groups were long excluded from construction unions in high-paying trades likeplumbing, in which unionized journeymen in the city earn $45 an hour today.Union and industry leaders say opportunities for women and minorities havegrown in recent years. George W. Reilly, the business manager of PlumbersLocal Union 1, which now represents all unionized plumbers in the city, offerednumbers to show the change. Of about 4,600 working members of the local(1,400 are retired), about 50, or 1 percent, are women, he said. But of 363 peoplecurrently in the local’s five-year apprenticeship program, 28, or 8 percent, arewomen. And women make up 12 percent of the 100 people who have enteredthe apprenticeship program this year. Local 1 is among the unions participatingin a new city program to increase women and minorities in unionizedconstruction jobs. ......