Can you tell me about the clean energy projects that you’ve worked on?
One in particular is a solar field I worked on for two years. It was extravagant. I was lucky enough to be the first operator out there. I saw these fields develop from just openness to fields of panels. I was amazed at how many steps it took to get these panels in the ground, functional, and ready to go to supply energy to neighboring cities. I like the idea of what we did. We’re filling a need that otherwise would use some kind of fossil fuel that’s harsher on the environment. This keeps people employed and it’s a clean way to meet the demands of our growing economy.
What do you want other working people in Wisconsin to know about the importance of locally produced clean energy?
I’ve worked many different jobs and it’s always good to say as you drive past a street or a building, “I worked on that”. To me, there’s nothing better than showing my family something that I worked on. It’s a sense of pride. So, energy that we can produce for ourselves and we’re less reliant on outsourcing for it, I think everybody should want that. It’s less strain on the [energy grid] overall. I bought my house after two years of being in the union. A brand new house, first owner, and I’ve got solar panels on it because I believe in what I do.
I’ve worked many different jobs and it’s always good to say as you drive past a street or a building, “I worked on that”.
Why is being a union member important to you?
We’re all going to have to retire someday, and my retirement looks so good being in the union. I get a pension, I get an annuity, my insurance is great. And there’s so many benefits to being in the union that I tell any and everybody that will listen to me. I have it good. That’s the end goal, to retire comfortably. And I just know I will.
How did you become a union member?
Six years ago, I did a program called the H.C.S.T. (Highway, Construction, and Skills Training) that provided OSHA, CPR, and flagging training. When I was taking that class, I was working third shift, going to the class during the first shift, and taking care of my kids during the second shift. I slept two to three hours a day for about two months, and never consecutive hours. It was rough. I did it because I knew what was on the other side for me. I found the strength and the courage that was inside me to do that. Then I got picked by a union company. I felt like I was rewarded for my struggle. As Langston Hughes once said, “”Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair”, but I’m blessed. I am really blessed.
What advice do you have for people who are curious about a union career in the building trades?
If anybody is ever sitting on the fence about switching careers, they should look into it. Sometimes it’s scary, but I’m living proof that you can. You just gotta have the drive. Just give yourself the shot that you deserve.
Where do you hope to see the clean energy economy or sector in the future?
Booming. Big Oil doesn’t need to be so big. I just don’t see why it’s not feasible to use free [solar energy] to light a house. Or use free wind to cool and heat our houses. We have so many things around us that are renewable that we should tap into a lot more. It’s a lot cleaner for our environment, and subsequently, us.