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By DON McINTOSH
The 44-year-old Lambert has a doctorate in genetics, but he’d rather be on a roof than in a classroom. On May 22, he joined Roofers Local 49 as an organizer and field representative.
Lambert grew up poor and had no hopes for success of any kind. “The only thing I was good at was getting into trouble.”
As a 12-year-old, he was stranded in Portland after his family’s car broke down en route to Arizona as he was born in British Columbia.
Upon finding out he would be a father at 21, he was determined to get his life in order.
In roofing, I found something I was good at, something I was proud of.”
His daughter’s mom left him, so he was forced to raise his daughter full time, which was not an easy task with the hours required in construction. After saving a lot, he decided to attend college, while continuing to work roofing during the summers when family members could watch his daughter.
He earned a bachelor’s degree from Portland State University in molecular biology and a master’s degree from Washington State University in environmental science. In 2017, he earned a doctorate in genetics, received a postdoctoral fellowship at Oregon Health and Science University, worked on a grant from the National Institutes of Health, and became a professor at Linfield College.
In Lambert’s opinion, that’s when disillusionment set in. He recalls, “I would think fondly of roofing the whole time I was doing this. … Although I was successful as a biologist, I missed roofing. Even during graduate school, when I was not required to, I would go roofing during the summer, much to the dismay of my Ph.D. advisors.”
He knew he’d felt like a fish out of water in school, like when he showed up dirty after work sometimes. No one ever said anything. It was all in his head. But he felt at home on a roof.
Being outside is my favorite thing. I love working with the guys. Roofing well and for a long time requires a sense of humor about oneself. I get along with roofers. I like roofers. And I like the nature of the job. I enjoy working with my hands, but I also like being physically active. This is a great combination of physical activity, as well as skilled craftsmanship.”
Under Local 49’s union contract, journeymen roofers earn $38.78 an hour plus benefits and are concentrated in the flat roof commercial sector of the industry.
Lambert will report to business manager Travis Hopkins and help them prepare for the upcoming master contract renegotiation in July 2024. With members’ engagement their plan, they aim to ensure that the terms are even more beneficial than before. Good contracts are not achieved overnight but rather when a union is systematically well organized. Lambert’s role includes getting members involved, recruiting new non-union workers and employers, and aiding Hopkins in enforcing the contract and exposing wage theft offenders from other businesses.
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