Women of SMART Local 16
SMART Local 16 is proud and excited to highlight just a few of our amazing sisters during Women in Construction Week.
Diana joined SMART Local 16 because of the benefits and opportunities, along with the equality she received as a SMART Union member.
“Here in the union, I feel like I am treated as an equal. I am paid the same wages as my male counterparts.“
Diana Loveall | SMART Local 16 Member
Diana, an eighth-generation college graduate does not have any other family in the trades, at least to her knowledge. After graduating with a degree in bachelor of science, she was job hunting. After a couple of years working in the service industry just to make some money, she went to a women-in-trades career class through Oregon TradesWomen. Four years later, Diana is a little over halfway done with her apprenticeship program, and has experienced and learned more than she ever thought she could.
Diana loves the fact that SMART Local 16 has provided her opportunities for helping others get into the trades. On numerous occasions, she worked with the organizers to reach out to others, such as high schools, and trade fairs. Diana was also able to attend the Women Build Nations conference in Seattle in 2018, and in Minneapolis in 2019.
“The more people that join our union, the stronger we can become. The stronger we are, the more voices we have to speak up for ourselves. We can lobby for better wages, better working conditions, and having more people in the trade will help the construction economy.“
Diana Loveall | SMART Local 16 Member
Ever since Victoria was very young she always knew she wanted to be a part of something bigger than herself. She was tired of being another number or a voice left unheard on things that really mattered to her and to the people she worked with. Her father, boyfriend, and several friends are all in the trades and she knew from their experiences that she wanted to join SMART Local 16.
“The union has given me hope, security, and above all a massive group of hard-working people to learn from and enjoy. The union has given me the chance to learn and work despite my gender or race in a safe and equal environment.“
Victoria Burg | SMART Local 16 Member
Joining SMART Local 16 has provided Victoria the opportunity to support herself and to really live her life to the fullest. She feels it has given her the opportunity of an even playing field where she feels empowered!
“Join because you’ll have the peace of mind knowing you have thousands of members across the country and even in some other parts of the globe working toward a common set of goals.”
Victoria Burg | SMART Local 16 Member
Once you learn what we’re about just like Victoria you won’t be able to think of a reason not to join SMART Local 16.
Korri Bus
Korri Bus has been in the trade for about 13 years total and has been an apprentice, journeyman, and foreman. In each of those positions, she has been pregnant once. All have had their challenges, but being a foreman has definitely been the most challenging, not only because of the job but also due to people not being used to seeing a woman in this position, as it usually catches them off guard.
In high school, Korri took metal fabrication and was the only girl in her class. In the trade, she has mostly worked commercial HVAC, but also some residential HVAC. She was very grateful for a phone call she received from a small shop owner in 2004 who was looking for a new sheet metal apprentice. It made no difference to him that Korri was a woman, as he just needed a hard worker. According to Korri, that shop owner changed her life. Now she wants to help change lives for others and help change the culture of construction to be more inclusive for everyone.
“My entire life I have challenged myself to push boundaries and break barriers that I face daily. Being in the union has given me opportunities I wouldn’t have had otherwise: Equal pay, weekends off, health care, overtime, and two pensions. It has also given us the fair working wages to buy a house, made it possible for each of us to have a reliable car and to build our savings.”
Korri Bus | SMART Local 16 Member
Chelsey Bus
Before her career at SMART Local 16, Chelsey Bus worked at a bank for 8 years. Being so green, she never held an impact drill or even a torpedo level, the pay was so appealing and the room for opportunity was so large she decided to take a shot at being a sheet metal worker.
“I did not expect to truly love what I do as I do now. The benefits from working in this trade have also enriched my personal life. I was able to get pregnant and work in the trades just this last year. Daily challenges make me stronger and smarter at work and in my personal life.”
Chelsey Bus | SMART Local 16 Member
Chelsey has been in the trades since November 2015 and worked as a classified worker and an apprentice. The fields she has had the opportunity to work in are residential HVAC, commercial HVAC, TABB, Architectural sheet metal, a mechanical shop, and an Architectural shop. At the end of this year, she will be turning out, earning her place as a journeyman. It is still early in Chelsey’s career but we cannot wait to see where this takes her.
Chelsey feels that there are still adversities women are trying to improve and make better in the trades, however working as a SMART Union member is the best way to go about it. Being seen as a peer to other apprentices, a sheet metal worker to her company, and not just as a woman builds her confidence level every day.
“Without my union, we would not own a home, be able to grow our family, have peace of mind with full family health care, pay our bills, and provide our children with everything they need. “
Chelsey Bus | SMART Local 16 Member
Heather is rocking it as a woman welder in a male-dominated industry since joining SMART Local 16! She currently works in the shipyards for Vigor Marine as a journeyman welder/fitter. She has lived in Portland most of my life with my two older sisters and one amazing mom.
Heather first discovered her affinity for welding from her sister, who has been welding for years. She loved to hear about what her sister was working on and getting to see her finished projects. As Heather was transitioning into being a single mother, she needed to find a career that would allow her to take care of my daughter. So, she figured why not gain a lifelong, marketable skill in the high-demand field of welding?
Since joining SMART Local 16, Heather not only has started the career she wanted but knew 100%, that she was backed by all her fellow brothers and sisters at Local 16!
“I grew to love my union more and more and then got offered the opportunity to become one of the shop stewards at Vigor Marine. Crazy to think I went from working in a bakery to working at the shipyard! By the way, it really doesn’t hurt to have a sense of humor in this industry either. So, don’t be afraid to jump in and show the guys how it’s done. I think they are starting to realize how truly awesome we are.“
Heather Hatfield | SMART Local 16 Member
Charissa joined SMART Local 16 over 7 years ago because she was struggling to pay bills and provide for her family. She needed a job that could give her kids a better life than they had. Like many people, she decided to go to college, but it wasn’t for her so her younger brother encouraged her to join the sheet metal trade. At first, she took it as a joke… but ultimately she decided to apply. Once she was accepted in the apprenticeship it took off from there.
“Joining the SMART union gave me opportunities I was not expecting. it was great to be recognized as a person. They treated me based on my work ethic and merit and what I contributed to the trade. Compared to working retail, it was a huge positive for me.“
Charissa Schubert | SMART Local 16 Member
Charissa noted that “joining the trade is something you will not regret. I wished I had joined when I was younger. It will teach you discipline, hard work, and technical skills you can apply to everyday life. I feel so free to live the life I have always wanted, for myself and my family. I have met so many incredible people along the way that have supported me and helped me to grow both personally and professionally. This has been an amazing journey and I’m excited to see where it takes me next.”
