UCTE represents airport firefighters at several Canadian airports. Union activism is a good vehicle for improving equity and inclusion in the workplace. This two-part series looks at the issues dealt with by two of our female firefighter members as they challenge traditional barriers to women in firefighting services.
For her first years as a volunteer firefighter, Alissa Firmston was cramming newspaper into the toes of her boots to get a decent fit. Firefighting uniforms are–by default–cut for the male figure, which means pants proportional to waist size and jackets by chest size. That leaves gaps where there shouldn’t be, fabric bunching up in other places, and belts and straps that won’t tighten properly. Weight of heavy equipment ends up improperly distributed on the firefighter’s back. For firefighting work, this is not just a uniform, it’s PPE. The results go beyond discomfort; it leads to safety vulnerabilities and long-term injury. Now some manufacturers are making gear options specifically for female firefighters, but Firmston notes that those are often the higher-end equipment, and fire services are cost-conscious.
The Union and strengthening equity
When we think of women entering in a workplace like a firehall, we know that change takes time. And change comes faster in some ways, and slower in others, than we might expect. But the cultural shift is already underway. Firmston and Leah Kosolofski both tell us how much change can happen in one person’s lifetime: Kosolofski started “at a time when the boys’ club was very present in the fire service. I remember a discussion I had with another volunteer firefighter who basically looked me in the eyes and said to me, ‘you will never be a firefighter.’ Well, was he wrong! Fast forward to 2004 when I achieved my dream job of becoming a career firefighter in ARFF [Airport Rescue and Firefighting}.” Since then, she made captain! They both talk about concrete practical issues more than cultural issues. Firmston: “When I started at my fire hall, I was the only female that had ever been there. There is no female dorm, no women’s bathroom so there were considerations for each other that needed to be figured out.” She reports that they adapted really well, but she still has to be conscious of it in a way the men don’t. “Female representation in emergency services in general has definitely increased in the span of my career,” says Firmston.
Collective identity and power mean we stand together regardless of gender, and Firmston has seen it in action: “The union makes it easier for the men and women to step up and be supportive if they feel there’s an issue without feeling like they might be targeted as well.” Certain aspects of inclusion can be addressed through collective bargaining. Calgary airport firefighters, employed by Pro-Tec Fire Services, initially struggled to make progress in their negotiations with management. However, by joining the Union of Canadian Transportation Employees (UCTE), they strengthened their collective bargaining power and were able to move forward. They are now in their first collective agreement. “Before,” says Firmston, “we lacked both the organization and experience to know what to ask for or how to ask for it. UCTE brought the knowledge of our rights and the resources to enforce them—things we didn’t have before. With the union’s support and guidance, along with the cooperation from both the executive and management to create a positive, productive environment, we’ve made great strides.” The work continues. This year, with the backing of her chief, Firmston received her first set of fully customized bunker gear!
[…] Gender in the Fire Hall, part 1: Pioneering Inclusion […]