Meet the Community

Cassandra Klewicki, is a member of Local 290 and says she liked the idea of getting paid to learn a skill that she could carry with her for the rest of her life.

“Before getting into carpentry, I spent a lot of time doing outdoor seasonal work in national and state parks. That experience made me realize I would never want to sit behind a desk, and I enjoyed working with my body.”

Klewicki hails from a strong union family and knew if she was going to pursue a carpentry career, it was going to be a union one. “My grandfather, uncle, mother, and father all had union jobs. They always stressed the importance of unions. I know I have unions to thank for the middle-class upbringing I enjoyed.”

Klewicki, traveled to Kerala, India, as part of the 2019 North American Trades Women’s Delegation last year. She is also heavily involved in the Sisters in the Brotherhood (SIB) attended the “It’s Time” Conference at the UBC’s International Training Center in Las Vegas in 2018 and the United Association for Labor Education (UALE) Summer School where she had the opportunity to connect with women in unions across many sectors.

“Cassandra is a great role model and has been instrumental in many of the SIB efforts. She is actively involved in many political and community efforts in Long Island and we are grateful for her commitment to the union,” said Nicole Grodner, Local 290 Council Representative and New York State Chairwoman for the Sisters in the Brotherhood.

Klewicki says the support from the SIB has not only helped her launch a promising career, it has also helped her grow as a person. “Nicole Grodner, who was my mentor in first-year has given me a lot of great advice,” Klewicki said. “If SIB hadn’t given me all the extra support and opportunities, there is no way I would have been able to do all the amazing things I’ve done so far.”