Saida Abad drove her final train into Casa Port on the morning of 24 January, to an emotional reception by her colleagues from the last 17 years, her family and women transport workers from many different sectors.
In 1997, while employed as an administrator by the Moroccan railway office (ONCF), she was one of four women to join a new company training scheme to help women get into higher positions or different fields of work. Two years later, she qualified as a train driver and used her position to challenge sexist attitudes and behaviour and prove that women could do a professional job without threatening the stability of the family. More women are now train drivers, heads of stations and directors of departments at ONCF but not nearly enough, in Ms Abad’s view.
The end of pioneering Saida Abad’s train driving career is the start of her new role in the UMT. Ms Abad will join the union’s women’s committee and play a pivotal role in supporting and promoting the rights of women transport workers and the role of women in trade unions.
ITF’s Arab World assistant secretary Baker Khundaji said: “We’re delighted that Ms Abad is taking on this new role in the UMT. She will be a real asset to the union.”
ITF campaign communications head Isabel Cortes remembers meeting Ms Abad for the first time at one of the first ITF women’s committee meetings. She commented on how impressed everyone was by the breakthrough Saida Abad had made as the first woman train driver in Morocco, adding that it took courage and determination to break into that previously all-male world.
Watch the YouTube video below of Saida Abad speaking at a rally in January 2014.
Read a short interview with Saida Abad on page 137 of this pdf.
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