Roofers and Waterproofers Local 97 on Women in Construction

Continuing the Women in Construction Week coverage on the America’s Work Force Union Podcast, we welcomed Krissy Webber, Business Manager of the United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers Local 97 in Illinois. Webber outlined why the roofing and waterproofing trades remain a strong pathway to middle-class stability through union wages, equal pay standards, healthcare and pensions that begin building on day one.

Webber also addressed the industry’s biggest barriers to recruiting and retaining women: persistent misconceptions about belonging, limited representation in leadership and the practical realities of construction schedules and their impact on childcare availability.

Webber said Local 97 currently has about 135 members. The union’s training, education and community outreach can provide the foundation for future growth. Her message to women considering the trades was to get involved now, find allies and use the resources available to build a long-term career.

• Union roofing careers offer equal pay and benefits: Local 97 highlights contract wage standards, healthcare and pensions as the clearest differences from nonunion work.
• Women’s representation remains extremely low in construction leadership: Webber notes women make up under 10 percent of the union construction workforce and less than 1 percent of management, limiting recruitment momentum.
• Childcare and early start times are real retention barriers: Maternity and paternity leave exist, but the scheduling mismatch with daycare hours remains a major challenge.

Women in Construction Week Highlights Union Roofing Career Pathways

Women in Construction Week is often discussed as a recruitment campaign. On America’s Work Force, Roofers and Waterproofers Local 97 Business Manager Krissy Webber treated it as a reality of the workforce. The industry cannot meet demand without widening the door and improving the conditions that keep people in the trade, she said.

Webber leads Local 97, which serves a region south of Chicago that is connected to the Champaign, Ill. area. Her union represents roofers and waterproofers in one of construction’s most physically demanding and safety-sensitive crafts. She described the work as difficult to recruit for, even among men, which makes the case for expanding access to women not only an equity issue but also a capacity issue.

Union Roofing and Waterproofing Work: A High-Skill, High-Risk Trade

Roofing and waterproofing are not casual entry points into construction. The work is performed at heights, in extreme temperatures and under conditions that demand precision. Webber emphasized that the trade’s risk profile is one reason strong representation matters. The members of Local 97 are workers who show up, work hard and need a union that will fight for them, Webber said.

That framing shifts the conversation away from stereotypes. The roofers are not defined by the job site’s harshness. They are defined by the skill and discipline required to do the work safely and correctly.

Women in the Trades: Representation Is Still Too Low to Sustain Growth

Webber’s assessment of women’s participation in construction was blunt. Women remain under 10 percent of the union construction workforce and under 1 percent of management.

If leadership remains overwhelmingly male, recruitment efforts can stall because potential female applicants do not see a place for themselves. The industry cannot change the field numbers without also changing the management numbers, Webber said.

Webber said she is currently the only woman member of Local 97, underscoring how much work remains to build a durable pipeline of female members.

How Krissy Webber Became Business Manager of Roofers Local 97

Webber described a union-connected personal network that pushed her toward involvement. She comes from a union family background and has close relationships with union leaders in other trades.

Her entry point was not through an apprenticeship. She began as an office administrator and then pursued education through labor programs, including training connected to the University of Illinois and a women-focused union leadership program.

That path matters for two reasons. First, it highlights that unions need leadership talent as well as job-site labor. Second, it reinforces the idea that good workforce development includes education, mentorship and structured leadership pathways.

Jobsite Culture and Respect: Changing the Narrative About Belonging

Asked about how women are treated in the trades, Webber acknowledged that negative experiences still exist across the industry. But she also said her experience has been defined by support.

Local 97 members backed her when she began advocating for them, she said. They voted to make her a member so she could represent them and speak for them in rooms where leadership is often male-dominated.

Webber stressed that if the industry keeps leading with the message that women are not wanted, it discourages participation. She wants the narrative to reflect what she believes is also true: many union members want women in the trade and recognize the value women bring, especially in detail-oriented work.

Union Benefits vs. Dead-End Jobs: Why the Trades Change Family Outcomes

A central theme of Webber’s interview was the contrast between union construction work and nonunion employment that demands long hours without long-term security.

She described her previous work in retail management as physically and mentally punishing, with expectations that exceeded paid hours, applied constant on-call pressure and offered limited time off. The result, she said, was a familiar outcome for many workers: after years of effort, there was little to show for it in retirement security or healthcare quality.

Webber framed union work as a difference-maker. In the trades, pensions begin building from day one. Over a 20-year horizon, that creates a fundamentally different retirement picture than jobs that offer no meaningful long-term benefit.

Equal Pay in Union Construction Jobs Levels the Field

Webber also stressed that union contracts establish equal pay for the same work. Wage rates are defined by classification and agreement, not by individual negotiation. This can be a stark contrast for many women who have experienced pay inequity in other industries.

In a labor relations context, this is one of the most measurable outcomes of collective bargaining: transparency, standardization and enforceability.

Apprenticeship Alternatives and Mid-Career Entry Into the Trades

Webber said she is seeing a growing trend in which workers are seeking alternatives to college debt and dead-end jobs by turning to apprenticeships and union trades.

She cited examples of workers who shifted from professional careers into the trades for higher wages and better benefits. The timing is favourable, she added, because demand is high and many building trades unions are hiring.

The point is not that the trades are easy. The point is that trades offer a career structure that rewards skill development with long-term stability.

Childcare, Early Start Times and Retention Challenges in Construction

Work-life balance remains one of the most difficult issues for women in the trades, and it is not limited to one craft. Webber said Local 97 offers maternity leave and also provides paternity leave. But she identified the biggest barrier as schedule alignment.

Construction start times can be far earlier than typical daycare opening hours. A worker who needs childcare at 3 or 4 a.m. may have no viable option. Webber suggested the industry must confront this gap directly, including exploring childcare models designed around construction schedules.

For retention, the issue is practical. A trade can successfully recruit women and still lose them if the support systems do not align with the realities of the job.

Local 97 Growth Strategy: Training, Quality and Union Education

Webber said increasing the number of Local 97 members depends on the work volume for their signatory contractors. More union work creates more opportunities to bring in new members.

She said training can be a retention tool. Better training supports quality work, reduces friction on jobsites and increases pride in craftsmanship. She also argued that union education must be strengthened so the next generation understands why unions exist and how to protect what has been built.

A Message to Women Considering the Trades: Start Now and Find Allies

Webber’s closing message was a call to action. Any woman considering the trades should seek information, take available classes and get involved early. The sooner a worker enters the trade, the sooner retirement security begins.

She also stressed the importance of allies. Leadership is demanding, and the trades can be challenging. Support systems—on the job and in the union—help workers navigate barriers and stay in the fight.

Women in construction, Webber argued, is not a future goal. It is a present workforce necessity.

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