Welding etched a path to fulfill one woman’s dream

Martina Taite walked into Ingalls Shipbuilding in 2008 as a 25-year-old welding apprentice, looking for a way to build a better life for her family. What she found surprised even her. She went looking for a job; instead, she found a calling. Today, Taite serves as president of the Pascagoula Metal Trades Council, representing thousands of workers at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi. She made history as the first woman and first African American ever elected to the position.

“It feels amazing,” Taite said. “All I can think is, as a little girl, that was my dream. I wanted to grow up and be a nurse and care and nurture people. I’m still caring and nurturing people. I’m still helping people. I’m just doing it in a different trade.”

Her election came at a pivotal moment. The Metal Trades Council was in the middle of negotiations for an historic contract for workers at Ingalls Shipbuilding, one of the nation’s largest military shipbuilders. When the former president retired in December, Taite was elected to replace him, despite some pushback from some affiliates. Her election was the culmination of years spent proving herself in a shipyard.

“They’re not going to flat out say ‘no’ because you’re a woman,” she said. “But there were certain affiliates that didn’t want to see me get elected. It wasn’t that I couldn’t do the job. It was my ethnicity and my gender.”

Taite’s path to the Metal Trades presidency was anything but easy.

As a young wife and mother of three, she originally planned on a career in nursing. She worked at a call center for low wages while going to school but didn’t earn enough to support her family in the way she wanted. She knew there had to be a better way.

“In Pascagoula, Ingalls Shipbuilding was the place to work,” she said. “I got to thinking if I could get on out there, we could really take off. I wanted better for my family and kids.”

She applied for the welding apprenticeship program, attracted in part by the immediate pay increase.

“It would give me a $4 raise from what I was making off the bat,” she said.

Her father, himself a welder, was stunned at her decision on a career change. He tried to dissuade her.

“He even told me to try electrical,” Taite said. “He knew the job. He was more concerned about me getting burned.”

But once Taite had made up her mind to be a welder, she wouldn’t settle for anything less than success. “I was determined to learn,” she said. “I went straight to work and passed my test. I was so focused, I even got extra certifications including aluminum and stainless.”

She quickly established herself as a productive, skilled welder and worked her way up to welding in a covered shop area. She was the lone woman in that shop and understood she had to excel if she wanted to keep her spot.

“I knew if I wanted to stay, I’d have to do better than the guys,” she said. But her welds spoke for themselves. “I was putting out a lot of footage. It was good work that didn’t need to be reworked.”

That work ethic eventually caught the attention of union leaders, including former L-693 steward Erica Stewart (now on International staff) and Local 693 Business Manager, Secretary-Treasurer Terrance Nellum.

At first Taite thought she’d work up to becoming a shop foreman. But being a union leader was not part of her plan. She was focused on her work and continually improving as a welder. But Stewart encouraged her to attend union meetings and eventually pushed her to become a steward. Once she began helping workers with grievance cases, Taite discovered a different kind of purpose.

“When I saw the importance of helping people with their livelihoods, I realized I could be a voice for people who are afraid to speak up for themselves,” she said. “It really is so rewarding.”

As L-693 steward, her reputation quickly grew. Nellum started giving her more grievance cases. Soon Taite became known for her meticulous case work and relentless dedication. After gathering facts on grievance cases, she would turn them in and head straight back to work on the tools.

Over time, her role expanded. She eventually served as assistant chief steward before becoming point of contact and chief steward for the Pascagoula Metal Trades Council in 2023—a position that traditionally led into becoming the Metal Trades president. At the same time, she continued serving as president of Local 693, a role she’s held for 12 years.

“When past AFL-CIO Metal Trades President Jimmy Hart came down to visit and saw how I operated, some of the members nudged me on. That’s when I became point of contact for the Metal Trades,” she said.

The transition came during a difficult period for the council. The previous Metal Trades president had served for more than 30 years. As the demands of the position intensified over time, the role eventually became too much for him. By the time he retired in November 2025, Taite was already handling much of the day-to-day operation of the council as its chief steward.

Now, as president, she’s leading the council full time. Taite is focused on rebuilding trust among the membership. “Over the years, morale had gone down,” she said. “I wanted to strengthen this council and build the members’ confidence.”

One of her first major initiatives involved overhauling the council’s dental and vision benefits program. Taite worked to identify better coverage options and streamline service for members after years of complaints about the previous system.

“We started looking for agents and getting an idea of the benefits the members were looking for,” she said. “I mapped out everything they needed and was able to get members into a better plan.”

The improved benefits package has already helped increase participation and affiliate membership throughout the council.

After becoming the first woman and first African American elected president in the council’s history, Taite is still processing the moment.

“I’m so in awe,” she said. “After I was elected, everyone on the company side came over and shook my hand and said congratulations.”

But for Taite, the real reward remains the same as when she first stepped into the shipyard nearly two decades ago: helping her family and working people build better lives.