Operating Engineers Local 3
Organized Labor
Feb 2009
Sherrie Murphy, Crane Operator, 17 years I love being in Operating Engineers and working with the other crafts. Each trade has their own specialty. The carpenters and laborers, they are all a good bunch of people. I grew up in the business. My father owned a construction company. I would go out on the weekends around all the heavy equipment and was fascinated by it. I always felt that one day, I would get to do it. I got married, had my kids, and when they were all raised, I figured, “Now it's time for me to do something I want.” Now it’s 17 years later, and I’m still loving it. It’s nice working with apprentices. It takes you back to when you started out. Charles is like a sponge. He soaks up all this information and has the drive to learn. It’s exciting watching him grow. He's now operating the biggest crane out here and, of course, he was trained by the best, my husband.