Dorothy Lyman clocks out after 31 years at Iron Workers Local 516

Dorothy Lyman, a 31-year member of Office and Professional Employees Local 11, retired as office manager of Portland-based Iron Workers Shopmen’s Local 516 after ... 31 years at the union.

“I trained quite a few new business managers,” Lyman quipped a day after she received a plaque from Local 11 for her years of membership.

Lyman worked for five business managers, starting with the late Tony Mongelli, who hired her in September 1978.

She had heard about an opening for a secretary at Local 516 after answering a newspaper ad placed by Local 11. Having worked at a bank and for an appliance distributor, Lyman was experienced, but none of those jobs paid very well.

“I needed a union job,” she said.

Lyman said she hounded Mongelli for several weeks after submitting her application. “Finally, I called him before the start of Labor Day weekend and said, ‘Do you want me to start on Tuesday or not?’ ” she said.

Fortunately for her, Mongelli said yes.

Three hundred seventy-two months, and five business managers later (including Tony Butkovich, Richard Gardner, Bruce Bunnell, and current business manager Mike Lappier) Lyman, 65, filed the paperwork necessary to retire. Her last day was Sept. 18.

Lyman attended union meetings and served for several years as a Local 11 trustee. She also was a union representative on the Western States 401(k) pension fund for the past seven years.

Lyman enjoys quilting and gardening and, as a retiree, plans to do some volunteer work.

Her successor at Local 516 is Kim Andrew.

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