New York, NY – BAC Local 7, Tile, Marble, & Terrazzo’s Outstanding Apprentice of the Year Michel Salomon mentions his affinity for seeing the finished products of his labor often. And with good reason. His Local is responsible for stunning and artisan works of marble, tile, and terrazzo in a large variety of settings. It is well worth a visit to their website to see the gorgeous color photographs of just some of their accomplishments. Their completed projects are in museums, schools, libraries, transportation centers and condominium buildings, to name just a few locations.
The craft of working with marble dates back to ancient Greece, where it was prized for the same durability and beauty it retains today. The artistry of Marble is the cutting, carving, drilling and setting of interior marble and/or stone at the job site. Marble Restoration patches, restores, cleans, and polishes marble, stone or similar material after installation.
Tile is the cutting and setting of all tile where used for floors, walls, ceilings, walks, exterior veneers, and many more areas.
Terrazzo is the installation of cement, epoxy, and seamless flooring, trowel down sand and quartz epoxy flooring and resinous flooring, on both horizontal and vertical surfaces. It was created in Venice, Italy, and has been used for 500 years.
LaborPress spoke to Salomon to learn about some of the places he’s plied his trade, the skills he learned, and his thoughts about unions.
LP: How old are you and where did you grow up?
MS: I am 37 years old and I grew up in Wilson, North Carolina.
LP: What first got you interested in the trade?
MS: The fact that the trade is finishing work and your finished work is always on display.
LP: Describe the skills that go into mastering your craft.
MS: Attention to detail from start to finish of an installation. Proper reading and transfer of measurements. Making sure products used are compatible for applications in the environment they are being installed in.
LP: What types of projects have you worked on, and where were they?
MS: I worked on the walls inside the Queens Midtown tunnel. I worked on the floors inside LaGuardia Airport Terminal B. I worked in One Manhattan Square.
LP: If there are any projects that were particularly interesting to you, please say what you liked about them.
MS: I liked One Manhattan Square because I got to really see how a high rise building was constructed. That was where I got a lot of onsite experience for my trade.
LP: What year are you as an apprentice and when will you graduate?
MS: I am in my final year of Apprenticeship so I will be graduating after this year.
LP: What job are you on currently?
MS: I am currently working on the repair of the Holland Tunnel.
LP: What do you feel is your greatest accomplishment to date, as far as your career in the trade?
MS: My greatest accomplishment to date in my trade was seeing the completed work of the many projects I was involved in.
LP: Please share your thoughts about your training program. Did it prepare you for most of what you’ve experienced on the job?
MS: Yes. I would say the training program has provided me with the knowledge needed to start and perform tasks on most job sites. Instructors at the school have done their best to share their know-how and experiences at hands-on training sessions in class with students.
LP: What is being in a union like for you? What are its greatest benefits?
MS: Being in a union for me is like being in a family-oriented organization that has its individual members’ best interests at heart. The greatest benefit of a union is that it tries its best to look out for its own members, not only through its pursuit of fair wages but also having its members’ back in personal life matters as well.
LP: What would you tell others seeking to join the trade?
MS: Do your due diligence and make sure it’s work you’re prepared to do.
