The Wealthy Ironworker

Let Apprentices Work! And Continue Developing Journeymen!

Far too many people - companies, customers, and others involved believe there is "apprentice work;" where they perform menial tasks, and when they graduate, those same people believe apprentices do not have enough experience! It's precisely because you didn't allow them to actually DO THE ACTUAL WORK to gain experience. What's more, many of those same people express outrage when those apprentices become journeymen with a few years in and expect 15 years' worth of experience! Listen, we need to let the apprentices work - far more than we actually do - and continue to develop journeymen after the apprenticeship. We never stop growing, now let's remember that perspective when approaching those in the workplace. I am also inviting anyone who would like to be on the podcast to email me. Please click this link to fill out the form: https://www.thewealthyironworker.com/contact/ Important bits of information about me: The Wealthy Ironworker Union Made Merch (from my friends at Stars & Stripes): https://www.thewealthyironworker.com/merch/ Start and Stripes info: https://www.stars-stripes-promotional-products.com/ You can follow me on some platforms 👇 Website: https://www.thewealthyironworker.com/ Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/thewealthyironworker/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewealthyironworker Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewealthyironworker/ Twitter/X: https://x.com/wealthyironwrkr LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-wealthy-ironworker-292487200/

Some Thought on White Collar Interest in the Trades

I share some of my thoughts about the romantization of the trades culturally and how the white collar world seems to have an interest in the blue collar world of today. I am also inviting anyone who would like to be on the podcast to email me. Please click this link to fill out the form: https://www.thewealthyironworker.com/contact/ Important bits of information about me: The Wealthy Ironworker Union Made Merch (from my friends at Stars & Stripes): https://www.thewealthyironworker.com/merch/ Start and Stripes info: https://www.stars-stripes-promotional-products.com/ You can follow me on some platforms 👇 Website: https://www.thewealthyironworker.com/ Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/thewealthyironworker/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewealthyironworker Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewealthyironworker/ Twitter/X: https://x.com/wealthyironwrkr LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-wealthy-ironworker-292487200/

Tara Cristel Total Glass and The Subcontractor Project

Tara Cristel - Co-Owner of Total Glass - comes on the podcast to discuss the financial problems in the construction industry, how subcontractors have to fight for their money, and why things need to change. To address this structural problem, she started The Subcontractor Project - which can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-subcontractor-project/ Tara's LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tara-cristel-5364ba244/ I am also inviting anyone who would like to be on the podcast to email me. Please click this link to fill out the form: https://www.thewealthyironworker.com/contact/ Important bits of information about me: The Wealthy Ironworker Union Made Merch (from my friends at Stars & Stripes): https://www.thewealthyironworker.com/merch/ Start and Stripes info: https://www.stars-stripes-promotional-products.com/ You can follow me on some platforms 👇 Website: https://www.thewealthyironworker.com/ Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/thewealthyironworker/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewealthyironworker Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewealthyironworker/ Twitter/X: https://x.com/wealthyironwrkr LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-wealthy-ironworker-292487200/

OSHA and Phenix Lumber - The Deadliest Workplace In America

OSHA - the federal agency tasked with protecting American workers - has less power than you might think. Phenix Lumber - dubbed "the deadliest workplace in America" - was allowed to operate despite numerous accidents, injuries, citations, and even three deaths. I discuss some of it in this episode. This is the Washington Post article I referenced: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/interactive/2025/osha-workplace-deaths-safety-sawmill/ I am also inviting anyone who would like to be on the podcast to email me. Please click this link to fill out the form: https://www.thewealthyironworker.com/contact/ Important bits of information about me: The Wealthy Ironworker Union Made Merch (from my friends at Stars & Stripes): https://www.thewealthyironworker.com/merch/ Start and Stripes info: https://www.stars-stripes-promotional-products.com/ You can follow me on some platforms 👇 Website: https://www.thewealthyironworker.com/ Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/thewealthyironworker/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewealthyironworker Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewealthyironworker/ Twitter/X: https://x.com/wealthyironwrkr LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-wealthy-ironworker-292487200/

Safety is NOT HR 2.0 - and never should be

As a general rule, I believe Human Resource Departments are little more than company preservation mechanisms, and I believe there are companies - management and HR departments - who seek to turn safety departments into HR departments 2.0 This is wrong, and as a safety manager myself, I strongly advocate for genuine, authentic, and intentional safety professionals who aren't just about keeping incidents down. While that IS a goal, it should not be pursued at the expense of a genuine safety culture. Safety is NOT HR 2.0 - and it never should be. I am also inviting anyone who would like to be on the podcast to email me. Please click this link to fill out the form: https://www.thewealthyironworker.com/contact/ [https://www.thewealthyironworker.com/contact/] Important bits of information about me: The Wealthy Ironworker Union Made Merch (from my friends at Stars & Stripes): https://www.thewealthyironworker.com/merch/ [https://www.thewealthyironworker.com/merch/] Start and Stripes info: https://www.stars-stripes-promotional-products.com/ [https://www.stars-stripes-promotional-products.com/] You can follow me on some platforms 👇 Website: https://www.thewealthyironworker.com/ [https://www.thewealthyironworker.com/] Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/thewealthyironworker/ [https://www.reddit.com/user/thewealthyironworker/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewealthyironworker [https://www.facebook.com/thewealthyironworker] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewealthyironworker/ [https://www.instagram.com/thewealthyironworker/] Twitter/X: https://x.com/wealthyironwrkr [https://x.com/wealthyironwrkr] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-wealthy-ironworker-292487200/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-wealthy-ironworker-292487200/]