Career Deep Dive #6: Ironworker Anthony I.

So Anthony, gimme your story, how you got into iron working. Why the hell would you wanna do that? ?

I was clueless. I ended up getting a girl pregnant. I was living a server lifestyle, meaning I'm pocketing about 200 bucks cash every night. And that money is gone as quick as it comes, but I didn't care.

So I had met somebody whose husband was this really kick ass connector who has done so much in my local he's actually a man by the name of Eric Kinsel. She tells me ”I can get you a job. I could just talk to him. He could hook you up”.

Yeah. Three days later he gave me this really streamlined path of how to get sponsored into a union. God bless him, the best thing that ever happened to me.  

I got in and I remember walking up on the steel on the first day. I remember just pulling up the job site. It's dark. They got these blow torches for the welders heating up columns.

It just looked like this dungeness, medieval, terrifying. You could just see the skeleton of the building in the silhouette of this dark sky. And I'm just like, “Gulp what did I get myself into?” And these boys took me up on this man lift and Eric was on that job connecting and they're all looking and you could just smell the  green all over me.

They took me straight up and they just went out onto these beams and they're like, come on, let's go. And that's what they call throwing you in the fire. So that's how I got in

That's an awesome way in! I’ve met some Ironworkers and you guys seem nuts man, you have an intense amount of pride. Why do you think that is?  

And you're 100% right. We have a brotherhood. We are a family. Like you could be from New York, you can be from New Orleans. We will hit it off right out the gate because we have this common bond that we like, and put it all on the line every day. 

In my local, 377 San Francisco, we have a mixed base. Which is a blessing. So we get taught all iron work in our school. There's some locals, they only do structural, some only do reinforcing, but we get it all. ts.

So we have the opportunity to be on a project either from beginning when they're doing the footing and reinforcing all the way to the structural.. And then you could be there at the end setting glass and doing precast and architectural or foam composite paneling.

There's no limit to what you can do. But one thing we have in common is we like to work our asses off because we have to get it done quickly. There's like timelines and there's stuff to do, and we care about that because we know if we don't do it, somebody will outbid us or somebody will take our work.

The shit we do is the hardest goddamn work ever. And I'll tell you what, I would rather do that type of work with the boys and the brothers that I work with and, the sisters too out there than go sit my ass in a cubicle and make way more money to be way more miserable with a bunch of backstabbing people who don't care about me and my best interests.

I agree with you man. I think an argument can be made that we make more but that's for another day. Let's get into the union or non-union Ironworkers. Why does it matter?

I want everybody to be clear. I'm not knocking any non-unions. No way, shape or form. 

But we're just represented by the union. And essentially what that means is that we have people who we appoint by our vote. Rank and file, and we choose these people to guide and lead us and make decisions on our behalf. And they put together a structure to protect us from the employer who, if given the opportunity, will take every single dollar in a second..

Don't think for a second that they won't, because that's what they're in the business to do, is to profit, not to make your family rich, but to make their families rich and in order to do a fair business, a fair day's wage man for a fair day's pay for a fair day's work, the union fought for this stuff years ago.

But at the end of the day, all the union is here to do is to give you some benefits, give you a better wage level that's even across the field. So somebody can't pick and choose who gets more money and who gets less, and they can say, “Hey if you got this level of training, you're worth this much”.

And that's a beautiful thing in this world. 

Well said man. What's the apprenticeship program look like and what do you make when you start? And then what do you make when you journey out?

You're over $20 starting out. You're getting vacation pay. So every hour you're also gonna be getting $5.65 or something put away. And that piles up and you get that every couple of months you're gonna have really incredible vision, dental. So you can have some Kaiser, you can choose ppo and you're gonna have vision, you're gonna have the best dental.

Let's see, four classes a year, you're gonna take two per semester. So let's say you start a structural class in a reinforcing class one semester, and then you get a pay raise. Okay? And then the next semester and the next six months, you'll take two more classes, and then you'll get another pay raise providing you show up on time.

You don't show up late, you don't miss the day. It's a five day class or a 40 hour class. You do get to file for unemployment. So you're not missing out. You do keep your job in return to your job when you come back from class and you gradually progress through this apprenticeship, which flies by. And before you know it, eight periods later, you're a journeyman iron worker with a broad spectrum of training.

Because in my area, in San Francisco, San Jose Bay area, we have a mixed based local. So you'll be chiming in, I think. Starting January, close to $50 an hour, it's gonna be like, if not 49 and some change, plus $5.65 an hour for your vacation, plus to 10 or $12. It goes to your annuity.

Why would somebody want to do what you do? How do we sell that to 'em? 

Great question. Here's something that I learned about iron working.

It's the best thing that happened to me for many reasons. And they're not just financial. It changed who I am as a man, transforming me, like total Phoenix status, right? Like the way that I view how to solve problems. Like it's no longer like I can't do that. It is now. How do I accomplish that, right?

Because there's always a way to accomplish things, which is a total mentality that will be ingrained into as an iron worker also just facing fear. How do you face your fears? Do you let fear dominate you or do you look at something that can be absolutely terrifying that you would normally say, no, I can't do that.

And do you take that step out and then just run with it and say, I got this. I believe in myself, I can do this and I'm gonna do it all day for 25 years. . That all is stuff that was a result of an ironworker. But if you want to become an ironworker, aside from monetary value, we are a brotherhood.

So if you want a place where there's belonging and like it's, definitely noticeable. It's a connection that you're gonna have. You won't feel anywhere else. You're not, I'm not gonna promise you financial stability beyond the world's comprehension. We all are human beings.

How you deal with your finances is entirely up to you. 

We're not too judgey either. Like whether you're a mathematical genius or whether you have college experience or you have a spotty background, if you've been in trouble with the law, if. If you made some poor decisions in life or maybe you're just a little down on your luck, as long as you can get your ass up in the morning, you can get to work and you're willing to learn something, we're willing to give you a chance.

And by give you a chance, we mean totally give you an opportunity to become independent, self-sufficient, financially stable, and have the means and ability to take care of yourself and your family and learn a skilled trade that when you drive around town, you'll be so goddamn proud to tell people that, “I built that”.

Beautifully said my man. I think you made Ironworkers proud with that. Anything you’d like to say before we wrap up?

I wish everyone a very prosperous year and a safe year. And I I hope that you give yourself a fair chance cuz nobody is holding you back from doing what you wanna do but yourself. And as scary as it is to sit there and buy into promises from an employer who are promising the world. Don’t be afraid to say:

I deserve better. And pick up your things and check out and go find something better. Whatever you choose to do, I wish you the best at it. And I encourage anybody to explore thoroughly. Unions, the history of unions and I, don't mean current political debate from one, one side of the aisle or the other.

Yo, like what is the history? What happened in Chicago? What happened in the 1800s during the industrial revolution, in the railroad, in the steel mills and all that stuff? What was going on and why was this happening? Or what do unions have to offer? Call your local union. If you wanna be an electrician, if you wanna be a carpenter, if you wanna be an ironworker, call your labor temple.

Whoever's responsible, call your local if you have one in your area and ask them questions. They are happy to talk to you openly and honestly, and answer the questions on how you could join one, what they can offer you, and what opportunities in the area for work there are. And let me tell you one closing fact I will say, when you work for a unit, My benefits don't disappear because I decide to drag up on a company that I feel is treating me like shit.

If I don't like what a company's doing, say, Hey man, gimme my two checks. It's been a pleasure doing business with you and leave. I still have all my vision. I still have all my dental, I still have my pension, I still have my vacation, I still have my annuity. They all come from the same source. They don't change.

My wage doesn't change. When I get hired to a new company, it could improve. It'll never be less. And I don't have to worry about, oh my God, my savings, my 401k, should I empty it? Am I gonna be able to get by for the next two months? Because I call my, I can call my union home, my business agent, and I can say, Hey, I'm outta work.

Can you get me on the OUTTA work list? Then I should be back to work as soon as today or tomorrow, depending on how many people are outta work and have all the same benefits and all the rights, the same wage, and I didn't even have to do all the footwork and go on Indeed and all these crazy things that these people have to do and their industries and just know that.

A union has a lot to offer you, and I'll leave it at that, 

That's dope man. Thank you so much for coming on my friend and I hope nothing but the best for you!

Of course! Thank you so much for highlighting my story.

Resources:

 https://www.ironworkers377.com/ 

https://www.thetrench.com/newsletter/ironworker-pros-and-cons