WEBVTT
00:01:24.799 --> 00:01:26.240
Workers' lives are not easy.
00:01:26.400 --> 00:01:32.960
They balance difficult jobs with the responsibility of family, personal health, hobbies, friends, and thinking about the future.
00:01:33.200 --> 00:01:36.960
More often than not nowadays, they make large and daring career changes.
00:01:37.520 --> 00:01:40.000
Iron worker Francesca is no exception.
00:01:40.240 --> 00:01:43.920
Hours before recording this episode, she rushed to the ER.
00:01:44.800 --> 00:01:50.320
When we were talking, she brushed it off as no big deal, just another complication in the life of an extremely busy worker.
00:01:50.960 --> 00:01:55.200
Even though work isn't easy, it can sometimes be rewarding, exciting, and even fun.
00:01:56.400 --> 00:01:58.240
Francesca works in New York City.
00:01:59.200 --> 00:02:02.560
What kinds of projects do you enjoy working the most?
00:02:03.280 --> 00:02:04.240
Curtain wall.
00:02:04.400 --> 00:02:07.040
And curtain wall, a lot of people don't know what it is.
00:02:07.120 --> 00:02:10.800
So it's like the basically the windows of the buildings.
00:02:11.599 --> 00:02:13.040
Why do you like them?
00:02:13.599 --> 00:02:17.520
Because it's what people see when they visit New York City.
00:02:17.599 --> 00:02:20.000
They visit like to they like to see the skyline.
00:02:20.159 --> 00:02:21.360
So that's what I build.
00:02:21.439 --> 00:02:22.960
I build the New York City skyline.
00:02:23.040 --> 00:02:24.080
So I'm very proud of my work.
00:02:24.159 --> 00:02:24.879
Yeah, that's awesome.
00:02:25.040 --> 00:02:29.600
When I get to see it, that's so cool to be able to see your work after you do it.
00:02:29.920 --> 00:02:33.280
You know, it's visible, it's not like in the computer or something.
00:02:33.920 --> 00:02:34.319
Yes.
00:02:34.480 --> 00:02:38.800
And one of my biggest jobs that I was on is Central Park Tower.
00:02:38.879 --> 00:02:45.680
And it's the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, residential building in the Western Hemisphere, and the second in the world.
00:02:45.840 --> 00:02:46.160
Wow.
00:02:46.319 --> 00:02:48.160
And I can see that building from anywhere.
00:02:48.240 --> 00:02:55.040
I can see it from the White Stone Bridge, from Throg's Neck, from um, what's the other bridge they changed the name?
00:02:55.280 --> 00:02:56.639
The RFK Bridge?
00:02:57.439 --> 00:02:59.280
RFK Bridge from anywhere.
00:02:59.439 --> 00:02:59.920
That's awesome.
00:03:00.079 --> 00:03:04.480
I can even see it from uptown Manhattan when I'm crossing the 181st Street Bridge.
00:03:04.879 --> 00:03:09.120
That's like a uh it's like the city is like a museum to your work.
00:03:10.160 --> 00:03:11.680
Yes, correct, correct.
00:03:11.840 --> 00:03:12.560
That's so cool.
00:03:12.800 --> 00:03:14.160
What's your schedule like?
00:03:14.480 --> 00:03:23.840
So I wake up at four in the morning, get ready, get my house ready, and I have to be at work by seven.
00:03:24.000 --> 00:03:25.840
But if you're on time, you're late.
00:03:25.920 --> 00:03:27.680
So I tried to be there an hour before.
00:03:27.759 --> 00:03:32.000
So I tried to get there by six, depending on location I'm at.
00:03:32.160 --> 00:03:35.920
Because right now I'm at Westchester, Westchester Hospital.
00:03:36.079 --> 00:03:38.240
That's where I'm building, that's where I'm at now.
00:03:38.639 --> 00:03:41.680
Okay, that's where you're working now, the Westchester Hospital.
00:03:41.920 --> 00:03:44.000
Currently, the Westchester Hospital, yes.
00:03:44.079 --> 00:03:46.079
They're building like another wing to it.
00:03:46.319 --> 00:03:51.920
So you can you work for any any type of building, like a hospital or a residential building?
00:03:52.240 --> 00:03:59.680
Hospital, residential, commercial, schools, any government building in the city that's union.
00:04:00.959 --> 00:04:04.079
We do we pretty much we do the pretty work.
00:04:04.160 --> 00:04:08.720
We do the lobby, the the windows, like I said, stairs.
00:04:08.879 --> 00:04:10.639
We build a lot of stairs.
00:04:11.360 --> 00:04:12.560
Oh wow.
00:04:13.360 --> 00:04:26.560
I'm uh I'm a high school ESL teacher, and my students just uh built uh uh for their summer school project, they're doing like an engineering and art project, so they had to design a house, and the stairs were definitely the hardest part.
00:04:26.879 --> 00:04:28.800
Nice, and the windows were also hard.
00:04:28.879 --> 00:04:31.199
We end up using Ziploc bags for the windows.
00:04:32.399 --> 00:04:34.000
So it looks pretty cool.
00:04:34.160 --> 00:04:35.519
I was the teacher once too.
00:04:35.759 --> 00:04:36.480
Oh, really?
00:04:36.639 --> 00:04:41.600
Yeah, I was I used to work for the Board of Ed, I was as a power professional for eight years.
00:04:41.920 --> 00:04:42.959
Oh wow.
00:04:43.280 --> 00:04:46.560
Did that did that help you uh in your current role?
00:04:46.720 --> 00:04:55.120
Like with dealing with it helps me in my career, yeah, because I I'm in a male-dominated field, and I always say this not to offend you or anything, but men are just like kids.
00:04:55.439 --> 00:04:57.759
Yeah, no, my that's what my wife says.
00:04:59.439 --> 00:05:03.040
So, yeah, so it's like it definitely helped me.
00:05:03.680 --> 00:05:11.040
Yeah, that's that's awesome that you were able to build on, you know, to bring those skills into the next thing.
00:05:11.920 --> 00:05:20.959
So I think you already answered how do you start your work day, but uh, you said you know, 4 30, that's pretty early, and then you have to get out and be there early too.
00:05:21.199 --> 00:05:21.439
Right.
00:05:21.840 --> 00:05:23.600
Is getting around New York hard?
00:05:23.759 --> 00:05:27.040
Uh, you know, or is it that's it's so early that it's not that hard?
00:05:27.360 --> 00:05:28.240
It depends.
00:05:28.399 --> 00:05:30.480
It's more so like the parking.
00:05:30.560 --> 00:05:31.840
I would rather work in the city.
00:05:31.920 --> 00:05:36.319
Right now I'm working in Westchester Hospital, so it doesn't really like um affect me that much.
00:05:36.480 --> 00:05:45.840
But if I'm working in the city, I prefer to take public transportation than drive in because it's it's the parking is hard, the congestion fees, the traffic.
00:05:46.080 --> 00:05:48.319
So I just rather take public transportation.
00:05:48.560 --> 00:05:52.240
Uh speaking of you know, the hospital, and you mentioned you're in the ER today.
00:05:52.319 --> 00:05:56.720
Was it a work-related injury or was it did you go to the Westchester hospital?
00:05:57.200 --> 00:05:58.240
No, thank god no.
00:05:58.400 --> 00:06:03.040
No, I ended up going like 15 minutes away to my home hospital, which is New York Presbyterian.
00:06:03.280 --> 00:06:05.200
They had a another, yeah.
00:06:05.520 --> 00:06:11.280
You know, you have a lot of things going on, but I want to highlight your large social media following.
00:06:11.520 --> 00:06:21.759
Can you share what your Instagram name is and what kinds of things you post about, or any and any other um for uh formats that you're on besides Instagram?
00:06:22.000 --> 00:06:33.439
Yes, my Instagram name is Francisca F-R-A-N-C-I-S-C-A dot Pamela P-A-M-E-L-A underscore X O.
00:06:33.759 --> 00:06:36.160
So it's my first name, my middle name, and then X-O.
00:06:36.400 --> 00:06:37.360
I'm a content creator.
00:06:37.439 --> 00:06:42.720
I just became a content creator back in, I want to say March.
00:06:43.840 --> 00:06:57.280
Um, I was part of this cohort, yeah, the hard reset cohort where we talk about politics, the workforce, women's rights, um, immigration.
00:06:59.360 --> 00:07:02.640
So I do a little bit of everything on my Instagram.
00:07:03.120 --> 00:07:06.879
I'm a lefty, so I touch base on that.
00:07:08.000 --> 00:07:11.920
So that's pretty much what my social media is about.
00:07:12.160 --> 00:07:23.200
It's more, it's like curving events, what's going on, what I don't agree with, or when they put false news out, I try to make it factual.
00:07:24.000 --> 00:07:31.600
What uh what kinds of projects uh while you're working are the most annoying or most dangerous?
00:07:32.319 --> 00:07:35.200
Um, I want to say the most annoying is the bathroom.
00:07:35.360 --> 00:07:40.400
I feel like every time I I speak about my job, I always say this it's the bathroom.
00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:42.640
The bathroom is the most annoying part.
00:07:42.879 --> 00:07:51.040
Either I have to fight, not I don't really have to fight because it's the law in New York City for a woman to have this upper bathroom and for it to have a lock.
00:07:51.280 --> 00:07:53.200
But normally I'm like the only woman there.
00:07:53.280 --> 00:07:58.080
So when I get to the job, we don't I don't have a bathroom, so they have to get me a bathroom.
00:07:58.720 --> 00:08:00.400
So that's the most annoying part.
00:08:00.560 --> 00:08:01.360
It's the bathroom.
00:08:01.439 --> 00:08:08.400
And then if they do get a bathroom and they say I'm working on a high-story building, I would normally have to go all the way down to use the bathroom.
00:08:08.560 --> 00:08:16.800
So if I'm working 50, 60 floors up, and there's only one bathroom for me, I would have to get on a hoist and come all the way down.
00:08:16.879 --> 00:08:18.720
So it will always be the bathroom.
00:08:18.960 --> 00:08:20.319
Do you say get on a horse?
00:08:20.560 --> 00:08:21.759
I'm the hoist, hoist.
00:08:21.920 --> 00:08:23.040
Oh, the elevator.
00:08:23.200 --> 00:08:25.439
Oh so it's a hoist, like the hoist.
00:08:25.520 --> 00:08:26.560
That's what we call them.
00:08:26.879 --> 00:08:29.920
Oh wow, yeah, that's a that's a terrible pain in the neck.
00:08:30.240 --> 00:08:31.200
That sucks.
00:08:31.920 --> 00:08:38.319
Um, has the new mayor uh have you felt any differences at work with the new mayor?
00:08:38.639 --> 00:08:42.240
He wants a union town, so a un a union build town.
00:08:42.319 --> 00:08:45.919
So I guess it's gonna work in our favor for those that are in the union, yeah.
00:08:46.080 --> 00:08:47.679
So we're gonna get more jobs.
00:08:47.759 --> 00:08:50.960
So with that part, I'm excited about that's good.
00:08:51.039 --> 00:08:59.039
Yeah, he seems to be busy with like doing stuff, so that's yes, yes, and positive busy, not negative busy.
00:08:59.439 --> 00:08:59.919
Yeah, yeah.
00:09:00.000 --> 00:09:01.919
Trump is definitely negative busy.
00:09:02.159 --> 00:09:07.439
Yes, he's negative busy, he's definitely very negative busy.
00:09:08.319 --> 00:09:12.000
So, yeah, so if you get on my social media, that's what you'll find.
00:09:12.080 --> 00:09:26.399
You'll find a lot of anti-Trump stuff, and it's not because um I hate the guy or whatever, it's just what he brings to the table, and then what the battery he puts on people's back that think they're right when they're not right.
00:09:27.679 --> 00:09:29.120
That's what's bothersome.
00:09:29.840 --> 00:09:31.600
That's an excellent way of putting it.
00:09:31.679 --> 00:09:38.960
He does like energize people who otherwise might just be, you know, their batteries dead, or like uh they're just calm.
00:09:39.120 --> 00:09:43.360
But yeah, he's firing up people for the wrong reasons, yes, for the wrong reasons, correct?
00:09:43.519 --> 00:09:44.159
Yeah.
00:09:45.120 --> 00:09:54.879
Um how you spoke about having to take the hoist down for the bathroom and how that's one of the most annoying things.
00:09:55.039 --> 00:10:03.039
Is there is there when you're that high up, is is there danger in just like getting around?
00:10:03.279 --> 00:10:04.879
Oh yes, there is always danger.
00:10:04.960 --> 00:10:10.560
Is danger on the floor because there's a lot of holes, there's a lot of pipes that have to be put in, or there's wood.
00:10:10.800 --> 00:10:17.519
But it's what I always tell people like I'm normally on the edge of the building, so I'm because we have to put the curtain wall and we have to put the windows in.
00:10:17.600 --> 00:10:21.039
So you you're basically hanging off the edge of the building.
00:10:21.279 --> 00:10:26.080
And what I say is like I don't have a fear of heights, but I respect it.
00:10:26.399 --> 00:10:26.960
Hmm.
00:10:27.360 --> 00:10:32.000
You know, like I don't maybe when I first started, I was scared.
00:10:32.240 --> 00:10:34.480
I want to say, because I'm not Superwoman.
00:10:34.560 --> 00:10:39.120
Of course, anybody that's gonna be 130 floors up is gonna get scared.
00:10:39.279 --> 00:10:40.960
But I I learned to respect it.
00:10:41.120 --> 00:10:49.680
I learned to double check that I'm tied off, I learned to be aware of my surroundings, um, be in tune with my co-workers.
00:10:49.840 --> 00:10:56.399
So because the goal at the end of the day is to make it home, and to make it home with your 10 toes, 10 fingers.
00:10:57.200 --> 00:11:00.000
So I that's one thing.
00:11:00.320 --> 00:11:09.600
But and they say that the number one fatality is electrocution, and you have to be careful with the wires.
00:11:10.399 --> 00:11:11.440
That's pretty much it.
00:11:14.159 --> 00:11:14.480
Okay.
00:11:15.039 --> 00:11:23.600
What was your what moment in your career was like your I made it and I I feel like I know what I'm doing now kind of moment?
00:11:24.320 --> 00:11:32.639
I don't want to say that I feel like I made it yet, because I I don't think it's like a uh made it thing.
00:11:32.720 --> 00:11:49.840
I feel like this moment in my career, I feel like because they're not there's not a lot of women in my union and I put it out there, um, I feel like the retention is gonna be higher.
00:11:50.960 --> 00:11:56.960
That's when I feel like uh a maiden moment, if that makes any sense.
00:11:57.279 --> 00:12:15.200
Yeah, so like with with all the work you're doing, uh not only on the job, but off the clock, highlighting your career and the benefits of this career and union membership and and standing tall uh as a woman in the trade, you feel like you're changing the whole thing.
00:12:15.360 --> 00:12:18.879
Yes, like I'm exposing, I'm exposing something that was hitting.
00:12:19.200 --> 00:12:19.600
Yeah.
00:12:19.840 --> 00:12:20.720
Like that's how I feel.
00:12:20.800 --> 00:12:22.159
Like I'm exposing something that was hitting.
00:12:22.240 --> 00:12:24.080
Like, if I can do it, you can do it too.
00:12:24.240 --> 00:12:39.039
But I'm also exposing the bad part of it and how to get over the bad part because it's not all peachy, it's definitely not all peachy, but you gotta come in with a strong character and a positive attitude, and trust me, woman will make it out here.
00:12:39.279 --> 00:12:42.000
There's there's room for women to make it.
00:12:43.039 --> 00:12:44.320
That's really powerful.
00:12:45.440 --> 00:12:51.200
Can you describe an annoying coworker or boss that you've had and like what what happened with that?
00:12:52.720 --> 00:12:56.240
Um men, men spleening.
00:12:56.720 --> 00:12:59.039
That's my biggest pet peeve.
00:12:59.440 --> 00:13:15.759
Like if you if we're doing something and you should you suggest something, and then just because you're the woman in the group, they don't take it, but then at the end of the day, at the end of the moment, they have to use your idea, but they still won't give you credit for it.
00:13:15.840 --> 00:13:19.920
It's like, oh, okay, like that part is annoying.
00:13:20.159 --> 00:13:22.639
And how do how how do I hit deal with it?
00:13:22.720 --> 00:13:25.120
It's like I know now for the next time.
00:13:26.240 --> 00:13:28.080
Like I know now for the next time.
00:13:28.159 --> 00:13:29.279
Like I just learned my lesson.
00:13:29.440 --> 00:13:31.840
Like I know who and who not who not to.
00:13:32.080 --> 00:13:37.920
Like I know who who's rooting for me to be there and who who's rooting for me not to be there.
00:13:38.159 --> 00:13:38.720
That's good.
00:13:38.879 --> 00:13:41.840
And I just stay away for those for away from those people.
00:13:42.800 --> 00:13:43.680
Yeah, that's good.
00:13:43.759 --> 00:13:50.000
Sometimes staying away is like the the only option or the best option of the few that you but don't get me wrong, too.
00:13:50.080 --> 00:13:50.639
Don't get me wrong.
00:13:50.720 --> 00:13:52.159
Like, I also stand my ground.
00:13:52.320 --> 00:14:01.360
Like I always would say something like, hey, like you cross the line, or you're not listening to me, and it's because I'm the woman in the group.
00:14:01.519 --> 00:14:08.800
Like I make him known, but then I just like you're somebody that I I would rather stay away from.
00:14:09.120 --> 00:14:12.320
Like we can act cordial, but I'm just gonna stay away from you.
00:14:12.399 --> 00:14:14.399
Like, cause you gotta find your tribe.
00:14:14.560 --> 00:14:23.519
You as a woman, you have to find your tribe in trades because it it it can if mess can I curse?
00:14:23.759 --> 00:14:24.240
Yeah.
00:14:24.639 --> 00:14:28.159
Okay, it could fuck up your mental real bad.
00:14:29.039 --> 00:14:30.480
Real, real bad.
00:14:32.320 --> 00:14:44.240
What are what kinds of things would you tell like if you if there was another woman starting on your in your group, like on uh what do you call it, like a team or like what do you gang?
00:14:44.480 --> 00:14:52.800
Your gang, like if it's a woman joined your gang, like maybe she was an apprentice or you know, she's tr transitioned for some other unit.
00:14:53.039 --> 00:14:57.120
Um, what would what would uh what would you tell her?
00:14:57.519 --> 00:14:59.600
First thing is be true to yourself.
00:14:59.840 --> 00:15:03.600
It's okay to tell them no if it's not safe.
00:15:03.680 --> 00:15:04.560
It's it's okay.
00:15:04.720 --> 00:15:06.320
It's okay to speak back.
00:15:06.800 --> 00:15:15.120
Normally we're told, like, if we do like pre-apprentice programs, like I did one, I did a pre-apprent uh pre-apprentice program before getting into the union.
00:15:15.600 --> 00:15:23.920
Um, they normally teach women to from the neck down to you be to your journey out, don't speak.
00:15:24.320 --> 00:15:26.320
And I'm like, no, that's not how it is.
00:15:26.480 --> 00:15:32.560
You have to speak up, you have to defend yourself, you have to hold your ground, you have to know that you're not one of the guys.
00:15:32.879 --> 00:15:37.920
Stay away from drugs and don't sleep with anybody.
00:15:38.240 --> 00:15:49.519
So the I like I actually have a post, a part one and a part two of things I would have known when I was an apprentice, things I wouldn't I would I wish I would have known when I was when I started.
00:15:51.039 --> 00:15:56.159
And those are some of the things that I write about or not to look for validation.
00:15:57.600 --> 00:16:00.399
Wow, that's those are some very wise things.
00:16:02.080 --> 00:16:14.800
Yeah, especially wise because like you had to learn that yourself because if the in the pre-apprenticeship they're teaching you, like, oh, you gotta be quiet, you gotta like wait, you gotta just like say yes and and listen and stuff.
00:16:15.039 --> 00:16:21.920
That's uh it's must have been tough to have to come to a different conclusion yourself in order to persevere.
00:16:22.159 --> 00:16:22.720
Yes.
00:16:23.039 --> 00:16:32.800
Can you describe a finished project or a success I'm sure you have many successes and and projects you're proud of, but can you describe one of the ones that comes to mind?
00:16:33.039 --> 00:16:39.920
Like my first job, which was Central Park Tower, the one the building you can see from anywhere in New York City.
00:16:40.240 --> 00:16:41.360
It was my first job.
00:16:41.519 --> 00:16:44.720
I did basically almost my whole apprenticeship there.
00:16:45.279 --> 00:16:52.080
Um it was cold, it was hot, it was hard, it was easy, it was fun.
00:16:52.320 --> 00:16:53.440
I learned a lot.
00:16:53.680 --> 00:16:58.480
I met a lot of guys there that right now there are my brothers.
00:16:59.039 --> 00:17:03.039
Um that's the job that I'm most proud of.
00:17:03.600 --> 00:17:06.559
And then second to that is the spiral building.
00:17:06.639 --> 00:17:07.599
I don't know if you heard of it.
00:17:07.759 --> 00:17:08.960
It's all that, yeah.
00:17:09.039 --> 00:17:10.720
It's oh, it's in Hudson Yards.
00:17:10.799 --> 00:17:13.680
It has a whole bunch of it has the balcony all over.
00:17:14.639 --> 00:17:17.279
That's the the building I journeyed out on.
00:17:17.519 --> 00:17:20.480
So that's that's also one that I hold to your tomorrow.
00:17:21.359 --> 00:17:24.720
So you so these projects they take time, right?
00:17:24.799 --> 00:17:26.879
Like you said that you worked in the hot and the cold.
00:17:27.039 --> 00:17:31.599
Did the Central Park Tower did that last through like the winter and the summer?
00:17:31.839 --> 00:17:33.519
Yeah, I was there for three years.
00:17:33.759 --> 00:17:34.720
Oh wow, yeah.
00:17:34.960 --> 00:17:41.279
That building took forever to build because if it's high winds, the hoist won't go up.
00:17:42.000 --> 00:17:45.599
So we can't get on top, we can't get to the top to work.
00:17:45.920 --> 00:17:50.319
If it was um, if it was too cold, I know there was a time in December.
00:17:50.399 --> 00:18:01.279
There was one year in December where it snowed, and there was literally like chunks of ice falling from the building that they had to close 57th Street, 58th Street, like all around.
00:18:02.159 --> 00:18:05.599
They had to close the streets because it was falling.
00:18:05.680 --> 00:18:15.200
So we didn't work for like the whole month of December, I think that year, I only worked maybe 18, 20 hours.
00:18:15.440 --> 00:18:16.000
Oh wow.
00:18:16.079 --> 00:18:20.720
Is your is your pay like how is your pay based in situations like that?
00:18:21.119 --> 00:18:23.279
We if we if you don't work, you don't get paid.
00:18:25.839 --> 00:18:29.920
So you don't work if so if you don't work, you don't get paid.
00:18:30.079 --> 00:18:31.759
But we get paid really well.
00:18:31.920 --> 00:18:37.120
I mean, not so much as an apprentice now because they have all these programs because we they're trying to compete with non-union.
00:18:37.360 --> 00:18:40.079
So you gotta bite the bullet when you're an apprentice.
00:18:40.160 --> 00:18:42.960
But once you journey out, like we make good money.
00:18:43.279 --> 00:18:47.360
And they basically we make good money and they basically like save for you.
00:18:47.440 --> 00:19:03.039
Like, I mean, if you're not if you don't know how to save and you're not good on saving, you would get one, I mean, at least for my local, you will get one large sum check every May, which they call it a vacation check.
00:19:03.279 --> 00:19:10.079
It's money that they put aside for you uh hourly, and you get it every May.
00:19:10.400 --> 00:19:13.680
And right now it's almost$16 for us.
00:19:14.319 --> 00:19:17.599
So imagine accumulating$16 an hour.
00:19:18.240 --> 00:19:30.400
And whenever you work overtime, it's double or it's time and a half, and all that money is going into this vacation check, aka savings, and you get it every May.
00:19:30.720 --> 00:19:32.960
So do the math roughly.
00:19:33.039 --> 00:19:36.000
Like if you work a thousand hours, that's an easy$20,000.
00:19:36.079 --> 00:19:44.000
If you do, if you work$2,000, you know, and it goes up and up, like it's an incentive because we don't get paid if we don't go to work.
00:19:44.240 --> 00:19:44.559
Okay.
00:19:44.960 --> 00:19:48.000
And but you do get there are some opportunities for overtime.
00:19:48.240 --> 00:19:50.400
Yeah, there's definitely opportunities for overtime.
00:19:50.720 --> 00:19:59.279
The job is rushed, or and it's not like your no your regular overtime where you got you have to work 40 hours and then anything after that is overtime.
00:19:59.360 --> 00:20:01.440
No, that's not how it works for us.
00:20:01.680 --> 00:20:09.519
Like you do eight hours, and any uh any any two hours after that is time and a half, and whatever's after those two hours is double.
00:20:09.680 --> 00:20:12.720
It's daily, it's not like you don't have to work 40 hours.
00:20:12.880 --> 00:20:13.759
So you work eight hours.
00:20:13.839 --> 00:20:20.400
Let's say they ask you to work Monday, eight hours, and they tell you, Oh, you oh, um, Fran, you gotta do three extra hours today.
00:20:20.480 --> 00:20:22.160
We're staying, we're we're doing seven, twelve.
00:20:22.400 --> 00:20:23.839
No, what is it that we call it?
00:20:24.160 --> 00:20:26.160
Fran, we're doing 11 hours today.
00:20:26.480 --> 00:20:27.200
Oh, bet.
00:20:27.440 --> 00:20:33.519
Eight hours is regular time, two hours after that is time and a half, the third hour is double.
00:20:34.640 --> 00:20:36.319
Wow, yeah, that's pretty good.
00:20:37.680 --> 00:20:40.000
And do they let you know ahead of time?
00:20:40.400 --> 00:20:41.279
They let you know.
00:20:41.360 --> 00:20:43.039
They try before lunch.
00:20:43.200 --> 00:20:44.319
They try.
00:20:45.120 --> 00:20:47.680
What kind of training did you need to start?
00:20:47.759 --> 00:20:50.240
Like, how did you learn about the pre-apprenticeship program?
00:20:50.319 --> 00:20:52.079
And what kind of stuff did you learn there?
00:20:52.400 --> 00:21:00.880
So when I was working in the Board of Vet, one of my co-workers was like, No, I think he said was she said, This is program that gets you a job into construction.
00:21:01.200 --> 00:21:03.360
I didn't know, mind you, I didn't know anything about the trains.
00:21:03.599 --> 00:21:08.880
So this is a program that gets you a job into construction and you get six figures a year.
00:21:09.200 --> 00:21:10.079
I was like, Word?
00:21:10.240 --> 00:21:11.680
I was like, let's call and find out.
00:21:11.759 --> 00:21:13.680
So I called at the moment I called them.
00:21:13.839 --> 00:21:17.920
We're like, Oh, yeah, it's a six weeks program, but you don't get paid during the program.
00:21:18.000 --> 00:21:19.519
And I was like, Oh, I can't leave my job.
00:21:19.599 --> 00:21:22.240
I have kids, you know, I can't leave my job.
00:21:22.480 --> 00:21:25.759
So I'm going to this program and not get paid.
00:21:26.000 --> 00:21:31.519
But then um, I ended up having my second child, and I was breastfeeding.
00:21:32.000 --> 00:21:35.279
And when I went back to the board of ed, they were giving me a hard time.
00:21:35.440 --> 00:21:36.400
And I was like, you know what?
00:21:36.480 --> 00:21:40.559
I'm gonna take an absence of leave, take care of my child, spend time with my child.
00:21:40.799 --> 00:21:44.319
When it was time to come back, I was like, I don't think I really want to go back to the board of ed.
00:21:44.640 --> 00:21:50.240
And I remember about the program, so I called the program, and the program was like, Yeah, it's uh six weeks.
00:21:50.400 --> 00:21:53.839
Um, you get direct, you get direct entry into any trade.
00:21:54.000 --> 00:21:58.640
When I went to the program, I thought I was gonna be an electrician because that's the only trade that I knew about.
00:21:58.880 --> 00:22:07.519
But then they broke down every trade that there is, and then they also like see what's fit for you, like what work, what, what will work out for you.
00:22:07.680 --> 00:22:14.000
And it was like, and I was like, so when I learned about the iron workers, there's actually three, four ironworker locals in New York City.
00:22:14.240 --> 00:22:22.880
One of them is the rebar, the other one's structural, the third one is rigging and dark main, and then ornamental, which is the one that I'm in.
00:22:23.279 --> 00:22:27.440
And they were like, oh, you'll be you'll be a fit, you'll be great for ornamental.
00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:33.200
And that's how I got into local 580 was through that program.
00:22:33.839 --> 00:22:36.799
What attracted you to the ornamental one?
00:22:37.039 --> 00:22:43.360
I guess uh so I'm gonna break down the local for you, the the iron worker union in New York City.
00:22:43.440 --> 00:22:50.799
Because not in every state, it's not like this, but structural is like you picture your a body, right?
00:22:50.880 --> 00:22:55.200
You picture a body, structural is like the bones in the body, so that's one union.
00:22:55.440 --> 00:23:06.400
Then you have rebar, and that's like the veins and the muscles, and then you have your skin, and that's the ornamental, that's the pretty work.
00:23:06.960 --> 00:23:12.559
So that's what drawn me to the ornamental ironwork is the out the outside of the body, basically.
00:23:12.720 --> 00:23:15.440
So what I build is the outside of the building.
00:23:16.160 --> 00:23:17.039
Wow, so you're doing it.
00:23:17.200 --> 00:23:19.440
What everybody sees, what everybody sees.
00:23:20.240 --> 00:23:23.680
It's like is it a little bit more nuanced, a little bit more fine?
00:23:24.000 --> 00:23:24.240
Yeah.
00:23:25.120 --> 00:23:26.799
What how did you learn welding?
00:23:26.880 --> 00:23:28.640
Was it in the uh in the school?
00:23:28.880 --> 00:23:29.519
They teach you.
00:23:29.680 --> 00:23:30.960
No, in the apprenticeship.
00:23:31.039 --> 00:23:31.680
You go to school.
00:23:31.759 --> 00:23:33.200
I went to school for four years.
00:23:33.440 --> 00:23:35.519
My first year was my foot in the door.
00:23:35.599 --> 00:23:36.960
They teach you a little bit about everything.
00:23:37.039 --> 00:23:38.640
Your second year is welding.
00:23:38.880 --> 00:23:44.799
Your third year is um blueprint work, and your fourth year is finished work.
00:23:45.039 --> 00:23:46.720
And that part is paid, right?
00:23:47.039 --> 00:23:51.519
Yes, because you go to you work in the morning and then you go to school two days out of the week.
00:23:51.839 --> 00:23:54.160
Do people change careers into this field?
00:23:54.240 --> 00:24:03.120
Like, I know you're an example for sure, but like are do other people also sort of leave some other career that they had imagined staying in?
00:24:03.360 --> 00:24:08.559
Yeah, there's a lot of there's a social worker, there's a woman social worker that just came in.
00:24:09.360 --> 00:24:12.400
Um she just graduated not too long ago.
00:24:12.640 --> 00:24:20.319
Yeah, there's a lot that we have FTNY, we have policemen, we have MTA workers, we have teachers.
00:24:21.360 --> 00:24:24.000
Yeah, a whole bunch of different careers changes.
00:24:24.240 --> 00:24:25.039
That's cool.
00:24:25.279 --> 00:24:27.599
What are some of you mentioned welding?
00:24:27.759 --> 00:24:30.079
Uh what are some of the other tools of the trade?
00:24:30.160 --> 00:24:37.360
Like, can you describe some of the types of welding or other tools for someone maybe that's not familiar with any of them?
00:24:37.759 --> 00:24:43.839
For welding, you have TIG, MIG, stick, a whole bunch of different stainless steel welding.
00:24:45.360 --> 00:24:49.039
That's what we use for the stairs and for the lobby work.
00:24:49.200 --> 00:24:50.720
We use bronze.
00:24:51.759 --> 00:25:02.319
And then um for what, like if you're putting up curtain wall, you use anywhere between a beater and a pry bar.
00:25:03.279 --> 00:25:06.319
What is uh uh what does curtain wall mean?
00:25:07.120 --> 00:25:07.759
Windows.
00:25:07.920 --> 00:25:08.400
Oh, okay.
00:25:08.559 --> 00:25:10.880
I know I keep saying curtain wall, sorry, windows.
00:25:10.960 --> 00:25:18.880
What people see what people see as windows, what people see when when you say, Oh, look at the windows are nice, that's what we call curtain wall.
00:25:18.960 --> 00:25:20.000
That's called curtain wall.
00:25:20.079 --> 00:25:21.839
That's the real word for when for the windows.
00:25:22.079 --> 00:25:33.440
Oh, and you said you said a beater, a beater is a hammer, so the ha a beater, the the three or four types of welding, and what else was it?
00:25:33.759 --> 00:25:43.120
Try bar, it's like a crowbar, you can use that, ratchet straps, um come alongs, come alongs?
00:25:43.920 --> 00:25:45.039
Yeah, come alongs.
00:25:45.120 --> 00:25:48.799
It's like when you pull the curtain wall.
00:25:49.039 --> 00:25:50.640
When you try to pull the curtain wall.
00:25:50.880 --> 00:25:53.599
Oh chainfall when you try to pull it down.
00:25:54.160 --> 00:25:56.400
We use a whole bunch of different type of tools.
00:25:56.720 --> 00:26:05.759
Have you ever had a moment where I imagine since some of what you're doing is you're like destroying things and like building things, right?
00:26:05.839 --> 00:26:09.440
Like you kind of have to like set things apart and then also put them together.
00:26:10.000 --> 00:26:10.799
Correct.
00:26:11.120 --> 00:26:12.720
Have you ever made a mistake?
00:26:12.880 --> 00:26:16.880
Like where you were like, oh shit, like I didn't mean to do that.
00:26:18.640 --> 00:26:20.960
Um, of course, I've made many mistakes.
00:26:21.200 --> 00:26:27.360
Yeah, but like, yeah, I don't mean like a big safety mistake or something, but just like a oh man, I'm gonna have to redo that.
00:26:28.160 --> 00:26:31.200
Well, when you caulk, we use a lot of caulking.
00:26:31.360 --> 00:26:34.000
So we do use a lot of caulking and it gets messy.
00:26:34.160 --> 00:26:37.519
So if you don't know how to use it, you could dirty a whole lot of shit.
00:26:37.599 --> 00:26:40.319
So that like you gotta clean it really well.
00:26:40.559 --> 00:26:42.319
It's a process when you caulk too.
00:26:42.400 --> 00:26:43.759
It's not you just put the caulk down.
00:26:43.839 --> 00:26:52.319
No, you have to clean it, you have to put a primer, you have to wait till it cures to hang the next window over it.
00:26:53.440 --> 00:26:58.559
They normally the joke is we say is New York City is built on cork and screws.
00:27:00.079 --> 00:27:00.960
That's what we say.
00:27:01.200 --> 00:27:03.279
When you're because we use a lot of cork.
00:27:03.440 --> 00:27:03.920
Yeah.
00:27:04.160 --> 00:27:08.319
When you're working on the beginning of a project, can you imagine what it's gonna look like?
00:27:08.480 --> 00:27:14.720
Like, do you get to see the blueprint or in like maybe like uh imagined photos and and drawings?
00:27:14.960 --> 00:27:19.279
Yes, we get to see we get to see the blueprint, we get to see the picture that they normally put.
00:27:19.599 --> 00:27:30.160
I I don't know if you ever worked, if you ever walked by a construction um site, normally they put the picture of what it's supposed to look like before it's even up and does that on those boards.
00:27:30.480 --> 00:27:31.920
Is that like accurate?
00:27:33.360 --> 00:27:36.960
Um not to a T, but it's similar.
00:27:37.360 --> 00:27:44.400
But if you ever start, like if you start a job and then you stay there till it finishes, it's crazy.
00:27:44.720 --> 00:27:51.680
It's right now West of the Westchester hospital that I'm in, it's like we it's the beginning of it's the beginning of the beginning.
00:27:51.920 --> 00:28:00.799
So it's like wow, and then we've been putting in, I've been there for three weeks now, and we've been putting in um curtain wall, curtain wall, and now it looks different.
00:28:00.880 --> 00:28:04.160
Now it's starting to look like a building, now it's starting to look like a hospital.
00:28:04.240 --> 00:28:06.000
Like now you could picture it.
00:28:06.400 --> 00:28:13.200
So are you making like the um curtain walls for patient rooms?
00:28:13.519 --> 00:28:15.039
That's that's finished work.
00:28:15.120 --> 00:28:18.240
So once um, we're doing the one, we're doing the outside work first.
00:28:18.480 --> 00:28:22.319
It's also the it's always the outside work first, and then the inside.
00:28:22.559 --> 00:28:27.839
Actually, what some of my guys are doing, they're building the radio the where they do the x-rays.
00:28:27.920 --> 00:28:30.720
Yeah, they so that's that.
00:28:31.279 --> 00:28:37.360
Um, sorry, those rooms are made out of steel first, which you won't see.
00:28:37.440 --> 00:28:41.279
You would think it's just a wall, but no, it's steel first.
00:28:41.920 --> 00:28:44.319
So it's a special type of steel.
00:28:44.640 --> 00:28:47.200
So those the radiation won't get out that room.
00:28:47.440 --> 00:28:48.720
So it's like welded.
00:28:48.799 --> 00:28:51.920
That whole, there's like, I think it's eight, a total of eight rooms.
00:28:52.000 --> 00:28:58.079
That's eight rooms is gonna be um x-ray rooms in the hospital in that wing of the hospital.
00:28:58.319 --> 00:28:58.640
Oh wow.
00:28:58.720 --> 00:29:03.920
So the x-ray, these rooms with those types of imaging, they have special construction.
00:29:04.240 --> 00:29:06.480
They have special, yes, they have special construction.
00:29:07.120 --> 00:29:11.680
So the radii, so the radiation won't leave the the room.
00:29:12.000 --> 00:29:13.279
Oh, I never thought of that.
00:29:13.519 --> 00:29:16.640
So you're yeah, I was gonna ask what kind of training did you need to start?
00:29:16.799 --> 00:29:19.599
Can you just maybe talk about something that was like fun to learn?
00:29:19.759 --> 00:29:21.920
Like what was a fun thing to learn?
00:29:22.240 --> 00:29:25.599
Everything was fun to learn because I've never worked with tools before in my life.
00:29:25.759 --> 00:29:29.680
Remember, I come from the board of education to working with tools was just crazy to me.
00:29:29.839 --> 00:29:30.079
Yeah.
00:29:30.319 --> 00:29:37.039
And reading a tape measure, like finally, I can say that fractions make sense.
00:29:38.400 --> 00:29:43.120
I did not, I couldn't get fraction for the life of me when I was in school.
00:29:43.599 --> 00:29:45.360
And now it made sense.
00:29:45.599 --> 00:29:47.120
Why do you think that is?
00:29:47.440 --> 00:29:50.400
Because I guess I'm a visual learner and I see it.
00:29:50.480 --> 00:29:57.839
Like I know what's a 32nd, I know what's an eighth, I know what's a quarter, I know how much I gotta come up or I gotta come down.
00:29:58.079 --> 00:29:58.720
Wow, that's cool.
00:29:58.880 --> 00:30:04.480
I know which one is greater, I know which one is greater, 316 or three quarters.
00:30:04.720 --> 00:30:06.160
That part I really like.
00:30:06.319 --> 00:30:08.079
It was that part was mind-blowing to me.
00:30:08.160 --> 00:30:13.039
Like once I put it when once I put it was put together, I was like, oh, so this is what fraction is.
00:30:13.200 --> 00:30:14.000
I was like, Yes.
00:30:14.319 --> 00:30:14.880
Nice, yeah.
00:30:14.960 --> 00:30:19.360
That's that's fun to see those eye-opening moments in in your in your life.
00:30:19.519 --> 00:30:23.039
You know, like I I enjoy it when I can learn something new.
00:30:23.279 --> 00:30:26.640
Yes, but you gotta put yourself in a place where you're able to.
00:30:26.799 --> 00:30:27.839
Some people don't do that.
00:30:28.799 --> 00:30:29.200
Yes.
00:30:29.440 --> 00:30:33.599
Can you describe uh how being in a union has affected your career?
00:30:34.000 --> 00:30:35.599
How has affected my career?
00:30:35.759 --> 00:30:43.759
It brought in like sort of like a tribe, like like a unity, a brotherhood, a sisterhood.
00:30:44.480 --> 00:30:48.319
Like I'm I belong somewhere and I'm proud of it.
00:30:48.400 --> 00:30:51.279
And everyone that's there is proud of it too.
00:30:51.519 --> 00:30:54.000
So we like we take pride in our work.
00:30:54.240 --> 00:31:02.079
So that part of it of being in the union is what's the most rewarding part, is that we take pride in our work.
00:31:02.799 --> 00:31:07.839
Like we make sure to do things correctly because it it reflects on us.
00:31:08.079 --> 00:31:18.400
And kid you not, excuse me, I've been out of state at women's conferences for the trades, and everyone knows who's local 580.
00:31:18.960 --> 00:31:19.279
Oh, right.
00:31:19.519 --> 00:31:20.799
Like we're so well respected.
00:31:21.039 --> 00:31:26.480
Yeah, we're so well respected out of New York City that it's it's amazing.
00:31:26.640 --> 00:31:34.559
And we get treated so well, we get talked about so well, everyone wants to speak to us, everyone wants to ask us our work.
00:31:34.720 --> 00:31:35.599
What do we do?
00:31:35.759 --> 00:31:40.319
Even though they do the same thing we do, but not on the scale that we do it.
00:31:40.640 --> 00:31:46.480
Yeah, you're working the some of the biggest buildings in the hemisphere, so that's uh very impressive.
00:31:47.519 --> 00:31:48.079
Yes.
00:31:48.400 --> 00:31:50.319
So that part that's rewarding.
00:31:50.400 --> 00:31:52.240
That's that's um that feels amazing.
00:31:52.480 --> 00:32:02.880
And so you you mentioned that being in a union is a nice uh uh togetherness, like a brotherhood or a family, or um, you know, you have this sense of belonging for sure.
00:32:03.200 --> 00:32:08.640
Can you describe you mentioned that you're usually the only woman on the job.
00:32:09.039 --> 00:32:14.319
Can you describe a time when you felt alone at work for whatever reason?
00:32:15.200 --> 00:32:16.559
At the beginning of a job.
00:32:16.960 --> 00:32:20.799
When I was new, it was always at the beginning.
00:32:21.440 --> 00:32:29.759
When I will when I came in new, at the beginning of a job, but then also like I know when they need their space.
00:32:29.920 --> 00:32:37.200
That feels lonely when you know that you that men need their men time, and it's like I don't take it into offense, like I get it.
00:32:37.360 --> 00:32:44.240
Like I I I get it because sometimes I'm sick of them too, and I need my space, like so.
00:32:44.319 --> 00:32:44.880
I get it.
00:32:45.039 --> 00:32:47.039
Yeah, that's just like a people thing in general.
00:32:47.200 --> 00:32:48.799
Everybody kind of yes.
00:32:49.120 --> 00:32:53.039
What would you say is the scariest part of your job?
00:32:54.319 --> 00:32:59.200
The scariest part of my job, or a thing that you're scared of at work, like for me?
00:33:00.240 --> 00:33:04.720
Yeah, I'm always scared that there's gonna be a fight in my classroom or something that I can't stop.
00:33:05.200 --> 00:33:06.960
Um I've seen that already.
00:33:07.200 --> 00:33:09.120
Or I'll accidentally curse that kids.
00:33:09.599 --> 00:33:10.720
Oh, we curse all day.
00:33:10.880 --> 00:33:11.759
No, we curse all day.
00:33:13.680 --> 00:33:16.480
That's if you don't curse, then we don't trust you.
00:33:18.000 --> 00:33:19.839
No, um, what's the scariest?
00:33:19.920 --> 00:33:23.200
Um forgetting to tie off when you're on the edge of the building.
00:33:23.360 --> 00:33:25.839
It has happened, it happened to me once.
00:33:26.160 --> 00:33:28.319
It definitely happened to me once.
00:33:28.640 --> 00:33:31.920
And I was like working on a cot like near a column.
00:33:32.160 --> 00:33:35.360
So the the space, it was like it was me.
00:33:36.000 --> 00:33:41.680
I was in the middle, so it was like the column and then the edge of the building, and I wasn't tied off.
00:33:42.000 --> 00:33:42.880
That was scary.
00:33:43.039 --> 00:33:47.599
Like I I still get flashbacks, like fuck, what if I like I would have died?
00:33:48.799 --> 00:33:50.079
I would have died.
00:33:51.200 --> 00:33:51.519
Wow.
00:33:51.599 --> 00:33:55.440
And it's you are you mean you're talking about tying you're like a harness to something?
00:33:55.599 --> 00:34:00.079
Like a harness, yes, I'm sorry, like a harness, like tying off to something so I won't fall off the building.
00:34:00.400 --> 00:34:01.440
Wow, yeah.
00:34:01.519 --> 00:34:05.839
So I'm I forgot to tie off my harness and I was on the edge of the building.
00:34:05.920 --> 00:34:12.799
So when I came back in the building, because I was literally outside the building, when I came, I was on like on the on top of the the curtain wall.
00:34:12.960 --> 00:34:18.880
So when I came back in the building and I noticed, oh my goodness, it was like I was for like half an hour, I couldn't work.
00:34:18.960 --> 00:34:19.839
I was so scared.
00:34:19.920 --> 00:34:21.920
I was like, what the fuck?
00:34:22.480 --> 00:34:23.360
Yeah part.
00:34:24.079 --> 00:34:24.719
Wow.
00:34:25.440 --> 00:34:26.480
Yeah, wow.
00:34:26.559 --> 00:34:28.880
So but you noticed and then you quickly did it?
00:34:29.119 --> 00:34:31.440
I noticed and then I took a breather and then I did it.
00:34:31.839 --> 00:34:32.480
Yeah, that's smart.
00:34:32.799 --> 00:34:33.599
It took a second.
00:34:34.559 --> 00:34:37.360
What do you think about when you're at very high elevations?
00:34:37.519 --> 00:34:46.719
I know like the the stereotype or the joke is like don't look down, but like what what do you think about or feel when you're at high elevations?
00:34:47.679 --> 00:34:52.559
I enjoy the view most of the times, and it's like, damn, this is my life.
00:34:52.799 --> 00:34:57.119
Like I've been in the clouds, I've worked in the clouds, like literally in the clouds.
00:34:57.199 --> 00:34:58.799
I have pictures of working in the clouds.
00:34:58.880 --> 00:35:04.639
Like this is like it it's I love what I do, so it's it's rewarding.
00:35:04.960 --> 00:35:06.559
It's very, very rewarding.
00:35:06.880 --> 00:35:15.279
Have you ever experienced either you you've had an accident or you've seen someone else have like a near miss or an accident or injury?
00:35:15.440 --> 00:35:17.199
No, I've never seen anyone fall.
00:35:17.279 --> 00:35:22.239
I've heard, but not like bad in my logo.
00:35:22.400 --> 00:35:27.920
Me myself, I ran over my toes with a scissor lift for not using it properly.
00:35:28.000 --> 00:35:33.920
Like those are the things like you you can only get hurt in this business if you aren't using the things properly.
00:35:34.240 --> 00:35:40.079
Like a I wasn't, I was like, you're supposed to drive the you're supposed to be in the scissor lift to drive it.
00:35:40.320 --> 00:35:45.440
And that morning I decided to not get on the scissor lift and just pulled the control down and try to move it.
00:35:45.519 --> 00:35:47.199
Oh, and I ran over my toe.
00:35:47.360 --> 00:35:49.360
Oh, and I broke both my toes.
00:35:49.440 --> 00:35:49.920
Yeah.
00:35:50.240 --> 00:35:51.599
So I would never do that again.
00:35:51.679 --> 00:35:58.159
Yeah, everybody's like, oh, because you know, people get lazy and they're like, nope, if I'm not gonna get on it to move it, I'm not moving it.
00:35:58.400 --> 00:35:58.719
Okay.
00:35:58.960 --> 00:36:01.360
Well, you learn from it, so yes.
00:36:01.679 --> 00:36:06.320
What is it like being a a mom and a a busy professional, also?
00:36:07.039 --> 00:36:09.039
Um, it's hard.
00:36:09.760 --> 00:36:11.360
It's not easy.
00:36:11.760 --> 00:36:15.840
Because I'm also a single mom, so it's like a lot, I have to do a lot of running around.
00:36:16.000 --> 00:36:19.199
I mean, I already one of my kids is already 21.
00:36:19.440 --> 00:36:20.960
Oh my youngest is 10.
00:36:21.039 --> 00:36:22.159
Yeah, my youngest is 10.
00:36:22.240 --> 00:36:24.159
He's gonna be 11 in September.
00:36:24.400 --> 00:36:36.800
So for my 10-year-olds, I feel bad for him the most because he has to wake up at 4:30 in the morning with me, so I can drop him off at his father's house so his father could take him to school and stuff like that.
00:36:36.880 --> 00:36:39.280
And then I gotta run out of work to come pick him up.
00:36:39.440 --> 00:36:42.719
And if I don't make it to school on time, then someone has to pick him up for me.
00:36:42.880 --> 00:36:48.480
But I've been blessed that it has worked out, even when I'm breaking my head, it still works out.
00:36:48.880 --> 00:36:52.719
Like, what's what's something you're looking forward to or you got planned?
00:36:52.960 --> 00:37:01.840
I'm gonna um I'm gonna keep content creating around my work so we can keep the retention high.
00:37:01.920 --> 00:37:05.599
Cause right now it's like we get the recruitment, but we don't get the retention.
00:37:05.679 --> 00:37:08.240
A lot of people don't, a lot of women don't stay.
00:37:08.960 --> 00:37:19.519
Um, so and trying to get more exposure of what I do out there so women can stay and see the benefits.
00:37:19.599 --> 00:37:23.039
There's a lot of benefits, it's a lot of money to be made, it's not only for men.
00:37:23.440 --> 00:37:29.599
I really enjoyed uh hearing about your story, and I think a lot of other people are gonna learn cool stuff from it.
00:37:29.920 --> 00:37:30.719
Thank you.
00:01:24.799 --> 00:01:26.240
Workers' lives are not easy.
00:01:26.400 --> 00:01:32.960
They balance difficult jobs with the responsibility of family, personal health, hobbies, friends, and thinking about the future.
00:01:33.200 --> 00:01:36.960
More often than not nowadays, they make large and daring career changes.
00:01:37.520 --> 00:01:40.000
Iron worker Francesca is no exception.
00:01:40.240 --> 00:01:43.920
Hours before recording this episode, she rushed to the ER.
00:01:44.800 --> 00:01:50.320
When we were talking, she brushed it off as no big deal, just another complication in the life of an extremely busy worker.
00:01:50.960 --> 00:01:55.200
Even though work isn't easy, it can sometimes be rewarding, exciting, and even fun.
00:01:56.400 --> 00:01:58.240
Francesca works in New York City.
00:01:59.200 --> 00:02:02.560
What kinds of projects do you enjoy working the most?
00:02:03.280 --> 00:02:04.240
Curtain wall.
00:02:04.400 --> 00:02:07.040
And curtain wall, a lot of people don't know what it is.
00:02:07.120 --> 00:02:10.800
So it's like the basically the windows of the buildings.
00:02:11.599 --> 00:02:13.040
Why do you like them?
00:02:13.599 --> 00:02:17.520
Because it's what people see when they visit New York City.
00:02:17.599 --> 00:02:20.000
They visit like to they like to see the skyline.
00:02:20.159 --> 00:02:21.360
So that's what I build.
00:02:21.439 --> 00:02:22.960
I build the New York City skyline.
00:02:23.040 --> 00:02:24.080
So I'm very proud of my work.
00:02:24.159 --> 00:02:24.879
Yeah, that's awesome.
00:02:25.040 --> 00:02:29.600
When I get to see it, that's so cool to be able to see your work after you do it.
00:02:29.920 --> 00:02:33.280
You know, it's visible, it's not like in the computer or something.
00:02:33.920 --> 00:02:34.319
Yes.
00:02:34.480 --> 00:02:38.800
And one of my biggest jobs that I was on is Central Park Tower.
00:02:38.879 --> 00:02:45.680
And it's the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, residential building in the Western Hemisphere, and the second in the world.
00:02:45.840 --> 00:02:46.160
Wow.
00:02:46.319 --> 00:02:48.160
And I can see that building from anywhere.
00:02:48.240 --> 00:02:55.040
I can see it from the White Stone Bridge, from Throg's Neck, from um, what's the other bridge they changed the name?
00:02:55.280 --> 00:02:56.639
The RFK Bridge?
00:02:57.439 --> 00:02:59.280
RFK Bridge from anywhere.
00:02:59.439 --> 00:02:59.920
That's awesome.
00:03:00.079 --> 00:03:04.480
I can even see it from uptown Manhattan when I'm crossing the 181st Street Bridge.
00:03:04.879 --> 00:03:09.120
That's like a uh it's like the city is like a museum to your work.
00:03:10.160 --> 00:03:11.680
Yes, correct, correct.
00:03:11.840 --> 00:03:12.560
That's so cool.
00:03:12.800 --> 00:03:14.160
What's your schedule like?
00:03:14.480 --> 00:03:23.840
So I wake up at four in the morning, get ready, get my house ready, and I have to be at work by seven.
00:03:24.000 --> 00:03:25.840
But if you're on time, you're late.
00:03:25.920 --> 00:03:27.680
So I tried to be there an hour before.
00:03:27.759 --> 00:03:32.000
So I tried to get there by six, depending on location I'm at.
00:03:32.160 --> 00:03:35.920
Because right now I'm at Westchester, Westchester Hospital.
00:03:36.079 --> 00:03:38.240
That's where I'm building, that's where I'm at now.
00:03:38.639 --> 00:03:41.680
Okay, that's where you're working now, the Westchester Hospital.
00:03:41.920 --> 00:03:44.000
Currently, the Westchester Hospital, yes.
00:03:44.079 --> 00:03:46.079
They're building like another wing to it.
00:03:46.319 --> 00:03:51.920
So you can you work for any any type of building, like a hospital or a residential building?
00:03:52.240 --> 00:03:59.680
Hospital, residential, commercial, schools, any government building in the city that's union.
00:04:00.959 --> 00:04:04.079
We do we pretty much we do the pretty work.
00:04:04.160 --> 00:04:08.720
We do the lobby, the the windows, like I said, stairs.
00:04:08.879 --> 00:04:10.639
We build a lot of stairs.
00:04:11.360 --> 00:04:12.560
Oh wow.
00:04:13.360 --> 00:04:26.560
I'm uh I'm a high school ESL teacher, and my students just uh built uh uh for their summer school project, they're doing like an engineering and art project, so they had to design a house, and the stairs were definitely the hardest part.
00:04:26.879 --> 00:04:28.800
Nice, and the windows were also hard.
00:04:28.879 --> 00:04:31.199
We end up using Ziploc bags for the windows.
00:04:32.399 --> 00:04:34.000
So it looks pretty cool.
00:04:34.160 --> 00:04:35.519
I was the teacher once too.
00:04:35.759 --> 00:04:36.480
Oh, really?
00:04:36.639 --> 00:04:41.600
Yeah, I was I used to work for the Board of Ed, I was as a power professional for eight years.
00:04:41.920 --> 00:04:42.959
Oh wow.
00:04:43.280 --> 00:04:46.560
Did that did that help you uh in your current role?
00:04:46.720 --> 00:04:55.120
Like with dealing with it helps me in my career, yeah, because I I'm in a male-dominated field, and I always say this not to offend you or anything, but men are just like kids.
00:04:55.439 --> 00:04:57.759
Yeah, no, my that's what my wife says.
00:04:59.439 --> 00:05:03.040
So, yeah, so it's like it definitely helped me.
00:05:03.680 --> 00:05:11.040
Yeah, that's that's awesome that you were able to build on, you know, to bring those skills into the next thing.
00:05:11.920 --> 00:05:20.959
So I think you already answered how do you start your work day, but uh, you said you know, 4 30, that's pretty early, and then you have to get out and be there early too.
00:05:21.199 --> 00:05:21.439
Right.
00:05:21.840 --> 00:05:23.600
Is getting around New York hard?
00:05:23.759 --> 00:05:27.040
Uh, you know, or is it that's it's so early that it's not that hard?
00:05:27.360 --> 00:05:28.240
It depends.
00:05:28.399 --> 00:05:30.480
It's more so like the parking.
00:05:30.560 --> 00:05:31.840
I would rather work in the city.
00:05:31.920 --> 00:05:36.319
Right now I'm working in Westchester Hospital, so it doesn't really like um affect me that much.
00:05:36.480 --> 00:05:45.840
But if I'm working in the city, I prefer to take public transportation than drive in because it's it's the parking is hard, the congestion fees, the traffic.
00:05:46.080 --> 00:05:48.319
So I just rather take public transportation.
00:05:48.560 --> 00:05:52.240
Uh speaking of you know, the hospital, and you mentioned you're in the ER today.
00:05:52.319 --> 00:05:56.720
Was it a work-related injury or was it did you go to the Westchester hospital?
00:05:57.200 --> 00:05:58.240
No, thank god no.
00:05:58.400 --> 00:06:03.040
No, I ended up going like 15 minutes away to my home hospital, which is New York Presbyterian.
00:06:03.280 --> 00:06:05.200
They had a another, yeah.
00:06:05.520 --> 00:06:11.280
You know, you have a lot of things going on, but I want to highlight your large social media following.
00:06:11.520 --> 00:06:21.759
Can you share what your Instagram name is and what kinds of things you post about, or any and any other um for uh formats that you're on besides Instagram?
00:06:22.000 --> 00:06:33.439
Yes, my Instagram name is Francisca F-R-A-N-C-I-S-C-A dot Pamela P-A-M-E-L-A underscore X O.
00:06:33.759 --> 00:06:36.160
So it's my first name, my middle name, and then X-O.
00:06:36.400 --> 00:06:37.360
I'm a content creator.
00:06:37.439 --> 00:06:42.720
I just became a content creator back in, I want to say March.
00:06:43.840 --> 00:06:57.280
Um, I was part of this cohort, yeah, the hard reset cohort where we talk about politics, the workforce, women's rights, um, immigration.
00:06:59.360 --> 00:07:02.640
So I do a little bit of everything on my Instagram.
00:07:03.120 --> 00:07:06.879
I'm a lefty, so I touch base on that.
00:07:08.000 --> 00:07:11.920
So that's pretty much what my social media is about.
00:07:12.160 --> 00:07:23.200
It's more, it's like curving events, what's going on, what I don't agree with, or when they put false news out, I try to make it factual.
00:07:24.000 --> 00:07:31.600
What uh what kinds of projects uh while you're working are the most annoying or most dangerous?
00:07:32.319 --> 00:07:35.200
Um, I want to say the most annoying is the bathroom.
00:07:35.360 --> 00:07:40.400
I feel like every time I I speak about my job, I always say this it's the bathroom.
00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:42.640
The bathroom is the most annoying part.
00:07:42.879 --> 00:07:51.040
Either I have to fight, not I don't really have to fight because it's the law in New York City for a woman to have this upper bathroom and for it to have a lock.
00:07:51.280 --> 00:07:53.200
But normally I'm like the only woman there.
00:07:53.280 --> 00:07:58.080
So when I get to the job, we don't I don't have a bathroom, so they have to get me a bathroom.
00:07:58.720 --> 00:08:00.400
So that's the most annoying part.
00:08:00.560 --> 00:08:01.360
It's the bathroom.
00:08:01.439 --> 00:08:08.400
And then if they do get a bathroom and they say I'm working on a high-story building, I would normally have to go all the way down to use the bathroom.
00:08:08.560 --> 00:08:16.800
So if I'm working 50, 60 floors up, and there's only one bathroom for me, I would have to get on a hoist and come all the way down.
00:08:16.879 --> 00:08:18.720
So it will always be the bathroom.
00:08:18.960 --> 00:08:20.319
Do you say get on a horse?
00:08:20.560 --> 00:08:21.759
I'm the hoist, hoist.
00:08:21.920 --> 00:08:23.040
Oh, the elevator.
00:08:23.200 --> 00:08:25.439
Oh so it's a hoist, like the hoist.
00:08:25.520 --> 00:08:26.560
That's what we call them.
00:08:26.879 --> 00:08:29.920
Oh wow, yeah, that's a that's a terrible pain in the neck.
00:08:30.240 --> 00:08:31.200
That sucks.
00:08:31.920 --> 00:08:38.319
Um, has the new mayor uh have you felt any differences at work with the new mayor?
00:08:38.639 --> 00:08:42.240
He wants a union town, so a un a union build town.
00:08:42.319 --> 00:08:45.919
So I guess it's gonna work in our favor for those that are in the union, yeah.
00:08:46.080 --> 00:08:47.679
So we're gonna get more jobs.
00:08:47.759 --> 00:08:50.960
So with that part, I'm excited about that's good.
00:08:51.039 --> 00:08:59.039
Yeah, he seems to be busy with like doing stuff, so that's yes, yes, and positive busy, not negative busy.
00:08:59.439 --> 00:08:59.919
Yeah, yeah.
00:09:00.000 --> 00:09:01.919
Trump is definitely negative busy.
00:09:02.159 --> 00:09:07.439
Yes, he's negative busy, he's definitely very negative busy.
00:09:08.319 --> 00:09:12.000
So, yeah, so if you get on my social media, that's what you'll find.
00:09:12.080 --> 00:09:26.399
You'll find a lot of anti-Trump stuff, and it's not because um I hate the guy or whatever, it's just what he brings to the table, and then what the battery he puts on people's back that think they're right when they're not right.
00:09:27.679 --> 00:09:29.120
That's what's bothersome.
00:09:29.840 --> 00:09:31.600
That's an excellent way of putting it.
00:09:31.679 --> 00:09:38.960
He does like energize people who otherwise might just be, you know, their batteries dead, or like uh they're just calm.
00:09:39.120 --> 00:09:43.360
But yeah, he's firing up people for the wrong reasons, yes, for the wrong reasons, correct?
00:09:43.519 --> 00:09:44.159
Yeah.
00:09:45.120 --> 00:09:54.879
Um how you spoke about having to take the hoist down for the bathroom and how that's one of the most annoying things.
00:09:55.039 --> 00:10:03.039
Is there is there when you're that high up, is is there danger in just like getting around?
00:10:03.279 --> 00:10:04.879
Oh yes, there is always danger.
00:10:04.960 --> 00:10:10.560
Is danger on the floor because there's a lot of holes, there's a lot of pipes that have to be put in, or there's wood.
00:10:10.800 --> 00:10:17.519
But it's what I always tell people like I'm normally on the edge of the building, so I'm because we have to put the curtain wall and we have to put the windows in.
00:10:17.600 --> 00:10:21.039
So you you're basically hanging off the edge of the building.
00:10:21.279 --> 00:10:26.080
And what I say is like I don't have a fear of heights, but I respect it.
00:10:26.399 --> 00:10:26.960
Hmm.
00:10:27.360 --> 00:10:32.000
You know, like I don't maybe when I first started, I was scared.
00:10:32.240 --> 00:10:34.480
I want to say, because I'm not Superwoman.
00:10:34.560 --> 00:10:39.120
Of course, anybody that's gonna be 130 floors up is gonna get scared.
00:10:39.279 --> 00:10:40.960
But I I learned to respect it.
00:10:41.120 --> 00:10:49.680
I learned to double check that I'm tied off, I learned to be aware of my surroundings, um, be in tune with my co-workers.
00:10:49.840 --> 00:10:56.399
So because the goal at the end of the day is to make it home, and to make it home with your 10 toes, 10 fingers.
00:10:57.200 --> 00:11:00.000
So I that's one thing.
00:11:00.320 --> 00:11:09.600
But and they say that the number one fatality is electrocution, and you have to be careful with the wires.
00:11:10.399 --> 00:11:11.440
That's pretty much it.
00:11:14.159 --> 00:11:14.480
Okay.
00:11:15.039 --> 00:11:23.600
What was your what moment in your career was like your I made it and I I feel like I know what I'm doing now kind of moment?
00:11:24.320 --> 00:11:32.639
I don't want to say that I feel like I made it yet, because I I don't think it's like a uh made it thing.
00:11:32.720 --> 00:11:49.840
I feel like this moment in my career, I feel like because they're not there's not a lot of women in my union and I put it out there, um, I feel like the retention is gonna be higher.
00:11:50.960 --> 00:11:56.960
That's when I feel like uh a maiden moment, if that makes any sense.
00:11:57.279 --> 00:12:15.200
Yeah, so like with with all the work you're doing, uh not only on the job, but off the clock, highlighting your career and the benefits of this career and union membership and and standing tall uh as a woman in the trade, you feel like you're changing the whole thing.
00:12:15.360 --> 00:12:18.879
Yes, like I'm exposing, I'm exposing something that was hitting.
00:12:19.200 --> 00:12:19.600
Yeah.
00:12:19.840 --> 00:12:20.720
Like that's how I feel.
00:12:20.800 --> 00:12:22.159
Like I'm exposing something that was hitting.
00:12:22.240 --> 00:12:24.080
Like, if I can do it, you can do it too.
00:12:24.240 --> 00:12:39.039
But I'm also exposing the bad part of it and how to get over the bad part because it's not all peachy, it's definitely not all peachy, but you gotta come in with a strong character and a positive attitude, and trust me, woman will make it out here.
00:12:39.279 --> 00:12:42.000
There's there's room for women to make it.
00:12:43.039 --> 00:12:44.320
That's really powerful.
00:12:45.440 --> 00:12:51.200
Can you describe an annoying coworker or boss that you've had and like what what happened with that?
00:12:52.720 --> 00:12:56.240
Um men, men spleening.
00:12:56.720 --> 00:12:59.039
That's my biggest pet peeve.
00:12:59.440 --> 00:13:15.759
Like if you if we're doing something and you should you suggest something, and then just because you're the woman in the group, they don't take it, but then at the end of the day, at the end of the moment, they have to use your idea, but they still won't give you credit for it.
00:13:15.840 --> 00:13:19.920
It's like, oh, okay, like that part is annoying.
00:13:20.159 --> 00:13:22.639
And how do how how do I hit deal with it?
00:13:22.720 --> 00:13:25.120
It's like I know now for the next time.
00:13:26.240 --> 00:13:28.080
Like I know now for the next time.
00:13:28.159 --> 00:13:29.279
Like I just learned my lesson.
00:13:29.440 --> 00:13:31.840
Like I know who and who not who not to.
00:13:32.080 --> 00:13:37.920
Like I know who who's rooting for me to be there and who who's rooting for me not to be there.
00:13:38.159 --> 00:13:38.720
That's good.
00:13:38.879 --> 00:13:41.840
And I just stay away for those for away from those people.
00:13:42.800 --> 00:13:43.680
Yeah, that's good.
00:13:43.759 --> 00:13:50.000
Sometimes staying away is like the the only option or the best option of the few that you but don't get me wrong, too.
00:13:50.080 --> 00:13:50.639
Don't get me wrong.
00:13:50.720 --> 00:13:52.159
Like, I also stand my ground.
00:13:52.320 --> 00:14:01.360
Like I always would say something like, hey, like you cross the line, or you're not listening to me, and it's because I'm the woman in the group.
00:14:01.519 --> 00:14:08.800
Like I make him known, but then I just like you're somebody that I I would rather stay away from.
00:14:09.120 --> 00:14:12.320
Like we can act cordial, but I'm just gonna stay away from you.
00:14:12.399 --> 00:14:14.399
Like, cause you gotta find your tribe.
00:14:14.560 --> 00:14:23.519
You as a woman, you have to find your tribe in trades because it it it can if mess can I curse?
00:14:23.759 --> 00:14:24.240
Yeah.
00:14:24.639 --> 00:14:28.159
Okay, it could fuck up your mental real bad.
00:14:29.039 --> 00:14:30.480
Real, real bad.
00:14:32.320 --> 00:14:44.240
What are what kinds of things would you tell like if you if there was another woman starting on your in your group, like on uh what do you call it, like a team or like what do you gang?
00:14:44.480 --> 00:14:52.800
Your gang, like if it's a woman joined your gang, like maybe she was an apprentice or you know, she's tr transitioned for some other unit.
00:14:53.039 --> 00:14:57.120
Um, what would what would uh what would you tell her?
00:14:57.519 --> 00:14:59.600
First thing is be true to yourself.
00:14:59.840 --> 00:15:03.600
It's okay to tell them no if it's not safe.
00:15:03.680 --> 00:15:04.560
It's it's okay.
00:15:04.720 --> 00:15:06.320
It's okay to speak back.
00:15:06.800 --> 00:15:15.120
Normally we're told, like, if we do like pre-apprentice programs, like I did one, I did a pre-apprent uh pre-apprentice program before getting into the union.
00:15:15.600 --> 00:15:23.920
Um, they normally teach women to from the neck down to you be to your journey out, don't speak.
00:15:24.320 --> 00:15:26.320
And I'm like, no, that's not how it is.
00:15:26.480 --> 00:15:32.560
You have to speak up, you have to defend yourself, you have to hold your ground, you have to know that you're not one of the guys.
00:15:32.879 --> 00:15:37.920
Stay away from drugs and don't sleep with anybody.
00:15:38.240 --> 00:15:49.519
So the I like I actually have a post, a part one and a part two of things I would have known when I was an apprentice, things I wouldn't I would I wish I would have known when I was when I started.
00:15:51.039 --> 00:15:56.159
And those are some of the things that I write about or not to look for validation.
00:15:57.600 --> 00:16:00.399
Wow, that's those are some very wise things.
00:16:02.080 --> 00:16:14.800
Yeah, especially wise because like you had to learn that yourself because if the in the pre-apprenticeship they're teaching you, like, oh, you gotta be quiet, you gotta like wait, you gotta just like say yes and and listen and stuff.
00:16:15.039 --> 00:16:21.920
That's uh it's must have been tough to have to come to a different conclusion yourself in order to persevere.
00:16:22.159 --> 00:16:22.720
Yes.
00:16:23.039 --> 00:16:32.800
Can you describe a finished project or a success I'm sure you have many successes and and projects you're proud of, but can you describe one of the ones that comes to mind?
00:16:33.039 --> 00:16:39.920
Like my first job, which was Central Park Tower, the one the building you can see from anywhere in New York City.
00:16:40.240 --> 00:16:41.360
It was my first job.
00:16:41.519 --> 00:16:44.720
I did basically almost my whole apprenticeship there.
00:16:45.279 --> 00:16:52.080
Um it was cold, it was hot, it was hard, it was easy, it was fun.
00:16:52.320 --> 00:16:53.440
I learned a lot.
00:16:53.680 --> 00:16:58.480
I met a lot of guys there that right now there are my brothers.
00:16:59.039 --> 00:17:03.039
Um that's the job that I'm most proud of.
00:17:03.600 --> 00:17:06.559
And then second to that is the spiral building.
00:17:06.639 --> 00:17:07.599
I don't know if you heard of it.
00:17:07.759 --> 00:17:08.960
It's all that, yeah.
00:17:09.039 --> 00:17:10.720
It's oh, it's in Hudson Yards.
00:17:10.799 --> 00:17:13.680
It has a whole bunch of it has the balcony all over.
00:17:14.639 --> 00:17:17.279
That's the the building I journeyed out on.
00:17:17.519 --> 00:17:20.480
So that's that's also one that I hold to your tomorrow.
00:17:21.359 --> 00:17:24.720
So you so these projects they take time, right?
00:17:24.799 --> 00:17:26.879
Like you said that you worked in the hot and the cold.
00:17:27.039 --> 00:17:31.599
Did the Central Park Tower did that last through like the winter and the summer?
00:17:31.839 --> 00:17:33.519
Yeah, I was there for three years.
00:17:33.759 --> 00:17:34.720
Oh wow, yeah.
00:17:34.960 --> 00:17:41.279
That building took forever to build because if it's high winds, the hoist won't go up.
00:17:42.000 --> 00:17:45.599
So we can't get on top, we can't get to the top to work.
00:17:45.920 --> 00:17:50.319
If it was um, if it was too cold, I know there was a time in December.
00:17:50.399 --> 00:18:01.279
There was one year in December where it snowed, and there was literally like chunks of ice falling from the building that they had to close 57th Street, 58th Street, like all around.
00:18:02.159 --> 00:18:05.599
They had to close the streets because it was falling.
00:18:05.680 --> 00:18:15.200
So we didn't work for like the whole month of December, I think that year, I only worked maybe 18, 20 hours.
00:18:15.440 --> 00:18:16.000
Oh wow.
00:18:16.079 --> 00:18:20.720
Is your is your pay like how is your pay based in situations like that?
00:18:21.119 --> 00:18:23.279
We if we if you don't work, you don't get paid.
00:18:25.839 --> 00:18:29.920
So you don't work if so if you don't work, you don't get paid.
00:18:30.079 --> 00:18:31.759
But we get paid really well.
00:18:31.920 --> 00:18:37.120
I mean, not so much as an apprentice now because they have all these programs because we they're trying to compete with non-union.
00:18:37.360 --> 00:18:40.079
So you gotta bite the bullet when you're an apprentice.
00:18:40.160 --> 00:18:42.960
But once you journey out, like we make good money.
00:18:43.279 --> 00:18:47.360
And they basically we make good money and they basically like save for you.
00:18:47.440 --> 00:19:03.039
Like, I mean, if you're not if you don't know how to save and you're not good on saving, you would get one, I mean, at least for my local, you will get one large sum check every May, which they call it a vacation check.
00:19:03.279 --> 00:19:10.079
It's money that they put aside for you uh hourly, and you get it every May.
00:19:10.400 --> 00:19:13.680
And right now it's almost$16 for us.
00:19:14.319 --> 00:19:17.599
So imagine accumulating$16 an hour.
00:19:18.240 --> 00:19:30.400
And whenever you work overtime, it's double or it's time and a half, and all that money is going into this vacation check, aka savings, and you get it every May.
00:19:30.720 --> 00:19:32.960
So do the math roughly.
00:19:33.039 --> 00:19:36.000
Like if you work a thousand hours, that's an easy$20,000.
00:19:36.079 --> 00:19:44.000
If you do, if you work$2,000, you know, and it goes up and up, like it's an incentive because we don't get paid if we don't go to work.
00:19:44.240 --> 00:19:44.559
Okay.
00:19:44.960 --> 00:19:48.000
And but you do get there are some opportunities for overtime.
00:19:48.240 --> 00:19:50.400
Yeah, there's definitely opportunities for overtime.
00:19:50.720 --> 00:19:59.279
The job is rushed, or and it's not like your no your regular overtime where you got you have to work 40 hours and then anything after that is overtime.
00:19:59.360 --> 00:20:01.440
No, that's not how it works for us.
00:20:01.680 --> 00:20:09.519
Like you do eight hours, and any uh any any two hours after that is time and a half, and whatever's after those two hours is double.
00:20:09.680 --> 00:20:12.720
It's daily, it's not like you don't have to work 40 hours.
00:20:12.880 --> 00:20:13.759
So you work eight hours.
00:20:13.839 --> 00:20:20.400
Let's say they ask you to work Monday, eight hours, and they tell you, Oh, you oh, um, Fran, you gotta do three extra hours today.
00:20:20.480 --> 00:20:22.160
We're staying, we're we're doing seven, twelve.
00:20:22.400 --> 00:20:23.839
No, what is it that we call it?
00:20:24.160 --> 00:20:26.160
Fran, we're doing 11 hours today.
00:20:26.480 --> 00:20:27.200
Oh, bet.
00:20:27.440 --> 00:20:33.519
Eight hours is regular time, two hours after that is time and a half, the third hour is double.
00:20:34.640 --> 00:20:36.319
Wow, yeah, that's pretty good.
00:20:37.680 --> 00:20:40.000
And do they let you know ahead of time?
00:20:40.400 --> 00:20:41.279
They let you know.
00:20:41.360 --> 00:20:43.039
They try before lunch.
00:20:43.200 --> 00:20:44.319
They try.
00:20:45.120 --> 00:20:47.680
What kind of training did you need to start?
00:20:47.759 --> 00:20:50.240
Like, how did you learn about the pre-apprenticeship program?
00:20:50.319 --> 00:20:52.079
And what kind of stuff did you learn there?
00:20:52.400 --> 00:21:00.880
So when I was working in the Board of Vet, one of my co-workers was like, No, I think he said was she said, This is program that gets you a job into construction.
00:21:01.200 --> 00:21:03.360
I didn't know, mind you, I didn't know anything about the trains.
00:21:03.599 --> 00:21:08.880
So this is a program that gets you a job into construction and you get six figures a year.
00:21:09.200 --> 00:21:10.079
I was like, Word?
00:21:10.240 --> 00:21:11.680
I was like, let's call and find out.
00:21:11.759 --> 00:21:13.680
So I called at the moment I called them.
00:21:13.839 --> 00:21:17.920
We're like, Oh, yeah, it's a six weeks program, but you don't get paid during the program.
00:21:18.000 --> 00:21:19.519
And I was like, Oh, I can't leave my job.
00:21:19.599 --> 00:21:22.240
I have kids, you know, I can't leave my job.
00:21:22.480 --> 00:21:25.759
So I'm going to this program and not get paid.
00:21:26.000 --> 00:21:31.519
But then um, I ended up having my second child, and I was breastfeeding.
00:21:32.000 --> 00:21:35.279
And when I went back to the board of ed, they were giving me a hard time.
00:21:35.440 --> 00:21:36.400
And I was like, you know what?
00:21:36.480 --> 00:21:40.559
I'm gonna take an absence of leave, take care of my child, spend time with my child.
00:21:40.799 --> 00:21:44.319
When it was time to come back, I was like, I don't think I really want to go back to the board of ed.
00:21:44.640 --> 00:21:50.240
And I remember about the program, so I called the program, and the program was like, Yeah, it's uh six weeks.
00:21:50.400 --> 00:21:53.839
Um, you get direct, you get direct entry into any trade.
00:21:54.000 --> 00:21:58.640
When I went to the program, I thought I was gonna be an electrician because that's the only trade that I knew about.
00:21:58.880 --> 00:22:07.519
But then they broke down every trade that there is, and then they also like see what's fit for you, like what work, what, what will work out for you.
00:22:07.680 --> 00:22:14.000
And it was like, and I was like, so when I learned about the iron workers, there's actually three, four ironworker locals in New York City.
00:22:14.240 --> 00:22:22.880
One of them is the rebar, the other one's structural, the third one is rigging and dark main, and then ornamental, which is the one that I'm in.
00:22:23.279 --> 00:22:27.440
And they were like, oh, you'll be you'll be a fit, you'll be great for ornamental.
00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:33.200
And that's how I got into local 580 was through that program.
00:22:33.839 --> 00:22:36.799
What attracted you to the ornamental one?
00:22:37.039 --> 00:22:43.360
I guess uh so I'm gonna break down the local for you, the the iron worker union in New York City.
00:22:43.440 --> 00:22:50.799
Because not in every state, it's not like this, but structural is like you picture your a body, right?
00:22:50.880 --> 00:22:55.200
You picture a body, structural is like the bones in the body, so that's one union.
00:22:55.440 --> 00:23:06.400
Then you have rebar, and that's like the veins and the muscles, and then you have your skin, and that's the ornamental, that's the pretty work.
00:23:06.960 --> 00:23:12.559
So that's what drawn me to the ornamental ironwork is the out the outside of the body, basically.
00:23:12.720 --> 00:23:15.440
So what I build is the outside of the building.
00:23:16.160 --> 00:23:17.039
Wow, so you're doing it.
00:23:17.200 --> 00:23:19.440
What everybody sees, what everybody sees.
00:23:20.240 --> 00:23:23.680
It's like is it a little bit more nuanced, a little bit more fine?
00:23:24.000 --> 00:23:24.240
Yeah.
00:23:25.120 --> 00:23:26.799
What how did you learn welding?
00:23:26.880 --> 00:23:28.640
Was it in the uh in the school?
00:23:28.880 --> 00:23:29.519
They teach you.
00:23:29.680 --> 00:23:30.960
No, in the apprenticeship.
00:23:31.039 --> 00:23:31.680
You go to school.
00:23:31.759 --> 00:23:33.200
I went to school for four years.
00:23:33.440 --> 00:23:35.519
My first year was my foot in the door.
00:23:35.599 --> 00:23:36.960
They teach you a little bit about everything.
00:23:37.039 --> 00:23:38.640
Your second year is welding.
00:23:38.880 --> 00:23:44.799
Your third year is um blueprint work, and your fourth year is finished work.
00:23:45.039 --> 00:23:46.720
And that part is paid, right?
00:23:47.039 --> 00:23:51.519
Yes, because you go to you work in the morning and then you go to school two days out of the week.
00:23:51.839 --> 00:23:54.160
Do people change careers into this field?
00:23:54.240 --> 00:24:03.120
Like, I know you're an example for sure, but like are do other people also sort of leave some other career that they had imagined staying in?
00:24:03.360 --> 00:24:08.559
Yeah, there's a lot of there's a social worker, there's a woman social worker that just came in.
00:24:09.360 --> 00:24:12.400
Um she just graduated not too long ago.
00:24:12.640 --> 00:24:20.319
Yeah, there's a lot that we have FTNY, we have policemen, we have MTA workers, we have teachers.
00:24:21.360 --> 00:24:24.000
Yeah, a whole bunch of different careers changes.
00:24:24.240 --> 00:24:25.039
That's cool.
00:24:25.279 --> 00:24:27.599
What are some of you mentioned welding?
00:24:27.759 --> 00:24:30.079
Uh what are some of the other tools of the trade?
00:24:30.160 --> 00:24:37.360
Like, can you describe some of the types of welding or other tools for someone maybe that's not familiar with any of them?
00:24:37.759 --> 00:24:43.839
For welding, you have TIG, MIG, stick, a whole bunch of different stainless steel welding.
00:24:45.360 --> 00:24:49.039
That's what we use for the stairs and for the lobby work.
00:24:49.200 --> 00:24:50.720
We use bronze.
00:24:51.759 --> 00:25:02.319
And then um for what, like if you're putting up curtain wall, you use anywhere between a beater and a pry bar.
00:25:03.279 --> 00:25:06.319
What is uh uh what does curtain wall mean?
00:25:07.120 --> 00:25:07.759
Windows.
00:25:07.920 --> 00:25:08.400
Oh, okay.
00:25:08.559 --> 00:25:10.880
I know I keep saying curtain wall, sorry, windows.
00:25:10.960 --> 00:25:18.880
What people see what people see as windows, what people see when when you say, Oh, look at the windows are nice, that's what we call curtain wall.
00:25:18.960 --> 00:25:20.000
That's called curtain wall.
00:25:20.079 --> 00:25:21.839
That's the real word for when for the windows.
00:25:22.079 --> 00:25:33.440
Oh, and you said you said a beater, a beater is a hammer, so the ha a beater, the the three or four types of welding, and what else was it?
00:25:33.759 --> 00:25:43.120
Try bar, it's like a crowbar, you can use that, ratchet straps, um come alongs, come alongs?
00:25:43.920 --> 00:25:45.039
Yeah, come alongs.
00:25:45.120 --> 00:25:48.799
It's like when you pull the curtain wall.
00:25:49.039 --> 00:25:50.640
When you try to pull the curtain wall.
00:25:50.880 --> 00:25:53.599
Oh chainfall when you try to pull it down.
00:25:54.160 --> 00:25:56.400
We use a whole bunch of different type of tools.
00:25:56.720 --> 00:26:05.759
Have you ever had a moment where I imagine since some of what you're doing is you're like destroying things and like building things, right?
00:26:05.839 --> 00:26:09.440
Like you kind of have to like set things apart and then also put them together.
00:26:10.000 --> 00:26:10.799
Correct.
00:26:11.120 --> 00:26:12.720
Have you ever made a mistake?
00:26:12.880 --> 00:26:16.880
Like where you were like, oh shit, like I didn't mean to do that.
00:26:18.640 --> 00:26:20.960
Um, of course, I've made many mistakes.
00:26:21.200 --> 00:26:27.360
Yeah, but like, yeah, I don't mean like a big safety mistake or something, but just like a oh man, I'm gonna have to redo that.
00:26:28.160 --> 00:26:31.200
Well, when you caulk, we use a lot of caulking.
00:26:31.360 --> 00:26:34.000
So we do use a lot of caulking and it gets messy.
00:26:34.160 --> 00:26:37.519
So if you don't know how to use it, you could dirty a whole lot of shit.
00:26:37.599 --> 00:26:40.319
So that like you gotta clean it really well.
00:26:40.559 --> 00:26:42.319
It's a process when you caulk too.
00:26:42.400 --> 00:26:43.759
It's not you just put the caulk down.
00:26:43.839 --> 00:26:52.319
No, you have to clean it, you have to put a primer, you have to wait till it cures to hang the next window over it.
00:26:53.440 --> 00:26:58.559
They normally the joke is we say is New York City is built on cork and screws.
00:27:00.079 --> 00:27:00.960
That's what we say.
00:27:01.200 --> 00:27:03.279
When you're because we use a lot of cork.
00:27:03.440 --> 00:27:03.920
Yeah.
00:27:04.160 --> 00:27:08.319
When you're working on the beginning of a project, can you imagine what it's gonna look like?
00:27:08.480 --> 00:27:14.720
Like, do you get to see the blueprint or in like maybe like uh imagined photos and and drawings?
00:27:14.960 --> 00:27:19.279
Yes, we get to see we get to see the blueprint, we get to see the picture that they normally put.
00:27:19.599 --> 00:27:30.160
I I don't know if you ever worked, if you ever walked by a construction um site, normally they put the picture of what it's supposed to look like before it's even up and does that on those boards.
00:27:30.480 --> 00:27:31.920
Is that like accurate?
00:27:33.360 --> 00:27:36.960
Um not to a T, but it's similar.
00:27:37.360 --> 00:27:44.400
But if you ever start, like if you start a job and then you stay there till it finishes, it's crazy.
00:27:44.720 --> 00:27:51.680
It's right now West of the Westchester hospital that I'm in, it's like we it's the beginning of it's the beginning of the beginning.
00:27:51.920 --> 00:28:00.799
So it's like wow, and then we've been putting in, I've been there for three weeks now, and we've been putting in um curtain wall, curtain wall, and now it looks different.
00:28:00.880 --> 00:28:04.160
Now it's starting to look like a building, now it's starting to look like a hospital.
00:28:04.240 --> 00:28:06.000
Like now you could picture it.
00:28:06.400 --> 00:28:13.200
So are you making like the um curtain walls for patient rooms?
00:28:13.519 --> 00:28:15.039
That's that's finished work.
00:28:15.120 --> 00:28:18.240
So once um, we're doing the one, we're doing the outside work first.
00:28:18.480 --> 00:28:22.319
It's also the it's always the outside work first, and then the inside.
00:28:22.559 --> 00:28:27.839
Actually, what some of my guys are doing, they're building the radio the where they do the x-rays.
00:28:27.920 --> 00:28:30.720
Yeah, they so that's that.
00:28:31.279 --> 00:28:37.360
Um, sorry, those rooms are made out of steel first, which you won't see.
00:28:37.440 --> 00:28:41.279
You would think it's just a wall, but no, it's steel first.
00:28:41.920 --> 00:28:44.319
So it's a special type of steel.
00:28:44.640 --> 00:28:47.200
So those the radiation won't get out that room.
00:28:47.440 --> 00:28:48.720
So it's like welded.
00:28:48.799 --> 00:28:51.920
That whole, there's like, I think it's eight, a total of eight rooms.
00:28:52.000 --> 00:28:58.079
That's eight rooms is gonna be um x-ray rooms in the hospital in that wing of the hospital.
00:28:58.319 --> 00:28:58.640
Oh wow.
00:28:58.720 --> 00:29:03.920
So the x-ray, these rooms with those types of imaging, they have special construction.
00:29:04.240 --> 00:29:06.480
They have special, yes, they have special construction.
00:29:07.120 --> 00:29:11.680
So the radii, so the radiation won't leave the the room.
00:29:12.000 --> 00:29:13.279
Oh, I never thought of that.
00:29:13.519 --> 00:29:16.640
So you're yeah, I was gonna ask what kind of training did you need to start?
00:29:16.799 --> 00:29:19.599
Can you just maybe talk about something that was like fun to learn?
00:29:19.759 --> 00:29:21.920
Like what was a fun thing to learn?
00:29:22.240 --> 00:29:25.599
Everything was fun to learn because I've never worked with tools before in my life.
00:29:25.759 --> 00:29:29.680
Remember, I come from the board of education to working with tools was just crazy to me.
00:29:29.839 --> 00:29:30.079
Yeah.
00:29:30.319 --> 00:29:37.039
And reading a tape measure, like finally, I can say that fractions make sense.
00:29:38.400 --> 00:29:43.120
I did not, I couldn't get fraction for the life of me when I was in school.
00:29:43.599 --> 00:29:45.360
And now it made sense.
00:29:45.599 --> 00:29:47.120
Why do you think that is?
00:29:47.440 --> 00:29:50.400
Because I guess I'm a visual learner and I see it.
00:29:50.480 --> 00:29:57.839
Like I know what's a 32nd, I know what's an eighth, I know what's a quarter, I know how much I gotta come up or I gotta come down.
00:29:58.079 --> 00:29:58.720
Wow, that's cool.
00:29:58.880 --> 00:30:04.480
I know which one is greater, I know which one is greater, 316 or three quarters.
00:30:04.720 --> 00:30:06.160
That part I really like.
00:30:06.319 --> 00:30:08.079
It was that part was mind-blowing to me.
00:30:08.160 --> 00:30:13.039
Like once I put it when once I put it was put together, I was like, oh, so this is what fraction is.
00:30:13.200 --> 00:30:14.000
I was like, Yes.
00:30:14.319 --> 00:30:14.880
Nice, yeah.
00:30:14.960 --> 00:30:19.360
That's that's fun to see those eye-opening moments in in your in your life.
00:30:19.519 --> 00:30:23.039
You know, like I I enjoy it when I can learn something new.
00:30:23.279 --> 00:30:26.640
Yes, but you gotta put yourself in a place where you're able to.
00:30:26.799 --> 00:30:27.839
Some people don't do that.
00:30:28.799 --> 00:30:29.200
Yes.
00:30:29.440 --> 00:30:33.599
Can you describe uh how being in a union has affected your career?
00:30:34.000 --> 00:30:35.599
How has affected my career?
00:30:35.759 --> 00:30:43.759
It brought in like sort of like a tribe, like like a unity, a brotherhood, a sisterhood.
00:30:44.480 --> 00:30:48.319
Like I'm I belong somewhere and I'm proud of it.
00:30:48.400 --> 00:30:51.279
And everyone that's there is proud of it too.
00:30:51.519 --> 00:30:54.000
So we like we take pride in our work.
00:30:54.240 --> 00:31:02.079
So that part of it of being in the union is what's the most rewarding part, is that we take pride in our work.
00:31:02.799 --> 00:31:07.839
Like we make sure to do things correctly because it it reflects on us.
00:31:08.079 --> 00:31:18.400
And kid you not, excuse me, I've been out of state at women's conferences for the trades, and everyone knows who's local 580.
00:31:18.960 --> 00:31:19.279
Oh, right.
00:31:19.519 --> 00:31:20.799
Like we're so well respected.
00:31:21.039 --> 00:31:26.480
Yeah, we're so well respected out of New York City that it's it's amazing.
00:31:26.640 --> 00:31:34.559
And we get treated so well, we get talked about so well, everyone wants to speak to us, everyone wants to ask us our work.
00:31:34.720 --> 00:31:35.599
What do we do?
00:31:35.759 --> 00:31:40.319
Even though they do the same thing we do, but not on the scale that we do it.
00:31:40.640 --> 00:31:46.480
Yeah, you're working the some of the biggest buildings in the hemisphere, so that's uh very impressive.
00:31:47.519 --> 00:31:48.079
Yes.
00:31:48.400 --> 00:31:50.319
So that part that's rewarding.
00:31:50.400 --> 00:31:52.240
That's that's um that feels amazing.
00:31:52.480 --> 00:32:02.880
And so you you mentioned that being in a union is a nice uh uh togetherness, like a brotherhood or a family, or um, you know, you have this sense of belonging for sure.
00:32:03.200 --> 00:32:08.640
Can you describe you mentioned that you're usually the only woman on the job.
00:32:09.039 --> 00:32:14.319
Can you describe a time when you felt alone at work for whatever reason?
00:32:15.200 --> 00:32:16.559
At the beginning of a job.
00:32:16.960 --> 00:32:20.799
When I was new, it was always at the beginning.
00:32:21.440 --> 00:32:29.759
When I will when I came in new, at the beginning of a job, but then also like I know when they need their space.
00:32:29.920 --> 00:32:37.200
That feels lonely when you know that you that men need their men time, and it's like I don't take it into offense, like I get it.
00:32:37.360 --> 00:32:44.240
Like I I I get it because sometimes I'm sick of them too, and I need my space, like so.
00:32:44.319 --> 00:32:44.880
I get it.
00:32:45.039 --> 00:32:47.039
Yeah, that's just like a people thing in general.
00:32:47.200 --> 00:32:48.799
Everybody kind of yes.
00:32:49.120 --> 00:32:53.039
What would you say is the scariest part of your job?
00:32:54.319 --> 00:32:59.200
The scariest part of my job, or a thing that you're scared of at work, like for me?
00:33:00.240 --> 00:33:04.720
Yeah, I'm always scared that there's gonna be a fight in my classroom or something that I can't stop.
00:33:05.200 --> 00:33:06.960
Um I've seen that already.
00:33:07.200 --> 00:33:09.120
Or I'll accidentally curse that kids.
00:33:09.599 --> 00:33:10.720
Oh, we curse all day.
00:33:10.880 --> 00:33:11.759
No, we curse all day.
00:33:13.680 --> 00:33:16.480
That's if you don't curse, then we don't trust you.
00:33:18.000 --> 00:33:19.839
No, um, what's the scariest?
00:33:19.920 --> 00:33:23.200
Um forgetting to tie off when you're on the edge of the building.
00:33:23.360 --> 00:33:25.839
It has happened, it happened to me once.
00:33:26.160 --> 00:33:28.319
It definitely happened to me once.
00:33:28.640 --> 00:33:31.920
And I was like working on a cot like near a column.
00:33:32.160 --> 00:33:35.360
So the the space, it was like it was me.
00:33:36.000 --> 00:33:41.680
I was in the middle, so it was like the column and then the edge of the building, and I wasn't tied off.
00:33:42.000 --> 00:33:42.880
That was scary.
00:33:43.039 --> 00:33:47.599
Like I I still get flashbacks, like fuck, what if I like I would have died?
00:33:48.799 --> 00:33:50.079
I would have died.
00:33:51.200 --> 00:33:51.519
Wow.
00:33:51.599 --> 00:33:55.440
And it's you are you mean you're talking about tying you're like a harness to something?
00:33:55.599 --> 00:34:00.079
Like a harness, yes, I'm sorry, like a harness, like tying off to something so I won't fall off the building.
00:34:00.400 --> 00:34:01.440
Wow, yeah.
00:34:01.519 --> 00:34:05.839
So I'm I forgot to tie off my harness and I was on the edge of the building.
00:34:05.920 --> 00:34:12.799
So when I came back in the building, because I was literally outside the building, when I came, I was on like on the on top of the the curtain wall.
00:34:12.960 --> 00:34:18.880
So when I came back in the building and I noticed, oh my goodness, it was like I was for like half an hour, I couldn't work.
00:34:18.960 --> 00:34:19.839
I was so scared.
00:34:19.920 --> 00:34:21.920
I was like, what the fuck?
00:34:22.480 --> 00:34:23.360
Yeah part.
00:34:24.079 --> 00:34:24.719
Wow.
00:34:25.440 --> 00:34:26.480
Yeah, wow.
00:34:26.559 --> 00:34:28.880
So but you noticed and then you quickly did it?
00:34:29.119 --> 00:34:31.440
I noticed and then I took a breather and then I did it.
00:34:31.839 --> 00:34:32.480
Yeah, that's smart.
00:34:32.799 --> 00:34:33.599
It took a second.
00:34:34.559 --> 00:34:37.360
What do you think about when you're at very high elevations?
00:34:37.519 --> 00:34:46.719
I know like the the stereotype or the joke is like don't look down, but like what what do you think about or feel when you're at high elevations?
00:34:47.679 --> 00:34:52.559
I enjoy the view most of the times, and it's like, damn, this is my life.
00:34:52.799 --> 00:34:57.119
Like I've been in the clouds, I've worked in the clouds, like literally in the clouds.
00:34:57.199 --> 00:34:58.799
I have pictures of working in the clouds.
00:34:58.880 --> 00:35:04.639
Like this is like it it's I love what I do, so it's it's rewarding.
00:35:04.960 --> 00:35:06.559
It's very, very rewarding.
00:35:06.880 --> 00:35:15.279
Have you ever experienced either you you've had an accident or you've seen someone else have like a near miss or an accident or injury?
00:35:15.440 --> 00:35:17.199
No, I've never seen anyone fall.
00:35:17.279 --> 00:35:22.239
I've heard, but not like bad in my logo.
00:35:22.400 --> 00:35:27.920
Me myself, I ran over my toes with a scissor lift for not using it properly.
00:35:28.000 --> 00:35:33.920
Like those are the things like you you can only get hurt in this business if you aren't using the things properly.
00:35:34.240 --> 00:35:40.079
Like a I wasn't, I was like, you're supposed to drive the you're supposed to be in the scissor lift to drive it.
00:35:40.320 --> 00:35:45.440
And that morning I decided to not get on the scissor lift and just pulled the control down and try to move it.
00:35:45.519 --> 00:35:47.199
Oh, and I ran over my toe.
00:35:47.360 --> 00:35:49.360
Oh, and I broke both my toes.
00:35:49.440 --> 00:35:49.920
Yeah.
00:35:50.240 --> 00:35:51.599
So I would never do that again.
00:35:51.679 --> 00:35:58.159
Yeah, everybody's like, oh, because you know, people get lazy and they're like, nope, if I'm not gonna get on it to move it, I'm not moving it.
00:35:58.400 --> 00:35:58.719
Okay.
00:35:58.960 --> 00:36:01.360
Well, you learn from it, so yes.
00:36:01.679 --> 00:36:06.320
What is it like being a a mom and a a busy professional, also?
00:36:07.039 --> 00:36:09.039
Um, it's hard.
00:36:09.760 --> 00:36:11.360
It's not easy.
00:36:11.760 --> 00:36:15.840
Because I'm also a single mom, so it's like a lot, I have to do a lot of running around.
00:36:16.000 --> 00:36:19.199
I mean, I already one of my kids is already 21.
00:36:19.440 --> 00:36:20.960
Oh my youngest is 10.
00:36:21.039 --> 00:36:22.159
Yeah, my youngest is 10.
00:36:22.240 --> 00:36:24.159
He's gonna be 11 in September.
00:36:24.400 --> 00:36:36.800
So for my 10-year-olds, I feel bad for him the most because he has to wake up at 4:30 in the morning with me, so I can drop him off at his father's house so his father could take him to school and stuff like that.
00:36:36.880 --> 00:36:39.280
And then I gotta run out of work to come pick him up.
00:36:39.440 --> 00:36:42.719
And if I don't make it to school on time, then someone has to pick him up for me.
00:36:42.880 --> 00:36:48.480
But I've been blessed that it has worked out, even when I'm breaking my head, it still works out.
00:36:48.880 --> 00:36:52.719
Like, what's what's something you're looking forward to or you got planned?
00:36:52.960 --> 00:37:01.840
I'm gonna um I'm gonna keep content creating around my work so we can keep the retention high.
00:37:01.920 --> 00:37:05.599
Cause right now it's like we get the recruitment, but we don't get the retention.
00:37:05.679 --> 00:37:08.240
A lot of people don't, a lot of women don't stay.
00:37:08.960 --> 00:37:19.519
Um, so and trying to get more exposure of what I do out there so women can stay and see the benefits.
00:37:19.599 --> 00:37:23.039
There's a lot of benefits, it's a lot of money to be made, it's not only for men.
00:37:23.440 --> 00:37:29.599
I really enjoyed uh hearing about your story, and I think a lot of other people are gonna learn cool stuff from it.
00:37:29.920 --> 00:37:30.719
Thank you.
