In this interview, sisters Linda Bart and Judy Ellul discuss their careers as rod busters. Bart entered the federally funded Trade Union Leadership Council in Detroit in 1979 and accepted a position as a rod buster with the Reinforcing Iron Workers,…
Eva Cardonna grew up Detroit and worked as a medical technician in a Doctors office for 20 years. Cardonna was looking for a change and after completing a carpentry class enrolled at the Ferndale Carpenters Local apprenticeship school. Cardonna…
Elaine Crawford was the first women hired at the Ford Motor Co. Rouge engine plant since the Korean War. She was encouraged by a coworker to take the skilled trades test and after scoring very high decided to become an electrician until the oil…
Cathy Dawson was born in Highland Park MI attended Michigan State University for three years before dropping out for financial reasons. After Dawson returned to the area she worked at Detroit Edison as a clerk for a few years but wanted a union job…
S.E., a journeyperson pipefitter with Consumers Energy and member of UWUA- Utility Workers Union of America grew up in Detroit and graduated from Marygrove College. S.E. started working for Consumers as a part-time dispatcher and then worked as a…
Ann Francis, a member of UAW Local 652, was a pipefitter, recruiter and instructor for the UAW-GM apprentice program at Oldsmobile plant in Lansing until her retirement. Francis joined the Peace Corps after college and taught English in Malaysia.…
M.G. is a member of Local 659 and is an Electrician at Flint Engine South. M.G began working at GM and after spending several years on the production line she began to seek a more demanding position. She tested for the skilled trades and was…
Denise Greer of Local 898 is a millwright at the Ford Rawsonville plant. Greer attended college for music but found fulltime work with Ford in 1998. She describes the problems she has had with supervisors and harassment as she is only one of five…
Carrie Harding of Saginaw, MI is an Operating Engineer with Local 3241 and an instructor of MIOSHA, hazardous waste removal, and mine safety courses. While working as a traffic flagger she had an opportunity to train as an equipment operator. …
Renee Holbrook is a mechanic with the National Conference of Firemen and Oilers Local 1219 under SEIU. Holbrook was born raised in Owosso, MI and attended technical school at Universal Technical Institute in Illinois and completed a certificate…