Her Story
About Shelley
I've been a union laborer with the 1097 Union Laborers for 5 years, coming up on 6 this September. My daughter actually led me to this position after I spent 7 years as an administrative assistant at Northland Demolition. My work varies by season - in the summertime, I'm doing highway-heavy roadwork, holding a stop sign, and in the fall and winter, we do mine shutdowns. I've been fortunate to work with incredibly supportive foremen like Geno Smith, Terry Hay, Mark Towner, and Terry Mulvich, who call me back for every shutdown and never make me feel stupid for asking questions. That's rare in the trades, especially for women. Being a laborer means we're the gophers of all the trades - when an ironworker needs something, they send us to get it, when a millwright needs something, they send us to get it. But this work has opened so many doors for me. As a 1097 union laborer, I can go to North Dakota, Iowa, or other states and still work, or go down to the cities and become a 563 union laborer. You can work on building trades, skyscrapers, concrete, whatever - it really opens opportunities if you don't want to stay in Minnesota.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Shelley
01What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I've received is to just let things roll off your back and don't take it too seriously. You have to ask questions, even though people are going to snap at you sometimes, because you need to know what you're doing so you're not running three times to get one part that's in three other buildings away. Make sure you have all the tools you need on you - your knife, your screwdriver, your pliers, your wrench, everything - so you're not making laps. And if you have to cry, go in the locker room or go in the back of a trailer where nobody can see you. Just make it through the day and don't let them faze you. Just keep going on.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Don't let them shake you down. Don't let them make you quit. If you have to cry, go in the locker room or go in the back of a trailer where nobody can see you. Just make it through the day and don't let them faze you. Just keep going on, putting one foot in front of the other. Go for that paycheck, especially if you're a young mom - you need that paycheck and you need those medical benefits. Just because you're a woman doesn't mean you can't make that money. The hardest part is getting on a crew and having them keep you. You have to find the right guys that will hire women and keep them employed. Try to get in with the crews that support women, because there are some that won't hire a woman. But once you find those supportive crews, they'll keep calling you back.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge in my field is getting on a crew and having them keep you. You have to find the right guys that will hire women and keep them employed. There are foremen like Terry Mulvich who calls me for every shutdown, Mikey Ray who calls me for every shutdown for Jamar, and Robbie Stevens who used to call me for the crusher shutdown for NTAC. You just have to try to get in with those crews that support women, because there are some that won't hire a woman. As for opportunities, being in the trades and becoming a laborer opens a lot of doors. If I want to move to another state, I can go to North Dakota, Iowa, or other states and still remain as a 1097 union laborer. I can go down to the cities and become a 563 union laborer. You can hook up with different crews and different types of trades all around the country - you might get into building trades, work on skyscrapers, concrete, or whatever. It really opens opportunities if you don't want to stay in Minnesota or wherever you're recognized as being in that trade.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
My values are pretty straightforward - you go to work, you do your job, and you don't call in sick. It's about showing up and doing what needs to be done, plain and simple.
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