The NYC District Council of Carpenters is proud to have incredible members within our union. From our new apprentices to seasoned journeymen and retired members, there are exceptional stories from our union brothers and sisters. One member who deserves special recognition for his years of service is James Cardascia Jr., who has been a member for 70 years! He joined Local 157 (then Local 385) back in December 1954. His lengthy career in the union has been marked by decades of work on projects for the Catholic Church, where he had the opportunity to connect with several high-ranking church officials, including bishops, cardinals, and even a future saint.
Coming from a union household, James learned the value of hard work at an early age by watching his father, James Cardascia Sr., build a successful career as a member of the NYC Carpenters Union. Inspired by his father’s achievements, James aspired to follow a similar path. Like many members of our union, he attended trade school to better prepare himself for a career as a union carpenter. However, he was frustrated by the school’s curriculum, which required him to take classes in various construction trades.
“I just wanted to be a carpenter. I knew I wanted to be a carpenter since I was a kid. And I knew I wanted to be in the NYC Carpenters Union. Now, it is my senior year, and I realized I was just wasting my time, so I dropped out. I left without finishing to join the union. Best decision I made!”
Immediately after leaving school, James inquired about starting as an apprentice in the NYC Carpenters Union. He was given a list full of union jobs and shops and worked his way down the list till he found a company willing to give him a shot. The job was at a shop in the Bronx that specialized in millwork and cabinet work. The foreman was working on dovetails, and he showed James how to craft them using the specialized tools and machinery. The company kept him on, and he was officially initiated as a member in 1954.
Unfortunately for James, his time at the first company didn’t last forever. While he learned a lot there, the shop eventually moved out of New York City. He attempted to make ends meet with side work, but he struggled to make anything close to the high union wages he made on union sites, and he knew he could only go so long without his benefits. Thankfully, his luck soon turned around for him.
“I needed to find work, but it was slow. I saw a ‘Help Wanted’ sign for a contractor who specialized in churches, doing a lot of repair work for the Catholic Church system. He hired me as the company’s carpenter. The pay was good because the Church always pays. About six months went by, though, and my benefits weren’t being paid because the contractor didn’t sign up with the District Council. I went to thank him for keeping me employed, but I told him I was going to look for work elsewhere. He practically jumps up to stop me! He doesn’t want to lose me, but I said the only way I’ll stay is if he signs up with the union. He went down to the union that very day and signed up. I ended up staying with him for a bit longer than I planned—about 45 years!
James worked almost exclusively on carpentry work for the Catholic Church, involved in projects ranging from renovating existing churches to building new chapels for Veterans Affairs hospitals and even crafting furniture for church meetings and events.
“I remember once the Pope was coming to New York and was going to preside over the services at Yankee Stadium. My crew was instrumental in building the altar, the Pope’s chair, and other pieces of the project. As a thank you for my services, the church gifted me two tickets to hear the Pope speak in the very front row. I went right home and gave it to my wife so she could experience that.”
In addition to his work building the churches and chapels of the Catholic Church, James also had the privilege of working on the living quarters of several influential people in the church. Sometimes, the projects were as simple as installing a door or building furniture. Other times, the work was more substantial, such as building out entire dorms and wings.
It was this work that led James to meet the future Saint, Mother Teresa of Calcutta. At the time, Mother Teresa and her younger postulants and novices were living in a house in the Bronx. The Sisters would go up to the roof of the house to eat and get fresh air. James recalls that Mother Teresa was concerned they would slip and get hurt. She asked James if he could build a staircase and safety rails to ensure their safety.
“Of course, I agreed to help. I built the staircase for them, and they were so appreciative. And that favor was repaid so many times over. Mother Teresa started asking for me on her projects. My crew ended up getting a lot more work at her request. She could never remember my name. She would simply call me ‘Carpenter.’ I would get a phone call to the office saying that Mother Teresa had requested my services.”
It wasn’t long after his work under Mother Teresa started that James was blessed to have a major project fall into his lap. It was the early to mid-1980s and Mother Teresa wanted to open a hospice in the West Village for men suffering from AIDS. James’ crew started work on the interior portion of the project, and while he had worked on hundreds of projects for the Catholic Church, this one always stood out to him.
“The project was quite intricate, and I had to navigate between the blueprints and Mother Teresa’s wishes. At the time, she was petitioning the New York State Governor to release three men with AIDS that were imprisoned at Sing Sing so they could spend their final days in the hospice. I read in the paper that she is working to get the three men released for Christmas. I went to her and tried to explain that the job wouldn’t be finished in time—maybe by January, but definitely not by Christmas. She looked at me and said, ‘I desire to have Christmas with my sisters in the home. I pray for it, Carpenter. And my prayers come true.’ Well, what choice did I have but to work overtime to make her prayer come true!” James completed the project well ahead of schedule, and Mother Teresa and her newly released patients did celebrate Christmas in their new home. As the years went on James continued working on all different types of carpentry projects for the Catholic Church until his ultimate retirement in 1998. In 2004, he became an honorary member, signifying his 50 years in Good Standing. As an honorary member, James was supposed to receive a gold watch from the NYC Carpenters Union for his service, but unfortunately, he never received it..
“I had problems with my mail. I wanted the watch, but it never arrived, so I thought, ‘Oh, well.’ However, I had promised it to my grandson, who kept asking me about it. I tried contacting the Local 157 office, but I ended up being transferred to the District Council by accident. I spoke to a few different people and they each tried to help. Finally, one guy in the office answered the phone, and he promised me that the watch would be shipped to me immediately. A few days later, the watch arrived in the mail!” James was ecstatic when he saw the watch and quickly called the District Council back to thank them for their help. He was shocked when he learned the identity of the employee who helped him was none other than the union’s President, David Caraballoso.
“Here’s a guy who handles so much to keep the union running, and he took the time out of his day to help me with a watch and even called me back to make sure I received it? Wow! I couldn’t believe it. I’m so thankful to David for his help getting this watch. When I gave it to my grandson, his face lit up. That watch might as well be a Congressional Medal of Honor. That’s how important it is to my family.”
Recognizing James’ milestone as a 70-year-old member in our brotherhood, the District Council wanted to honor his lifelong commitment to our union. We thought of no better way than by having David Caraballoso meet with him at his home to hear his stories firsthand while also presenting James with his official 70-year pin!
James will soon celebrate his 90th birthday and has made it clear that joining the NYC Carpenters Union was one of the best decisions he ever made. “Combined with my father’s years in the union we have a legacy spanning over several decades! I enjoyed every bit of my career. I’m so appreciative of what the union has provided for me. And quite frankly, what they are still doing for me. The watch and the pin are just an example of how the NYC Carpenters Union goes above and beyond for its members.”
