Kelly Hartwig
LABORERS local 563
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About Kelly:
My name is Kelly Hartwig. I’ve been a proud member of Local 563 for almost eight years. Before I was a laborer, I was a farmhand. I loved farming, whether is was working at my full time job in a hog farrow, to wean operation, or my side job milking cows in the early morning hours.
I knew I needed to work a physically demanding job that challenged me, but I was struggling financially to get ahead in life. Fortunately for me, my neighbor was an operator and he told me he thought I’d be a good fit as a laborer working for the company he worked for. The next day I spoke with the construction manger of Engineering and Construction Innovations. I started work the next day. I had two tough yet equally rewarding years there. I then had my son, took some time off, and eventually took a non-union job close to home. Six months later, I knew I needed to get back to work as a union laborer.
Now I’ve spent almost eight years learning, with four different companies. I’ve become well-rounded in multiple areas because of these different jobs and I’ve been able to reap the benefits of being a union laborer. My family is covered with great insurance and I can make a wage that has opened many doors for us. I’m proud to be a member of our Local 563.