BA Organizer
Glen Florea
Primary duties: BA membership organizer
When did you become an electrician?: 1991
When did you join Local Union #113?: 2000 - I was working out at Fort Carson - they had gotten rid of my older workers, they just wanted people who could run, run, run, and it was wrong what they had done. I would run into a brother named Al hazard and he started telling me what the union was about and talked me into coming down to the hall. I talked to Bill Campbell and Les Thompson and they told me what it was about so I thought man, this is a good idea. So I signed book 3 and carried a book 3 ticket. Then I took my test and went through the whole nine yards and became a book 1 journeyman, which I was pretty excited about. I guess my prospective for the IBEW is outside of it - what its like out there. The analogy that I use is its like an immigrant coming to the USA from a third world country. You get here and you really see what its about and what you have. I don't think I appreciate it no more than somebody who went through the apprenticeship. I maybe just look at it a little bit different because I know what its like to be exploited in the outside world, and work in dangerous condition and not have your boss pay you overtime - he pays you straight time and banks your hours - I got a hundred horror stories.
Favorite jobsite or job you have worked on: The Minneapolis Airport. Also, the mixed waste treatment facility up in Idaho - I enjoyed that job, the scenery and people were pretty nice. In town here, my favorite place to work would probably have been when I was working for MLI out at Schriever Air Force Base - pretty good conditions. I didn't mind working on the north com project. The work wasn't too bad, we were on the outside crew. We had a pretty good crew, good GF and good foreman - that made it nice.
Favorite thing about Colorado Springs: The mountains. I'm a Colorado Springs native and I'm also an avid motorcycle rider. I have a Harley and a big Enduro, an XR650. I spend a lot of time riding or riding in the mountains.
Advice for apprentices: Learn all that you can at school and on the job. Do not be afraid to ask questions. When you finish the apprenticeship, spend a little time prepping for your state license exam.
Hobbies: Motorcycles, and I do a little hunting and fishing when I have time.
Favorite motorcycle drive: Rampart range.
Favorite part of the union: Just being part of the union. As a rank and file member that pays dues, you're preserving the middle class - in that fact alone, I think its patriotic . We're the last guys fighting for the middle class. If it wasn't for us - there wouldn't be a middle class.
One thing that you'd like to change about the union: I would like to see the membership take a more active role in the business of the local. Now that I have spent some time as the BA Organizer I understand better now how important active participation is. The participation of members makes all the difference. The more participation the stronger we become! Never underestimate the power of your collective voice!
Favorite sports team: The Broncos
Phone: 719.633.3872
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1176062611
Cell phone: 719.352.9223
