Operating Engineers Local 3 and the Transbay Terminal

Organized Labor

Rich Van Buskirk
I'm the heavy equipment mechanic here, and it keeps me busy. Demo puts a lot of wear and tear on construction equipment. Some of this equipment can break a cannonball in half. I have to stay on top of all of it. It's all about keeping your eyes on what is going on, careful inspection, and keeping up with the small repairs before they turn into big repairs.

I like the camaraderie. A lot of these guys I've worked with for 15 years. I'm like their mother. I keep everything working for them, and when they need something they come to me. There's always something, like their seat needs fixing, their heater's not working, the window is broken. The windows on the cabs keep debris from hitting the operator in the face, but a lot of the guys don't like the windows because if they get clouded up from the dust you can't see through it too well. They'd rather dodge oncoming debris than have to rely on the window to stop it.

I'm working on a concrete pulverizer right now, putting on an attachment. It is like a big dinosaur jaw that chews up concrete. The teeth get worn out pretty fast. They have pins on them that you knock out, and then you can replace the tooth.