Year: 2015
Location: Calgary
Profile: Grace Thostenson has served since 2001 as business manager first with IBEW and then the United Utility Workers. She began her career with AGT, where she worked for 13 years in positions that included long distance operator, administrative support, engineering support, drafting, and warehouse worker. Next she worked for IBEW Local 48 as a labour relations administrator, later becoming their business manager. After BC Tel and TELUS merged, Thostenson became business manager with the United Utility Workers.
Thostenson became a labour organizer after AGT management threatened to cancel her upcoming vacation if her co-workers refused overtime work. She called a meeting with her co-workers who all decided to refuse overtime work. Afterwards Thostenson worked to unionize her workplace and took part in negotiations.
Excepting one inappropriate incident, Thostenson has faced few issues as a female labour leader. The Utility Workers are about evenly split between men and women, and she isn’t aware of significant issues having arisen for female employees. Thostenson identifies as a lesbian, and the support of her partner has helped her to do her work. She suggests that women raising families struggle to find time for union leadership positions, leaving women under-represented in labour movement leadership.
Keywords: AGT (Alberta Government Telephones); Electrical Industry; Gender and Sexuality; IBEW Local 48; Telecommunications; TELUS; Women business managers in unions; Women and union leadership.
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See also: 2SLGBTQ+ in Alberta; IBEW; United Utility Workers; Women in Skilled Trades; Women and Work in Alberta