He has done it on the occasion of the celebration of International Women's Day, together with the president of Adif, Isabel Pardo de Vera, at the inauguration of a sculpture in tribute to the railway women at the Joaquín Sorolla Valencia station, where he has also pointed out that "the monument we inaugurate today does justice to all these women, by giving visibility to their presence and their contribution in the world of railroad."
Ábalos has highlighted the triumph without nuances of the fact that art becomes a reparative expression of injustices, since "invites to banish the retrograde idea that there are genuinely male or female professions," and adds that "what yes there is a deeply masculinized working world, contaminated with stereotypes and sexist paternalisms, truffled by injustices to repair. "
The minister recalled Pilar Careaga, who in 1929 became the first woman to drive a locomotive; also to the first 42 women who entered as assistant machinists in 1978; and the first 3 women who in 1980 accessed the position of machinists. In addition, he stressed that "until then, his role was limited to cleaners, informants or guardians, under the mantle of paternalism of the time, which offered these positions to the widows of the railroads."
Equality Agenda
Ábalos has offered concrete data "because the reality is stubborn. The wage gap is 22.35%, women concentrate an unemployment rate 2 points higher than men, almost 75% of part-time contracts are for them and the pension gap is 75%. "
Thus, the person in charge of the Department has assured that "much remains to be done. As managers of the public, it is our responsibility to work and promote measures that achieve greater equity within the Society and ensure that the presence of women in positions of responsibility in the business world is a reality. "
Therefore, from the Ministry the Agenda for Equality has been launched to combat these inequalities with concrete actions, which contain a feminist perspective to the investment plans that are developed in transport, infrastructure and housing, which take into account the habits , user schedules, comfort and safety, as well as contributing to co-responsibility in the field of the couple.
Renfe is developing the Equality Work Table, with contracting measures to achieve parity, conciliation, labor flexibility and disease prevention for women. She also works in the Valor Mujer Program, with informative actions to bring the railway trainers profession closer and, in addition, by this 2020 a scholarship program is being developed for the realization of driving courses that allow the incorporation of women.
For its part, Adif launched ambitious measures in this regard since the end of 2018, among which are the flexibility of hours and the reduction of working hours. Likewise, it has approved two Equality Plans to empower women with measures that favor the incorporation of female talent and equal opportunities for leadership. Some Equality Plans that Ineco has also developed.
Characteristics of the sculpture
The sculptural ensemble that has been inaugurated today, entitled 'Camino' in homage to the companion in which the author has been inspired, is a recognition of the women who emerge in a traditionally masculine world. It is located inside the lobby of the Joaquín Sorolla Valencia station and represents a woman dressed in a work uniform, sitting on a vertical track.
The work is 1.6 meters wide and 2.3 meters high and weighs approximately 200 kg. After conducting a study of materials, the author decided to carry out the sculpture through an original creative procedure based on printing – with a 3D printer – separate pieces of approximately 50 centimeters in acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), a plastic that is characterized by Its high resistance. For the interior, he opted for a tetracero structure, mesh and polyurethane filling.
about the author
Efraim Ortega (Córdoba, 1985), an Adif employee who works as an assembler of electrical safety installations in León, explains that he was inspired by a co-worker to start the process of creating his work.
"In specialties like mine there are still very few women," he says. "Specifically, in my dependence there is only one. In addition, she is president of the Business Committee and is involved in equality issues," he says.
Self-taught artist, frequently participates in fairs and competitions. Among his latest awards, the appointment as Best Artist of the International Mars Fair 2018 in Castellón stands out. In addition, he exhibits his works in the La Casa Amarilla gallery, in Malaga, and in the Antoni Pinyol gallery, in Reus.
