Local 49 member Connie Smallman has been selected to become a member of the Advisory Task Force on Expanding the Economic Security of Women. Last week Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced the 15-member task force which includes advocates, researchers, Minnesotans with an interest in the topic, a legislator from each house and each party, and a representative from the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry.
Attorney General Ellison has charged the task force with gathering in the best thinking in order to understand the multiple barriers women face in the economy and come up with a diverse set of strategies to create a more inclusive economy.
“I’m excited to share my experience and perspective of a woman working in the trades, and I hope this leads to more women entering the industry and earning equal pay for equal work,” said Connie Smallman.
“I couldn’t be prouder of Connie. This is an important task force, and she will give voice to the thousands of women that make their living in the skilled trades in Minnesota,” said Local 49 Business Manager Jason George.
The Task Force will hold its first monthly meeting tomorrow from 5:00–7:30 p.m. via Zoom. The task force will produce a report within nine months, before the start of the 2022 legislative session, and will continue its work for up to two years.