VILLA CLARA. – Out of her hours of service few people might imagine a woman like her withstanding August’s suffocating heat, while climbing a powerline post to repair an electric failure.
The pioneering Cuban woman from Santa Clara in the powerline work, Aliuska Lores Ramírez can be seen with her campaign attire, wearing a helmet, boots and all the security accessories required for that job.
It was not easy to get this far. She worked for three years as an inspector in the Capiro Commercial Office; however, she cannot tell if it was her husband’s daily work at Villa Clara’s Electric Company, or many other reasons that motivated her to choose that hard job.
Many times I wondered “why I cannot do that?” I felt I was ready to do the job, one day I put a bold front and I told my higher-ups that I wanted to take a course for powerline work”, Aliuska recalls that she always received a no for an answer.
“This is a job for men. It’s not for women, you’re not able to do it, don’t even try as it’s very dangerous for a woman”, my comrades used to say, also my husband”, she said. After insisting for four years she got the approval to take a course for power line workers.
There, for six months, she had one of the most pleasant experiences in her life, as she says. “I was surrounded by men. They tried to protect me, however, my views had to be considered and I did not allow any kind of differences, I went through the training side by side with my colleagues, as I knew that the success in my future job depended on that experience”.
Once she was qualified, Lores Ramírez began to do the job of her dreams and she never forgets the first time she went to work with the team. “That day when we arrive to the spot where the failure was reported, a lineworker moved to the post and I stood in his way to tell him, “don’t even try, that job is mine today”, and to this day I do the repairs with the team”, she retold.
About her relationship with the rest of the all-men comrades she says that is something nice, they are based on respect and consideration, not being underestimated or being assigned the easiest jobs. “I do all the things powerline workers do”, she proudly states.
Among the biggest challenges in that period of work, she recalled as something hard the first time she had to climb a 110kV post with spurs. When I reached the altitude, I told myself: “If I achieved to do this, I think no goal is impossible for me.”
Aliuska has three children, her youngest daughter, Anyelín, enthuses over following the steps of her mother, something that fills her with satisfaction, as well as the understanding she receives from her husband, who supports her and gives her tips on how to do the job.
Not suffering accidents in the period of time that she has been doing the job as a powerline worker has given her much confidence and optimism; however, she recognizes that there is still much to learn and a long way to go to realize the dream of becoming instructor someday, a higher step in her career.
About her personal life she tells that is quite hard since she arrives home late and really tired, but she enjoys everything of it as she likes it. Likewise, the complexity and harshness of the job does not keep her from having time for the rest of the activities.
She also says that the happiest day of her life will be that when all the traces of discrimination still existing in society, despite the advances achieved in Cuba, are finally over. “Then we will be more than just three, but many more women will join this task as lineworkers in our country.”
