2007-2008 Cornell and Corning Glass

In the spring of 2007, my eldest daughter asked that I find a way to stay home for her senior year of high school. I had spoken to my old foreman at the Cornell pipe shop, Mark R., who told me I hadn’t burnt any bridges and that he would be glad to hire me again. He proved true to his word and I started back doing service work at Cornell. It was like I never left. I walked in; they handed me the keys to a service van, some work tickets, and I was on my way. There is something really satisfying about people who trust you to do your job, but who don’t look down on you if you ask for help occasionally. Many of my brothers and sisters who worked there are really good mechanics, but they needed help sometimes as well. The other shops, like Controls, HVAC, Carpenter and Electric, are full of people who will go out of their way to support each other. While I was installing air hoses in the carpenter shop, I admired some furniture a carpenter was making. The next thing I knew, I had hired him to make me a platform bed and bookcase dressers for my house. They were beautiful and fit perfectly. It was also during this time that I began to feel secure enough in my job to join the Labor council as a delegate for my union. The Chemung Schuyler Labor Assembly was comprised of over 40 unions (public and private) representing thousands of workers. They work to protect the rights of workers through political action and public relations. As always, you get out of something what you put in to it. I became very involved. I marched in endless picket lines, attended meetings, conferences, and hosted political forums. I am afraid my daughters did not appreciate my commitment to the cause, even though I tried very hard to miss as little of my limited time with them as I could. On the plus side, they were exposed to experiences and people they might never have otherwise. Due to the fact I finally felt like I had a steady job, I planned a vacation that I have been dreaming of for years. I wanted to go to Ireland before I turned 50. My daughter and I spent a week each in London and Ireland. It was my first time to Europe, but everything went fairly smoothly. I even rented a car in Ireland and drove on the “other” side of the road. While my ex-husband was a rock, always there for the girls, I exposed them to adventure and new experiences. They really had the best of both worlds. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I stayed at Cornell until September 2008. I had never worked that long in one place since I was an apprentice. I immediately was re-assigned to another contractor who had a job at Corning Glass. It was a shutdown to install a new manufacturing line. From the very first day I had a problem with my foreman. He refused to talk to me; directed all his instructions to my partner. I was totally frustrated because this guy had only been out of his apprenticeship for a few years and was confused most of the time. At first I thought I was being paranoid, but other fitters noticed it as well. There was also a rule that you couldn’t go up on a ladder without a harness. Despite asking for one many times, I was never issued one, so couldn’t access the work. It was like they were setting me up to fail. After the first week I knew I was one the way out until I worked with a “shop rocket” who was working on Saturday for the overtime pay. He and I were assigned a hot project that had to get done that day. He gave me his harness and between us we installed two lines to a machine that was an integral part of the system. At one point he told the insulators to be careful because the line was still hot from where I had soldered it. Talk about time pressure, but it tested with no leaks and the general foreman was very happy with us. My partner told him that I was a great fitter and that the foreman needed to get off my back. Thatcertainly made the remaining few weeks of the job much more pleasant.

After a number of incidents this past summer, including dropped pipe, a guy getting hung by the neck in the rigging and a fatality with a piece of equipment falling on another, my company was told they would have to really change their rigging procedures. It was decided that we would hire Ironworkers to do the crane work, including rigging and signaling. I was made foreman in charge of coordinating the action. All rigging would be done on second shift. So I work with day shift for a few hours and then use the night shift crew as needed. After two weeks, it changed to more of a composite crew. This has been going on without any major problems since early August. I am called the Day/Night girl since I never seem to leave the place. My composite crew is made up of Ironworkers and Operating engineer, with my pipefitters receiving the material after it is flown. I also have to coordinate with my company’s Tinknockers to use the crane. On Friday night, my rigging crew was told no crane Saturday, so they weren't going to be working. They are justifiably pissed off at the late notice and lost wages. They want to be out of there as soon as possible. Naturally this is the night I have a shitload of lifts to do. Sorry for the technical terms. Anyway, I finally get the hook at 830, just as my pipefitters take their first break. The others (Ironworkers and Op.Eng) all had a break at 6 PM and want to keep working to get done ASAP. So the Ironworker foreman and I get into a shouting match. He wants to keep flying pipe while we are on break. I tell him we are a team, a composite crew, and he can't fly pipe without us. I would have loved to get a video of this 6'5" guy standing over me yelling while I stand on my tiptoes and talk him down. It must have made a funny picture. We took the break. I didn't get everything flown that needed to fly, but I actually won an argument that was really about union solidarity and doing things the right way. No one rigs pipe without pipefitters

Advice to New Tradeswomen from an Old Pipefitter

This week the insulator’s foreman ask me to speak to the female apprentice who just started. He said she's very young and needs guidance. She has been sick all week, so he thinks I need to talk to her about taking care of herself; about eating right and getting enough sleep. Also she is using the portajohns and wants me to tell her where the woman's room is located. I think it's great that at least one man understands that being in construction is tough. Women need other women to talk to about how it affects us differently then men. We can learn tricks of the trades from our male coworkers, but only another woman will help us navigate the maze of work relationships, time management, and the independence of being on equal footing with men financially and career wise. So I asked my fellow tradeswomen (TWC~~thank you!) what advice they would give. These are the gems of wisdom they gave: 1. How to deal with men in terms of sex. This is a biggie! Most women will tell you, don't find your hunny where you make your money!!!! Others will say its okay, but find one and stick to him. What better way to see how a person responds to difficulties and treats other people than by working with them? It is important to hold yourself apart, keep sex out of the equation as best you can and realize you will never be one of the boys. You want to leave a job with them knowing you for the work you did… not for WHO I did. Never let them get too far with their sexual comments. Stick up for yourself by saying it is wrong, uncalled for, and you deserve better. 2. Keep learning and improving your skills. Respect the knowledge others have to offer, and know you can learn something, even if it is what NOT to do, from everyone. Ask other journeymen or your apprentice coordinator what certs or training you may need to level the playing field. Realize that in order to be considered equal you have to do more and learn more than the rest of the crew. Life isn’t fair but that’s the reality. 3. As most women have a smaller body you need to use a different technique than men to lift things. Use your legs they are usually stronger than your arms. Learn to balance things or find a pivot point. It is not a sign of weakness to ask for help. It is a smart person who knows their own limitations. 4. Find a tradeswomen group to support you throughout your apprenticeship; locally or online. There is going to be stuff that happens that men have no idea how to advise on; or would be uncomfortable to talk about. Most men want you to succeed even if only to prove they are trying. Unfortunately, not all women are going to have your back, some are jealous or insecure. Ignore them, and find someone who is willing and able to mentor you. 5. Invest money in a good pair of boots. Buy clothes that fit properly. There are websites, like Rosie’s Work Wear for women’s work clothing. Wear clothes that are comfortable and non-revealing. It’s a job, not a date. 6. Crying; pros and cons. It is still hard on the new girls. I always say never let them see you cry. In other words, let them know you’re strong and determined to stick it out. Eventually you will get their respect. Wear tinted safety glasses if you think you may look a bit teary. If I get teary, it is usually because I am fighting mad. Those who know me back off. I have cried on the job for reasons unrelated to work. I think it is okay for other workers to know you are still a woman who cries when someone she loves dies. It is okay if men cry too! 7. If your hands and feet stop moving when your mouth starts, then shut up. This is most definitely a male issue. If you’re working with another woman and talk, they assume you are talking about shoes, even if you’re not. It is all about perception. Keep moving, grab a broom, clean off your cart, just don’t stand around and talk. Yes, I know the men do it all the time, life isn’t fair. 8. Pay yourself first. We make good money; when we are employed. Set aside 10% of your gross EVERY week and start there. Not in a 401K or other tax deferment plan; actual cash in hand or bank. This money will come in handy when you are laid off/Christmas/road money/emergencies/big item purchases. Money is power and freedom. Save that money! I cannot stress that enough to our incoming trade sisters. 9. Nutrition and rest are crucial. When your muscles cramp from over exertion and you don't know if your body will last the week, you will understand the importance of enough sleep and a healthy diet. Working out is a great way to blow off stress and be a better worker as well. Drink water constantly. Also give yourself some time to relax, a cup of tea or hot bath at the end of the day. You need that time to regroup and consider the day. 10. It gets easier. Do the best you can every day. As you learn more, you will do better. In no time at all you will be looking back and laughing at the mistakes you made, but you will have learned from them. Every day is a new beginning; a chance to grow, to improve, to change the world, or at least your corner of it.

For Jake

I met Jake when I was working in Minnesota at the Monticello Nuclear Plant in the spring of 2011. I hadn’t worked in 4 months. I was pretty desperate to drive 16 hours from home for a job. The day I arrived there was a blizzard. Three months later on the day I left, there was a tornado. But in between I met two people who would become very special and important to me. Gwen’s story will be another time; because today is about Jake. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I was rooming with Lee from my home local and he was rooming with a guy I knew from his home local in Oswego. We bumped into each other in the hall. After a few minutes of “What a small world” chat, we decided to play cards and drink in our room since it was bigger. Within minutes, I could see that Jake was intelligent, funny as hell, and just an all around good guy. We had the weekend off and I had decided to go into Minneapolis for a labor rally that was scheduled. Jake jumped at the chance to go, but the other two had other plans. So we met early the next morning. I liked the way he had no problem that I was driving. I also liked that he was considerate enough to bring me coffee. We talked like we had known each other forever. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We were early for the rally which was taking place at the Capitol Building. We wondered inside and somehow joined a tour group that taught us some of the history of this beautiful building. We went out to join the rally, looking to find other UA members. As usual every one of them would look at Jake and start talking to him about the political aspects of the rally. Jake would laugh and point at me. “You should be talking to her. She’s the one who knows what is going on here.” For the rest of the time I knew him, he would always have my back like that. He is one of the most supportive of his union sisters I have ever met. After the rally we stopped at a local restaurant/microbrewery where we had great food and lots of laughs. They let us tour the brewing room with all its very cool stainless piping. One more stop had to be made when we saw the sign for “Aliens”, a theme bar that was divided into adult/child sections. I’m not sure which one we were in, but Jake loved it all, especially the “live” Aliens wandering around. As we finally headed back to our rooms, Jake looked at me and said, “Thank you, I want to play with you every weekend!” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Naturally we were put on opposite shifts, but still got together once or twice a week to just talk. I met his parents when they came into town. I really felt like I had acquired another brother, not just union, but family. Over the next few years, I worked with him often. I got to meet his wife. I felt like I already knew her because Jake talked about her all the time. That and his kid’s activities were his favorite subjects of conversation. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Today, I learned that he had died in a freak accident on his way to work to support his loved ones. Driving down a dark country road, he ran into two horses that had gotten loose from a local farm. He was pronounced dead at the scene. His life was too short. There was so much more he wanted to do. He loved his wife, his children, his union, and his country. All of us left behind will ache for his smile and his kindness every day.

Loss and retirement

I am standing upon the seashore. A ship, at my side, spreads her white sails to the moving breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength. I stand and watch her until; at length, she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Then, someone at my side says, "There, she is gone" Gone where? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast, hull and spar as she was when she left my side. And, she is just as able to bare her load of living freight to her destined port. Her diminished size is in me -- not in her. And, just at the moment when someone says, "There, she is gone," there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout, "Here she comes!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ And that is dying... Death comes in its own time, in its own way. Death is as unique as the individual experiencing it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ My older cousin, Cheri passed away this week. She had struggled for over a year with the pain and knowledge that cancer was going to take her away from those she loved and who loved her. Her sons and siblings; her grandchildren, nieces, nephews and cousins would no longer see her smiling face or hear her happy voice. As I sat in the chapel and listened to that poem by Henry VanDyke, I found myself hoping that when she reaches that other shore she finds a warm welcome, freedom from pain, and love waiting for her in the arms of her parents, grandparents and all the others who have gone before her. This life is but a short stay in the larger adventure that awaits us all. So I will try to be a little kinder to those around me, to say I love you more often to family and friends, to spend more time connecting with people and less time wrapped up in my own little world. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On the way home from the funeral, I stopped in at the Union Hall. I had not seen it since we moved at the beginning of the year. As usual, my business manager, Greg treated me like a queen; plying me with food, drink and gifts. Despite being busy, with his phone ringing every few minutes, he spent over an hour talking to me about the job and my plans for the future. He seemed disappointed that I wouldn’t be running for Recording Secretary for a third term, but I know he understood. I need to retire while I am still healthy enough to enjoy life. I need to be able to visit family and friends before it is too late. Losing Cheri made me re-focus on what is important to me. I want to see as much of this beautiful world we live in as I can. I want to spend time laughing with and loving my family and friends. So that is my goal~~by next year I will have be able to work less and live more. After all, I need something to write about!

Layoffs

So, we got to talking about layoffs at work the other day. Pipefitters tend to have a very casual attitude about losing a job. Basically it’s-- I was looking for a job when I found this one. There is always work somewhere, so pack your bags! Sometimes layoffs are voluntary with the company announcing they need to let 10 or 50% of the fitters go. It gives those with other work lined up or who just want off the job to gracefully (with layoff slip for unemployment) terminate a job. Other times it is a way to cull the workforce of workers who are missing work, have low productivity, or are travelers and local workers are on the bench. On big jobs you will see this happen almost monthly; layoff workers on Friday and hire that amount the next Monday. If you have really managed to piss off your employer, but not to the point of being fired, there is the dreaded one man layoff. I was on one of those at Sullivan Park in 2000. I was laid off with 4 travelers which is essentially a one man layoff. I had made the mistake of questioning a policy of lead testing by drawing blood. These results were to be given to the contractor, not the individual worker. I was glad they were implementing this program due to the lead paint with which we had been dealing. I disagreed with the reporting process. While I was shocked, as was my general foreman, my BA said there was nothing he could do, but had me working 10 minutes from home the following Monday. The other thing that happens is that to avoid the one man layoff, they lay off your partner as well. Been there, done that, didn’t get the tee shirt. There is also a very well known saying, “Get my money and my partner’s too. In fact, here’s a quarter, mail it. We’re outta here!” You can tell it’s been around awhile by the cost of a stamp. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Too date, I have been laid off 74 times since 1986. Some layoffs really stand out in my mind. The first time was after a three month job building a Wegmans in Corning NY. Being from Pittsford where the grocery chain started meant I felt especially connected to the store. Plus it was my first job. Looking back I realize how lucky I was to have worked with such a great crew and foreman on my first job. When they laid me off, I almost cried, despite the fact that it was Saturday and they were opening the store on Monday! As for voluntary layoffs/quits, I’ve had a few. Once was at a horrible job where I was working on fiberglass at a plant over an hour from home. I had a full body rash for three weeks straight. I was told they were putting on travelers on a job close to home. So I asked for a layoff. When I walked into the BA’s office, he said he couldn’t send me to that job because he already had two guys coming in from out of town. I stood my ground and said you better call one of them back. This is my territory and I am taking that call. I was on that job for over six months and loved every minute of it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When it comes right down to it, 99% of the jobs I do have a definite end date. We work to put ourselves out of a job. Hopefully by the end the contractor has made money, our bank accounts are fuller, and we have a building that a little while before was only a dream in some architect’s mind. Nothing is more satisfying than walking away from a job as one of the last to go. You have seen it from the underground piping to polishing the last sink or turning on the final system. Being laid off before that can be very disappointing and sometimes can really hurt the ego and self-esteem. But hey…I was looking for a job when I found this one. Where we going next?

Spring 2007

Following my usual pattern, by mid February I was suffering from cabin fever and ready to go to work. Nuclear power plants are regulated to do maintenance every 18-24 months. Since many plants have two or more reactors that means every Spring or Fall there is a shutdown that provides work for trades people especially pipefitters, and in my case, valve repair technicians. In 2007, I was sent to Indian Point Nuclear which is located right on the Hudson River about 50 miles north of NYC. I was staying in Highland Falls which is at the south gate of West Point. I found a room with refrigerator and microwave above a deli right on the main street across from the West Point museum. I was working nights, so every morning when I returned home I would see all the cadets out for their morning run. In the afternoon, I would get up around 3 and wander over to the museum and explore. There were 4 floors of military history with dioramas depicting famous battles from Roman to modern times. I don’t think I was ever able to see all of it! The funniest thing that happened on the job was the very first day of meeting my GF, Mark H. He looked at me and said, “I haven’t worked with many females, so if I say something wrong, just know I ‘m not good at being politically correct.” I said, “Well, as long as you don’t mind me telling you to fuck yourself, we’ll be fine.” He laughed and said, “I like you we’re going to be fine.” And we were! As the job was winding down, they asked for volunteers for a Thursday layoff; the rest would be laid off Saturday. I volunteered, explaining that my daughter’s opening night was Friday, so I was going to have to take time off. Mark asked me to stay on anyway. So I drove home Friday morning( 4 hours), slept for 4 hours, saw Pirates of Penzance with the cutest daughter of a modern Major-General ever, slept another 4 hours, then drove back to work Saturday night. As I was showing the pictures of the play to Mark, he laughed and said, “Gee, I totally forgot you were off and paid you anyway.” That is how pipefitters show appreciation, they pay you! He told me he really appreciated my honesty. Some people wouldn’t have volunteered for the layoff, just so they could get in one more Saturday at OT pay.On Saturday night I volunteered to replace an older guy on an exceptionally hot (radiologically speaking) job that they had been unable to do Friday night. He had a hard time using the headset due to his hearing aids. Luckily the job was able to be done by the first team, so I was off the hook. From there, I went to Pilgrim Nuclear in Plymouth, MA. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As always, I miss my kids. I try very hard to call them daily and send letters and care packages. This year I was able to arrange for them to spend their Spring Break with me in Plymouth. I was living with a wonderful woman, Ingrid, in a century old Victorian Mansion right on the ocean. My room had a private bath, a huge walk in closet, skylight and a king size bed. Definitely one of the best housing arrangements I had ever made. Matt S. (a local brother whose first nuke had been Indian Point) also became a housemate, but he worked nights, so I barely saw him. Ingrid and I became friends while I helped her with two parties she threw to thank all her friends for their support during her recent widowhood. I love to cook and meet new people, so it was a perfect combination! The week my girls were there, I took off early one day. We drove down to Provincetown/Cape Cod, had a fabulous seafood dinner, and walked on the beach. It was a little cold, but you’re supposed to be on a beach for Spring Break! We also explored the Plimouth Plantation which was fascinating. The area is full of all kinds of historic and cultural things to do. I still visit whenever I can.

2006 Rollercoaster

2006 was a wild and challenging ride for me. I worked for 7 different contractors, but still for only 26 weeks altogether. I didn’t get a job until near the end of February when I was sent down to Susquehanna Nuclear in Berwick PA. It was only three hours from the house, so I was able to get home on my days off. Some jobs you just keep you mouth closed, show up every day and do as asked. I was put on ISI (in service inspection) again. However, in this plant we weren’t drawing the grid pattern on the pipe. All we had to do was use green scrub pads and mineral water to clean off the piping for the technicians who came behind us with the ultrasound equipment. That finding determined the thickness of the pipe which would tell the engineers if pipes needed replacement. Extremely boring job, but it paid well. After that I was sent back to Hope Creek/Salem Nuclear in NJ. During training I was able to stay with my oldest sister who lived an hour away. Once the 12 hour days started, I found a fleabag hotel that I was able to share with another female pipefitter who was on the opposite shift as me. Like I said, I don’t share my living space! This was one of the worst places I ever stayed. I could see drug/sex deals happening in the parking lot below me. I slept with a chair wedged up against the door and made sure I was always inside before dark. After I left, I was called back for a week shutdown at their sister plant, Oyster Creek, which was even closer to my sister. I’m not sure why I was there since the only thing I did for a week was sweep floors and clean the fab shop. But they paid me very well. On my last day, I stopped at the seafood shop I had passed daily. As a thank you, I bought a lobster dinner for my sister and her husband. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In May, I started up at a new veterinary research tower at Cornell we called the Mouse House. I was very happy anticipating staying on one job for at least a year. I was working with Jeff B, one of my best friends in the local. The only drawback was that my GF was “The Bitter Fitter”. Here was a guy who had everything going for him, smart and hard working, but nothing made him happy. Somewhere or somehow, there was a target drawn on my back. I could do nothing right. If I was walking on the left side of the corridor behind 6 other guys, I would be reprimanded for it and told I should know enough to walk on the right. Jeff told me the company project manager had taken one look at me and said get that woman off the job. I couldn’t believe in this day and age that was true. All I know is that it was truly a hostile work environment; then it got worse. In mid-June our paychecks bounced. We were paid on Thursday and I had deposited it in my bank on my way to work on Friday. When I arrived everyone was complaining. We finally walked off the job after getting no answers. I was able to retrieve my worthless paycheck from the bank. On Saturday afternoon the BF called and told me if I wasn’t at work Monday I was fired. He then told me he was a good union man. If that is good, then I’m not interested in his type of union. I told him I would work until coffee break, but if the check bounced; I was out of there. At nine, we all piled into the company van, went to the bank where our checks were cashed. Crisis averted. The next payday the Project manager handed us our paychecks and asked us not to cash them until noon. Well, I called the bank who said there wasn’t enough money in the account to cash my paycheck, let alone the other thirty checks that the crew was holding. Someone asked me what the bank said; I answered honestly, but said maybe the Project Manager was going to make a deposit which is why he asked us to wait. Then I went back to work. I was installing a temporary waterline from the back of the building to the front for the masons. At 11:55, I shut off my torch and jumped into the van to go to the bank where our checks all cashed. At 2 PM, BF was chewing my ass; telling me I was fired for causing a work stoppage on the job. Despite me explaining to him I had nothing to do with anyone not working, especially as my partner and I had been balls to the walls all morning, he refused to back down. I called my BA whose idea of backing me up was to send me to a different contractor the next day. While I was glad to have a job, I knew it was short term. I really wanted to stay on that job. Eventually the company was forced to leave after not being able to make payroll. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ After another month off I went back to Byron Nuclear with my old buddy Gary W. This time I wasn’t on his crew, but we still hung out together. It was a good job, until one night at midnight, when I came in for lunch. I had a dozen voicemails from my siblings. I knew it couldn’t be good news, so I walked outside to call my youngest brother. My mother had passed away while sleeping in her favorite chair watching TV. She was only 77 and I was her baby girl. I started to walk back inside the break room with my arms wrapped tightly around me. As I have said before, nuke workers are a family. An Ironworker I had become friends with had been watching me and knew I was upset. He asked me if I was okay. I told him no and that my mother had died. He did the best thing possible; he hugged me tight until I stopped shaking. Then he brought me inside, told me to change out of my work clothes while he got my GF. By the time I changed, they had all the paperwork done so that I could leave. I will never forget the kindness shown to me that night. I had been mostly packed since the job was almost over anyway. I sent emails for my BAs/BM and friends and left for home. I took many calls as I drove the twelve hours home, but one really stuck out in my mind. Greg L called (for the second time) to make sure I was okay. I told him my phone was dying as I didn’t have a car charger. Sounding like a big brother, he insisted I stop, eat and charge my phone. Times like that are why I love my union family. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ After the funeral and reconnecting with family and friends, I rejoined my life. The rest of the year flew by in a whirl. It was a Congressional election year. I was working very hard to get our candidate elected. By then I had joined the Chemung County Democratic Committee and was very active in phone banks, get out the vote and a hundred other duties. Bryan A. called me for a job on Election Day at Anchor Glass. I told him I would go Thursday. It was a shutdown to replace old piping and install filters. It wasn’t hard, but it was filthy and hot. In addition, the GF had never worked with a woman before. His first question to me was what year apprentice I was. I told him I wasn’t just a pretty face. I actually knew what I was doing. By the end of the shutdown, he had come up with a new motto for me after watching me work. “Don’t piss off the Redhead!”

2005 Toshiba Final Tear OUt

At the very beginning of 2005, a very sad thing happened. The head honchos at Toshiba decided to dismantle the factory and send it to a non-union factory in Ohio. Hundreds of employees were laid off with no warning and limited severance packages. Mostly it was blue collar manufacturing people who had few other skills. Many had worked there all their lives as had their families. In addition, Toshiba regularly hired building trades’ members to renovate old or install new systems. The closing was going to have a large impact on the community. Strangely enough, I was hired to do the final tear out of the facility. We were to remove all the piping from the machines back to the main lines. This was to allow them to move the equipment to the new plant. It felt so wrong to tear out piping I had installed just years before. At the Labor Council, we gathered our resources and fought to keep the company alive. When that failed, we asked our elected officials in Albany and Washington for help. We needed training and job placements for the disenfranchised workers. We needed financial help for families until they could find other jobs. Not only was there a recession, but many manufacturing jobs were headed overseas. One night on behalf of the Labor Council, I attended a community meeting with our government representatives to discuss what help was available. I mostly listened to all the sad stories and the platitudes they were receiving from the politicians. Every morning there were 30 or 40 Hispanics leaving from the night shift as I came in to work. Since I spoke a little Spanish, when I asked they told me they were staying at a local fleabag hotel, in three rooms. I stood up at the meeting and asked why they weren’t using their own employees to do the unskilled part of the tear out. One woman responded that she was told she had to have a “card” to do the work. I laughed and said, “I’m not even sure they have green cards”. The company officials never had a reason for not keeping their people working as long as possible. The next morning at work, my foreman Billy F said the company manager wanted to see me. I asked him to stay with me as a witness while the manager chewed me out. The manager swore every one of those workers was legal; I was wrong to make such an accusation. I agreed I had no proof, but if he wanted I would write a letter to the paper apologizing. I think he realized that would make some reporter take notice and declined my offer. By the end of the meeting, we agreed to work on the same side, helping the Toshiba workers get a fair deal and some help along the way. As I was leaving, he said it was frustrating that he could never get through to our Senators. I said, “Really? Because they always get back to me!” I had started as President of the Labor Assembly thinking it was all social gatherings and parades. It was turning into something that filled my life with purpose. I thought we could make a difference and maybe change our little corner of the world.

2005 Labor and Work

In early 2004, I had been elected President of the Chemung Schuyler Labor Assembly. This is an organization that is comprised of over 40 local AFLCIO unions who represent over 10,000 members. I had really started to become active in politics and social causes as they affected working people. In the fall, we hosted our first ever meet the candidates’ night. We invited everyone from Presidential to town board candidates. I’ll be honest I had no idea how crazy it was going to be. At one point I was lying under a stainless tank at the cheese factory installing a valve when my phone rang. It was the President’s office calling to inquire about details. When it was determined that President Bush was unable to attend, they offered to send a letter. I suggested the topic be how much he had done for workers during his term. I never received that letter. In the course of that election, I met Senator Clinton as well as the NYS Governor and other officials. One thing I learned early on is that if you say labor, politicians’ heads swivel around, and they give the appearance of listening. Maybe I was supposed to not work for the past three years so that I could get so involved with the Labor Assembly. By 2005, I had attended many conferences and had learned to speak in public without throwing up. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In March, I was once more back to Nine Mile. I was so comfortable there that it almost didn’t feel like traveling. I was able to get home to see the kids and check on the house on my day off. I would have dinner with friends and re-visit old haunts. In May I started with Kimble the company who had laid me off at Sullivan Park and who I thought would never hire me again. As it turned out the foreman Bill R, had been an apprentice a few years ahead of me. I overheard him tell someone he would rather have me on the job than many of my brothers. I knew I was qualified and a good worker, but sometimes just getting hired on the job is a challenge. The job was a major renovation at Ithaca College’s Garden apartments; new plumbing pipe and fixtures, as well as heating. It was a good job with good people. We had the tools and material we needed and everything ran pretty smoothly. The part that wasn’t great was that I in my infinite wisdom had decided to run for Business Agent after the death of our beloved BA, Steve White. There were 4 Southern Tier members running. Bryan A. ran together with Greg L and Brad W. I really felt Bryan was too young and inexperienced, though I knew he had a good union heart. Obviously others didn’t feel the same since he was elected with a wide margin. At the end of July, I left for an AFLCO convention in Chicago representing the Labor Assembly. My first night there I met President John Sweeny at a Students against Sweatshops fundraiser. He offered to introduce me to UA Pres Bill Hite. Well for three days I kept trying to meet him but apparently the UA contingent would stay for the morning speakers and then leave. So I left my card at his seat with a note reading, “Would like to discuss diversity within the UA.” A few minutes later I get a call from his assistant, Pat Perno. He informs me that the UA is diverse as Hell. I didn’t know whether I should laugh or cry. I looked over at the dozen or so old white guys sitting at the UA table and knew they didn’t reflect the diversity of the country. Women comprise less than 3% of my union and minorities only slightly more. I said it then and I say it now; the UA has a long way to go in regards to diversity. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ After returning home, I was unemployed again. One Sunday night in late August, I was playing euchre online which I do a lot! My playing name is Pegdafittr. Frequently UA members see my name and stop to chat. Lucky for me Gary W, from Local 23 sat at my table that night. He said they had work at Byron Nuclear Plant and told me to have my BA call. First thing Monday morning Brad called. Next thing I know I am on my way to Rockford IL with a job and a place to stay with Gary’s sister in law. Gary and became good friends and still talk to each other regularly. From there, I went to Salem NJ for another Nuke. It is always hard to try something new, but I was fairly confident and competent in my skills. I discovered that nuclear workers tend to travel in packs, so that you frequently work with people you know. With the advent of cell phones and computers, communication with home was easier. But with all my traveling, nothing makes me happier than being home in my own bed with my babies! It drove my ex-husband crazy to have to take care of the kids, although he had help from his mother, but staying home wasn’t an option. Bryan never seems to be able to keep me working. I am perpetually on the short list of members not working.

2002 thru 2004 Part 2

The rest of 2003 was very interesting. In the summer, I took a short job at home at the Diesel Plant for Corning Glass. They were installing a new line, so there was lots of new piping to do. When that was finished, I started a Medical Gas Installers class. I figured the more you know the more helpful you are to the contractor; and the more employable. The day before I was supposed to take the exam my BA sent me to Lynchburg, VA for a training/job. This was probably one of the sweetest gigs I ever had. I was being paid for 60 hours weekly plus $100 per diem daily. We were doing some specialized training to replace nuclear workers who were getting close to their dose limits. The area was so beautiful and rich in history. While the rest of the guys were going to the bar and go-cart track, I was exploring the hiking trails and local sites. Thomas Jefferson had a home nearby called Poplar Forest that was fascinating. www.poplarforest.org The only part I didn’t like was the other guy from my home local, Mike F. The first night he had nowhere to stay, so I told him he could have the other bed in my room. I found brand new 1 bedroom efficiencies for $125 weekly. He was so cheap he wanted to share that too, but no way! I don’t share rooms when I am on the same shift. I need my privacy. He decided he was going to be my protector, as if I needed one. He would take tools out of my hands, follow me around when I was talking to the other guys, and just generally be annoying. One day I had a little cold and didn’t feel well, so he told the boss to send me home. I was furious. I told him in no uncertain terms that was unacceptable. I am a professional. It was definitely not up to him to tell anyone anything for me. He then proceeds to tell my BA that I didn’t want to go to another job after that one. I cleared that up right away. In the end, they didn’t need us after all, and I was sent home after two weeks with very fond memories of the area. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I had another shutdown at Toshiba over Christmas, but then nothing until 2004. In the spring of 2004, I was once again sent to Nine Mile Point. This time The G’s had found me a great house to rent. It was a converted bar/restaurant. It had a full commercial kitchen, a huge living/dining area, a bar/bathroom downstairs; five bedrooms and a large bathroom upstairs. I quickly filled it with brothers from my home local. We all chipped in and bought groceries. After in-processing I was put on night shift. Most days I would wake up, make dinner for everyone, then pack some food for myself and head to work. I was being trained to do Leak Rate Testing which involves pressuring one side of a valve, then measuring the pressure difference over a specific time period. It isn’t extremely difficult physically, but you did have to be very precise, learn to read the schematics, and to run the machine properly. Unfortunately they had over hired so I was laid off the day the outage started. I was really mad but there was nothing anyone could do about it. It was just the luck of the draw. In future times it was others that were let go while I stayed. For the next six months, I starved at home; working only two week long shut downs. By the Fall I was desperate, so I took a job in Glen Falls at a paper mill. I have never been so miserable. The conditions were filthy, the air was filled with particulates, and the other workers and boss simply didn’t know what to do with a female fitter. They actually asked me if I knew how to climb a ladder. By the fourth day I was calling my BA begging for another job. He sent me to Oswego to work a shutdown at the Steam Plant. My Foreman, Omar D, was great. At one point he told the other guys to watch me to see how it was done. We were disassembling 48” valves that had bolts holding the tops on that were humongous. The only way to loosen them was to take a wrench prop a hydraulic jack against it using that to turn them. It was all about brain not brawn. I was able to come home after that and finish out the year with two local shutdowns at the Polly-O Cheese factory on Campbell and Borg-Warner in Ithaca. That’s where I met a really good guy, Dave W. who was my foreman. He was very encouraging and even kept me longer than the other fitters on the job. For the past three years, I had worked less than 6 months annually. It was barely enough to pay my bills and I kept running out of medical insurance. I was thinking seriously about changing careers.

2002 thru 2004 Part 1

2002, 2003 and 2004 were very scary years for me. In 2002, I was laid off in March, worked a week shut down in June at Toshiba and did a 3 month school renovation from August until the end of October. Overall I worked just under 800 hours. I had run out of medical benefits, I was barely hanging on trying to pay my bills and cover expenses. Yet somehow that was also one of my favorite years. I had installed a pool anticipating working through the summer. The kids loved it! It was an especially hot summer, so they would invite friends up. I would supply watermelon, Kool-Aid and ice tea during the day; hot dogs and marshmallows on the campfire at night. I hosted a euchre tournament for about 30 people that I played with online. Everyone gave me money for food. What was supposed to be a long weekend party lasted 10 days. I would go to work everyday, but when I came home it was party time. I had so much energy then. In 2002, I had been appointed the UA Local 267 representative to the AFLCIO Chemung-Schuyler Central Labor Council. I had monthly meetings and was starting to get involved with politics and other causes. I know I managed it all, but I was incredibly busy even when not working. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In 2003, I decided if I was going to pay my bills I was going to have to hit the road. I took my first job at a Nuclear Power Plant, Nine Mile Point in Oswego, NY. I had gone to college at SUNY Oswego and still had many friends there. I hadn’t seen them in years however, but they welcomed me back with open arms. The G’s (Judy and Bob) found me a room to stay in over the Oswego Salmon Shop which is right on the river. It wasn’t as bad as it sounds. The room was clean, had three beds, fridge and microwave and its own bathroom. I did joke with the owner about wanting a Jacuzzi, so he offered to let me sit in the minnow tank. I declined his offer. The first week of your first Nuclear job is quite an experience. They are trying to process in hundreds of workers; get them trained and tested properly, and placed with crews. As it turned out my good friend Judy P was involved with the in-processing. Judy and I had gone to college together. I had even introduced her to her husband. She knew all my secrets and proceeded to pull a major prank on me. While in college I had been caught painting the Elk at the Elks Club on Bridge Street. Not bragging, but I am the only person every caught and convicted of this crime; but not the first or last to have done it. At the time I was worried, but after repainting the Elk I then started dating one of the bartenders and working at the Club. So 25 years later, I had to list it as one of my “crimes” on my personal history questionnaire. When I arrived, Judy arranged that another person would be handling my case. “Everything seems to be in order.” She said. “But what’s this about an Elk incident?” Everyone I spoke to for the next week from security to the medical personnel asked the same question. Judy had set me up! When I “failed” my psych test, (I don’t think like a white male) I thought it was another set up and braced myself for the same question. But no I really had the doctor baffled. He couldn’t understand how a woman could be divorced and happy being single. He kept trying to get me to say I was a lesbian. It was very bizarre, but somehow I convinced him I was sane and not a threat to the Nuclear world. During training I had befriended a guy from Local 13 in Rochester who was going to be working days while I was on nights. I agreed to share my room. Great idea! He loved to cook and was fanatically clean. Every morning I would arrive home to a wonderful meal and immaculate room. I loved the whole experience. When we weren’t busy at work they allowed us to play cards. I won money every night playing Scat. I also won a check pool for over $1000. For four weeks, I worked 12 hour night shifts, slept like a baby and ate really well. The only time I missed was when I came home for my daughter’s opening night in Peter Pan. She was the cutest Smee ever, but I was exhausted.

2001 Athens High School

Sometimes when you least expect it things work out just as they should. Within a week of being laid off at Sullivan Park I was sent to Athens High School, a job 10 minutes from my house. The ironic part is that I was officially a traveler! The job was in the jurisdiction of a PA local, but none of their members wanted it because it was so far north for them. It was a simple renovation of the heating and plumbing system expected to last six months. The foreman, Chris C., was nice enough to allow me to continue to come in late twice weekly so that I could maintain my child sharing agreement. However, he made me work late those days which was just fine with me too. By then I was getting very close to being officially divorced. Three years of arguing and heartache! It took that long for a number of reasons. At the beginning my husband didn’t want it, and then he got angry wanting everything I had now and in the future, but mostly is was that I had a lousy lawyer. To finally settle it, I agreed to pay child support because I made more than him. However, I did get in the agreement that every six months we would look at our individual incomes and that I would only be obligated to pay 25% of the difference of our salaries. The judge simply couldn’t wrap his head around the concept of such fluctuations in salary. I would go from $2000 weekly to $405 unemployment with no control over it. If I took time off for a doctors appointment, sick child or vacation I received no pay at all. He said it wasn’t fair that the kids would have to suffer because of it. I explained that they have always known that when I am working we splurge; when I am not we eat mac ‘n cheese! Ken’s income had no influence on the family finances at all. I also was able to get him to sign off on my retirement and annuity as I signed of on his. I didn’t think being married 3 years entitled him to my future income. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The funniest thing that happened to me on the job was that a mason’s tender (the poor guy who lugs up all the brick and block for the mason to install) had a crush on me. I was at least 20 years older than this skinny little kid. He wrote in the Portajohn, “I love redheaded Plummers”. I knew it was him because it was like having a puppy dog following me around when he could. At the Christmas party, I was sitting at the bar talking to the office girl when I felt something. I turned around and he was petting my hair! I gave him “The Look” and he stopped. Once more I felt something. Now he was petting the sleeve of my velvet shirt. “Really?” I said. “I am much too old for you.” “I like older women.” He replied. “Well, I don’t like men who like older women. Go away” So while it was good for the ego, I was quite content with my life as it was. I had a long distance romantic relationship that fulfilled my need for intellectual conversation, a good job that let me pay my bills and sleep at night, and my kids seemed to have adjusted to our disjointed living arrangements. Life was good!