Key Points about Women in Plumbing
According to Zippia.com, there are 276,986 plumbers in the USA, and only 5.1% are women. In 2021, women plumbers earned on average 91% of what their male counterparts earned. This is a huge increase compared to numbers from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics report in 2010 that showed that 2.5% of plumbers in America were women.
Many women have chosen not to enter trade work because of the physical labor, long hours that the job demands, and pushback from other employees or homeowners that have opinions that trades are not good jobs for women.
Resilient women have paved the way for others to join the ranks in every field regardless of what is said or done to deter them, and we applaud their efforts!
Ladies Auxiliary Committee for the National Association of Master Plumbers
The ladies auxiliary committee for the National Association of Master Plumbers started as a social club for the wives of master plumbers and was initially run by plumbers tasked with finding activities for their wives to do together while the men held conferences about their trade. In 1919, the club was turned over to the wives and became a platform of activism.
It is one of the oldest women’s club organizations in the US and supported the original Family and Medical Leave Act, environmental issues, and proper sanitation disposal laws through lobbying.
In 1938, committee members partnered with Texaco Gas company to improve restroom facilities and cleanliness of their stations by pointing out the benefits of offering improved services. Texaco used the improved facility improvements in their marketing campaigns, and other large businesses started to jump onboard. Soon, grocery stores, restaurants, and food handling operations were offering more sanitary conditions that improved the health of customers and employees. Initial fundraising activities included traditional “ladies' activities” like selling handmade quilts that paid for travel to committee meetings or meetings with large companies during advocacy campaigns.
The women of this organization inspired many societal changes, and we owe them a great tribute!
Lillian Ann Baumbach- First Female Master Plumber
Lillian Ann Baumbach grew up in a family-owned and operated plumbing company and became known as the “Pretty Plumber” when she chose to take a more hands-on approach to the plumbing industry after becoming history’s first female master plumber in the 1950s. At the age of 6, she started going with her father on plumbing jobs and learning the industry.
Following her licensing as a Master Plumber, she quickly launched into the public eye and was repeatedly asked to be a pin-up girl example. She would respond to the requests with limited photos of herself and gracefully share her plumbing experiences with those that asked for advice from her.
About Ira Hansen and Sons Plumbing
Ira Hansen and Sons Plumbing have been the trusted local family plumber of Reno and Sparks for over 30 years due to their honest, upfront approach to managing their business and ability to connect with clients. Call them today for plumbing service in Reno, NV.
