Workers' kids build their own pieces of 35W Bridge (Mn)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?news_6_3626

By Michael Kuchta
21 April 2008

MINNEAPOLIS - It's not very often that children get to help their parents at work. But that's what happened Sunday – at least in a small way – with the 35W Bridge at St. Anthony Falls.

About 100 children who have a family member working on the bridge got to create colorful concrete tiles that will be fastened to the structure. For the kids, playing with concrete and signing their names on the back of tiles was Fun! Cool! Messy! – to use their most common declarations.

For parents, it was more than that.



Amanda McBride helps her 22-month-old son, Aiden. McBride is married to Carpenters Local 87 member Josh Mau.

Photo by Michael Kuchta

Long hours, exhausting work make more sense
"I think it's a really neat opportunity for the families," said Tony Jankord, a member of Laborers Local 563. "A lot of us have really sacrificed a lot of our time away from them, with the different hours that we've worked. I think it's neat just to be able to make them feel like they're part of the project."

Carpenters, Cement Masons, Electricians, Iron Workers, Laborers, Millwrights, Operating Engineers, Pile Drivers and others have been working shifts around the clock since December.

The urgency in getting the bridge finished makes 10- and 12-hour workdays and 6- and 7-day workweeks common.


FULL story at link.