in the communications workshop.
