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3/30/09 Took the Fork Lift training offered every Monday at the Union Shop. Got a call from the hall and will be starting on a job up in Fort Edward operating a filter press, which I'm told is pushing buttons and working inside, out of the weather, so that's great. I guess it could
be a little boring but at 12 hour days and 6 days a week I'll be comatose before I'm bored! That is until I see my gross pay for the week! You know me, I'll take most any job the union sends me to, and I do appreciate getting out... just about now.
I'm going stir crazy being laid off. Hopefully they'll be pleased with me and everything will go well, I might be allowed to read, which will keep me aware and make the time go by quicker. The info site for this project is at the Hudson River Dredging Project.
I also wanted to touch on th TWIC card. This is needed if you are planning to work at the Port of Albany. This site Transportation Worker Identification Credential will give you the links for your specific locality and you can fill in an application for an interview and
speed up the process by doing some basics online. I was able to go February 28th to fill in and pay the fee( 132.00)I am still waiting to go pick it up although I've been approved and am waiting for the call from the port to pick it up.
1/1/09 Happy New Year to all. I am out and about now and hope to get a few shots of work sites around the Capital region. Allot of my
friends are working down in Rensselaer and I got to work a few days for DA Collins under Kubricky at the Locks in Waterford
while a fellow operator took care of a flood at home . The Lock 6 in Waterford is getting
an overhaul and the work started in December. A few shots of this site can be seen at my
web album site.
11/02/08
Almost at the finality of this election campaign and am glad it
is almost over. Suffice to say I am voting for my union
pics as they are the ones providing my
income and way of life. I also would like to see if a change
can do us some good. I hope so. Either way life goes on and we
will get up and go to work and live our home lives without
being too changed by the president elect. We are not of the
rich and all us hard workers are closer to the working poor
then we like to think. Paycheck to paycheck we just are trying
to make our way. Our hope is for the lives of future
generations to be happy and healthy and enjoy there home lives
and be as safe as we can be in this crazy world. Be sure to get
out and vote because that is what really matters. Every vote
counts.
11/1/08 Got the Union magazine
and my buddy Herm Bussie  has
an awesome photo of the pipeline in Binghamton. He is a great
master mechanic and a terrific friend. I hope that everything
is great out there. Our work situation here in the upstate area
has been great and this coming year looks even better. Hope
everyone has a safe and lucrative one! Our
union album page is an awesome addition Check
it out!
8/30/08 Photos of the
Operating Engineers picnic can be found at this Picasa
site.
5/22/08 Yeah, I have finally
figured out how to update my site without using FrontPage as my
web server stopped allowing it. I am supposed to be at the
training school this morning but decided to update my website
as I had things to take care of at home.
We have a beauty of a new crane at the school. We now own a
Linkbelt
108 50 ton lattice boom crane that is used in our Training
facility on Haney in Glenmont. Many operators have retaken
license tests that were abruptly suspended due to NY State
Labor Department errors and are now justifiably operating the
cranes that they have been safely since receiving their
licenses. Articles pertaining to this issue are found here
5/10/08 I
have taken the liberty to present a few of the photos that I
took at the awards dinner at Michaels Banquet house, May 19th 2008. It was an outstanding venue and was a proper
celebration for those that are very worthy of their
accomplishments and proud of them.It was a beautiful setting for a dedicated
group of individuals who have given a lifetime to preserving
and honoring our union.They can be viewed at my Picassa site
6/30/2007 Am at present and
hopefully a formidable future working for General Dynamics at
one of the facilities and am enjoying every minute of it.
Safety issues are at the forefront and the other operators that
I am working with are all past friends and coworkers, Gerry
Biche, Ray May, Phil Pita, Kevin Tambasco, Dick Ruby, Todd
Kellafant and now Michael Redmond, so the surroundings and
conditions are fabulous for me. Real bathrooms and not portal
johns are a definite plus and a workout area that I can utilize
off hours will help me get back into fighting condition for the
50's to follow!
2/12/07 Have been
working at a Superfund site in Glenville New York on
Freeman's Bridge Road for DA
Collins. The bro ther
company, ESMI is
operating the soil cleaning plant that I am using a loader to
feed with the PCB contaminated soil which is then burned and
refined to a "clean" state to be recycled and used in
other ways. More info on this process can be found at their
site. On board are great
guys like Bobby Christman, Mark Lounsbury, Fred Tingsley, Chris
Parks, Larry, and Rich Thomas and their leader , Dean Blodgett.
I am working on the second
shift and my team is mainly three fellas that work great
together and with me. It is a pleasure working with these
professional guys. I think I might be here a while even though
it was only supposed to be a couple weeks. I have heard that
before. The Tower crane in South Glens Falls was supposed to be
three days. It was four months!
1/14/07 I am about to
start a job in Scotia New York on a Hazmat site, I have gotten
recertified and gotten my physical all squared away. I guess
I'll be busy  for
a while and I am back on a loader after all these years. We
will see how long I can take the grueling hours in the dead of
winter when my bed is so warm and so far away....!LOL
8/30/06 Started a temporary
position with Rozell
Industries in South Glens Falls operating their Pecco Tower
crane with my fellow operator Joe Wells, whom I haven't
seen since Bechtel in Athens. He's been all over the
state plying his craft and is a great coworker. Not as hard to
climb as the Albany crane but a beautiful view as well. See
pics
8/23/06 Got a nice email from
another future operating engineer who was in contact with me
back when she was a guard across the street from a tower crane
and got the bug to operate. It sounds like her dreams will soon
be coming true and I'm happy to host her story. See
Aimee Brooks. Also out Operating
Engineers picnic is this weekend and I hope to see all my
friends there. Hopefully we'll have good weather,
Picard's Grove always has good food!
8/13/06 Left the job in
Plattsburgh as I missed home and not enough overtime for hotel
expenses. I am a homebody at heart. I am temporarily at the
Gilboa Dam project
for Nicholson
Construction, and am oiling for Roger Howerton, and he has
graciously allowed me some seat time and training on this 300
Ton Manitowoc with a lengthy boom of 390 feet! What an
opportunity for someone who has only been on hydraulics up to
150 ton and 150 ton friction truck cranes. I am ecstatic! Other
great operators on the job are, George Ward, steward, Jeff
Ives, Master Mechanic, Michael Giancarlo, Dave Zakett, Jason
Holliday on cranes.888, and others, Billy Sheldon, Jim, Jeff
Hamlin, Rob, that I have had good relationships with on other
jobs such as Athens, Bechtel. Also Hi to Tommy Thomas and Gary
Eros, Pee wee, with Local 190, Laborers. See photos.
7/16/06 Great news. Started
working for Burkhalter
Rigging at the lay down yard for Noble
Environmental on a 75 ton
Linkbelt . The Ironworkers of Local 12 are doing a fabulous
job rigging and maintaining safety and cleanliness on the job
while ensuring top quality and efficient unloading and storage
until the installation process to begin. New members of Local
106, Mark and Bobby on 100 and 85 ton Grove
and Krupp
truck cranes. Hopefully overtime will begin soon because
expenses are high for travel and lodging but I really am
excited about the technology and new experience. Tough being
away from home all week. No new jobs locally so it its my best
bet for now. Here are some Noble Wind
Farm pics from others on our union job site photo page.
6/26/06 Had another
granddaughter born today. Healthy and beautiful. I am not
working currently but have had a few jobs here and there the
past few weeks. Am waiting on the Big One, Aren't we
all! See you at the meeting!
5/28/06 Hope everyone is
starting a great work season. I took the Commercial driving
test and past. It is great to finally have my CDL B. Now I
really have to watch my heavy foot when I get back in my little
Ford escort!
3/21/06 Ready to venture back
out into the world. Am getting ready for my husbands 50th
birthday party and am trying to spring clean my house and paint
and organize all in the same week. Hopefully it will turn out
great. Family and friends are what makes life interesting and
full. That we have much of and am looking forward to another
great year at work.
3/1/06 Just wanted to check in
and let everyone know I am still trucking! I have been working
the last week for Brownell
Steel a t
Gloversville High School with some of the Egan boys and
Big Ed. I had a 75 Ton American that was a sweet old girl and
175 foot of boom setting steel. Hadn't had much
experience on friction and hope I didn't make them
struggle to much. I was happy to get out of the freezing cold
those guys had to work in. The wind chill was below zero on
Wednesday. Would love to work with them again sometime. Bike
Week bound....
 2/26/06
Was invited to my last Monaco Winter Party given by Al
Hasbrouck of Monaco Restorations. Had an awesome time at the
Dakota Restaurant in Latham and Al was an excellent host, as
usual, and made everyone feel proud to have worked for him and
on the project. Will miss all. Photo at left are some of our
great team. I was at the Capitol building on and off for the
past 3 years and many of the people I worked with have become
friends not just coworkers. The masons of Local 2, Danny and
Phil of the Laborers' Union, the many roofers,
ironworkers, sheet metal workers, were a pleasure to work with.
 1/19/06
Click on photo to the left, to see the full photo taken on the
steps of the Capitol building with my past boss, Al Hasbrouck
of Monaco and
friend and Capitol
Architect, Jim Jamieson, Rich Hynes and Dave Butynski. Also
in this photo is Susan
Knack, a civil engineer for Simpson
Gumpertz Heger, who has done exceptional work
on this project herself, and it has been great to have another
nontraditional woman working on the site. See who we are
Capitol Photo
12/17/05 Happy Holidays
to everyone and a great New Year to come! Still working for
Royal
Crane in Pleasant Valley
on and off. Have been getting a lot of different experience on
other machines and am working on my CDL at this time so I can
legally drive these big monsters like the 125 ton, down the
highway. Hope everyone is safe and healthy and the New Year is
looking bright. Am updating the 106 page as we have a major
change of officers. We congratulate Dan McGraw on his
appointment as Regional Director for Region 1 of the
International Union of Operating Engineers, effective January
1, 2006, and hope his new post suits him as well as Local 106
did. We will miss him around the office and on the other end of
the phone. Good Luck and Best Wishes to Bob Jones on his
appointment to Business Manager our Local, and Mike Dodig as
new President.
11/14/05 Am working for Royal
Crane in Pleasant Valley about an hour and a half away.
They have great equipment and the fellows there are all
terrific. Operating a 100 Ton at the Poughkeepsie Water
Treatment Plant installing new 8.5 ton screws! CDM
is the contractor and Jay, their boss is excellent.
11/11/05 Finally am able to
update this site. Have had all kinds of problems with my web
server and am pleased I can finally let you know what I have
been up to. Got laid off around Oct 7th from the Capitol.
The Tower crane is coming down on November 14th and will be
stored in Burt crane's yard till it's sold. I
am sorry they aren't using it on the State St side.
Western is the new contractor for the third phase and Sweeney
and John Kakely are on the 125 with Burt crane and rigging and
are attempting to do what took us 6 months to do with the tower
in 20 days. Guess that's how they beat the other bids
by 2 million!!! We'll see! I hope that everyone works
safe and has a great holiday.
9/17/05 Great day for a
parade! Was proud to be in the Labor Day parade in Albany
today. Have had lots of updates to post but haven't
had a chance I will be taking off the 2003 picnic page and
placing photos from our 2005
picnic online this afternoon and also photos from the
parade on the same
link.
7/30/05 Went to the awards
dinner the other night and they had it at the Temple , the food
was great, got my picnic tickets, an d
took some photos. Irene Lounsbury reached her 25 year and I
know that was a big thing as the few women that there are in
this union, it is awesome to see this great lady achieve that
goal. Can't wait to join her! Of course it goes
without saying the great guys getting there 25,40,and 50 year
pins!
6/30/2005 Have been seeing
allot of my brothers and sisters going back to work this year.
Cindy is over at RPI at the
Empac site working with another great operator, Kevin
Parker who I met on a derrick crane a few years back across
from where I am working now. 
This is an article that
the Schenectady Gazette did on Ian Phillips and I in 2003 about
the Tower crane so here they are...Click on individual photos
left for a better view!
John Kakely and I are getting
the Towers back together and ready for another 100 or so years
of wear before the next renovation! See Photos!
Across the street off of
Sheridan Ave there are another great bunch of operators, Brian,
Tim ,Mark, Ed and Larry, Tom and Sully and more that I
don't know, I'm sure. The Empac site is
looking great from 787. I will try to take a ride up there this
week and get a few updated photos.
4/22/05 As you probably
already know I am back at the Tower
and am thrilled to be
flying the granite stones back to their proper placement on the
150 year old roof. Hi guys! I know you have all been waiting
for me to post some more great pictures of you on the Tower in
Albany at the Capitol building, so here they are...Click on
individual photos for bigger view!
Click this link for my new
blog,Cranes
and other not so girly things...
Crane Operators desperately
needed in Australia, see this post.
3/06/05 Finally off the Jersen
site at RPI. No more crane and I rather fly then lull if you
know what I mean. I am encouraged at the number of projects
going on in the area but am sure to be flying stone at the
Capitol shortly. The climb is tough but the job is
exhilarating. I am glad to have had the opportunity to work for
Jersen, the fellows and my foreman, Terry Lounsbury were great.
Hi to Chuck and Mark on the Tower.2/17/05 The TOWER crane at the
Site is up and running and I'll
have some awesome pictures posted this week. Turner
is the site manager for this job and
is maintaining excellent safety standards and is open to
everyone's input for better site safety practices and
immediately implements the means necessary to keep this an
excellent job site. The folks at Jersen
are great to work with and I am enjoying
being so close to home!
2/5/05 Good Day! Still at RPI
and working with the carpenters laborers and ironworkers
setting wall forms and rod and getting these walls ready for
the next step in this awesome project. Up on the highest point
of the job so great views are afforded me. Chuck Egan has
joined the operators and he is on a 50 ton crane. It's
great to be part of a local project.
1/17/05  Hi
everyone! I am working again at RPI for
Jersen
Industries this
time on a 35 ton Grove and a nice Lull. Everything has heat and
brakes so I am a happy camper. It is great to be so close to
home. I have been working in the snow and rain but not
suffering as badly as the poor fellows like the carpenters and
laborers and ironworkers who are soaking wet by the end of the
first few hours. I have so many clothes on myself I look as if
I weigh 300 lbs! See Their
site!
12/23/04
Merry Christmas everyone and Happy New Year! Have been working
for McKinney
Drilling at
RPI at the Experimental
Media Performing Arts Center
(EMPAC).
The $141 million facility signals another development in the
renaissance at Rensselaer . the enrichment of campus life and
of the student experience. See Photos and info on the project
on the
EMPAC
page
12/08/04 Have been at the
Alpine
Environmental Services training
for Asbestos Handler certification this week with many of my
brother and sister engineers. Certification is required on a
few of the really big jobs that are coming up in the near
future and we'd all like to be on them.
11/5/04 Had a quick stint on
the Thruway operating a 40 ton Link Belt for Fahs Rolston
Paving Corp. moving some permanent barriers into place near
exit 6. Two nights and worked during the day for Monaco on the
Tower crane with Chuck Egan. He's off to DA Collins
and I think I'll be back on this on Monday. Mark
Murray joined me on Monday and it's been a great week
of catching up on all the jobs around and who's where.
RPI is in full swing on the new arts building on the hill
behind the biotech building that was done last year.
10/4/04 Got laid off Thursday
and am waiting for the hall to call for my next assignment. The
water filtration plant needs to be filled before back filling
and other work can be done. It must be tested to be sure there
are no leaks.
9/12/04 My website was
featured in the REGISTER
STAR ONLINE today
as a source of photos of the work in progress ate the water
treatment plant in Hudson working with Jett
Industries and carpenters
from 370 and Newburgh Local 19, ironworkers from Interstate
Reinforcement and Laborers from Local 1000 and 36 who are all
working hard to get this concrete poured before the real cold
weather hits.
This photo of the Albany
Skyline taken from my crane is a great desktop wallpaper.
Download here.(
Click saved as wallpaper on
Large
photo page)
9/11/04 I have
been very busy since May here and there and everywhere! I have
rolled black top in the Catskills and operated a bobcat and
lull in Rhinebeck and been on the barges of
CD
Perry in
South
Bethlehem and operated a
few cranes and lulls for others. I think I am on my 10th
contractor this year! I am presently working for Jett
Industries in Hudson New York operating a 125 Ton Link Belt
for a new Water
treatment plant. See
Photos on Jett
Page! While at South
Bethlehem my friend and coworker Irene Lounsbury got her
picture snapped and Tutt made every effort to get me time while
others were on vacation or on other jobs. It was much
appreciated. A very important key to working is being able to
operate as many pieces of equipment as possible! Sign up with
Gerry
Decker at the school for
the next set of courses!
8/22/04 Our 2004 Engineers Picnic was a
great time again this year at Picard's Grove where I
hope we always go! The teaks are just right and so is the good
time! We had great weather and everyone enjoyed themselves.
7/3/04 Was part of the great crew that
Siemens had repairing a generator down at Athens. I worked for
Marino
crane and operated both
the 30 ton carry deck and the 110 ton gantry crane. It was
allot of hours in a short time but the great guys got it done!
5/11/04 Good Day! I am back to work
but this time for Alberici
at the Bethlehem Power Site operating a
carrier deck Grove inside one of the buildings. It is allot
easier to get to in the morning and we are working 4 - 10 hour
days. I should be there for the season at least. The crane is
quite a bit smaller in lifting capacity and room but it's
nice to be around all my old friends from the Bechtel site and
some new ones. I am working with pipe fitters and the crew
seems great. I hope to have a great working season.
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OPERATOR
