International Brotherhood
of Electrical Workers,
San Francisco Joint Apprenticeship
and Training Committee
Organized Labor
October 2009
Brian Oliver, Apprentice My family had a glass shop that I took over. I did that for about 15 years, working as a glazier, and then I worked for Union Pacific Railroad as a track maintenance repair guy. Working a small family shop is great, but working union is better. The work is steady, and as an electrician, our benefits are tops. My kids got braces and I paid nothing. The hardest thing for me wasn't the challenge of the job, since I've worked so long in construction; it was helping the other apprentices. Guys 18 or 19 years old, they aren’t used to working. So you end up holding their hands, being a big brother until they learn the walk, making sure you can do your job and making sure they can do their job. We are all one big family, watching each other’s back. It is all about teamwork