GangboX Podcast
Everything Union Everything Las Vegas We dive into the topics that affect Union construction workers in the valley.
GangboX Podcast
GangboX Episode 11 w/ Luis Julandez
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This episode we have Luis on who is a up and comer in the rod busting union. Luis tells us about growing up in Las Vegas and what is was like for him coming from nothing and dealing with trials and tribulations which led him to an apprenticeship with the Rebar Union. All things Union all things Construction!
Welcome to the Gangbox Podcast. We are back, episode 11. We've had a lot of guests on lately. Obviously, it's been political season, but we are getting to our roots, to the backbone of the labor movement with a real guest, rank and file apprentices. Um, how do you feel? Welcome to the Gang Box Podcast. We're excited to kind of hear your story. Why don't you give us a little introduction on who you are, what local you're a part of, uh what year you are, and and kind of what makes you tick.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, no, first and foremost, I'd like to thank Vince and you know, obviously Gang Box Podcast for allowing me to be on here and you know, you as well for giving me the platform. But my name is Luis Holandes, most importantly, and I come from uh, you know, an immigrant family, you know, both parents from Celaya Guanajuato. I was also born in Celaya, Guanajuato. I'm currently on DACA, so which is allows me to be a part of the local 416 um mission. And I say mission because you know it's a brotherhood and and I see it now as a first year apprentice, and um I'm gifted, I'm blessed, so I'm I'm I'm pleased to be here. Hell yeah, bro. Welcome.
SPEAKER_02Welcome. Thank you. So first year apprentice local, tell us about local 416. What is that?
SPEAKER_01Local 416 is a is a crew of people that you know knows to the grindstone. You know, we work hard every day and we're we're we're we we we uplift the city, I'd like to say, you know, and we all put forth effort that gets that done. And it's cool to say, you know what? Coming from them and telling them telling me like, hey, look, we did this, and you know, one day you're you know you're gonna be able to say, you know, you you helped pick up the city. And you know, doing that now, every day I go into work, I'm motivated and I'm I'm I'm happy to be a part of that crew and and happy to have some brotherhood, some, you know, to some extent, some some rough love, you know.
SPEAKER_02So it's cool. So for anyone listening that doesn't know, what exactly does 416 do? What type of work?
SPEAKER_01416 is uh rebar reinforcement. So we we we punk bar, we we lift heavy iron all day. We're up high up in the sky, and you know, we take part in what we do, we make shit look nice too.
SPEAKER_02So nice. What made you uh what made you pick that local? How'd you get how'd you get into to that one? What why 416?
SPEAKER_01So first and foremost, I want to thank Steve O, who is uh, you know, big dog. Fuck yeah. Steve Gera, bro. Steve Guerra, yeah, coach. Yeah, coach Steve Guerra. Shout out to Marley, his daughter. And you know, I go to the boxing gym there with Steve, and there was a point where I hated my life where I was like, which was recent, where I was like, you know what? This I was an electrician, non-union, and it just wasn't tailored for me. I didn't feel I didn't feel like an electrician. There was a situation where you know I got sent home for for for moving too much, for doing too much. And I'm like, I sat at home one day after that, and I'm like, you're not even paying me enough, and I'm trying to give you the best I can. And you know, it kind of put me down a bit, and I just hit Steve Steve up, and I'm like, hey man, like in my mind, I knew how hard this is it was gonna be. Like I knew also being a fighter, I knew like damn, I'd have to condition my body. But I was like, I, you know, I like a I like a challenge, I like an obstacle, let's see how I can do with this. Yeah, and sure enough, Steve and Steve had the the you know the the audacity to say, you know what, you look like you can be one of us. And sure enough, you know, I couldn't let him down, and now I'm out there doing my thing. But it was because of um me getting in trouble as an electrician that I didn't I wasn't able to display my full potential. And now that I can, you know, now I'm here.
SPEAKER_02And how long ago is that? Like when did you join? How long you been in?
SPEAKER_01Uh like two months.
SPEAKER_02Really? Yeah, nice. You love it?
SPEAKER_01Love it. It's the best gig I've ever had.
SPEAKER_02Nice. Best gig I've ever had. It just gets better the more money you make.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, there you go. At least you know, and as we were talking earlier, it's like fighting, right? Like I go to the boxing gym and I'm applauded for being the most violent.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And it's the same here. It's like you're applauded for putting in work, punking iron, you know, doing what you can to move the team forward. And I love that, you know.
SPEAKER_02So I see what's going on here. So we started uh a battle of the trades boxing tournament not too long ago, and all of a sudden this kid shows up.
SPEAKER_00So that's no that's well that's where I met him. I met him first. He was he was coaching some of the uh some of the athletes over at Center Ring Boxing on the east side. So uh shout out to Tony and his family, Steve O'Center Ring Boxing dude. So we'll back up just a little bit. I know that this is gonna be one of those podcasts where we go all over, you can't get two Rodbusters in a room because we'll be all scattered brain. But so uh Center Ring Boxing Bro is a is an organization that is a nonprofit boxing gym, it's the only nonprofit boxing gym in in southern Nevada. And Tony, who is a retired um Lyuna 872 business manager, he was there before Tommy White, believe it or not. Uh he he or his family, Marilyn Kirkpatrick and the labor started um they took an old fire station and converted it into a boxing gym. And it's and correct you would know way more than me, bro, but like it's all the neighborhood kids from the east side, they get to train there for free.
SPEAKER_01It's the roughest, the roughest kid you'll find, and they that's where they train really.
SPEAKER_00And that's that's where I met him uh was through Steve O, um, who I met through uh Tony and them and doing the the nonprofit. So what Daniel's talking about is we have the battle of the trades, um, and this is just for the listeners, right? And so if anybody's fucking interested, that it's it's our hardest event that building trades puts on. Um so we have to find people who want to compete to box. Um, you know, for all craft trade versus trade. You have carpenters that'll fight electricians, plumbers fighting groofers, sprinkler fitters, glazers, um, iron workers. There's all uh so each craft puts a puts people up. And it's hard for me because I have to match them by age, weight, and boxing record because it's all legit. We have to go in front of the athletic commission, turn in our paperwork there. Um it's they're all sanctioned, they have to get their books, their amateur books, and and if you're over 40, you got to get an EKG, so you got to get physicals, we have to pay for doctors and ambulances. And so what we do with that um money is we we give uh the proceeds, a big portion of the proceeds to Center Ring Boxing to help uh fighters like Marley Guerra, uh who's uh the daughter of a 416 member. I think she's ranked number three in the country or something.
SPEAKER_01She's number one in my heart.
SPEAKER_00Number one. But she's bad, bro. And so so we raise money because now she's on the on the Olympic team, on the junior Olympic team, and she's uh an Olympic hopeful. And but I mean, bro, that's that's real some real shit coming out of the dirt, you know what I mean? And and and that's what Tony and them do. And so that's where I met him. He was training the guys that were in the trades, and so he was able to get a job through through that, you know what I mean? And it's funny to hear him say that you know he worked uh non-union and and he got in trouble for working too hard, and then you come to the Rodbusters and you're applauded for your fucking violence, bro. Like I love that shit because that's that job, bro. Again, that's my heart, that's where I come from, that's where I talk about, that's where I learned my work ethic, that's where I learned my grind. Um, you know, it's no secret, dude. I'm I'm in recovery right now and and and uh I have the disease of addiction. And when I was in the field, um that addiction was my job. I fucking never stopped working. I loved the violence, I loved the fucking the chaos that comes with it, the hurry up and fucking go, the shit talk, the grind, the push, push, push. There were there's you know, it's one of the most physically demanding jobs in the trade. Like that, and I think finishing concrete are the two hardest fucking jobs by far. Every job is tough, don't get me wrong. You know, um, we all but there's the equal playing field where you have to wake up, you have to drive to work, you get to work, you lace up your boots, right? Yeah, you stretch and flex. That's where we're all equal. And then once you put your fucking tool butt on, you go to work, it's like some jobs are you have to think a little bit more, and that's like the you know, the shit that I always get fucking played around about is uh, you know, they they talk shit, they're like, oh, iron workers don't know how to read, and that's what they want to do. It's funny, bro. It's all it's all love. It's tough love, bro. But we have a good time, dude. But I I like I said, unless you're living it, it takes a special that's how you're supposed to be, right?
SPEAKER_02I mean we we talk about that all the time because I'll make the same comment about my glazers. And look, you're only two months into your apprenticeship. So if you want to jump ship and become a glazer, you know, because we're looking for some boxers for the battle of the trades. Uh so you know, we can compare wage schedules later and see what you want to do, but uh but that's how you're supposed to be, right? The pride that that we have in our crafts is crazy, right? I mean, you talk to any glazer, they have the same we are the best craft on the job.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, right.
SPEAKER_02And and we believe it. You can hook me up to a lie detector test, I am not lying. But if anyone who's in their trade doesn't think the same thing about their trade, then they don't have the passion needed to have longevity in this kind of career. Because you have to have that type of passion for what you do, right? It's just pride in your work. Um, it's something that I think we're losing um with kind of the new generations. And that's an old school, that was that was put into me from some old school glazers, like be proud of what you do. We are the best. And then you wake up and you listen, you're like, you know what, we are the best, man. You know?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and you know what? That that's funny you say that because I've always surrounded myself with with grown men. I've never had a a group of friends who's like, oh, that's my boy, and he's younger of my age. I've never done that.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, why?
SPEAKER_01Because I knew that like when my when my father died, I knew that if I if I did that, that I wouldn't fully see my full potential or I wouldn't fully understand things that I had should already had figured out by having a father, a father figure, a grown man. And I always attach myself to the to the older cats and and see what they have to say. So I'm also very old school. Right? I grew up thinking like every time I would go work at the Swami with my dad or in auctions when I used to work with my uncles, like they wanted things quick. And I never took that personal. I never was like, oh, why don't you go get it? It was always more so of like, damn, how can I show out to him? Like if I show out, he might give me 50 more bucks. Right. And to me, I never hung with the young guys because even now with the with the young apprentices, like I really try not to talk much, you know, with them. I'm cool with them, cordial, but let me listen to that guy. Like, I want to listen to the older head who's been here for 15 years, who can tell me how to do it easier, quicker, but also be efficient with it. And you're right, a lot of this shit is dying nowadays with all these young people. Also, no one wants to get their fingers dirty. Right. No one wants to get their hands cut. Look at my thumb. Yeah. You know, I pop my cherry, but it's it's but it's that, you know, it's it's wanting to like, you know, man, how can I be like you guys? It's seeing admiration. Yeah. And everyone nowadays just wants to be the coolest guy. Yeah. And it's like, nah, I just want to be like you, which is what's getting me to be better.
SPEAKER_02Nice. So I mean, you've you've talked about uh, you know, being a um uh a brand new apprentice. You mentioned a little bit about boxing. Can you kind of take us way back um and and how you got here? Uh like how was your childhood, where'd you come from, you know, all the things that kind of led up to you being uh being an apprentice right now?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so pretty much I grew up, I came from Mexico when I was five. I came from Guanajuato, knew no English. It took me about six years to learn English. Um back then they didn't have a lot of tutors like how they do now, next to you, sitting there writing for you, explaining to you. So it was kind of more like people talking in like a different language, and you're like, what the hell do I do? Um learned English, you know, and I was always attached to my dad. My dad always liked to work, he always found ways to make money, to to move. And he was always like me. Like I was I'm like him, like we're we can't stay still. And my dad was my hero. He dies when I'm 15. I'm a junior in high school, and you know, I just start feeling this heavy burden on me unwanted, like I've never asked for it, but it just naturally came on me to where I'm like, man, like fuck, now I'm a provider. You're the oldest in your family? No, my sister is. But as the only I was the oldest man, I I felt that. And it's not that no one put it on me, it was my own, my own, you know. And so I started becoming more rageful with things. I wasn't understanding how to take my dad's death. And I found fighting. And one day I got in a fight at the park, and some guy came up to me and had knocked out the guy, and the guy was when uh some other guy, Luis, came up to me, he's like, Luis Ortiz, he's like, hey man, he's like, You ever want to box? I'm like, nah, fuck that. Like, I don't have money. Like, I'm busting it everywhere, like I'm busting it to school. How cool is it to be a senior in high school and you're taking the city bus as your friends are coming down in their trucks with their girlfriend, and I'm in the city bus. What high school? I went to Sunrise Mountain High School in the east side. Yeah. So, you know, it's just little, you know, little things just started fucking with me, fucking with me. And I just became like, fuck, I want the world. You know, I just I I want it, you know, and it became that, and just still trying to figure my depression out, you know, how you know my dad dying and trying to figure my way out through life. My mom could do what she could. She cleaned houses from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Didn't really see her as much. So I started fighting, getting in trouble, and then I was introduced to controlled fighting, which is boxing and martial arts, and um, I learned my discipline, I learned how to not be rageful, I learned how to uh work as a team, and I learned how to listen. And so from there, I just started piecing everything together. Like I said, I grew up with a lot of older older men. So to me, how I like to do it and how I did it was what could I get from him to add to my arsenal? What can I get to him to add to my arsenal? Why? To then build the machine. Building your toolbox, bro. And yeah, building my toolbox. And you know, at the end of the day, ultimately, I feel like I'm the best fighter. I feel like no man could beat me. And I also feel like one day I'm gonna be the best ironworker and no one's gonna be able to keep up. Fuck yeah. What did you fight professionally? Always amateur? Yeah, always amateur. Yeah, always amateur. And the reason being is, you know, it's it's your own self. Like it was my own self. I never really saw my my, you know, that's why I started so late, because I never really saw my my potential. I was blinded by having to, you know, there was days we wouldn't eat. My mom didn't have to give us food. I remember once I got in trouble for making a quesadilla at my aunt's house. We got evicted to my aunt's house, and she split the fridge, and my mom's side was on this, and her side was on this side. And I got home one day, my mom didn't have shit. And so half the fridge was empty? Yeah, half the floor. The other half had a bunch of food in it. Oh man. And so I got a tortilla, I got some fucking cheese, which is fucking three dollars and nothing crazy. If that, yeah. If that, and I started making it, she comes in, she's like, hey, where's your mom's food? Tell her next time to get you guys food. Mind you, my mom didn't have money to get food. And so shit like that is what makes me a fucking savage, you know. Like I I you remember that, and you know, you you you you just want more of it, you know, and I think that's what pushes me, and that's why I'm I ain't working now, is because I'm able to get pushed and and see how far I can go.
SPEAKER_00So uh what was your record for amateur? My record is three and oh. Oh no shit. And then now I know you and I were talking a little bit, uh, you're starting to get more into the MMA stuff.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah. I I I've always liked martial arts. I've always liked my martial arts. I just didn't fully do it because when I was I was 21, I had ruptured my ACL and my meniscus completely. And so I was kind of tentative and scared of like, damn, how how would it play off like that? And you know, I just strengthened the shit out of it. I was able to get it fully functional back again, and you know, I just I I like martial arts better. I like the use of use of more tools, you know. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So if I can be the most violent, then I will be the most violent, you know, and not be restrained to just hands, but everything else.
SPEAKER_00And and so what do you so you do your boxing, your your striking uh center ring, I guess?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I do my Muay Thai there. I have guys go there and help me with like kicks, sparring, uh Muay Thai boxing at center ring, and then I do my jiu-jitsu at 10th planet. Shout out to 10th planet, shout out to Center Ring. That's all that's yeah, I do that. And how'd you get hooked up with 10th planet? Uh my boy, my boy. I was you know, I was always scared. You know, you know, a bunch of animals in there, and so you're like, fuck, like, damn, you're you you you see you see a threat, and you're kind of like, uh, damn, like these guys are bad motherfuckers. And one of the guys kept pushing me. Shout out to Abdel Rodriguez, he's uh he makes uh boxing equipment and he also has a uh a training center for like kids that are goalies in soccer. Oh really? Yeah, and so he kept wanting to push me. He's like, bro, you'll be really good at it. Like just come, come, come. And one day I was like, fuck it, you know. I went broke because my account went negative. I put in that $200 payment for, but it was worth it, you know. And and I went in there and you know, I was able to to display my talent, and you know, I feel like I'm good enough. So, how long have you been training now, MMA? Uh man, I've always kicked, I've always elbowed, I've always understood martial arts since I was since my dad died. You know, I used to go to the Zaya, it's called ZIA, it was a it's a it's like a blockbuster. It was a blockbuster. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. The records. Yeah, and so I we were we were we didn't have money, that's when my dad died, right? And so I busted to that, and I was like, fuck, what can I watch? We didn't have nothing to watch, we didn't have cable. And I'm like, fuck, two dollar fucking UFC DVDs? So I got fucking 15.
SPEAKER_02The the new ones, like the the the first ones, oh UFC one, UFC two, tank abbot, and always always crazy crazy, oh yeah, all that shit.
SPEAKER_01And I'm like, fuck. And so I always trained it, I always I always understood it, I always knew it. So that's why people were like, hey man, how many fights you got? I got no MMA fights, but I could whoop your ass. Right. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00No, we talk about it. So so we we talked about so in the work I do now, um, especially in the political world, you have all these people that are um represent all these organizations. And so there was a guy that uh represents tough enough, the uh the like you know, MMA, whatever. And so I text him, and we're supposed to, he's supposed to get back to me, dude. We're trying to help him out, get a fight and shit. So um hopefully, bro. I mean, it fucking So are you ready? Are you ready to have uh I'm ready to go now? Yeah, you know what I'm saying?
SPEAKER_01Like it's not even a thing. It's it's seeing where my opportunity is at. Right. You know, and and if my opportunity is there, I train every day. I I'm an iron worker every day, so you can't come tell me that I'm not putting in work, I'm putting in work every day, so he better be ready, not me.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and then let me ask you this, bro, because I'm always curious about this. So iron work is a whole different kind of conditioning. Fuck yeah. Because you'll see these guys, I remember when I was an apprentice, fucking brand new, and I'd see these old fucking fat Mexican dudes eating burritos, drinking beer, and these dudes would be running with rebar and shit. I'm like, how the fuck? And I was like, oh, this is easy, and then I'd go and I'd fucking die, and I'm like, how the fuck do these old men do it, bro? It's a way different style of conditioning. And then once your body gets conditioned to rebar, you feel unstoppable, right? It's fucking crazy, bro.
SPEAKER_01I my joints feel fucking strong. I feel I feel super, and you know what? I always suffer from malnutrition because of the past situation. So I always was always weak. My joints would fuck up easy. That's how I got my ACL fucked up. So it was always a lot of that. But now that I'm doing this and I'm training, I'm kicking, I'm like, what the fuck?
SPEAKER_00Like, do you feel stronger? Hell yeah. Hell yeah.
SPEAKER_01I feel stronger, but nothing hurts though. Like my back isn't hurt. Like, I feel good, I feel strong, but it is a different conditioning. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because at first I was kind of like, what the fuck? He's 65. Yeah. I swear, I've seen it pisses you off, yeah. It pisses you off, bro. Cause you're like, I'm fucking fucking How come I can't do that? You see them get up, hook, hook, get up, and I'm like, I can't keep the guy I'm working with now, I'm partnered with Lorenzo. Shout out to Lorenzo. Man, that's the motherfuckers are gang shot. I it's harder for me to keep up with him, and he's in his fucking 50s. It's wild, it's a different thing. Yeah, but it it's cool though, it's dope, makes you feel unstoppable, you know? Yeah, makes you feel like other people just can't do this shit.
SPEAKER_02So you're working every day um out in the field and you're training, um, you're fighting, training at night. Yes, sir. Yeah, uh work in the morning.
SPEAKER_01Full. No time for for no extra shit but that. Yes, sir. But work and training, a hundred percent. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02So when when you said uh you said you came here and we are gonna go all over the place. But you said you you you you came to this country at five years old. Did you were you in Vegas?
SPEAKER_01No, I started in California actually, in San Fernando or Northridge. Okay, yeah, in the valley. That's where I origin that's where I you know my upbringing was and you know, around Hispanics and everything, working class, you know, the working class.
SPEAKER_02And when did when did you come to Vegas?
SPEAKER_01I came to Vegas when I was about like eleven years old. Okay. Around that age.
SPEAKER_02So you just moved with with your family?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, with my family. My dad had gotten a job here. He used to work for Freeman. The company that does uh no free Freeman is uh uh audio video tech. They send out all the like all this to like you know, big productions, fights, microphones, speakers, all that. And so we would resell that at the Swamp Meet. Uh Broadacre. I knew what you were gonna say, Broad Acre. I love that place. Dude, we used to go at three in the morning, get a spot. He would make us load, unload. He would make me and my sister sell, and he would leave. And I'm like, what the fuck? This is your shit. Come sell your shit. And later on, I you know realized that my mom was like, hey, he did it to show you how to speak to people. He did it, he left so he can fuck. He didn't, he's like, he didn't care about the fucking money. He's like, he would leave, come home, and he would tell me, he's like, I want to see how much they sell. But us, we're over that swap me fucking pissed. Like, what the fuck? We were to sell a microphone for 40 bucks, 250. Jeez. You know, but he didn't care. It was it was the the act of being there and and and and struggling and and communicating, socializing that made everything better. So you were 11 years old at the SWAT meet selling stuff? Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Nice.
SPEAKER_01I love that swap meet. 100%. Yeah. That was the SWAT meet when people actually went to go sell. Yeah. When people would go, there was no extra shit with the music. It was the people that came to buy were from six to ten. Those were the good buyers. After that, it became a little slower. So but that was that was good times of the SWAT meet. Yeah. Now it's a lot watered down. Yeah. It's gimmicky. Yeah, it's fucking weird.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. I always think they're trying to rip me off because I'm a white guy. I think you're not wrong. I'm like, uh I think that should be $10. $15 for you, white guy. All right. We're gonna move on.
SPEAKER_01So see what sucks is now you can't even bargain sometimes. Now they're selling shit like what they sell at the store, and I'm like, I might as well just go to the store. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02I'm saying like what they don't be guaranteed. Yeah, for sure. So you you you come in at at and did you say you're DACA? Yeah, I'm a DACA recipient. So how did you know, growing up, obviously, you came into the country at five. Right? At what age did you realize, hey, you know, I might have a a uh status issue here. Did did they tell you, did your parents let you know right away, like, hey, we we brought you across the board, you don't have, you know, you don't have your papers, or how did when did you discover that and what did that feel like? What was that like?
SPEAKER_01I I discovered that when I when I went to school. And how did my disadvantage?
SPEAKER_02How did that how did that go down?
SPEAKER_01Um, I would cry a lot. Yeah, I would cry a lot because I like I said, I would hear everyone speak and I'm like, what's this? Like where where am I at? You know, everything was newer, nicer. And so you're it's a shock. And so when I would see my dad leave, I'm like, damn, like, where are you where are you going? You know, and so it was it was it was hard. But that's the moment where I was like, and I was young, I was maybe fucking like six at that point. But later on, you start as you get older, obviously obviously you start realizing more things, and you start being like, man, I am at a disadvantage. So to me, since I always knew I was at a disadvantage, I never I never forgot my roots. I never forgot who I am. I'm always stand standing on business with that because it's it is what it is. It's like me going against my mom, and that's never gonna happen. Or my heritage or my people. But what I did understand is I had to get my shit together. As far as I do have to speak English. I I I do have to, you know, conduct myself in a positive way. And in in in in a way in which, you know, you're gonna be happy to communicate with me, you know, or how easy can it be for me to communicate and socialize with a businessman, a white guy. Right? Because every time I would see a white guy, I was scared. I was like, what the fuck is he gonna say about me? Or what is he gonna how is he gonna judge me? You know, and my parents were a big advocate and being like, you know what, like here at the household, we're speaking Spanish, we're sticking to our roots, you're never gonna forget that. He's like, but they were always adamant about me, you know, adapting to where we're at, you know, in in a in a positive way, you know what I mean? To where I don't lose my my roots and my heritage, which I'm a hundred percent proud of.
SPEAKER_02Right. And then what you said you're how how did the the DACA thing? How how did you get that? Did you have to apply for it? Was it pain in the ass? What what was that process like?
SPEAKER_01Pain in the ass. Pain in the ass, because you gotta understand, I'm already in Vegas, so I have to, I went to school in California. So I have to get records of where I lived, school paperwork, all that. So you have to go back over there, get all that, get your stuff from here. Just prove that you're a functioning member to society and that you're just not a number, that you're actually providing something to society, either you're working, either you're going to school, or you know, whatever the case may be. And it was hard, and then it's also hard because you know, obviously you come from a struggling family, and then you know, it comes time to renew, and then it's like all this shit talk of like, oh, you want to you want to take DAC away, but no the fuck you don't because we pay a lot to keep this shit going. We pay a lot to renew. So it's like you you won't take this shit away. Also, too, we're we're we're working class, you know, you can't get in trouble. You you have to be on your P's and Q's, you have to be a like I said, a functioning member of society, you know, put forth. And so that motivates me to be a functioning member of society. So now what are you gonna say about me?
SPEAKER_02Yeah. How old were you when you first had when you first applied to get that?
SPEAKER_01I think I was like 15. Really? Yeah, it's 15. Yeah, I think it's like 15 that where you can start.
SPEAKER_02And then you you have to renew it every it's every two years. Every two years.
SPEAKER_01Every two years. So every two years they get 900 bucks from me.
SPEAKER_02And every two years you're you have the pressure of of man, because what can they deny it?
SPEAKER_01So they can deny it, you can lose it. So for example, if my due date is to renew, my renewal is three months from now, right? And I renew it today, something may happen to where they might not receive my paperwork. I don't know how it gets lost somewhere, sure, and you're fucked. Why? Because there's deadlines for everything. And so if you don't comply with those deadlines, you they'll take it away. I have a cousin who who got it taken away because it got lost. Her information sent out so that they can run everything got lost, and now she doesn't have that guy. Fucking send two, bro. And so it's like, what the fuck are you gonna do now? Yeah. All all the hard work, all the taxes I've paid, me being a good, you know, good civilian. Right. Like what they just you're gonna do. I mean, you've done everything right, right? You you've just essentially you have to. Yeah. You have to. It's you know, and not that I want to, because you know, sometimes I do want to be a menace. But you know, fuck it. You know, I'm you know, sometimes I do want to be a demon. But you know, yeah, for the most part, you know, I I I do community service without even thinking it's community service. Yeah. Yeah, it just feels like the right thing to do. It just feels like the right thing to do now. So, and that's a lot of these people nowadays. A lot of these people are doing what feels right, you know, because everyone's sick of all this extra shit going on. Oh, yeah. And I'm one of those, you know, so I I realize that bringing peace, positivity is the way to go, you know? And so then, like I said before, what are you gonna say now about me?
SPEAKER_02Right.
SPEAKER_01I don't do nothing bad.
SPEAKER_02And so what is it that keeps you grounded like that? Like what what is it that keeps you motivated? You seem very you you seem like a very passionate, very motivated uh young man. What is it inside you that keeps you so motivated and positive to keep uh keep advancing?
SPEAKER_01Uh what motivates me more so is I tell people you it when you're a fighter, you kind of forget that you're also a human. Right? I've been I've been in ca altercation and chaotic environments. I remember my dad would come home at three in the morning, break the door down to try to hit my mom. So that type of chaos brings it it it blurs your mind with so much negative shit that you almost become dark yourself, right? And then you put fighting in that. Right? Now I have to train my body to to analyze an individual and say, how can I make that guy fold? How can I break him? Right? And so a lot of people forget that no, you're also a human. And so when I go to the boxing gym at 4 p.m. to give the kids two hours of my time, that's what motivates me. Because I'm motivated to still be human as well as still be super violent. And so seeing them work hard, seeing their parents, shout out to Lazarus, one of the parents there at the boxing gym who goes there after work every day, non-union guy, nose to the grindstone every day, and he wants the best for his kids. Not only that, but you see when Tony brings the the boxes of, you know, it's not even fucking good food, it's fucked up food they take the kids, you know. It's it it's something though, right? They have carries like it's fucking something. And so I remember me carrying around the fucking thir the Thanksgiving box that they would give me in high school and and being proud to have it and taking home and seeing them be like, hey Tony, can I take five for my for my for my brothers, two for my mom? And you're like, damn, like fuck. Like if I have all these attributes, if I have all these, uh, uh, all this the support system, like man, how can I be great so that I can give back to kids like that? And so that's why I take, you know, pride in everything I do, pride in communication with people, pride in in who I am, so that you know, I ultimately tell my my the people that ask me the same question is I want my dad to see the best fucking show he's ever seen. You know what I'm saying? Like I want him to be like, that's a bad motherfucker. And that's what I want.
SPEAKER_00Do you feel like seeing the kids kind of feels like almost a full circle moment? Like, because you know, you like you you talked about like bringing like when you were in school and and and getting assistance and stuff, and seeing these kids, does it kind of take you back to your childhood, like five?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, because they see admiration in me. Yeah. And I never realized I could be admired by somebody, you know, but admired by a kid that sees like he has his whole life ahead of him, and I can be the one to shift that either to the right or to the left. And to me is the positive way. And so it makes me happy knowing that there's 50 fucking kids there that come up to me every day and say, Hey man, I love you bro. When before they used to not even they used to say what's up and kind of just turn away and go. That's how it works with those kids. And you gotta speak their language. That's why I don't censor myself. Because that's you won't get to them by speaking like a like a profession, like, oh, hey buddy, I bug that what's cracking, but what are you doing? You know? They s they they they interact with you and they care for you. And so, in a way, it's more so too, like they care for me, so I've never felt, you know, you kinda go so long without feeling a certain type of love that the love that they they do give you is love that you can't find anything anywhere else, you know. So how often are you doing are you working with them kids every day? Every day. Every day. I try to give my input, I try to help them as much as I can. And be a pillar that I didn't have, you know what I mean? Be someone that can direct me and let me know, like, hey man, like stay good in school, like you know, you get to reap rewards if you're a good person, you know, show respect, this and that. And you know, fucking, like I said, I didn't know I was gonna become someone that someone looked up to, you know. I thought I was gonna either be dead or in prison. Really?
SPEAKER_02So you so not only are you punk and rebar all day long and you're training for yourself, but you're also helping out with all the kids.
SPEAKER_01I I do my best to help out the kids best by best I can, yes sir. Yeah. You start hearing their stories and you know, just understanding who they are, and you know, it's a beautiful thing to understand that they, you know, a lot of those kids come from probably worse, worse worse stories than mine. Fuck yeah.
SPEAKER_02What are you sleeping like three hours a night or something?
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Five, five, five, yeah, five, yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, but yeah, those keep those kids keep me going for sure. So that's it, uh that's awesome. What's uh looking kind of out into the like what is your you're looking out in the future, the next 10 years. Um, you know, you're you're an apprentice, you're two months in, and I love that that you're a brand new apprentice, having a brand new apprentice kind of on on the pot. I mean, that's this podcast is is really geared toward our members, right? Members of all the trades. Um and you know, to have a kind of a fresh two-year apprentice with your background and and kind of what you're doing, um, you're chasing the American dream, right? And 100%. And uh that's what unions have to offer. That's that's what we are preaching, is is we are giving people of all walks of life from all different types of of backgrounds, uh, the American dream. So when you look at your future for the next 10 years, um, what where do you want to be at? What is it that that you want to be be doing in the in the next 10 years?
SPEAKER_01As far as I can go.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, there's no limit.
SPEAKER_01Because I don't know where I'm gonna be. I don't I can't dictate that. A lot of it is ordained by God. And as long as I keep working, as long as long as I keep trucking, I'll get to where I need to be. And that, I don't know exactly what that is, but I want all the chips, I want everything, everything, everything.
SPEAKER_00What's what was your biggest surprise uh coming into the union? What what what was like the most uh the thing that shocked you the most? What were you like, oh fuck, I didn't know that, or what did you learn, whether it's through the union or through the company?
SPEAKER_01Is knowing how to work fast, efficient, be productive, but the safety stuff. Yeah, I was like, oh shit, I can't forget that, you know? Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, you know, it's just becoming safer at the job site, but also being efficient. That to me was more of a shock because you know, coming from non-union, it's kind of like ah, fucking it don't come, and you know, whatever this and that. But seeing the guys walk around there telling you, hey, put your glasses on, yeah, shit like that is you know, it's is but shout out to them though, because you know, I'm cool with them there at the job site, they're cool people, but um yeah, it's that the shock of be having to be safe. Like, yeah, I don't uh I never thought of being safe. Well, that's what's funny, bro.
SPEAKER_00So so when we were in in Carson City for the film bill, uh the the whole building is being done non-union again. Uh thanks to Northern Nevada Building Trades for doing their job and taking care of the legislative building up there. Um way to go, Rob. Keep up the great work. We're gonna get we're gonna get text. But anyway, that's who cares. Do your fucking job. Do your fucking job or get out of the way. Anyway, uh, yeah, bro, we were out there, we were at the building, right, every fucking day, bro. And then and uh uh in northern Nevada and and all the all the construction is fucking non-union, bro. The scaffolding's all fucked up and all this and that, and everyone's talking shit. Bro, we fucking called OSHA, bro. OSHA was out there the next fucking day, bro. They had the scaffolding fucking fixed, all the workers were good. And it and it's kind of like to the point, bro, where it's like, whether they're union or non-union, motherfucker is still a human. Yeah, do the fucking job. And so like we weren't there talking shit to the non-union workers, we weren't fucking with them. It's not their fault, bro. Most of those dudes don't even know. They're just trying to get a job. But you know, dude, it's it's it's funny that uh to hear you say that, like, you know, the non-union and and it being unsafe and shit, to the point of um those guys seeing it fucking now, like even grown ass men, bro. And then a lot of these dudes are fucking scared to speak up about if something's unsafe or if they're being mistreated at work, or even dudes who get shorted on their check hours, bro. I can't even believe, like, grown ass fucking men doing the work we do, doing the work that you're doing now, you'd be shocked, bro, how many people are scared to speak up. And to me, that's what fucking union is having the balls to fucking speak up against something that's wrong. It's something you truly believe in, and you want to go fucking fight, and then finding like-minded people who understand that, like, no, you owe me that money. Like, that's that's mine, you know. When I was the BA, bro, people would be scared. I remember this one cat, he'd come up to me, he was a Baiser, you know what I mean? He was real scared and timid about everything. And he tells me he's like, I was shorted two hours of overtime. And I was like, all right, cool, man, I'll call the company, no big deal. It it's all good. He's like, No, no, no, don't tell him it's me. And I was like, what the fuck? Like, you want me to get a blank fucking check with no name for two hours of time and a half? Like, bro, the company's not gonna do that. And he's like, Oh, just forget it then. And I was like, no, like you can't be scared, it's your money, dog. Like, and and and then I I'm in a weird situation. Like, am I gonna break his trust if I go fight without his without him wanting me to? Then he's gonna be like, fuck Vince. So it's hard, bro.
SPEAKER_02And I thought But if you don't go after it, two years from now, he'll be talking about, oh, remember that time he didn't get my overtime? He'll tell everyone I told him I was shorted and he didn't do anything about it. Right.
SPEAKER_00It becomes an It's a weird situation, bro. So I ended up convincing him. Actually, he had his daughter there with him, bro, um, to kind of help translate, because I in my Spanish ain't the fucking best. And so I had to more convince her to convince her dad. Yeah, yeah. So thank God, bro, she was there. But there's a lot of that in especially in the I don't know how it is in yours, but oh, it's the same.
SPEAKER_02I mean, it it's uh they they get worried, but uh you know I take that kind of as a personal challenge because to me, if my members are worried to say something, then they're worried I can't protect them. Right? Um and so if they're coming to me going, hey, don't say anything, um, I take that kind of personally. That's an issue I need to deal with. Uh and so I it's starting to change. I mean, I have a ton of members that really just don't care anymore. Um, you know, we we got a floor covering contractor, one of ours that was was ripping off some guys for a long time, and they were very scared. Uh and our old regime, uh, we were district council 15 before, you know, they apparently had been asking the reps to do something about it, and the reps would just go to the employer and go, hey, these guys are complaining about something, and then they would all get fired and the reps wouldn't do anything. And so the culture was, yeah, even if I go to the union, I lose my job. You know, and and as a union rep, we have to understand that sometimes, you know, these employers know how to play the game. And sometimes it's it's almost impossible to protect them. And then when they stand up and say, hey, my pay short, it's one person, and you try to go get it from them, and a week and a half later we have slowed down and that guy is let go, you know, it's hard for me to fight that, you know, because the employers know what to do. They know how to how to gain the system. Um but I have them I have some members that did the right thing. A few weeks later they lost their job. They're not mad at me at all, but they it's the it's the the strength of the membership, right? Could you imagine if that guy lost his job two weeks later and everyone else on the job walked off until he got his job back? Yeah. That's how the union used to be. That's how that's how I w was brought in. That's how it used to be, but it's turned a little backstabby lately.
SPEAKER_00Like, oh well. 2008, bro. I feel like 2008 made it really, really like the the 2008, fuck the brotherhood. Right. Because because when 2008 came, it was like every man for himself, we're all like, you know, so it was all the fucking suck asses and and and and you know, I don't know, whatever you want to call it, dick suckers, whatever kids' asses, bro. And so they all fucking that's the problem, bro. You know, they forgot about the brotherhood and they all went to the company and and they were all fighting for hours and backstabbing each other. And then in the rebar side specifically, 416, bro, uh here in Vegas, a lot of it turned into not even the best hands got to stay working. It was just the friends, bro. I always had a real big fucking problem with that. Um, and and you know, again, just like now, like I never wanted to fit in. I didn't give a fuck about fitting in. I don't want to be your fucking friend. I'm I'm here for money. I'm here to make money, I'm not here to make fucking friends, right? And you just you go out and grind. You develop real brothers out of that because then you start to forge a bond with these fucking dudes, right? But when 2008 came, a lot of that shit went away, dude. And that's and then some of the guys that were very union strong afterwards now, a lot of those dudes they got let go and they got blackballed, and and and because there's only three rebar union rebar companies in town, so there's roughly 300 fucking members here, so it's small. Yeah, you know. Um, but I remember before they'd be like, well, if he goes, we all fucking go. If somebody was gonna get laid off for speaking up for themselves or speaking up for the crew or the brotherhood, they'll all fucking go. It was bad, bro. That that's that was my introduction to unionism. I don't know, I don't think I told the story about Red Rock on here. No? So Oh, you you've told me, but I don't think it's been there. I don't think we've talked about in the podcast, bro. So you've never heard this. So we were building the Red Rock, first tower, Red Rock Hotel and Casino, and then shout out to Tommy Shafter. He was the guy who gave me my opportunity. People think it was my dad, bro, like because my dad was a rockbuster. But it was a guy named Tom Shafter and uh old white dude, fucking grumpy as fuck. He just dude like ate nails for breakfast. You know what I mean? Like he was just an old school tough dude, bro. Solid motherfucker. I'm I'm gonna be forever grateful for him. Um, but he's the one who gave my opportunity to run work, right? So I was blessed, bro. He he gave me the sheets, he's like, This is how you lay out, this is what you do, you have something in you. I remember him telling me, like, nah nah, you like you don't give a fuck attitude. He's like, You you're gonna you're gonna lead, right? And so he gave me he gave me my first opportunity. And so we were doing red rock, and I was doing the decks on the tower. And they had the low rise structural going on, and you know, when there's a bunch of crafts on the job, and so they had the drop inlets, like where all the water flows into the curb and gutter. Well, that has to go somewhere, and people don't know. There's that's all connected to underground sewer systems and or water water systems, but all those things are made out of concrete, so they pour them in place because they don't just ship them out on a truck. And so there was a carpenter company, and the carpenters were putting the rebar on, and it was maybe 400 fucking pounds. And so I thought I was my ego was all the way fucking turned up, bro, because I thought I was the man. I had the sheets, I had a fucking crane radio, bro. I was fucking All happy and people have to listen to me and shit. They gave me a radio. Yeah, they gave me a fucking radio. You think you're the shit? So uh, so you know, the there's like 400 pounds of rebar for like the drop inlet, and there was carpenters putting in. And I remember my boy, his name's Jeff. He was like, hey man, you believe these fucking carpenters are doing our work? And I was like, fuck those guys. And I went and told Tom, I'm like, that should be fucking ours. And Tom, bro, you know, he was uh not a company guy, but he was a he was a union guy for sure, bro. Like there was no question, but I've never seen a foreman be that pro fucking union, dude. Because it's just not something that you're done. You're uh uh running the job, you're you're a company guy, you know, you don't care about the union, you're always saying bad shit. And Tom never really said shit until then, and that's when I got to realize, like, holy fuck. So he went and told the GC, like, hey, let our boys put it in for free. I'll just give you a ticket, it's no big deal to avoid drama. Well, the GC was a carpenter, and he was like, no, fuck you, like our guys are gonna do it. And that's when Tom turned on the unionism. He was like, No, fuck you, we're all fucked. So he told me, he's like, Go start telling everybody at fucking noon, we're walking off, blah, blah, blah. So I told all the structural cats, bro. I told the structural guys, hey, bro, we're walking off at noon. These fucking carpenters are riding on our work, blah, blah, blah. And I didn't even, you know, you're just fucking fired up, bro. I just had a big ass mouth. So I was running around the whole job, plumbers told everybody, bro, we're all gonna walk off. And uh, and you know that and again, dude, it now looking at it, the carpenters didn't know. They're just doing what the fuck the boss told them to do. Those guys are like, what do you like? What do you want? You don't know, bro. Like you just you're doing what your job, what the boss told you to do. So here comes noon, bro. Noon, noon rolls around, and dude, we all fucking walk off the job. Everyone comes down 433, 416. At that time, I didn't know the other local numbers, but I remember the plumbers walking off with us, and we all we shut the whole fucking job side down over 400 pounds of rebar, bro, and we all went home. And we came back the next day, bro, and we were in the parking lot, and the GC came out and was like, sorry, we're gonna get it fucking fixed. And it's like, bro, that's the power in unionism. Like, we all walked off for 400 fucking pounds of rebar. The impact on that, people are like, oh you fucking cry, baby, it's 400 fucking pounds, bro. And again, I just wanted to fucking stir up shit. I was ready to I was uh, you know, we were gonna fight or fuck, bro. I didn't know which one we were gonna do, but something was gonna go down that day. And um Olson Pre-Cast then signed an agreement with the fucking nine workers, bro. So now Olson Precast is fucking signatory over 500 pounds or 400 pounds of fucking rebar from Red Rock. And I didn't understand the capacity of that, right? Like until I became in union leadership and I was like, the union didn't tell us to do that. Just it was the member like we are the union, right? Like, but again, when the members are the union and they exercise their right to be the union, you don't wait for union leadership to tell you to walk off. Again, that's illegal, right?
SPEAKER_02There's rules here. And that's the thing. Like, like the the power of that situation was that the members decided to do something. If they would have called their rep and say, hey, what should we do? Nothing, the rep would have to say, Oh, let me come down there and talk to them, but you can't walk off the job because that is a wildcat strike and that is illegal. So if my members are going through something like that and they call me, I'm gonna say that is a wildcat strike. Because if I direct them to do something, our entire local can get sued. We can lose all of our money. Like, like our funds can be depleted and then we'll have nothing, right? And so I always like wink, wink, nod, nod at the members, like, I can't do that. You know, like you know, do not I can't say it, you know.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and we can. So a lot of members think like, oh, my fucking piece of shit BA's not telling me what to do. It's like, well, it's illegal for us to tell you what to do, bro, in that situation. You gotta be a man. And every every good union man knows you don't cross a picket. Now, if you cross it or not, that's up to you. You decide if you want to be a good union man or not. I'm not telling you not to cross, I'm not telling you to cross. I'm telling you that in a situation of a picket, every good union man knows what to do, right? And a picket is like sanctioned picket. They have signs, we have things. It's not a banner, it's not like just a sign, you know what I mean? And I think we'll touch on that. I don't know if today. We'll do an episode on that. Yeah, we'll do a full episode because that's it's important, dude. It's important for apprentices to know the difference between a banner and a picket and what the union can tell you and what we can't, versus like we're not being scared to tell you. It's just, bro, it's unlawful to tell you what to do sometime in certain situations. Um, and that's where the apprenticeship school comes in. And that's where I found success in leadership of being in the union. Like I said, bro, I think that if you're being mistreated as an apprentice by your own fucking apprenticeship school, who has your back, bro? Is it gonna be your BA? Is it gonna be Steve O? Like, they're not gonna go down there and go fucking tell the apprenticeship, like, hey, these are the fucking rules, right? And I think that's where it's important for business agents to have a good relationship with the apprentices because you guys are the fucking future. They are, and I think that's part of the decline of the brotherhood where the apprentices feel like they have no representation in their own school sometimes, bro. You know?
SPEAKER_01But you know what too though, Vince, to touch on that, I like as far as me, I I always was the type of individual to to I I've always said especially after my dad died, right? I've always was more so on the side of how can you respect me? And if I work hard, you're just gonna have to I'm forcing you to to respect me. And so it's the same thing in in in iron work. I feel like a lot of you know, a lot of apprentices they don't care about none of that. They want to be cool by just how you talk to, oh hey, good morning, man. Yeah, just doing shit. But no, I want to sh be cool with you and I have a I want to create a bond with you. And that was my mindset coming into uh, you know, local 416 is I'm gonna get you on my side by working hard though. Right? Not by all this extra other shit going on, the gossiping, all this extra shit. I wanna do it because of how I work, right? How I how I how productive I am. That's how I want you to be like, man, that's a gangster. I can talk to him, I can have him as my partner. Or I can have him, I can tell him what to do. You can tell me whatever you want to do. I had an apprentice be like, man, yeah, this this guy made me do this, like he's right there. Why don't you just get it? I'm like, just fucking get it. Yeah, it's your job, dog. It's your fucking job. It's your fucking job. Fuck you. You think my mom wanted to be told what to do by the fucking owner of the house to come clean this fucking stupid gum off the ground when she could have just fucking done that? No, but my mom has to do it to get paid.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Same thing with you, bro. Get down there and get that fucking hickey and give it to the motherfucker.
SPEAKER_00Like, that's the biggest problem with apprentices, I think, you know, that I that I've seen the feedback I get. I'm I'm obviously not in the field anymore, but goddamn, I miss it every fucking day. Uh but the the everybody wants to be somebody without doing the fucking work. Yeah, yeah. Everybody wants to be the number one without in order to be a badass number one, you gotta know how to be a badass number two.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And always respect who the number one is, right? And we all want to get there, but there's a fucking there, there, there's progressions there, bro. You're gonna miss everything in the fucking middle if you go from zero to a fucking hundred. You're gonna miss the important shit, the character building, the no, and that's what I learned, bro. Every, you know, it's about experience, bro. It's not about smart, like you didn't just wake up, you had to fail to get that good. And I would tell apprentices all the time, I failed more times than you've even fucking tried, motherfucker. Like, that's why. It's not that I'm the best or I'm the greatest. I fucked up a lot. I fucked up a lot, and you learn from it. And if you don't learn, that's what makes you a stupid motherfucker. It ain't the first mistake that makes you a stupid motherfucker. It's trying to do it again and again and again and not learning from your fucking mistake. That's what makes you fucking stupid, right? But if you could it's all about experience, man. It's about experience. That's what makes you fucking good and great. The willingness to learn and look, I've learned more from a stupid motherfucker than I have the smartest fucking iron worker. Yeah. Just of what not to do, right? Like, like that's that's what I've learned in the field.
SPEAKER_02I told an apprentice once uh, you know, we had to set these uh Rix and floor closers, and and they're they're poured in, you know, quick crete. And uh this the pin from the jam has to be two and three-quarters, and I'm like, hey, you gotta set that at two and three-quarters. And the apparent's like, man, how do you know all this? You know how I know this? Because I've set it at fucking two and a half and had to hammer drill the fucking thing out. That's why I know that. You know, because I fucked it up. Yeah, right. That's why I know that. It's not because I'm just super smart and I memorize everything, it's because I have fucked it up so many times. I will never forget it when you spend half the day chipping out 15 floor closures that you put in the wrong spot, right?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, you fuck up. And you know what's funny? My dad always would tell me, and I remember a cop told me once too, I you know, remember when I said I used to take the city bus everywhere? So I would always be afraid because everybody used to want to talk to me, right? And then once uh I, you know, I told I remember I told the cop at the school cop, I'm like, man, like how do I get these people off of me, like at the bus and like, you know, picking trying to pick up game. You know, because I wasn't, you know, I was now out on my own in the early, late nights. And he's like, hey man, he's like, one thing I can tell you, he's like, learn from the source. I'm like, what do you mean? He's like, yeah. If he's a if he's a homeless guy, he's like, he's like, how many homeless people have tried to give you advice? I'm like, honestly, and this is true. A lot of the people out when I was in the city bus would tell me stick to the books, look where I'm at. And I would get a lot of that. Yeah, man, I promise you. And he's like, that's the source. He's like, you'll learn from anyone, anytime, anywhere. He's like, so if a homeless guy gives you something, and if it works for you and you're thinking could work for you, why? Because he's currently in that situation and he can tell you how it is, he's gonna derail you from that. He's like, so take what you can and discard it what you don't need. And so now in the boxing gym, anywhere in life, like I'm humbled to be here, right? And so, but because you guys have done it all, you guys have seen it all, right? And there's more to see. So therefore, when I'm in the field, I don't give a fuck who it is. I'm the student. I'm the student. You tell me what you need to do. I'm I'm the student. You lead, bro. I'm cool with that. A lot of these cats, it's like, oh, but can we do shut the fuck up?
SPEAKER_00That that doesn't go away, bro. Like that's the thing. Even me now, like you said, we've seen it all done at all. I I I don't believe that for myself. I've only seen and done what I've seen and done up to today. To now, yeah. And then once we keep going, bro, it's fucking grind time, dog. And and look, man, um, I'm grateful and blessed to to have you on and to have met you, bro. I I I think I think you're gonna have a bright future, whether it's farting or rebar, hopefully both. Uh I selfish Or Glazing, he might have jumped into the Glazers Union, maybe. No, no, we don't go backwards. We we fuck around, bro. And look, it's shout out to the 2001 Glazers, those are my boys too, bro. I got a lot of Glazer homeboys, man. But um, no, man, like I said, honestly, bro, grateful to have you, blessed to have you. Um I I'm I'm I'm proud of your full story, bro. And I know we didn't get to the whole story here, bro, but there's other podcasts people could watch and shit. But I will say, bro, it's a blessing to see you talk about the fur full circle moment with the kids and the snacks, bro. I feel that with you, bro. I feel that with you and me. I'm fucking blessed to have you and call you a union brother, a real brother, and see what you could do in my home local, dog. I'm I'm blessed and I'm very, very feel just proud to have you in my local, bro. It gives me hope that there's still good apprentices and good fucking solid dudes out there. Stay safe, bro, please, and and and always continue to do the next best thing. I'll kick it over to Daniel.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, uh, say, man. Um you you are the you are what we preach, right? You're you're you're starting a journey that we as as union leaders and as building trade leaders uh are super proud of. And and it's stories like yours uh that we don't get out enough uh to educate the people on what a what a great life uh someone can have when they when they join a building trades union. So I'm I want a front seat at where you go in the next 10 years. I am super excited to see.
SPEAKER_01No, 100%. No, and you know, thank I I don't even have words sometimes to thank the people around me, right? Like my support system. I see this as a support system. Um and I'm thankful. I'm thankful for the opportunity events, I'm thankful for you know for for for what you see in me. You know, at times I don't see what other people see, and rightfully so, it's not how it works. Keep it that way. Um but I'm also grateful for just opportunities, man. Opportunities opening up, and I'm an opportunist, you know, so I like to take everything as is, but also I wanted to thank Steve O. You know, for always seeing something in me and and pushing me, you know, and pushing me, but not only to be good, but to be the best. Um shout out to all the you know the crew that we work for, CJ, Zach, Rube Dude, Manny, all the guys, man. Shout out to them. Because if it weren't for them, if it weren't for their game, if it weren't for their um their want. Because they always say, man, you're gonna be a good Rodbuster. Just man, don't change, don't change. That's that's what I'm looking for. For someone to be like, man, you can be someone when you maybe don't feel like no one.
SPEAKER_00You can, bro, and you're you're the only one that could do it, and you're the only one that can fuck it up, bro. Damn right.
SPEAKER_01So I'm coming for all the chips. You'll be hearing about me for sure. I can't wait. But I'm thankful. No, thank you for having me here, and I'm blessed, I'm humbled, and you know, yeah, we're gonna keep keep the show going. Awesome, good. I'm excited. All right, brother. Thanks, bro. Thank you.