“I had a great opportunity to work for and with my father,” he explains. “He was very knowledgeable in the plumbing industry and very active in the union for 55 years. I learned a lot from him during his lifetime, and even after 28 years as a plumber, I’m still learning today.”

Like so many of the building trades, every day is different. Every day brings a different assignment, a new challenge. One day, Michael may install piping for a plumbing system in an office building or school, the next day he may be coordinating drawings with other trades for job site installations. He may be installing critical medical gas piping in a hospital or hot and cold water piping in a residential facility.

“A lot of people think only of bathrooms and kitchens when they think of plumbing, but that’s just one part of it,” he says. “There is so much more and everyday is different. The days are like snowflakes. No two are the same. And just like I learned from my father, I enjoy passing my knowledge along to younger guys.”

Among a few of the job sites he has worked on are the A. J. Palumbo Center at Duquesne University, UPMC’s Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, and Mt. St. Mary’s University. For the past five years, he has been employed by SSM Industries Incorporated.

Even though plumbing was in the Bradley family blood, his son, Sean Michael, does not plan to follow in his footsteps, as he is currently enrolled at Edinboro University, where he is majoring in Sports Administration. Although it may skip a generation or two, plumbing could one day reappear in the Bradley household.

“It’s a great profession if you enjoy using your hands and doing this kind of work, and the best way to get involved is through the union apprenticeship program,” he says. “If you go through Local 27’s apprenticeship program you will be the best trained plumber in the United States. There’s simply no better training center than Local 27’s school in North Fayette Township.”

While the work is challenging and rewarding, Michael also enjoys working in a union environment.

“I am blessed to be working with a lot of quality, intelligent people, both in my union and in the building trades,” he says. “I’ve learned a lot over my 28 years, and I’m proud of the fact that I can do any part of plumbing, from working underground to setting fixtures. There’s never a dull moment when you like what you’re doing.”

Michael Bradley of Plumbers Local Union #27 inspects a four inch mixing belt at SSM Industries on Neville Island.

Robert Stedila Cement Masons Local Union #526
		As a teenager growing up in Beaver Falls, Robert Stedila found that he had an interest in carpentry and a knack for working with concrete, two crafts that often go hand in hand. Building wooden forms, pouring and finishing concrete are important skills utilized on most construction sites.

For Bob, the question was which career to pursue.

As is often the case when seeking employment, timing is everything. So when Bob graduated high school and learned that the local Cement Finishers Union was hiring, he jumped at the opportunity. Thirty seven years later, he has no regrets.

“I’ve always enjoyed seeing a project evolve from start to finish and seeing the end results,” Bob says. “It’s a very rewarding occupation and one that takes you to all types of places.”

Among many other notable projects Bob has worked on include the North Shore Connector and Heinz Field, where he boasts of having seen the Pittsburgh Steelers’ locker room long before any of the players did. Another project in particular that Bob enjoyed being a part of was the building of the nuclear power plant in Shippingport, units one and two. He was able to watch that project being built for over 10 years and he often had a great view, particularly when his work took him 500 feet in the air.

“I was fascinated with the precision of every step of the process,” he says. “Seeing it all come together after such a long period, was very rewarding and I enjoyed knowing that I was part of it all.”

In addition to his “hands on” work, Bob also enjoys working with and teaching apprentices all that he has learned, and he enjoys watching them develop into qualified journeymen. Like other building trade crafts, to be successful, you have to dedicate yourself to it and be willing to adapt.

“As a young man, you never think in terms of the future,” he explains. “You don’t fully realize that you will be working until you retire, and with the age of retirement rising, that means you will be working for the next 40 to 45 years.

“I would advise anyone interested in becoming a cement mason to get all the information available on the concrete industry. Learn about the different aspects of this field of construction and to job shadow if possible. Make sure that this is something that you will like doing for the length of your career.”