We need to talk about toilets

15 February 2022

We need to talk about toilets. Imagine being a woman on a powerline or construction worksite and expected to hold on all day or drive 20 minutes off-site because you've got to use the bathroom—and then putting up with the snide comments because you had to go in the first place. It's what Hawkesbury electrical apprentice Alison has experienced, because most of her worksites have limited, if any, toilet facilities. In fact, an ETU report found women in the trades are being expected to either hang on or face unsanitary, unsafe, inaccessible and unsuitable amenities. Women obviously have different bathroom needs at different times of their lives, and not having adequate facilities isn't just a health c