The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) has hosted its largest Women’s Leadership class to date at the Winpisinger Center. This session marked the last class under the leadership of Julie Frietchen as IAM Women’s & Young Worker’s Director, before she transitions to her new role as Director of the Winpisinger Center.
Julie Frietchen highlighted the program’s growth, stating, “It’s very exciting news that the numbers are growing every year in these programs.” She also noted that there was a waitlist for the class, which included participants from both the United States and Canada.
The Women’s Leadership program aims to empower and educate IAM women, helping them to strengthen their leadership abilities and increase their influence in their workplaces and communities. Over the past three years, Frietchen has led this initiative and has been active in mentoring members to advance gender equity within IAM and the broader labor movement.
During the week-long session, attendees participated in workshops covering organizing, collective bargaining, public speaking, communications, union leadership, political advocacy, and women’s history. The program also fostered connections among participants, reinforcing IAM’s commitment to promoting women’s participation in union leadership and decision-making processes.
As part of a communications exercise, the class created an original post for IAM Union’s social media accounts on Facebook and X (Twitter).
