{"id":75711,"date":"2023-10-16T15:15:00","date_gmt":"2023-10-16T19:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.smart-union.org\/?p=75711"},"modified":"2023-10-09T13:44:31","modified_gmt":"2023-10-09T17:44:31","slug":"northern-california-sheet-metal-worker-shares-member-story-journal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.smart-union.org\/northern-california-sheet-metal-worker-shares-member-story-journal\/","title":{"rendered":"Northern California sheet metal worker shares member story","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"\n
As part of the Belonging and Excellence for ALL (BE4ALL) Committee’s<\/a> fall challenge, Anthony LaBeau, an eight-year member out of Local 104 (Northern California)<\/a> recently shared how his life changed when he joined SMART:<\/p>\n\n\n “I was 24, working dead-end restaurant jobs for six years when I first heard about any trade unions. I went home and researched anything I could find about the trades. I narrowed it down to pipe fitters and sheet metal, and my decision was made after I attended a trade fair where I met the sheet metal workers and we made mini tool trays. I was instantly intrigued and had this feeling that I was born to do this. After I went through the application process, I was called into action as a service technician and immediately started work installing and servicing residential equipment in track and custom homes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt was a bit of a culture shock coming from a completely different industry, but my union family put me at ease. I had no construction skills, no college education, and not a dollar to my name when I started, but the promise of on-the-job training, raises every six months, benefits, and a great retirement was all I needed to continue on this path. Once I fully learned about everything this trade consists of, I decided to pursue further education and become a building trades sheet metal worker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI made a lot of quality friends on the jobs and in the classes I\u2019ve attended in the last eight years and am scheduled to be a journeyperson next month. Since starting in 2015 I\u2019ve been able to support a family of my own and live comfortably while doing it. If I had never attended that workshop or met another sheet metal union member, I may never be where I am today. Building America with the quality craftsmanship that we learn and providing for my wife and two kids brings me the most pride and give me the greatest sense of fulfillment.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As part of the Belonging and Excellence for ALL (BE4ALL) Committee’s fall challenge, Anthony LaBeau, an eight-year member out of Local 104 (Northern California) recently shared how his life changed when he joined SMART: “I was 24, working dead-end restaurant jobs for six years when I first heard about any trade unions. I went home […]<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":20,"featured_media":75125,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5545,4743],"tags":[4992,5546,5374,5506,1301],"member_types":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n