Carp mag 2013 lo

Raising the Heat on Cheaters | 21 Canada: Work Update | 4

CARPENTER

2013 CARPENTERS.ORG

Members Step UpRank-and-File Leaders Build Better Jobsites,Stronger Union

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2 VISIT CARPENTERS.ORG

Members Lead the Way

One reason you find so many Carpenters in leadershipjobs—superintendents, supervisors, and, of course,our own foremen—is knowledge of the entire jobsite.

Our broad skills and expertise are how we can lead the workand earn those good union wages and benefits.

But some kinds of expertise don’t involve tools andblueprints and work schedules.The UBC Department ofEducation and Training (DET)is training members—especiallyour top journeymen and third-year apprentices—in broadareas like leadership andcommunications.

These four-day DETsessions teach apprentices about industry economics and building the union. UBCJourneymen: Building Leadership for a Strong Future focuseson how to mentor, to listen, to motivate. With these lessons,all of these members are not only raising our game on the

jobsite, but also building asmarter, stronger union.

How are these programsmaking our Brotherhood better?This issue of Carpentermagazinebrings you profiles of memberswho not only took part in DETcourses, but who have thenstepped up and taken a biggerrole in improving UBC work andUBC strength.

This issue profiles two otherkinds of leaders, too. First aremembers who, despite beinghighly skilled already, utilize our

free upgrade and certification training to continuouslyimprove themselves and those around them.

Also here are members who lead by holding publicoffice—rank-and-filers, staff, and retirees who know howofficial action can help or hurt the union cause, and whogive us a strong UBC voice where it counts.

Read these profiles in skill, leadership, and politicalaction. What these members have in common is that theyexemplify the very best of being in the UBC. They strive tobe better, to do more—to succeed not just with the tools butalso by helping others succeed as well.

With members like these stepping up and taking part, Iknow the strength we enjoy today will build toward evenbetter things ahead.

Los miembros muestran el camino a seguir

Una de las razones por las que ustedes observarán que haymuchos carpinteros que ocupan puestos de liderazgo —encargados de edificios, supervisores y por supuesto

nuestros propios capataces— es el conocimiento que tienen detoda la obra.

Pero algunos tipos de conocimiento especializado nosuponen el uso de herramientas, planos y horarios de trabajo. ElDepartamento de Educación y Capacitación de la UBC (DET,por sus siglas en inglés) está formando a nuestros miembros —especialmente a los aprendices de tercer año y a los principalestrabajadores calificados— en diversas y amplias áreas, talescomo liderazgo y comunicaciones.

Estas sesiones del DET, de cuatro días de duración, impartena los aprendices diversos temas relacionados con la economía dela industria y la creación de la unión. Los obreros calificados, loscuales son mejores que el promedio normal, se centran en laforma de ser mentores, al igual que en cómo escuchar y motivar.Con estas lecciones, todos estosmiembros no sólo están obteniendomejores resultados en sus obras,sino que también están logrando lainstauración de una unión más listay fuerte.

Esta edición de nuestra revistaincluye perfiles de diversosmiembros que no sólo fueronpartícipes en estos cursos, sino quetambién han redoblado esfuerzos yasumido un mayor papel paramejorar las labores y las fortalezasde la UBC.

También hay otros dos tipos dedirigentes. En primer lugar, hay miembros que a pesar de ya sersumamente hábiles continúan utilizando nuestrasactualizaciones gratuitas y nuestras sesiones de formación paraobtener su certificación, a fin de mejorar continuamente, tantoa sí mismos como a quienes los rodean.

También hay miembros que son dirigentes mediante sucargo público que dan a la UBC una sólida voz en las instanciasque más cuentan.

Lo que estos miembros tienen en común es que todosejemplifican lo mejor de formar parte de la UBC. Ellos seesfuerzan por ser mejores, por hacer más —por lograr el éxito,no solamente con el uso de las herramientas disponibles, sinoayudando a otros a que también alcancen el éxito.

Con miembros como éstos que redoblan esfuerzos y formanparte de nosotros, sé que la fortaleza con la que contamos en laactualidad dará origen a cosas aún mejores en el futuro.

From the General President

Todos estosmiembros no sóloestán obteniendomejores resultadosen sus obras, sinoque también estándesarrollando unaunión más lista y fuerte.

“All of thesemembers are notonly raising ourgame on thejobsite, but alsobuilding a smarter,stronger union.”

CARPENTER 2013 3

FOLLOW YOUR BROTHERHOOD AT CARPENTERS.ORG.

The United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners

of America

General OfficersGeneral President

Douglas J. McCarronGeneral Vice PresidentDouglas J. Banes

General Secretary-TreasurerAndris J. Silins

1st Vice President EmeritusPaschal McGuinness

1st Vice President EmeritusDean Sooter

District Vice PresidentsFrank Spencer (Eastern)

P.O. Box 375Haddonfield, NJ 08033

(856) 428-1650David C. Tharp (Midwestern)1701 Library Boulevard

Suite D Greenwood, IN 46142

(317) 300-8964Charles Danny Maples

(Southern)900 S. Gay St.

Knoxville, TN 37902(865) 673-4549

Michael V Draper (Western)805 S.W. Industrial Way #1

Bend, OR 97702(541) 388-2342

James E. Smith (Canadian)5799 Yonge St., #807Toronto, Ont. M2M 3V3

(416) 225-8885

Carpenter Magazine101 Constitution Ave. NWWashington, DC 20001

Executive Editor: Andris J. Silins

Director of Communications:Larry Ropeik

Contributing Editors:Michelle MerloBarbara DohertyEditorial Assistant:Shari Underhill

Design: Barbieri & Green, Inc.

bgdc.netAdvertising Sales Office:The Sales Department

7910 Woodmont Ave., Ste. 530Bethesda, MD 20814(301) 652-8862

Fax (301) 907-8132

The Carpenter (ISSN-008-6843)is published by the United

Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners ofAmerica, 101 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington,

D.C. 20001. POSTMASTER: please send

address changes to: Carpenter Magazine,

4801 Viewpoint Pl, Cheverly,MD 20781. © 2013 Printed in U.S.A.

Canadian Publication MailAgreement #40032998Return undeliverable Canadian copies to:

Toronto Station A, PO Box 640Toronto, ON, M5W 1G2.

VOL. 133 NO. 1 2013CARPENTER

[ ]Quotable

“A union member who’s involved canhave a large impact on everyone.”Joseph Shelby, Sr., LU 171, Indiana-Kentucky-Ohio

Regional Council, and City Council Member in Girard, Ohio

12

Leadership training motivates younger members to get involved.

8

ON THE COVER: Scaffolding the 555'-tall Washington Monument forrepairs. Photo taken from roof of UBC HQ 1.3 miles away.

In This Issue2 FROM THE GENERAL PRESIDENTCon Español

4 UP FRONT Con Español

10 MORE SKILLS, MORE WORK:PROFILES IN TRAINING

12 MEMBERS STEP UP FOR LEADERSHIP EDUCATION

17 OFFICEHOLDERS KEEP UBC ISSUES FRONT AND CENTER

19 POLITICS: 2014 SENATE RACES,LEGISLATIVE ISSUES IN PLAY

21 GOING PUBLIC TO RAISE HEATON PAYROLL FRAUD CHEATERS

22 SISTERS IN 25% OF SCAFFOLDERSLOTS ON “CLEAN COAL” JOB

28 PERSONAL CARD VERIFIES YOUR TRAINING RECORDS

16

Carpenter Ad PolicyCarpenter is a union publication and promotes union values, and its

advertising must reflect that. It accepts advertising, as it has since its firstissue in 1881, as a way to defray publishing costs for the members of theUnited Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America.

Our policy is to accept advertising for products made in the U.S. orCanada. We do not accept advertising from companies involved in boycottsor other disputes with organized labor or from nonunion companies inindustries that employ UBC members. The magazine reserves the right todecline any advertisement.

Advertising in Carpenter does not imply endorsement or warranty bythe magazine or the United Brotherhood of Carpenters.

We welcome comments from members on our advertisers and our policies.Potential advertisers should contact: The Sales Department, 7910 Woodmont Ave., Ste. 530, Bethesda, MD 20814 Tel: (301) 652-8862 Fax: (301) 907-8132

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Upgrade training and specialty certifi-cations are a proven path to morework opportunities, as the skilled

members profiled on pp. 10-11 will attest. To prepare members to meet contractors’

growing need for high-quality riggers andsignalers with advanced skills and UBC pro-ductivity, experts from the Carpenters Inter-national Training Fund (CITF) teamed upwith credentialing industry partner CPS HRConsulting to create a Rigging and SignalersCertificate Program for UBC members.

The proprietary program was accreditedearlier this year by the Institute for Creden-

tialing Excellence, and CITF is completingthe many steps required to gain full recogni-tion under National Commission for Certi-fying Agencies (NCCA) standards. One im-portant milestone is revised testing materials,now available at local training centers.

The industry relies on NCCA certifica-tions to show jobsite safety and lower theirinsurance costs, and—as with all CITFcurricula—the rigging course teaches notjust the trade skills, but the safety, produc-tivity, and attitude that make trained UBCmembers the best hiring choice for con-tractors with rigging work.

An important part of establishing afull NCCA accreditation is showing thatmembers of the trade are indeed takingand passing the course. So get in on theground floor; contact your training centertoday and sign up for the new Riggingand Signalers Certificate Program.

Just when will there be work in Canadafor U.S. members? It’s been a slow start,but there’s plenty still to come. The same big projects—dams, mines, re-

fineries—are still due to start up between nowand 2025, requiring more union Carpentersand Millwrights than our Canadian UBC willbe able to provide. It’s a lot of very big work,and it will unfold over a very long term.

There’s no doubt that this early phase

has been slow. In 2012, Car-pentermagazine highlightedthe future need for U.S.members, and last fall westarted online registration.Everyone in the Brother-hood—members, staff, andofficers alike—had highhopes.

But we’re in the construc-tion business, which meansliving with the startup delays, schedulingchanges, and other holdups that are, unfor-tunately, normal.

Sure enough, what Canadian contrac-tors and owners planned for late 2012 andearly 2013 got off track—but not canceled.The map of planned large projects (aboveand on Carpenters.org) has not changed;same black dots, same opportunities ahead.

If we’re lucky, the work will get rollingwhen expected. But remember that all along,most of these big projects weren’t planned tostart until 2014, 2015, and later.

Whether this year, next year, or five yearsfrom now, there will be jobs in Canada for

U.S. members. Think long-term, get on thereferral list, and make sure the UBC hasmembers ready to fill them.

• Open www.Carpenters.org.• Click MEMBERS or the

yellow Work-in-CanadaHardhat.

• Log in as a member. • Read the Canada pages. • Apply for your travel documents.• Complete the online registration.

If you need help or have questions, callyour Council HQ; every Regional Councilhas a staff member serving as the “CanadaCoordinator” who can assist you.

Members Needed for Rigging Certificate, Added Opportunities

Certificado de aparejo = Más horas

El programa de certificación para apare-jadores y señalizadores (CRS, por sus si-

glas en inglés) puede permitir que haya másdemanda de sus servicios, ya que las de-strezas certificadas ayudan a los contratistasa reducir los costos relativos a los seguros.

Como parte del proceso para lograr lamayor acreditación de la industria en elámbito nacional, la UBC necesita que 500de sus miembros aprueben el curso deCRS. Por favor comuníquese con su cen-tro de capacitación local para obtener másinformación al respecto.

Los miembros de la UBC enCanadá todavía tienen demanda

La demanda fue baja durante los primerosmeses del 2013, pero las necesidades demano de obra a largo plazo en Canadá con-tinuarán siendo sólidas, ya que iniciarán di-versos proyectos de gran tamaño durante lospróximos años.

Los miembros de la UBC pueden in-scribirse en línea si desean trabajar enCanadá. Utilice este código QR o visite Car-penters.org y pulse en el símbolo de “Work inCanada” (trabajar en Canadá) para obtenermás información.

Want to learn more? Here’s theCandidate Information Brochurefor the UBC’s Rigging and Signaler Qualification Program.

Demand for skilled riggers means gettingcertified can get you more hours.

Update: Work in Canada

Up Front

Alberta

Yukon

Saskatchewan Québec Prince Edward Island

Ontario

Nunavut

Nova Scotia

Northwest Territories

Newfoundlandand Labrador

New Brunswick

Manitoba

British Columbia

Whitehorse

Yellowknife

Victoria

Saskatoon

Regina

Winnipeg

Quebec

Montreal

Ottawa

HalifaxSaint John

Fredericton

Toronto

Windsor

Thunder Bay

Mica Creek V0A

Kitimat

Wanetta LakeVancouver

Oilsands Discovery Centre

Jansen S0K

Bethune S0GBelle Plaine S0G

McCormack / Cory

Esterhazy S0ARocanville S0A

Calgary

Edmonton North BattlefordColonsay S0KPlacemark 20Colonsay

Keeyask Gull RapidsConnawapa

Pointe du Bois R0E

Transit Toronto

OPG

Pan Am Games

Long Harbour A0BSt John's

Hebron Project Office

Muskrat Falls

Labrador City

Havre-Saint-Pierre G0G

Calais, ME

Point Lepreau Rd

Placemark 39

MelfordSydney

Local Communautaire À Côté de Chez NousLTurcotte Interchange

Centre hospitalier universitaire Sainte-Justine

Saint-Justin J0K

Eastmain River Complex

CARPENTER 2013 5

Sisters MakeTheir Mark

Our Sisters in the Brotherhood(SIB) may be carpenters, mill-wrights, floor coverers, pile

drivers, or mill-cab and shop workers,but there is no doubt their placewithin our union is growing strongerthan ever.

The latest sign of that solidity is theU.S. government’s recently awarded designation of the well-known SIB logo as aregistered trademark—one that is already getting plenty of exposure.

With the International SIB (ISIB) committee providing resources and guid-ance, members in councils across the U.S. and Canada have formed regional andlocal SIB groups and are widely using the logo in recruiting, mentoring, hardhatstickers, and other SIB materials.

Check out the SIB section on Carpenters.org and see the many pages of mate-rials that the ISIB has assembled to offer UBC womentools for forming and managing local SIB commit-tees—groups that will help Sisters and Brothers alikebuild a stronger, more active union spirit.

Las hermanas dejan su huella

El logotipo de las Hermanas de la UBC en la Her-mandad (SIB, por sus siglas en inglés) ya es una

marca registrada en los Estados Unidos y loscomités locales y regionales de la SIB que prestanapoyo a las mujeres que integran la organización,tanto en su trabajo como en la unión, lo están uti-lizando ampliamente.

You can reach the SIB pagesat www.UBCsisters.org, or

by using this QR code.

Para obtener más información,visite UBCsisters.org o pulseen este código QR.

In a job that befits their 100th year inthe dry docks of the Pacific North-west, UBC shipwrights recently com-

pleted their latest renovation on the Vir-ginia V—a ferry that has sailed PugetSound for over 90 years.

As a historic, steam-powered woodenvessel, she requires routine maintenance,and sometimes more, as in 2013.

Foreman Chris Woodard explained thatthe scope of work changes daily as repairsproceed and other issues are discovered.

Woodard began his career in theearly 1990s and has been able to work ona fair number of wooden boats. Hestarted out as a helper working on boatsin Alaska, and this is not the first timehe’s worked on the Virginia V.

“Shipyard work is regarded as sea-sonal even though all kinds of ship-wright and marine carpenter work areavailable year round. We work onwooden boats like the Virginia V and onfishing boats, ferries, yachts, and interiorrenovations. We have a wide diversity ofwork that differs from vessel to vessel.You never get bored.

“Attracting young people to this tradeis hard,” mused Woodard, “but for theVirginia V project, we had a smaller crewthis time—and we brought on a helper.”

Finding his Niche in the TradeHelper Taylor Tunison wasn’t “feeling

the whole college thing” and began lookinginto cabinetry. When he toured SeattleCentral Community College’s (SCCC)Wood Technology Center, he knew he’dfound his place. He soon took the six-quar-ter boat building course.

“Working with the crew on the VirginiaV has been great,” said Tunison. “I can defi-nitely see myself doing this work as a life-time career.”

Gordon Sanstad, a 40-year member ofShipwrights LU 1184, now part of Carpen-ters LU 30, is the program’s lead facultymember, and notes that it is the oldest boatbuilding program in the nation—nowgoing on 76 years. It was funded by Ship-wrights Union 1184 and its employers until1992, when the union contracted with thecollege to keep the classes going.

The program teaches wooden boatbuilding; new construction and repair; loft-ing; spar, mast and boom making; interiorjoinery; planking and spiling; caulking; andmore. Some of the techniques have barelychanged in centuries.

And for the last 100 of those years, those skills have been kept alive by theproud shipwrights of the Pacific NorthwestRegional Council of Carpenters.


Up Front

Union Shipwrights Mark 100th Year in the Pacific Northwest

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The crew working on the Virginia V at PacificFisherman (top to bottom, left to right): John Hutchison, Foreman Chris Woodard,George Meserve and Helper Taylor Tunison.

Northern California members arehard at work on what the project’sdevelopers call the “Grand Central

Station of the West”: the Transbay TransitCenter, where an impressive 11 transit sys-tems will converge in a new hub in the mid-dle of San Francisco.

Here, bus systems from the Bay Areacounties, Greyhound, and the city’s Munisystem will meet up with BART, Caltrain,Amtrak, Paratransit, and, eventually, theHigh-Speed Rail from Los Angeles. The$4.2 billion project, which started in 2010with demolition and utility relocation,kicked into high construction gear in 2013.

Early in the year, pile drivers finishedtheir work in the 60-foot-deep excava-tion—which, at its lowest point, is belowthe level of the Bay—putting in shoring andplacing the casings. They installed 186 7-foot-diameter casings, which go downabout 240 feet and are planted firmly in 10feet of bedrock.

A wealth of union contractors are tak-ing part in the job. Balfour Beatty Infra-structure completed the shoring, buttress-ing, and bracing; Shimmick is set to pourthe train box, including the 5-foot-thickslab; Turner Construction is the construc-tion manager; and Webcor/Obayashi JointVenture is the general contractor construc-tion manager.

The project has two major phases: thefive-story Transbay Transit Center, sched-uled to come online in 2017, and the exten-sion of the Caltrain and High-Speed Railunderground tunnel to connect with thenew transit center.

The numbers on Phase 1 alone are stag-gering. When the LEED-certified transitcenter opens, the Transbay Joint Powers Au-

thority, which oversees the project, esti-mates it will eventually serve up to 45 mil-lion passengers a year. It has already created1,900 construction jobs, and is projected tocreate more than 125,000 total jobs by itscompletion.

Members Help to Win Tower ProjectPolitical action has also been at work on

the project, as 32 UBC members made history by attending a meeting of the SanFrancisco Planning Commission to show sup-port for the new 61-story “Transbay Tower.”

The 1070-foot tower will have 1.3 mil-lion square feet of office space including a24,000-square foot redwood grove. The fifthfloor, which houses a retail complex, willconnect the building with the future “CityPark” atop the Transit Center.

Public support made a difference at thehearing. Several commissioners voiced con-cerns at first, but three of the Tower’s agendaitems passed 6–1 and the last by 5–2.

Building support for a project, thenbuilding the project itself: a classic win-winfor the members of the UBC.

CARPENTER 2013 7

The huge Transbay Transit Center jobsite, in the heart of San Francisco, is four blocks long. Atbottom are some of the 286 7-foot-diameter casings to be driven 240 feet down to hit bedrock.

Los miembros trabajan para ganar y lo hicieron en San Francisco.

Los miembros de la UBC está trabajandoen el proyecto denominado TransbayTransit Center, con un costo de $4,200 mil-lones. Este centro será el punto de encuentrode 11 sistemas ferroviarios y de autobuses, a60 pies debajo de San Francisco. Después detres años de preparativos en este lugar, variosmartinetes empezaron a efectuar labores enel 2013, colocando 186 tubos de reves-timiento de 7 metros de diámetro, a 240 piesde profundidad dentro de los 10 pies de unacapa de roca dura.

Los miembros también trabajaron en elcampo de la política, pues asistieron a una au-diencia pública importante sobre el nuevo edi-ficio de 61 pisos denominado Transbay Tower,que estará conectado con un futuro “parquede la ciudad” encima del Transit Center.

El hecho de ofrecer apoyo a un proyectode construcción y después construir el propioproyecto es una situación doblemente benefi-ciosa para los miembros de la UBC que tra-bajan arduamente.

The excavation sent Local 34 piledrivers as deep as 60 feet—at placesbelow the level of the Bay.

Infrastructure

“Grand Central Station of the West”


Up Front

More than 35 years ago in north-ern Indiana, a new apprenticehit his first jobsite hoping to

learn the ropes from the more experi-enced hands around him.

Houston Dalton, then a 30-year mem-ber, took the apprentice under his wingand began to mentor him. While mostUBC members can point to similar peo-ple who helped them in those early years,few can match the clear payoff fromBrother Dalton’s guidance.

That apprentice was Dave Tharp—theUBC’s Midwestern District Vice Presidentsince 2012.

“He took time to mentor me from myvery first job, and became a significantrole model in my life,” Tharp said. “He

knew how to enjoy a day of hard work.He’s a true craftsman, a strong unionmember, and is just a special man.”

Dalton, now 88, joined the UBC in1948. Recently, Tharp was able to thankhis good friend and erstwhile mentor bypresenting him with his 65-year pin and aletter of congratulations from UBC Presi-dent Doug McCarron.

McCarron wrote, “I know from thestories that Dave shared with me that you

have been a tremendous asset to ourtrade. I want to thank you for being agood member and an effective mentor toyounger members.”

Tharp described the special evening:“I received my 35-year pin, and he re-ceived his 65-year pin. It was a rare mo-ment, and I thanked him for instillingprinciples that have kept and will con-tinue to keep union carpenters in thegame: professionalism and productivity.”

“I wish every apprentice could havesomeone just like him show them theropes,” Tharp added. “I know I wouldn’tbe where I am today without mentors like him.”

Mentoring ThatClearly Worked

Monumental Work—Again

This issue’s cover shows members of the Mid-Atlantic Council scaffolding the 555-foot-tall

Washington Monument for repairs to damage from arare East Coast earthquake in 2011.

As with an identical project for a total rehab donein 2000-2001, the bare scaffolding will be covered bya decorative netting and fully illuminated from within.

To see how it was done—and how it will look—see an article from Carpentermagazine (May/June2000) at carpenters.org. There’s a link on theMembers-only home page, or use the QR code below.

By the way, the cover photo and this one wereboth taken from the roof of UBC Headquarters next tothe U.S. Capitol—and more than 1.3 miles away fromthe monument.

Un trabajo monumentaldesde una cámara distante

En la portada, diversos miembros del Consejo delAtlántico Central están colocando andamios en el

Monumento de Washington, de 555 pies de alto, comoparte de las reparaciones a los daños que ocasionó elterremoto en esta región. Esa fotografía y ésta setomaron desde el techo de la sede de la UBC, al pie deCapitol Hill —a unas 1,3 millas de distancia. Lea elartículo en la revista sobre un proyecto idéntico para lacolocación andamios, el cual se llevó a cabo paracompletar un proceso de rehabilitación en el 2000-2001. La publicación está disponible enwww.Carpenters.org/members y también puede pulsar este “código QR”.

UBC Midwestern District Vice PresidentDave Tharp (l) paid tribute to his mentor andfriend, 65-year member Houston Dalton, at arecent meeting of their local, LU 1005 inHobart, Indiana.

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While it’s true that all UBC members areskilled and productive, it’s equally true thatsome are better than others. We’ve all had

the pleasure of working with someone who was anotch above the rest, whose abilities on the job shonewith greater experience or knowledge.

The UBC makes sure that all members have every opportunity to gain those new skills and addthat knowledge through upgrade training—free toevery member.

The members profiled here all have used our freeUBC training to add skills and become even morevaluable to employers. They’ve taken courses duringlayoffs or on weekends, and those courses have ledstraight to more hours, steadier work, and better careers.

Take their words for it. Then call your local trainingcenter to get busy upgrading your own career.

Upgrade Training:

A Simple Truth: More Skills, More Work

Larry Lombardi went to college fresh out of highschool and emerged four years later with a degree in busi-

ness management. During the summers, he did construction work.His time on the jobsites stole his interest and, after graduation, thesuburban Pittsburgh carpenter became a union apprentice.

Thirty-four years later, Lombardi is a key superintendent for oneof the region’s top construction firms, often being tapped for themost complex and challenging projects. Lombardi credits his focuson training for his career success.

“I’ve always kept up on training. I respect the value of education,but I also saw a growing need for certification and specialized skills. Ibelieve that the more certified and skilled you are, the more mar-ketable you are for work.”

Working by day and training at night and on weekends, Lom-bardi consistently enrolls in and completes training courses. One di-rection that he continues to focus on is safety. He is qualified or certi-fied in courses such as Best Practices in Healthcare Construction,Blood-Borne Pathogens, CPR, OSHA, and others.

“Safety is never the other guy’s responsibility. It’s always your own.The safer you work, the less your employer has to spend on insurance.”

Now a fulltime superintendent, Lombardi has been working onchallenging healthcare jobsites, where the project owner requires theutmost in safe, specialized construction practices.

“All of my training has come in handy at different times, but mysafety training is valuable all the time.”

Larry Lombardi “I saw a growing need for certification and specialized skills.”Local 230, Bethel Park, Pennsylvania Greater Pennsylvania Regional Council of Carpenters

“In my military career, I was with specialops units and cross-trained in combat engi-

neering. I learned how to destroy things very efficiently. When Igot out, I really wanted to rebuild things.”

Victor Maga is in his second decade as a union carpenter. His military service training helped him test in as a second-year ap-prentice. “But it’s the skill enhancement training. That’s the wholereason why I am where I am. That’s why I was asked to run work asa super as a fourth-year apprentice. I continually took classes.”

As a superintendent for Mosites Construction, Maga waschosen to run a very special project: a UBC training center. “Tobe the super for the new training center itself—for my ownunion—well, it was hard to top that.”

Maga has trained in all scaffolding, welding, total station,layout, Osha 30, and other courses “which enabled me to be thecompetent person on the jobsite. That’s what opened the doorfor me to run and supervise work.

“Additional training hours mean steadier work. I absolutelyequate my work and my training. It felt like there wasn’t a daythat I didn’t work, because if I was between jobs, I would be at the training center.”

Maga also credits skill enhancement training with gettinghis own company, Spartan Construction Service, up and run-ning successfully. Now, he hires union carpenters-—who arealso well-trained.

Victor Maga “If I was between jobs, I would be at the training center.” Local 922, Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania Greater Pennsylvania Regional Council

CARPENTER 2013 11

Since 2009, David Goetz has logged more than 500 hours ofskill-upgrade training. The 34-year carpenter and safety directorhas 20 safety certificates and four technical certificates.

It was during a 2009 layoff that Goetz embraced training. Hetook courses including Ingersoll Rand, the (DHI) door hardware,electrified hardware, aerial lift, fork truck, best practices in healthcare construction, firestop, OSHA 30 and 500, LLRP, lead safety, andmold awareness.

In late 2010, Goetz was hired for one of the largest constructionjobs in St. Louis; during the peak of the recession, he worked 14straight months, with overtime.

“The hiring boss was very impressed with my upgrade training.I’m living proof that training can pay dividends.

“The easiest thing to do when you are laid off is host a pityparty for yourself. I refuse to accept that. We are fortunate to belongto a union that is proactive in offering such excellent training at nocost to the members.

“All it takes is your time. You may be on the sidelines, but youwill be better prepared when work picks up. While training maynot guarantee you a job, it will make you more marketable.

“For me it’s been time well spent. In order to be the workers ofchoice, we need to be the safest, highly skilled, and most productiveworkers on the job.”

David Goetz “I’m living proof that training can pay dividends.”Local 1596, St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis Carpenters District Council

Former non-union homebuilderDan Koehler joined the Chicago Re-gional Council of Carpenters toprovide for his family with what he

knew were unbeatable wages as a union carpenter.He was working a project at a local university, where he noticed

the Key Control office. “It was part of the carpenter shop. I hadnever really thought about keys and locks relating to carpentersother than installing doors and hardware in residential homes.”

Koehler started getting as much training as possible: locks 14,doors, frames and hardware, metal studs, acoustical ceilings, OSHA30, scaffolding, aerial lift, and others.

“I took whatever I thought would help get me work as an in-house carpenter at a university. I eventually got an interview atSouthern Illinois University. Koehler was offered the post of KeyControl Carpenter.

“I manage 26 Master key systems and almost 426,000 codes,about half of which date back to 1957—and most of the rest from1991. We have in the neighborhood of 4,000 openings on threecampuses and 129 buildings with a total of 2,453,932 square feet.

“I never thought I’d have a job like this. I love my job and lookforward to work. I would not have received a job offer solely on thebasis of my residential experience. My training in locks created an op-portunity to get a good job that I otherwise would not have received.”

Dan Koehler “I took whatever I thoughtwould help get me work.”Local 1889, Downers Grove, IllinoisChicago Regional Council of Carpenters

Charlene “Moana” Newell remembers her father supportingfive children with a career in construction and knew being a unioncarpenter would give her the same ability. So, 24 years ago, she be-came an apprentice for the Hawaii Carpenters Union. Today, themother of seven supports her family in the Pacific Northwest.

When not working, and on many weekends, Moana logs train-ing hours. Through a steady regimen of upgrade training, Moana iscertified or qualified in programs including scaffolding, aerial lift,fall protection, and Osha 10 and 30. She is focusing on rigging next.

Just as she learned from her dad, she now learns from herBrothers and Sisters, saying she finds learning from those withmore experience in the given subject matter especially helpful.

“Training equals more work. I set goals for myself and I want tolearn and bring back something for my kids. It’s great that thetraining is out there for people like me.

Moana keeps her skills from safety training at the top of hermind at home, too. “I teach my kids about safety techniques all thetime. I ask them, would you rather take a couple seconds to do itright or spend two hours in an ER?

“The important part is to not ever stop learning.”

Charlene “Moana” Newell“Training equals more work. I want to learn.” Local 745, Kenwick, Washington Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters

When it comes to training forhis craft, Sammy Stricklin is allbusiness. The 23-year veteranmillwright has worked across thesouth on projects from nuclearplants to turbine maintenance.

He knows that his steady work—and resulting good quality of lifefor his wife and two children—is a direct result of his being readywhen a job becomes available.

In fact, it was being bypassed for a job he wanted that broughthome the importance of training. “I wanted to go on a job in NorthCarolina, but I didn’t have my rigging card. I realized then thattraining was serious stuff.”

Stricklin estimates he has about 20 qualification and certifica-tion cards. He is a regular at his local training center and is due toattend the journeyman leadership course at the InternationalTraining Center.

“If I was hiring, I’d want to go with the guy who was interestedin training more than someone who just wants to get by. My adviceto a young millwright is, if you don’t take training seriously, youprobably aren’t going to make it more than a year.

“Plus, training opens you up to have a better life. It’s aboutbeing the best you can be for your family, and to set an example forthe young kids who are just growing up now.”

Sammy Stricklin “Training opens you upto have a better life.”Local 1263, Trion, Georgia Southern States Millwright Regional Council


The people on these pages, no mattertheir age, background, or craft, have alot in common. Professionalism.

Confidence and pride. And dedication tobuilding an ever-stronger United Brother-hood of Carpenters.

Those aren’t traits you’re born with; justas you can learn job skills, you can developunion-building and leadership qualities, andthe UBC’s Department of Education andTraining (DET) is helping members do justthat: become more aware, more involved,and more effective—on the job and withinthe union.

The members profiled here have com-pleted two or more of DET’s major pro-grams. They have seen the UBC’s positivevision and have stepped up to help lead theBrotherhood toward that better future.

DET programs teach “transformationalleadership,” skills to help others change,grow, and succeed. These profiled membershave all learned that change—in the indus-try and the union—is a constant.

“Our programs equip members to adaptto change—and to recognize the opportu-nity to look for change,” said DET DirectorRandy Eppard, PhD. “As our jobsite leaders

grow with the union, they mentor, theycoach, and they help everyone becomemore productive and successful on thejob and in the UBC.”

Thousands of members have takenpart in these multi-day programs at theInternational Training Center: • UBC Journeymen: Building Leadershipfor a Strong Future—skills to help oth-ers grow on the job and in the union.• Delegate Training—effective representa-tion of and communication with localunion members.• Third-Year Apprentices: Helping BuildOur Industries—economics, how pro-ductivity pays off, and UBC history.• Foreman Training—management andcommunication for strong jobsite lead-ership. “To continuously build a smarter,

stronger Brotherhood, we need our offi-cers, staff, and members to have all of theskills to get the job done,” said GeneralPresident Doug McCarron, who talks withparticipants at many DET sessions.

“DET courses are building those skills,because this is a union—and we all have todo our part.”

Department of Education and Training

Members Step Up to Build the Union and the Industry

Mark Taylor and Amanda Phillips honedtransformational leadership skills at the ITC.

Having learned basic carpen-try on at-home projects alongsidehis dad, Mark Taylor entered theBrotherhood in 1999. He won anapprenticeship skills competition—the first-ever winner fromdownstate Illinois—and became aforeman soon after earning jour-ney-level status.

“At my orientation meeting,my local president advised me to‘just be involved.’ I’ve nevermissed a meeting because Ibelieve that is how it’s supposedto be. I try to instill that in peo-ple I come across, because

participating in the union is howyou learn the facts.

“The Foreman Training hashelped me a lot with personalcommunication skills—how todeal with problems, work withother trades, and give peopleownership over a project. I’velearned how to be a leaderinstead of a dictator.

“After some of our localsmerged, I became a delegateabout a year ago and attendedDelegate Training. People havehad a lot of questions about theconsolidations, and the training

has helped me show people howthe changes will help create jobsfor everybody.

“I just got back from theJourneyman Leadership pro-gram—another tool in mytoolbox as a local leader. I readPresident McCarron’s suggestedbook, Who Moved My Cheese,cover to cover, and I recommendit. Instead of being complacent,we need to always be on thelookout for opportunities.”

Mark Taylor

Foreman, AssociatedConstructors, Bloomington, Ill.

Delegate, Local 237, PeoriaMid-Central Illinois RegionalCouncil

• Foreman Training• Delegate Training• Journeyman Leadership

More than 7,300 members are due to takepart in the Journeymen Leadership and Third-Year Apprentice programs by the end of 2014. See www.carpenters.org or click this code to learn more.

“I’ve learned how to be a leader instead of a dictator.”

“After I took my union oath I started goingto meetings because we got credit at the train-ing center—but I didn’t grasp what the unionmeant until later. Becoming recording secretaryand delegate threw me into the fire. I becameexposed to people who bleed union blood.

“The Third-Year Apprentice programwas an eye-opener. It’s easy to conceptual-ize what we’re part of locally, but cominginto a national group at the InternationalTraining Center helped me understand ourheritage and the goals and driving forces ofthe union.

“At some point you realize the gravity ofthe situation: the union needs us to be per-sonally responsible for ourselves, and it needsyounger members to step up as our oldermembers retire.

“Delegate Training helped me understandhow to bring the union’s message to jobsites, tobreak down misperceptions and get membersmore invested in the union and the industry.”

Brandi Thorne was probablydestined to join the UBC. Herhusband is a member of Local1325, as are his two adult chil-dren. But she was buildingnon-union until she answered acall for union scaffolders. Shewalked in as a second-yearapprentice and never looked back.

“I hadn’t been sworn in as amember yet when I went to myfirst union meeting eight yearsago. It’s my personality; I’m aknowledge junkie and I didn’tknow much about the union.But people took me under their

wings pretty fast. I got involvedin political action, and wasinvited for the Third-YearApprentice program. It was veryempowering. It gave me a sensethat ‘I can do that.’

“Later I was appointed as adelegate to fill a vacancy, andattended Delegate Training.From that I learned that wecan’t all be going in differentdirections, and that’s what Itell members. I take what ourleadership team is doing and Ido my part to make those ini-tiatives stronger.

“We’ve also formed acouncil Women’s Committee,and hosted about 100 peopleat our weekend conference in2011. Our major initiativenow is to improve communi-cations with members.

“Recently I was promotedto assistant general foreman. A co-worker was also made aforeman, and it turns out heattended the Third-Year pro-gram at the same time I did.It’s nice to see that the trainingwe got has led to leadershipfor both of us.”

CARPENTER 2013 13

“Just as I became a delegate,our council was debating amarket recovery program. Icredit the Delegate Trainingprogram with giving me thetools I needed to talk to mem-bers one-on-one and in groups,to listen to feedback with empa-thy, and to effectivelycommunicate how marketrecovery would help create jobs.

“I came on the council staffas an organizer in 2004 andvolunteered when DET wasrecruiting new part-timeinstructors. I took the courseand now am certified to teach

Delegate Training, Third-YearApprentice, and JourneymanLeadership programs.

“I try to connect what’sgoing on in the UBC’s big pic-ture with each person in myclasses.

“I always wanted to beactive and do the right thing,but from the beginning, theDET classes gave me the sensethat my union was really count-ing on me. That was a bigmotivator for me, and that’swhat I try to convey to themembers I teach.”

Amanda Phillips

Delegate and Recording SecretaryLocal 322, St. Paul, MinnesotaNorth Central Regional Council• Third-Year Apprentice • Delegate Training

Amanda Phillips built theater sets incollege and spent five years in financialwork before “relenting to [her] desires andpassions” to learn construction at a techni-cal school. She took second in a SkillsUSAcontest and scored a union job offer fromone of the judges, a leader at Greiner Con-struction. She spent five years with Greiner,as an apprentice and later as a foreman.

Brandi Thorne

Assistant General ForemanSafway Services, Edmonton,Alberta, Canada

Delegate and Vice President, Local 1325

Chair, Women’s Committee,Alberta Regional Council• Third-Year Apprentice • Delegate Training• Sisters in the Brotherhoodconference, 2010

David Wilson

Delegate, Local 1127, Kansas City, MissouriRepresentative, St. Louis Carpenters District CouncilInstructor, UBC Dept. of Education & Training (DET)

The son of a union man, David Wilson joined the UBC in 1994at age 25. He took his dad’s advice to get active and later was electedrecording secretary of his local. When growth required that a dele-gate be added in 2003, he ran and won. Later that year, he joinedthe first group from Kansas City to attend Delegate Training.

“The DET program gave me the tools I needed…

to effectively communicate.”

“It gave me the sense that‘I can do that.’”

“The union needs us to be personally responsible… and it needs younger members to step up.”


Members Step Up

Carpentry was a secondcareer for Debbie Hewitt. Shesigned on as an apprentice aftermeeting Local 27 leaders MikeYorke and Sisters in the Brother-hood pioneer Phyllis Gallimore ata volunteer event in 2002.

“I had a gift for fixing thingsand I knew tools, so when weneeded a ramp and deck athome I built them myself. It wasa turning point: if I could enjoydoing it for myself, why not do itfor a living? I was 38. When Imet the Local 27 members I saw

people who were doing morethan just a job—they werebuilding a community.

“In apprenticeship I dideverything from store fixtures toformwork, and I’ve workedinsane hours at power and watertreatment plants. I had somegreat mentors and now I canshare my skills. I have a goodreputation in formwork andthat is mostly where I work now.

“When I joined, Phyllis tookme under her wing and gave mea better understanding of unionculture. She got me and othersinto the Sisters committee at thelabor council, and since shepassed away we’ve tried to keepup her good work.

“The Journeyman Leader-ship curriculum is 100 percentrelevant to what we specificallyneed. We’re not getting a bunchof mumbo jumbo that doesn’tapply to us. I understand ourgoals and why we all need to beactively involved for growth.”

“My grandpa was in theLaborers and my dad is aunion teacher, so I grew up ina strong union atmosphere. Itry to attend as many meet-ings as I can.

“Someone nominated mefor the Third-Year program andit broadened my horizons, espe-cially regarding contractors. Welearned about where they makeand lose money on projects. Ifthey’re not making money,

we’re not making money.“Just a few months later one

of our Delegates retired and Iwas asked to serve as an Alter-nate. I jumped on it. At theDelegate Training they talkedabout union history and thedownfall of the 1970s and 80s.I’m not much of a publicspeaker but I learned a differentway to talk to my fellow mem-bers, and how to get people to beinvolved and attend meetings.”

Debora Hewitt

Journeyperson CarpenterDelegate, Local 27, Toronto,Ontario Regional Council• Journeyman Leadership • Sisters in the Brotherhoodconferences, 2005 & 2010

Aaron Myers

Alternate Delegate and Trustee-NomineeLocal 361, Duluth, MinnesotaNorth Central Regional Council• Third-Year Apprentice Program• Delegate Training

A member since 2008, Aaron Myers is a freshly minted journey-man who travels frequently for power-plant outages and concretedam work. Despite his heavy, itinerant work schedule, he hasanswered the call to get involved in his union and train for leadership.

“The Third-Year program broadened

my horizons, especially regarding contractors.”

“We all need to be actively involved forgrowth.”

Mike LaBruno came into the UBC as ageneral foreman in 2002, after years as alead man in a non-union company. Heknew almost nothing about unions butlearned quickly—and now, as the first gen-eral foreman to complete the DETInstructor Certification program, he will beteaching others.

“The union invited about 30 foremento hold monthly sessions to discuss topicslike problem solving, communications,motivating, and industry growth. Here Igot my first sense of what a union is allabout—and how much I could learn frommy fellow foremen.

“Later we helped to develop and pilot-test the Foreman Training program. Ourcompanies made a big commitment tosupport us. I know Raymond has seenmy own growth and the impact it has hadon our success.

“I came away with a whole different

way of doing my job—to truly listen to mycrews instead of just cracking the whip. Ialso loved the sessions on pre-planning,and the reassurance I have felt from build-ing my job-organizational skills.

“In 2011 I attended the JourneymanLeadership program, and was so inspired.The entire UBC executive board was onhand, showing how much the Brother-hood meant to them. I knew then that Iwanted to be a DET instructor.

“I’m grateful that the union believedmy input as a foreman counted and rec-ognized I could make a difference.”

Mike LaBruno

General Foreman, Raymond Interior SystemsLocal 1506, San Diego, CaliforniaSouthwest Regional CouncilDET Instructor• Foreman Training (Pilot Development)• Journeyman Leadership • DET Instructor Certification

“I came away with a whole different way of doing my job.”

CARPENTER 2013 15

Local 18 is the oldest UBC localin Canada. Sandy MacLeod has 37years as a working member, andhis father, brother and twonephews all are Local 18 members,too. After taking the Journeymantraining, he decided to put hisnearly four decades of experienceto use and was recently elected to anew three-year term as a councildelegate.

“I’ve put my name on just abouteverything a carpenter can do, fromscaffolding and formwork to trim.The more work you do, the morework you get. I’ve been a steward, alead hand, and a general foreman.

“I came in straight from highschool. A lot of the guys coming intoday have been to college but didn’tfind work in their fields. They have alot to learn about the trade, but they

come in with better safetyconsciousness than we had, becauseof the required safety training.

“The Journeyman programstresses how important it is to keepourselves trained and productive—that’s what I try to emphasize withmy fellow carpenters.

“It’s impressive that the union iscommitted to training 10,000 Jour-neymen in the next couple of years.”

SandyMacLeod

Delegate, Local 18, Hamilton, Ontario

Carpenters District Council of Ontario

• Delegate Training• Journeyman Leadership

“Stay trained and productive— that’s what I emphasize.”

Dear President McCarron,

I have just returned from a trip to ourtraining facility in Las Vegas. Theprogram for Third-Year apprentices is byfar second to none...as are the instructors.It fills me with pride to have been chosento represent my Local at this program and I learned many things in my short time there.

Your words on closing day—abouthow we are the future leaders of our unionand we need to return home to our Localsand spread the word—were spot on andfilled me with optimism.

I consider it my duty to work towardmaking us the best-equipped, best-educated, and most productive union in theworld, with a market share that far exceeds70 percent.

Thank you again for welcoming me tothe training center. I hope to return to thetraining center to take advantage of thetop-notch training there and to makemyself a better carpenter, a better mentorto the incoming generation, and a betterperson in general.

Martin D. Dugan, Jr.Northeast Regional Council, Local 290Mineola, New York

Dear Mr. McCarron,

I would like to thank

you for allowing me the

opportunity to participate

in “Transformational

Leadership Training for

Journeymen” and to tour

the International Training

Center.The training provided

was excellent and well

developed. The entire time

spent there was inspiring

and encouraging. The

knowledge I received at the

facility was an experience

of a lifetime and has

motivated me to become a

more effective leader.

Thanks again for

sharing your vision and

knowledge with me.

Louis A. Ranger

Ontario District

Council Local 27

Oshawa, Ontario

"Challenge each other to be better than who we are."Below are excerpts from messages members have sent to UBC General President Doug McCarron and thestaff of the UBC Dept. of Education and Training, as well as from a superintendent’s e-mail to his staff.

From a Journeyman “.300 Hitter” From a Contractor to his Colleagues From a Third-Year Apprentice

I was recently very blessed toattend the second part of theUBC-sponsored JourneymanLeadership trainingconference.... It was well puttogether, very focused and is agreat stepping stone to shapeand mold any company intobeing the best.

...This is a winning situation froma [company] standpoint. It helpsthe members focus on beingproductive, assertive employeesthat will be aggressive in goingafter work and maintaining ahighly professional image...

In a nutshell, to be effective weneed to be selfless. We need totake each opportunity asindividuals in this company tobuild one another up andchallenge each other to be betterthan who we are. I can tell youthis: It is contagious. If it spreadsenough, we could be GREAT.

Rob GieseIndustrial MillwrightSuperintendentMiron Construction Co., Inc.Wausau, Wisconsin


Members in Office

Electing to Serve

The undisputed dean of UBCofficeholders is Rep. Bob Bradyof Philadelphia’s LU 8—in theUBC since 1965 and the U.S.Congress since 1996.

But the UBC has power outside theBeltway, too—and politics are nevermore local than with the zoning, funding,and many other concrete decisions madein our counties, cities, and towns.

Whether elected or appointed, themembers on these pages know that a seatat the table is invaluable. They and many

like them give the UBC a vital politicalpresence on councils, boards, agencies,and other bodies at every level.

Like those in leadership programs(pp. 12-15) and ones who never stoptraining (pp. 10-11), these members havestepped up to do more. They give timeand effort in political life to ensure thatthe UBC’s voice is heard and that unionsremain strong in the future.

Read about these member-activistsand find more profiles atwww.carpenters.org/politics.

JOSEPH SHELBY, SR.“A union member who’sinvolved can have a largeimpact on everyone.”

Local 171, Girard, OhioIndiana-Kentucky-Ohio RegionalCouncil

City Council Member

When Joseph Shelby, Sr.chose his father’s profession as aunion carpenter, little did he knowthat he would also trace his fa-ther’s steps into politics.

Now retired, the 45-yearmember applied his UBC smarts tofive terms as a City Councilman.He’s made some big moves for Gi-rard, just like his dad did on theCouncil and as city service director.

“I always admired my dad,though I never cared for politics.Yet when he passed away, I real-ized that giving his and my [union]

perspective was still needed.”When Shelby took office, Gi-

rard’s 10,000 residents faced afiscal emergency, like other rustbelt towns. Then he noticed that a192-acre brownfield was adjacentto land—part of neighboringYoungstown—that was beingtapped for a new $1.2 billion fac-tory. He sparked and led negotia-tions with Youngstown and got theGirard City boundary redrawn toinclude those 192 acres as part ofthe construction site.

“Now Girard gets 55 percentof all construction income tax, andonce it is built, Girard will share in50 percent of corporate profits andincome tax from the factory’s op-erations,” he said.

“Even from the position of asmall Ohio town like Girard, aunion member who’s involved canhave a large impact on everyone.”

MICHAEL V. NELSON“I explain our point of viewintelligently and try to makethings go the right way.”

Local 851, St. Paul, MinnesotaNorth Central States Regional CouncilMinnesota House of Representatives,Dist. 40A-DFL

The Brotherhood supportspeople, not parties. But it’s fair tosay that Minnesota’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) party is right intune with Carpenter values. Mem-ber and state RepresentativeMichael Nelson proves the point.

Nelson was an active mem-ber and local officer when hebegan attending DFL caucusesin his Brooklyn Park neighbor-hood. He volunteered for years,and when a longtime Housemember passed away in 2002,Nelson was asked to enter the

special election. With just 28days to campaign, the first-timecandidate lost by just 410 votesbut won a full term that fall.

“In my very first term, I tookpart in debate on a misclassifica-tion bill,” Nelson said. “We justwanted agencies to talk to eachother, and I was able to provide aunion perspective.”

Since then, Nelson hasbrought the worker’s viewpoint tomany statehouse debates. Henow is chair of the GovernmentOperations Committee.

“Government Operations arepart of every law and regulation.I can bring my labor backgroundto issues that matter to all Min-nesotans. For example, in push-ing for day care and personalcare policy that can help seniorsstay at home, I worked with SEIUand AFSCME to ensure that our

Shelby

CARPENTER 2013 17

Medicare workers have the rightto unionize.

“When prevailing wages orPLAs come up, [Senate MajorityLeader and UBC member] TomBakk and I can explain and makethe case why they’re valuable—and win or lose, I always bring upjobs and wages.”

In 2012, Nelson retired as abusiness agent—but not from pol-itics. Looking back on his grass-roots start, he tells other members,“Look, you can be as involved asyou want. But we need membersin politics so we can explain ourpoint of view intelligently and try tomake things go the right way.

“It’s up to us to make surethey’re not cutting out the little guys.”

DAN POKORNEY“The average person whogoes to work each day has as much to offer asanyone else.”

Local 2851, La Grande, Oregon Carpenters Industrial CouncilMayor

Dan Pokorney gives every jobhis best effort. Inspired by hisfamily to serve his community, thenearly four-decade member is alsoan anchor in his hometown’s civic,church, and government life.

His 16 years of elected leader-ship in La Grande includes eight onthe School Board (the last two asChairman), four years on City Coun-cil, and now four as Mayor.

“This country needs everyoneto get involved in the politicalprocess. Everyone’s viewpoint isimportant, and to make a differ-ence, all you need is the desire tobe a patriot in the model of ourforefathers. They put their lives,fortunes, and futures on the line tocreate and build the great countrythat we have today.

“Being a union member whois involved in your communityshows people that our viewpointsare valid.

“The average person whogoes to work each day has just asmuch to offer as anyone else. Youdon’t have to be ‘somebody’ to beinvolved, but you will be somebodyif you get involved.”

BART PACEKONIS“Support what you believe in and use yourvoice to be heard.”

Local 43, South Windsor, ConnecticutNew England Regional CouncilPlanning & Zoning Commission

For more than a decade, BartPacekonis has served on histown’s Planning & Zoning Com-mission—most recently as itsvice-chair. As a business represen-tative and organizer, his decision toget involved in politics was simple:He just didn’t like what he saw.

“You can sit home and com-plain all you want, but the onlyreal way to effect change is to getinvolved. Support what you be-lieve in and use your voice to beheard. Build a team of like-minded individuals and get asmany people involved as you can.

“Being politically active letsyour voice be heard. It can intro-duce you to others with commoninterests, some even from otherunion trades. You are more rec-ognized when speaking to otherelected officials and to partyleaders. It also gives you more ofa voice in decision making—inthese times when the bottomdollar gets the most attention.

“Getting involved gave me theexperience to move with the tideor against the tide when needed.”

Pacekonis with Conn. Gov. DanielMalloy

Pokorney

Minn. Rep. Michael Nelson with the statehouse bust of Hubert H.Humphrey, revered friend of American workers and founder of thestate’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor party.


MARK INGERSOLL“I wanted to be able tohave a voice and a say.”

Local 1386, Grand Manan, New Brunswick, Canada

Atlantic Canada Regional CouncilVillage Councillor

Our union is truly varied, aswith 18-year member Mark In-gersoll—a deckhand on a ferryserving his home island offMaine’s Northeast coast. Whennot on watch on the car deck orin the wheel house, Ingersollserves as a UBC council dele-gate and Councillor for the Vil-lage of Grand Manan, an electedposition he’s held for 13 years.

“The union we were withbefore 1995 was not what wewere looking for. We looked for aunion which took our concernsseriously. We have a great rela-tionship with the UBC and neverlooked back.

“I first got involved in politicsbecause I wanted to be able tohave a voice and a say in the di-rection our Island was taking,and to make Grand Manan abetter place to live and raise afamily.

“I also believe being politi-cally active, even on a local level,gives me many opportunities tobuild a relationship with my Fed-eral and Provincial representa-tives. There are—and alwayswill be—times when our unioninterests need their help. Attimes I am able to educate themon specific issues that existwithin the local or regional coun-cil, which can be invaluable.”

RON ROWLETT“Educating others is vitalto the future of our trade.”

Local 180, Vacaville, CaliforniaNorthern California Regional CouncilCity Council Member

Ron Rowlett has a clear vi-sion; he is determined to servehis community and promoteunionism at the same time.

“The benefit of being inlabor and being a political leaderis that I can educate the generalpublic. Unions tend to get a badname, and I can shed some lighton how they are an importantpart of our community.

“I grew up in Vacaville and Iwant to make sure it is a placemy son will want to raise hisfamily. I enjoy helping peopleand our local businesses.

“I also believe that in poli-tics, it is very important to beeducated about labor and theconstruction industry. And edu-cating others is vital to the fu-ture of our trade.

“We can continue working toget things like pre-qualificationlanguage for public projects andto explain the tax savings ofProject Labor Agreements. Also, Ihave close relationships with as-sembly members, senators, andmembers of Congress. Thoseties ensure us that labor will al-ways have a voice.”

WILLIAM BIELAS“Nothing changes from theoutside; you have to be onthe inside.”

Local 202, Boyne Valley Twp., MichiganMichigan Regional CouncilSchool Board President

Bill Bielas is a “get involved”type of guy. As School BoardPresident, he is helping his com-munity weather tough economictimes without sacrificing qualityeducation. Now six years on theboard, he was elected presidentjust two years after he firstwon—as a write-in.

“It was a month before theelection, but I saw some thingsthat I thought I could help with,and getting on the school boardwas the way to do it. I was awrite-in candidate and beat bothincumbents. I put out signs andleveraged my connections withthe community.

“A lot of schools are havingfinancial trouble and makinglarge cuts that affect students.But we saw this coming a whileago and made some cuts then,which put us in a position nowto not have to make such drasticdecisions.

“I think a lot of membersdon’t get involved because theythink they aren’t smart enough,or they don’t think they knowenough about the issues. For myfirst 18 months, I did a lot of lis-tening, took training, and gotbetter. I say, what have you gotto lose?

“Nothing changes from theoutside. You have to be on the inside.”

JAMES R. GRAHAM “You can do it …you just have to go out and talk to people.’”

Local 200, Whitehall, OhioIndiana-Kentucky-Ohio Regional CouncilCity Council President

James R. Graham will reachthe 50-year milestone in 2016,having retired after a career as ageneral carpenter, organizer, busi-ness representative, and more.

Yet Graham remains active inthe union as an instructor for DETleadership programs. It was whileteaching that he looked towardentering politics.

“We were talking about leader-ship and the importance of mem-bers getting involved in their com-munities,” he said, “and I thought,‘here I am telling people to be aleader. I should lead by example.’”

Graham ran for office and is asproud of winning as of how hewon. “I did it the way any membercould do it. I made up my own fly-ers. Fellow members helped passout literature. I knocked on doors. Italked to everyone.

“It was lot of hard work, but Idid it. I beat an incumbent, ran un-opposed on my second term, andthen was unopposed for Councilpresident,” he said.

“Now, I can be 100 percenthonest and tell people ‘you can doit. You don’t need some big ma-chine, you just have to go out andtalk to people.’”

Members in Office

Graham

Rowlett

Ingersoll in his office, with amodel of the ferry he works on.

For Bill Bielas, a special perk ofbeing School Board President ishanding the diplomas to highschool graduates—including hisdaughter Kiersten, Class of 2013.

CARPENTER 2013 19

In 2014, We’ll Work to Save our Senate Majority

In the 2014 elections for our stalemated U.S. Congress, Carpentervalues will be very much in danger—

especially in the Senate. The math is clear: of 35 Senate seats

in play, 20 are held by UBC supporters,with 7 of those in anti-union states thatvoted for Mitt Romney in 2012.

In the House, radical conservativesappear to hold sway, yet more than 40Republicans regularly join Democrats toprotect our #1 priority: the Davis-Baconprevailing-wage laws that help workersearn decent pay and thus level the field sounion bidders can compete.

In the Senate, 52 Democrats and 2 In-dependents vote our way. They can’t stopRepublicans’ endless 60-vote filibusters,but, led by UBC ally Senator Harry Reidof Nevada, our side controls the agendaand committees.

That slim Senate margin is all thatstands between us and an all-out right-wing war on union rights and jobs. Hold-

ing our majority is vital—and in 2014 itwill be a tough fight for sure.

Fewer Targets, Tougher RacesIn 2012, the UBC targeted 13 Senate

races where we could elect our friends.Members worked hard, and we took 11of those 13 seats—a show of UBC politi-cal power.

On paper, 2014 looks far more chal-lenging. Twenty of the 35 contested seatsnow have pro-union incumbents—all, inthis cycle, Democrats. But eight of thoseare at risk, in states where Mitt Romney’santi-union forces won (or, in Virginia,nearly won) the 2012 vote. Losing just sixof those endangered seats would turn theSenate anti-union.

For UBC members, the good news isthat right-wing infighting is alreadypushing the more moderate, better-known, and electable candidates out ofthe Republican primaries, leaving the Re-publican ticket to radically anti-union

and fiercely pro-business factions. At the same time, Carpenter-friendly

groups will have strong candidates com-pared to those likely opponents—even instates that Romney won big.

So how can our Brotherhood protectthe Senate majority that protects us fromthe radical wing of the House majority?

Our job will be working and winningour targeted races so our allies can returnto the Senate and fight for our values andour families.

Your union job and union standardof living are at risk if both Houses ofCongress fall under the control of corpo-rate and business interests—includinghuge donors like the ABC—that are benton totally destroying union labor.

Stay informed and get involved as the2014 campaigns get going. Our securewebsite, carpenters.org/mem-bers (use the QR code), willgive you the latest on our bat-tles and how you can help.

State Incumbent 2012 Victory Margin (%) Notes on 2014 Race______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

West Virginia OPEN 27% Favorite is GOP House member who’s solid on Davis-Bacon.

Arkansas Mark Pryor 24% Unpopular president means uphill battle.

South Dakota Tim Johnson 18% Difficult win for any union supporter.

Louisiana Mary Landrieu 17% Helped UBC win big VA job but has never won more than 52%.

Alaska Mark Begich 14% Narrow win in 2008.

Montana OPEN 14% Jon Tester won other Senate seat in 2012 with big UBC support.

North Carolina Kay Hagan 2% State turning purple?

Virginia Mark Warner 4%

Colorado Mark Udall 5%

Iowa OPEN 6%

New Hampshire Jean Shaheen 8%

Minnesota Al Franken 8%

Michigan OPEN 10%

NewMexico Tom Udall 10%

Oregon Jeff Merkely 12%

Illinois Dick Durbin 17%

Delaware Chris Coons 19%

Massachusetts Ed Markey 23%

Rhode Island Jack Reed 27%

Hawaii Brian Schatz 43%

Battle States: Senate Races 2014

7 of the 20 Senate seats held by UBC supporters are in anti-union states

that voted for Mitt Romney in 2012

Battle States: Senate Races 2014

� ROMNEY TOOK STATE IN 2012OBAMA TOOK STATE IN 2012


Legislative Outlook: Big Issues on the Table

IMMIGRATION REFORMIncentives to work on thebooks will mean more unionman-hours.

Much of our competitiontoday relies on illegal immi-grants who can easily bethreatened, misclassified, paidin cash, and otherwise abused.A legal path to citizenshipmeans those intimidated non-union workers can seek well-documented jobs. Ending1099 abuse and cash pay willend the labor-cost advantagethat cheating non-union bid-ders now have. Here are thekeys to the current proposal:• Create a path to citizenshipfor the estimated 11 millionnow-undocumented workers.• Require people seeking citi-zenship to document theirjobs and pay all their taxes.• Require employers to use E-verify to check the legalstatus of all workers.• Secure our borders to cut offthe further influx of illegalimmigrants. When immigrants want to

obey the law, lowball contrac-tors will have to obey it, too.See the next page for more onthe UBC’s fight against con-tractors who cheat to compete.

TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURESeeking new approaches forsolid funding.

We all know that U.S. infra-structure is crumbling—it was re-cently graded D+ by civil engi-neers—so it is crucial that we findnew funding sources. We still payfor roads with the decades-old,cents-per-gallon gas tax, whichhasn’t kept up with inflation orgas prices. Another issue is alter-native-fuel vehicles that use roadsbut pay no gas tax. Here are someof the ideas under debate: • Make the gasoline tax a per-centage of pump prices ratherthan a flat amount. • Change to a vehicle-miles taxbased on how much you driverather than how much gasyou consume. Otherwise, thecurrent gas tax hits long-distance commuters and ruraldrivers unfairly.As legislators try to find a

long-term solution, rememberthat every billion dollars spent onconstruction creates 23,000 con-struction jobs.

PENSION SUSTAINABILITYDealing with the elephant inthe room.

Even before the 2008 crash,multi-employer pension fundshave been threatened by a perfectstorm: fixed payments must con-tinue, but the depressed construc-tion economy isn’t generatingenough man-hours—or returnon investments—to keep manypension funds up to par with theirobligations.

Based on proposals from alabor-management group that in-cluded the UBC, Congress isworking on legislation that wouldoffer long-term reorganizationand eventual fiscal health for plansthat today are grossly under-funded and in the government-defined “red zone.”

TAX REFORMChanging IRS provisions thathelp contractors who cheat.

The last time our tax lawswere substantially overhauled was1987. Those laws are at the heartof our fight to end misclassifica-tion, a scam that puts union bid-ders at a 30% disadvantage. Onour side is the proven fact that thefederal and state governments arelosing $2 trillion a year due to un-reported and untaxed income.

The UBC’s many years of ac-tion on this issue have enabled itto gain ground in states fromFlorida to Washington. Federaltax reform, however, offers enor-mous opportunities that wouldmake a difference in every state:• Simplify and clarify the IRS def-inition of “employee” to takeaway the cheaters’ big excuse.• End the 1978 IRS “Safe Harbor”that lets cheaters avoid tax penal-ties by claiming “confusion.” After 35 years, there is no con-

fusion; they just keep cheating. Taxreform opens possibilities that wecan use to restore fairness for honestcontractors and honest employees.

Four huge issues are in play in Congress,

and each one can powerfully affect the

members of our Brotherhood.

Despite deadlock and other

vital issues needing attention,

here are four that matter most.

Getting it from the source: The valueof the UBC’s nonpartisan politicswas clear when Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pa.), Chair of the House Commit-tee on Transportation and Infrastruc-ture, discussed the prospects forconstruction funding with RegionalCouncil political directors at ourWashington Headquarters.

©Shakzu / www.fotosearch.com

CARPENTER 2013 21

Stop-work orders,such as this onefrom Connecticut,are a powerful toolin fighting dishonestcontractors.

Fighting Payroll FraudPutting More Heat on the Cheaters

Everyone in the construction industryknows about the cheaters: the con-tractors who avoid paying taxes,

workers’ comp insurance, and overtimethrough illegal and barely legal schemeslike paying cash under-the-table, leasinglabor through brokers, and misclassifyingemployees as independent contractors.

These scams have been on the UBC’sradar for many years because they hurtour industry and the economy as a whole.When bad players can shave 30% or moreoff their labor costs by cheating, honestcontractors can’t compete. That meansfewer good jobs for union members, lowertax revenue for building our states andcities, and shrinking resources for safety-net programs like unemployment and So-cial Security.

The Brotherhood has been workinghard for many years to uncover the gamescheaters play and to get states and the fed-eral government to close the loopholesthat allow them to thrive. Led by MattCapece, Special Assistant to the GeneralPresident, who works with council politi-cal directors and staff, the UBC has beeneducating officials while investigating casesand bringing evidence to appropriateagencies—leading to jail time for somecheaters and the recovery of millions ofstolen dollars.

Capece and UBC staff have beenworking with governors and legislators toadopt tougher laws and enforcementmechanisms in more than two dozenstates, places as politically diverse as Ten-nessee and California.

Going Public, Leveling the FieldDespite these significant achievements,

we know that cheaters continue to thrivewhere authorities turn a blind eye to theproblem. That’s why the UBC is turningup the heat in the public arena: to raisebroader awareness of the issues and betterconvey the sense of urgency we all sharefor reform.

By working with the full range ofmedia outlets, creating simple explanatorymaterials, and linking the issue to policieslike immigration and tax reform, we willamplify the message that cheating is an

epidemic that hurts everyone—contrac-tors, workers, and taxpayers alike.

Just as important, we’ll show that solu-tions are available—and affordable. Forexample, the state of Washington recentlyreported a 9-to-1 return on enforcementspending, helped by fraud-detection soft-ware it helped to develop specifically forthe construction industry. Tennessee andLouisiana are now implementing similardata-analytics efforts.

Likewise, partnerships between theU.S. Department of Labor and more thana dozen states have strengthened the handsof investigators and prosecutors at little orno added cost.

Our goal is to level the playing field sothat honest contractors can win work forUBC members based on their skills andproductivity, rather than lose it to the dis-honorable practices of cheaters.

Nancy Cleeland is the UBC’s Strategic Proj-ects Coordinator. She covered labor andworkers’ issues for the Los Angeles Timesfor more than a decade. In 2004, she won aPulitzer Prize for a series of stories aboutWal-Mart’s global labor practices. She joinedthe UBC in spring 2013 after serving asPublic Affairs Director for the NationalLabor Relations Board for three years.

Despite these

significant achievements,

cheaters

continue to thrive

where authorities

turn a blind eye.

That’s why the UBC

is raising our game

in the public arena.

Sister Scaffolders (l-r): Larissa Shier, Irene Rombaut, Roxie Bell, Colleen Ennett, and Christy Ennett.

Laurie

Tem

ple

, PA

RC


Canada

Sister Scaffolders: We Get it Done, and Done RightSaskatchewan “Clean Coal” Job Hires 25% Female Carpenters

The growth and visibility of UBC Sis-ters across all of carpentry’s manycrafts simply confirm the long-standing fact that women, the work,and the union make a good fit.

Women are an important element inour efforts to expand the skilled laborforce, and they help us expand work op-portunities, too. A notable example is inSaskatchewan, where the Prairie ArcticRegional Council (PARC) is committedto leveraging the skills and productivityof female members.

When PARC hosted its first Sisters inthe Brotherhood (SIB) Conference inMarch, 2013, signatory contractors inSaskatchewan publically committed to a 25-percent staffing rate for women on jobsites.That milestone was met in just a few shortmonths at the SNC Cold-Coal Carbon-Capture project (see sidebar) in Estevan,Saskatchewan, by Safway Services, LLC, anindustry giant that provides scaffoldingthroughout North America for commercialconstruction and industrial markets.

The rapid success, created by the jointefforts of Council staffers, contractors,and the Sisters of PARC Local 1985, plus

travelers from other Canadian councils, isa great example of a catchphrase oftenheard around the Brotherhood: We Get itDone, and Done Right.

Delivering on the UBC PromiseThe inaugural PARC SIB Conference

was held not only to make membersaware of the UBC support for womenmembers, but also to show our contrac-tor base that the Brotherhood is workinghard to fill contractors’ labor needs.

“The conference was well attendedand included positive feedback from con-tractors,” said PARC Executive Secretary-Treasurer (EST) Jason Rowe. “Our con-tractors are very supportive of hiring thebest trained and skilled carpenters, andthey’ve found that our Sisters are just asready to be productive as their Brothers.”

“I am proud to say that this project isthe highest rate of women to men that Ihave dispatched in the last three years,”said PARC’s Laurie Temple. The employ-ment ratio for Safway Scaffolding at theSNC Cold-Coal project is one Sister forevery three male members and includesfemale members running crews.

Rick Schmegelsky, site supervisor forSafway Services at the SNC project, isalso pleased with the 25-percent hiringachievement—though he is accustomedto women’s skills and leadership.

“Early in my career, I was fortunate tobe on a crew led by a female journeyper-son scaffolder. She was the only femalescaffolder on our site. Her hard work anddedication instilled a belief in me thatwomen can perform just as well as theirmale counterparts in industrial trades,”Schmegelsky said.

“The entire team of scaffolders wehave on site is one of the safest and mostproductive I have ever had the pleasureof being a part of,” Schmegelsky added.

Proud, Safe, and ProfessionalDeeanne Compton is the Project

Health Safety Manager for project ownerSNC-Lavalin Group Inc., which is thelargest engineering and constructioncompany in Canada and among the topfive global design firms in the world. Herimpression of the Sisters of Local 1985was as positive as Schmegelsky’s.

“Working on a high-profile project

CARPENTER 2013 23

such as this comes with many challenges:small footprint, multiple trades, and multi-ple levels. Within the scheme of those chal-lenges we strive to promote worker safety.

“Building a safety culture takes drive, de-termination, and passion, all factors we’vewitnessed on site while working with theSisters of UBC Local 1985,” said Compton.

“What I’m most impressed about inregards to the UBC ladies remains the factthat they take pride in their achievements,have proven to be an important factor forbuilding safety culture here on site, andmaintain the most professional man-ner—they continue to smile throughoutthe entire process,” Compton added.

“I look forward to working with theamazing ladies of Local 1985 on futureprojects. I am honored to witness thequality and craftsmanship in which theypave the future for others to follow,”Compton said.

Culture Change Adds UBC JobsKelvin Goebel, the Saskatchewan Re-

gional Manager for PARC, said he’s notsurprised at the glowing reviews gar-nered by PARC Sisters. He said he’s wit-nessed a change in culture regardingworking with female carpenters over his38 years with the UBC.

“Years ago, female carpenters werenot all that acceptable by contractors ormembers, but now it has evolved and it'svery much accepted by the contractors.They see how the projects run, with noassociated issues. The perception isgone,” Goebel said.

Safway’s 25-percent hiring ratio was anatural outgrowth of PARC’s SIB Confer-ence. PARC staff, area contractors, andUBC Sisters from Manitoba,

Saskatchewan, Alberta, and AtlanticCanada gathered to hear from leaders,including UBC Canadian Vice PresidentJim Smith.

“With the shortage of trades peoplein Canada, it is important to recruitwomen, who make up 50 percent of thegeneral population, to join our unionand take up the trade," Smith said.

A contractor panel discussion, featur-ing Blair Smotra from Kamtech Servicesand Charlie Downs from Icon Scaffolding,gave attendees an inside view of what con-tractors expect from union employees.

“We are always selling union employ-

ees to customers as the most skilledtradespeople available, and I encouragethe Sisters to take all the training that isavailable in order to live up to that stan-dard,” Downs explained.

Cathy Pike, Canadian Representativefor the International Sisters in the Broth-erhood Committee, said the progress dis-played in Saskatchewan is a great exam-ple for other Regional Councils to con-sider for their own contractor outreach.

“Today, contractors need qualitylabor, whether male or female. Sisters areindeed in the Brotherhood, with the samegreat skills as any member,” Pike said.

The Prairie Arctic Council’s first Sisters in the Brotherhood Conference welcomedPARC members plus travelers from across Canada who were working locally.

“The entire teamof scaffolders on the SNC siteis one of the safest and mostproductive Ihave ever hadthe pleasure ofbeing a part of.”

CLEANER AIR, MORE SKILLED WOMEN ON THE JOB

The $1.4 billion Boundary Dam Cold-Coal Carbon-Capture Demonstration Project in South-ern Saskatchewan is the largest generating facility in Saskpower’s network—and the first

such plant in North America. As a leading—and signatory—contractor on large industrial projects, Safway Services,

LLC, is providing access solutions for the giant undertaking. The firm also is taking more pridethan usual both in the nature of the project and the people who are scaffolding for it.

The job involves completely rebuilding an existing unit at the dam with a state-of-the-artturbine and fully integrated carbon-capture system capable of maintaining power output whilecutting CO2 emissions by more than 90 percent—an annual total of about one million tons.

That is the equivalent of taking more than 250,000 cars off Saskatchewan’s roads everyyear; noteworthy indeed.

At the same time, Safway has recognized the uniqueness of their 25-percent-femaleworkforce on the job, and featured the “Sisters of [PARC] Local 1985” in their June, 2013 “In-side Safway” newsletter.

The article included quotes from several of the UBC women along with the praise of twosenior Safway officials, quotes which also appear on these pages.

“Developing skills and seeking out appropriate training has allowed women to provethemselves not only capable of performing, but of doing it with noteworthy skill,” the articlesaid.

The UBC could not agree more.

Laurie Temple, PARC


Financial Safeguards -Union officers have a duty to manage thefunds and property of the union solely for the benefit of theunion and its members in accordance with the union’s consti-tution and bylaws. Union officers or employees who embezzleor steal union funds or other assets commit a federal crimepunishable by a fine or imprisonment.

Bonding -Union officers or employees who handle union fundsor property must be bonded to provide protection againstlosses if their union has property and annual financial receiptsthat exceed $5,000.

Labor Organization Reports -Union officers must• file an initial information report (Form LM-1) and annual fi-nancial reports (Forms LM-2/3/4) with OLMS• retain the records necessary to verify the reports for at leastfive years

Officer Reports -Union officers and employees must file reportsconcerning any loans and benefits received from, or certain fi-nancial interests in, employers whose employees their unionsrepresent and businesses that deal with their unions.

Officer Elections -Unions must• hold elections of officers of local unions by secret ballot atleast every three years• conduct regular elections in accordance with their constitu-tion and bylaws and preserve all records for one year• mail a notice of election to every member at least 15 daysprior to the election• comply with a candidate’s request to distribute campaign ma-terial• not use union funds or resources to promote any candidate(nor may employer funds or resources be used)• permit candidates to have election observers• allow candidates to inspect the union’s membership list oncewithin 30 days prior to the election

Restrictions on Holding Office - A person convicted of certaincrimes may not serve as a union officer, employee, or other rep-resentative of a union for up to 13 years.

Loans - A union may not have outstanding loans to any one of-ficer or employee that in total exceed $2,000 at any time.

Fines - A union may not pay the fine of any officer or employeeconvicted of any willful violation of the LMRDA.

Union Officer Responsibilities

Union Member Rights

The above is only a summary of the LMRDA. Full text of the act, which comprises Sections 401–531 of Title 29 of the U.S. Code, may be found in many public libraries, or by writing the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards, 200 Constitution Ave., NW, Room N-5616, Washington, D.C. 20210, or on the Internet at www.dol.gov.

Union Member Rights and Officer Responsibilities Under the LMRDAThe Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA) guarantees certain rights to union members and imposes certainresponsibilities on union officers. The Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) enforces many LMRDA provisions whileother provisions, such as the bill of rights, may only be enforced by union members through private suit in federal court.

Bill of Rights - Union members have• equal rights to participate in union activities• freedom of speech and assembly• voice in setting rates of dues, fees, and assessments• protection of the right to sue• safeguards against improper discipline

Copies of Collective Bargaining Agreements - Union membersand nonunion employees have the right to receive or inspectcopies of collective bargaining agreements.

Reports - Unions are required to file an initial information re-port (Form LM-1), copies of constitutions and bylaws, and anannual financial report (Forms LM-2/3/4) with OLMS. Unionsmust make the reports available to members and permit mem-bers to examine supporting records for just cause. The reportsare public information and copies are available from OLMS.

Officer Elections - Union members have the right to• nominate candidates for office• run for office• cast a secret ballot• protest the conduct of an election

Officer Removal - Local union members have the right to an ade-quate procedure for the removal of an elected officer guilty ofserious misconduct.

Trusteeships - Unions may only be placed in trusteeship by aparent body for the reasons specified in the LMRDA.

Prohibition Against Certain Discipline - A union or any of its offi-cials may not fine, expel, or otherwise discipline a member forexercising any LMRDA right.

Prohibition Against Violence - No one may use or threaten to useforce or violence to interfere with a union member in the exer-cise of LMRDA rights.

CARPENTER 2013 25

SECTION 1: Workers who are covered by aunion security agreement, who meet theirunion security obligation by paying all duesand fees but who choose or who have chosennot to become members of the union, orwho have resigned from the union (hereafter“nonmembers”), may file objections to ex-penditures of dues for activities not germaneto collective bargaining. Such workers filingobjections in accordance with procedures setforth herein shall be entitled to receive an ap-propriate reduction of their dues or fees.

SECTION 2: Nonmembers who wish to filean objection shall do so annually by notify-ing in writing the general secretary-treasurerof the UBC at 101 Constitution Avenue,N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001, of their ob-jections. For those who have previously filed,the annual notice of objection must be re-ceived at the above address between April 1and April 30 of the current year. The objec-tion must include the objector’s social secu-rity number, a statement of the nature of theobjection, and the objector’s current homeaddress, and it must identify the objector’sUBC affiliate. Provided, however, that theUBC will honor nonmember employees’ ex-press, written statement to the UBC that theyobject on a continuing basis to supportingunion activities not related to collective bar-gaining and contract administration. Thenonmember objector is obligated to informthe general secretary-treasurer of any changein address. Upon receipt of a proper objec-

tion as described above, the UBC shall sendthe objector a letter of acknowledgment andnotify the objector’s UBC affiliate that an ob-jection has been filed. Those individuals who,for the first time, regardless of when it occursduring the year, choose to resign their unionmembership, or who refuse to join the unionand who wish to file an objection, must sendtheir objection to the general secretary-trea-surer no later than 30 days from the date oftheir resignation or refusal, as otherwisespecified above.

SECTION 3: Nonmember objectors shall becharged for all activities germane to collec-tive bargaining, including all union expendi-tures for activities or projects normally orreasonably undertaken by the union to ad-vance the employment-related interests ofthose it represents in collective bargaining.Such nonmember objectors shall not becharged for those expenditures that are notgermane to collective bargaining. The term“germane” shall be given the most expansivescope allowed by law.

SECTION 4: The general secretary-treasurershall review the UBC’s audited records anddetermine the amounts of expenditures in-curred in the prior fiscal year that are charge-able and nonchargeable to the objector, thatis, those that are germane to collective bar-gaining and those that are nongermane. Thegeneral secretary-treasurer shall allocateunion expenses into major categories and

shall designate those expenses as either ger-mane or nongermane. The objector’s UBCaffiliate shall be responsible for reviewing itsaudited financial records to determine ger-mane and nongermane expenses in generalaccordance with the principles and proce-dures specified herein. These UBC affiliatesare independent of the UBC and are solelyresponsible for complying with the proce-dure specified in this Notice as respects theirown expenditures and implementing reduc-tions communicated to them by the UBCand other affiliates. In this regard the UBCbears no responsibility or liability for the ac-tions or inactions of its affiliates.

SECTION 5: The UBC’s and the affiliate’s re-view described in Section 4 shall be com-pleted no later than July 31 of the yearfollowing the year in which the expenditureswere made. As soon thereafter as practicable,a description of chargeable and noncharge-able expenditures shall be mailed to eachnonmember who has filed a timely andproper objection under this procedure. Theappropriate UBC affiliate shall mail the non-member objector and the general secretary-treasurer its description of chargeable andnonchargeable expenditures.

SECTION 6: The amount to be paid by thenonmember objector shall be calculated basedupon the percentage of chargeable and non-chargeable expenditures indicated in the re-view. The most current available audit report

shall be used by both the UBC and the UBC af-filiate to determine the amount to be paid bythe nonmember objector. When more currentaudit reports and reviews become available,the amount to be paid by the objector shall beadjusted accordingly. Any subsequent adjust-ment in favor of the objector will be sent to theobjector as soon as is practicable.

SECTION 7: Nonmembers filing a properand timely notice of objection pursuant toSection 2 shall receive a dues reduction in theamount calculated under Section 6 abovebeginning within sixty (60) days of the re-ceipt of their objection. They shall also re-ceive a dues rebate in the percentage amountof their dues reduction back to the date oftheir objection.

SECTION 8: Nonmembers filing a properand timely notice of objection pursuant toSection 2 herein may challenge the calcula-tion of chargeable and nonchargeable expen-ditures by filing a challenge with the generalsecretary-treasurer of the UBC, at the addressindicated above. Such challenge must be inwriting and must be sent to the UBC withinthirty (30) days from the date of mailing ofthe description of chargeable and non-chargeable expenditures as set forth in Sec-tion 5. Failure to comply with this procedurewill render any purported challenge invalid.

SECTION 9: The arbitration procedurewhich follows is not mandatory. Nonmem-bers may pursue their rights under all otheravailable legal procedures. Upon receipt of aproper and timely challenge, the general sec-retary-treasurer shall refer same to the Amer-ican Arbitration Association (AAA) fordetermination under the AAA’s Rules for Im-partial Determination of Union Fees. Chal-lenges may be consolidated by the generalsecretary-treasurer for determination by theAAA as appropriate. The general secretary-treasurer shall have the authority to infor-mally resolve challenges in the best interestsof the UBC. The arbitrator shall have juris-diction over all procedural matters affectingthe arbitration. A court reporter shall make atranscript of all proceedings before the arbi-trator at the expense of the UBC. The tran-script shall be the official record of theproceeding and may be purchased by thechallenger or otherwise made available forinspection as required by the arbitrator. Feesand costs charged or associated with a party’srepresentative shall be borne by that party.

SECTION 10: At the arbitration the unionshall have the burden of establishing that thereduced dues amount being charged to ob-jecting nonmembers is lawful. In determin-ing the correct amount of the duesreduction, the arbitrator shall give full con-sideration to the legal requirements limitingthe amount the objector may be charged andshall set forth the legal and arithmetical basisof such determination in the written deci-sion. The order and decision of the arbitra-tor shall be final and binding on all parties.

SECTION 11: The UBC shall establish an es-crow account containing the portion of duespaid by nonmembers filing challenges pur-suant to Section 8 herein which reasonablymay be in dispute in arbitration. Upon re-ceipt of the arbitration award, the escrowfund shall be distributed in accordance withthe arbitrator’s decision.

Procedures for Objecting Nonmembers to File with the Union Objections toThe Expenditure of Dues for Purposes Not Germane to Collective Bargaining

Union membership is an asset of great value to workingpeople. Union membership alone provides workers with

a measure of control over their wages, hours, benefits, andworking conditions.

Under Section 8(a)(3) of the National Labor Relations Act,29 U.S.C. 158(a)(3), employers and unions have the right (exceptin so-called right-to-work states) to enter into agreements requir-ing that workers, as a condition of employment, join and main-tain their membership in the union.

This law and policy is consistent with the democratic princi-ple of majority rule, and it ensures that everyone who benefitsfrom union representation shares in the cost of providing thatbenefit. Consistent with this principle and the law, many collectivebargaining agreements between employers and UBC LocalUnions and Councils (“affiliates”) of the United Brotherhood ofCarpenters and Joiners of America (“UBC”) require as a condi-tion of employment that workers enjoying the benefits of theseagreements join the union and remain members in good standing.

Over the years, however, the National Labor Relations Boardand the courts have, to some degree, undermined union securityby holding that these clauses can be enforced against workers whorefuse to join the union or resign from it only to the extent of re-quiring “financial core” membership, that is, the payment of unioninitiation fees and periodic dues. Workers cannot lawfully be re-quired to actually join a union as a condition of employment. But,again, they can be required to pay the union an amount equal tothe dues and fees uniformly required of union members.

These rulings clearly contradict the plain language of thestatute, which specifically states that an employer can lawfullymake an agreement with a union “to require as a condition of em-ployment membership” in the union. Nevertheless, unless anduntil these legal interpretations are changed, the UBC will followthe prevailing law and enforce union security provisions in a man-ner consistent with the statute and applicable court decisions.

Recently, backward-looking court decisions have furthernarrowed workers’ union security rights, holding that “financialcore” nonmembers can file with the union an objection to payingfor union activities that are not “germane” to collective bargain-ing in order to obtain a rebate of that portion of their dues, whichis determined to have been expended for nongermane purposes.

Like most unions, the UBC spends a great amount of itsfunds on activities that even the courts agree are directly related to

collective bargaining. In addition, the UBC expends some fundsfor other activities, including organizing, legislative activity, publi-cations, etc. All of these activities help to strengthen our union andthereby create a more favorable position for labor in the collectivebargaining process. In that sense, every one of these activities ad-vances our union’s fundamental mission—workers joining to-gether to better their lives. However, backward-looking courtdecisions have taken an extremely narrow view of the role of thetrade union movement, ruling that certain such activities are not“germane” to the labor organization’s function as the legally recog-nized representative of workers in collective bargaining.

“Financial core” membership carries with it very high costs—the loss of all of the benefits, rights, and privileges that workerswould otherwise be entitled to as union members. These include(1) the right to receive union funeral benefits; (2) the right to voteon whether a strike will be called against their employer; (3) theright to vote on the rate of dues they are required to pay; (4) theright to vote on the ratification of collective bargaining agree-ments that determine their wages, hours, and working condi-tions; (5) the right to vote in the election of the union officers andstewards who represent them; (6) the right to attend, speak, andvote at union meetings, where union policies that directly affecttheir jobs are determined; and (7) the right to a transfer card, sothat they are not required to pay a new initiation fee if they go towork in a different collective bargaining unit, which frequentlyhappens when a worker changes jobs.

In short, these nonmember workers lose very importantrights, benefits, and privileges, including the right to meaningfulinvolvement in setting the terms and conditions of their employ-ment—a voice and a vote in union governance—thereby allow-ing others to unilaterally make decisions affecting them, theirfamilies, and their livelihoods.

It is illegal for an employer to compensate a nonmemberworker in any way for the loss of these valuable union rights andbenefits. As for the union, it is required by law to represent non-members in the same way that it represents members. While theunion will meet this requirement of law, it will not do anythingfor nonmembers that is not absolutely required by law.

Objecting nonmembers who choose to file with the unionobjections to the expenditure of dues for purposes not germane tocollective bargaining must comply with the following procedures:


Protecciones Financieras: Los oficiales de launión tienen la obligación de manejar losfondos y la propiedad de la uniónúnicamente para el beneficio de la unión y desus miembros de acuerdo con la constituciónde la unión y con sus reglamentos internos.Los oficiales de la unión o los empleados de launión que malversen o roben fondossindicales u otros bienes están cometiendo uncrimen federal que puede ser penado por unamulta y/o prisión.

Fianza: Los oficiales de la unión o losempleados que manejan fondos o propiedadde la unión deben tener una fianza paraproporcionar protección contra pérdidas si suunión tiene propiedad o recibos financierosanuales en exceso de $5,000 dólares.

Reportes de las Organizaciones Laborales:Los oficiales de la unión deben• presentar un reporte inicial de información(Formulario LM-1) y reportes financierosanuales (Formularios LM-2/3/4) ante laOficina de Normas Obrero-Patronales• mantener los registros necesarios para

verificar los reportes por lo menos porcinco años.

Reportes de los Oficiales: Los oficiales y losempleados de la unión deben presentarreportes que se relacionen con cualesquierapréstamos y beneficios que se reciban de, oque tengan cierto interés financiero en, losempleadores cuyos empleados sonrepresentados por sus uniones y lasempresas que tratan con sus uniones.

Las Elecciones de los Oficiales: Las unionesdeben• llevar a cabo elecciones de los oficiales de lasuniones locales por medio de boletas elec-torales secretas por lo menos cada tres años• llevar a cabo elecciones regulares de acuerdoa su constitución y sus reglamentos internosy guardar todos los registros por un año• enviar por correo una notificación de elec-ción a cada miembro por lo menos quincedías antes de la elección• cumplir con la petición de un candidatopara distribuir material de campaña• no utilizar fondos o recursos de la unión

para promover a ningún candidato (ni tam-poco se pueden utilizar fondos o recursos delos empleadores)• permitir a los candidatos tener observadoresen las elecciones• permitir que los candidatos inspeccionen lalista de membresía de la unión dentro de unperiodo de treinta días antes de la elección.

Restricciones sobre la Toma de Cargos: Unapersona que ha sido declarada culpable deciertos crímenes no podrá fungir como unoficial de la unión, un empleado, ni otro tipode representante sindical por hasta trece años.

Préstamos: Una unión no puede tenerpréstamos en saldo pendiente hacia ningúnoficial o empleado en particular que entotal exceda $2,000 dólares en ningúnmomento en particular.

Multas: Una unión no puede pagar la multade ningún oficial o empleado que haya sidoencontrado culpable de una violación aconsciencia y voluntaria de la Ley deNotificación y Divulgación Obrero-Patronal.

Responsabilidades de los Oficiales de la Unión

Derechos de los Miembros de la Unión

Lo anterior es simplemente un sumario de la Ley de Notificación y Divulgación Obrero-Patronal. El texto completo de la ley, que incluye las Secciones401-531 del Título 29 del Código Estadounidense, puede encontrarse en muchas bibliotecas públicas, o puede obtenerse al escribirle al Departamentodel Trabajo de los Estados Unidos, Oficina de Normas Obrero-Patronales, 200 Constitution Ave., NW, Room N-5616, Washington, D.C. 20210, o en el In-ternet en la página www.dol.gov.

Derechos de los Miembros de la Unión y Responsabilidades de losOficiales Bajo la Ley de Notificación y Divulgación Obrero-Patronal La Ley de Notificación y Divulgación Obrero-Patronal (LMRDA, por sus siglas en inglés) garantiza ciertos derechos a los miembros de lasuniones e impone ciertas responsabilidades sobre los oficiales sindicales. La Oficina de Normas Obrero-Patronales (OMLS) es responsablepor el cumplimiento de ciertas disposiciones de la Ley de Notificación y Divulgación Obrero-Patronal, y en cambio otras disposiciones, comola carta de derechos, pueden solo hacerse valer por los miembros de la unión a través de demandas privadas en los juzgados federales.

La Carta de Derechos: Los miembros de launión tienen• derechos equitativos de participación enlas actividades sindicales• la libertad de expresión y asamblea• decir en la determinación de cuotas yvaloraciones• protección del derecho a demandar• amparo en contra de disciplina im-propia

Acuerdos de Negociación Colectiva: Losmiembros de la unión y los empleados queno son parte de la unión tienen el derecho arecibir o inspeccionar copias de los acuerdosde negociación colectiva.

Reportes: Se requiere que las uniones pre-senten un reporte inicial de información(Formulario LM-1), copias de las constitu-ciones y los reglamentos internos, en adi-

ción a un reporte financiero anual (Formu-lario LM-2/3/4) con la Oficina de NormasObrero-Patronales. Las uniones deben hacerque los reportes estén disponibles para losmiembros y permitir que ellos examinen losdocumentos y registros de apoyo para causajusta. Los reportes son información públicay copias de los mismos están disponibles enla Oficina de Normas Obrero-Patronales.

Elecciones de los Oficiales: Los miembrosde la unión tienen el derecho a:• nominar candidatos para los cargos• postularse para un cargo• votar en un voto secreto• protestar sobre la conducta en una elección

Retiro de Cargo de Oficiales: Los miembroslocales de la unión tienen el derecho a tenerun procedimiento adecuado para retirar delcargo a un oficial elegido que sea culpable

de conducta impropia seria.

Fideicomiso: Las uniones únicamentepueden ser puestas en un fideicomiso através de una organización de origen por lasrazones que se especifican en la Ley de Noti-ficación y Divulgación Obrero-Patronal.

Prohibición En Contra de Disciplina Cierta:Ni una unión, ni ninguno de sus oficiales,puede multar, expulsar o de otra forma dis-ciplinar a un miembro por hacer valer cua-lesquiera de los derechos establecidos en laLey de Notificación y Divulgación Obrero-Patronal.

Prohibición En Contra de la Violencia: Nadiepuede utilizar o amenazar con utilizarfuerza o violencia para interferir con unmiembro de la unión cuando este hacevaler sus derechos bajo la Ley de Notifi-cación y Divulgación Obrero-Patronal.

CARPENTER 2013 27

SECCIÓN 1: Los trabajadores que están cubier-tos por un acuerdo de seguridad de la unión,quienes cumplen con las obligaciones de seguri-dad de la unión pagando sus cargos y cuotas,pero que deciden o que han decidido no conver-tirse en miembros de la unión, o que han renun-ciado a la unión (por lo tanto no son miembrosde ella), pueden registrar objeciones sobre losgastos por cuotas designadas para actividades nopertinentes al convenio colectivo. Estos traba-jadores registrarán sus objeciones de acuerdo conlos procedimientos establecidos aquí y tendránel derecho de recibir una reducción apropiadapor sus cargos y cuotas.SECCIÓN 2: Los que no son miembros de launión y desean registrar una objeción lo haránanualmente notificando por escrito sus obje-ciones al Secretario General-Tesorero de la UBCa la dirección 101 Constitution Avenue, N.W.,Washington, D.C. 20001. Para aquellos que hanregistrado una objeción previamente, una noti-ficación anual de sus objeciones debe ser recibidaen la dirección mencionada entre el 1 de abril yel 30 de abril del año en curso. Ésta debe incluirel número del seguro social del objetor, una de-claración de la naturaleza de su objeción, la di-rección del hogar del objetor, y debe identificar alobjetor como afiliado a la UBC. El objetor queno es miembro está en la obligación de informaral Secretario General-Tesorero de cualquier cam-bio de dirección. Una vez recibida la objeciónapropiada, como se describió previamente, la

UBC enviará al objetor una carta de re-conocimiento y notificará a la filial del objetorque una objeción ha sido registrada. Aquellos in-dividuos quienes, sin importar, a pesar decuándo haya ocurrido durante el año, decidanrenunciar a la membresía de la unión, o quienesse rehúsen a unirse a la unión y deseen registraruna objeción, deben enviar su objeción al Secre-tario General-Tesorero no más de 30 días de-spués de su fecha de renuncia o de la fecha en laque se rehusaron a unirse, como se especificópreviamente.SECCIÓN 3: Los objetores que no son miem-bros deberán pagar por todas las actividades per-tinentes al convenio colectivo, incluyendo losgastos por las actividades de la unión o proyectosque normalmente, o de manera razonable, llevaa cabo la unión para avanzar los intereses rela-cionados con el empleo de aquellos que repre-sentan en el convenio colectivo. No se cobrará aaquellos objetores que no son miembros por losgastos que no son pertinentes al convenio colec-tivo. El término “pertinente” se considerarásegún el marco más amplio de acuerdo con la ley.SECCIÓN 4: El Secretario General-Tesorero re-visará los documentos auditados de la UBC paradeterminar la cantidad de gastos incurridos en elaño fiscal previo que se le cobrarán o no co-brarán al objetor, lo que quiere decir, todos aque-llos que son pertinentes al convenio colectivo yaquellos que no lo son. El Secretario General-Tesorero debe designar los gastos de la unión en

categorías principales y designar esos gastoscomo pertinentes o no pertinentes. La filial o su-cursal de la UBC del objetor será responsable derevisar los documentos financieros de la audi-toría para determinar los gastos pertinentes y nopertinentes de acuerdo con los principios y pro-cedimientos especificados aquí. Estas filiales dela UBC son independientes de la UBC y son re-sponsables de cumplir con los procedimientosespecificados en este Aviso con lo que respecta asus propios gastos y el comunicar las reduccionesimplementadas para ellos por parte de la UBC yotras filiales. En este aspecto, la UBC no tieneninguna responsabilidad u obligación por las ac-ciones o no acciones de sus filiales.SECCIÓN 5: La revisión descrita en la Sección 4por la UBC y sus filiales debe completarse antesdel 31 de julio del año siguiente en el que se re-alizaron los gastos. Tan pronto como sea prác-tico, una descripción de los gastos que se lecobrarán, y los que no, será enviada a cada per-sona no miembro que haya registrado con eltiempo apropiado su objeción bajo este proced-imiento. La filial apropiada de la UBC enviarápor correo al objetor no-miembro y al SecretarioGeneral-Tesorero la descripción de gastos que secobrarán y los que no se le cobrarán.SECCIÓN 6: La cantidad a ser pagada por lapersona objetora no-miembro será calculadasobre la base del porcentaje de gastos que se co-brarán y que no se cobrarán como se indica en larevisión. El reporte de la auditoría más actual y

disponible será utilizado tanto por la UBC comopor la filial de la UBC para determinar la canti-dad a pagar por el objetor no-miembro. Cuandolos reportes de auditoría y las revisiones más re-cientes estén disponibles, la cantidad a pagar porel objetor será ajustada de esta manera.Cualquier ajuste subsecuente a favor del objetorse le enviará tan pronto como sea práctico.SECCIÓN 7: Las personas no miembros queregistren dentro del periodo establecido y de laforma adecuada su objeción según lo estipuladoen la Sección 2 recibirán una reducción en suspagos por la cantidad calculada bajo la Sección 6antes mencionada comenzando sesenta (60) díasdespués de haber recibido la objeción. Tambiénrecibirán un descuento en sus cuotas en el por-centaje de la cantidad de la reducción de sus cuo-tas hasta el día en el que realizaron su objeción.SECCIÓN 8: Las personas no-miembros queregistren dentro del periodo establecido y de lamanera adecuada su objeción según lo estipu-lado en la Sección 2 pueden objetar los cálculosde los gastos cobrables y los no cobrables al reg-istrar sus objeciones con el Secretario General-Tesorero de la UBC, a la dirección indicadaanteriormente. Esta objeción debe ser por es-crito y debe ser enviada a la UBC dentro detreinta (30) días de la fecha de envió de la de-scripción de los gastos que se cobrarán y los queno se cobrarán como se especifica en la Sección5. El no cumplir con este procedimiento haráque su objeción sea inválida.SECCIÓN 9: El proceso de arbitraje descrito acontinuación no es obligatorio. Los que no sonmiembros pueden hacer valer sus derechos pormedio de todos los procedimientos legalesdisponibles. Una vez recibida la objeción dentrodel periodo apropiado y de la forma adecuada, elSecretario General-Tesorero se referirá a la Aso-ciación Americana de Arbitraje (AAA, por sus si-glas en inglés) para determinación bajo las Reglasy Determinaciones Imparciales de las Cuotas dela Unión de la AAA. Los retos pueden ser con-solidados por el Secretario General-Tesoreropara su determinación por la AAA como seaapropiado. El Secretario General-Tesorero ten-drá la autoridad de resolver la objeción de man-era informal en el mejor interés para la UBC. Elárbitro tendrá la jurisdicción sobre todos losasuntos de procedimiento que afecten el arbi-traje. Un reportero de la corte hará la transcrip-ción de todos los procedimientos frente al árbitroa expensas de la UBC. La transcripción será elregistro oficial del procedimiento y puede seradquirida por el objetor o puede estar tambiéndisponible para su inspección como lo requierael árbitro. Los cargos y costos cobrados o asoci-ados con un representante serán cubiertos poresa parte.SECCIÓN 10: En el arbitraje, la unión tendrá elpeso de establecer que la cantidad de las cuotasreducidas cobradas a los objetores que no sonmiembros son legales. En determinar la canti-dad correcta de la reducción de las cuotas, el ár-bitro dará su completa consideración a losrequerimientos legales limitando la cantidad queal objetor se le puede cobrar y determinará lasbases aritméticas y legales de tal determinaciónde la decisión escrita. La orden y la decisión delárbitro será final y obligatoria para todas laspartes.SECCIÓN 11: La UBC establecerá una cantidaddeterminada de depósito que contenga la por-ción de cuotas pagadas por los que no son miem-bros que registran objeciones como en la Sección8 las cuales pueden estar en disputa de arbitraje.Una vez recibida la solución del arbitraje, elfondo del depósito será distribuido de acuerdocon la decisión del árbitro.

Procedimientos para Objetores que No son Miembros para Presentar a la Unión sus Objeciones sobrelos Gastos de Cuotas para Propósitos que no son Pertinentes a la Negociación de Convenios Colectivos

La membresía de la unión representa un gran valor para las personasque trabajan. La membresía de la unión por sí sola proporciona a

los trabajadores una medida de control sobre sus salarios, sus horas, susbeneficios y sus condiciones de trabajo.

Bajo la Sección 8 (a) (3) de la Ley Nacional de Relaciones Labo-rales, 29 U.S.C. 158(a)(3), los empleadores y la unión tienen derecho(excepto en los estados que se hacen llamar estados con derecho a tra-bajar “right-to-work”) a entrar en acuerdos que requieren que los traba-jadores, como condición de empleo, se afilian a la unión y mantengansu membresía con la misma.

Esta ley y esta política son consistentes con los principios de la democ-racia donde rige la mayoría, y se asegura que todos los que se benefician conla representación de la unión compartan los costos que proporcionan esosbeneficios. De forma consistente con este principio y la ley, muchos de losacuerdos de convenios colectivos entre empleadores y las Uniones Locales yConcilios (“filiales”) de la Hermandad de Carpinteros Unidos y Enlistadoresde América (UBC, por sus siglas en inglés) requieren como condición deempleo que los trabajadores que disfrutan los beneficios de estos acuerdos seafilien a la unión y permanezcan como miembros en buenos términos.

A través de los años, sin embargo, la Junta Nacional de RelacionesLaborales (National Labor Relations Board) y las cortes han, hastacierto grado, debilitado la seguridad de la unión al sostener que estascláusulas pueden ser impuestas contra los trabajadores que se rehúsen aafiliarse a la unión o renuncien a ella sólo hasta el punto de extender la“cuota financiera” requerida de la membresía. Es decir, el pago de cuo-tas de iniciación de la unión y los cargos periódicos. Por ley, no sepuede requerir que los trabajadores se afilien a la unión como unacondición de trabajo. Sin embargo, se les puede pedir que paguen a launión una cantidad igual al monto de los pagos y las cuotas que se re-quieren de todos los miembros de la unión.

Estos reglamentos claramente contradicen el simple lenguaje delestatuto, el cual especifica a los estados que un empleador puede legal-mente hacer un acuerdo con una unión “para requerir como una condi-ción de empleo la membresía” en la unión. Sin embargo, a menos que, yhasta que, estas interpretaciones legales cambien, la UBC seguirá la leyprevaleciente y exigirá las medidas de seguridad de la unión de unamanera consistente con el estatuto y las decisiones aplicables de la corte.

Recientemente, decisiones retrógradas tomadas por la corte hanacotado aún más los derechos de seguridad de los trabajadores de launión, estableciendo que las personas que no son miembros de la uniónpueden registrar con la unión una objeción por pagarle a ésta por lasactividades que no son “pertinentes” a los convenios colectivos con elfin de obtener un descuento de esa porción de sus cuotas que se hangastado en propósitos “no pertinentes”.

Como la mayoría de las uniones, la UBC gasta una gran parte de sus

fondos en actividades que incluso las cortes están de acuerdo con su di-recta relación con los convenios colectivos. Además, la UBC gasta otrosfondos para otras actividades, incluyendo la organización, la actividadlegislativa, las publicaciones, etc. Todas estas actividades ayudan a fortale-cer a nuestra unión y así crean una posición más favorable para el trabajoen el proceso de negociación de los acuerdos colectivos. En ese sentido,cada una de estas actividades refuerza la misión fundamental de nuestraunión – los trabajadores unidos para mejorar sus vidas. Sin embargo, lasdecisiones retrógradas de las cortes han tomado una visión extremada-mente estrecha del papel del movimiento de intercambio de la unión, es-tableciendo que algunas de estas actividades no son “pertinentes” a lalabor de organización como el representante legalmente reconocido delos trabajadores en el proceso de negociación del convenio colectivo.

La membresía considerando sólo un “núcleo financiero” lleva consigocostos muy altos – la pérdida de todos los beneficios, derechos y privilegios delos trabajadores que de otra manera no tendrían derechos como miembrosde la unión. Estos derechos incluyen: (1) el derecho a recibir beneficiosfúnebres por parte de la unión, (2) el derecho a votar sobre si se realizará unahuelga en contra de su empleador, (3) el derecho a votar sobre las tarifas quese requieren pagar, (4) el derecho a votar en la ratificación de acuerdos deconvenios colectivos que determinarán sus salarios, sus horarios y sus condi-ciones de trabajo, (5) el derecho a votar en la elección de los oficiales de launión y aquellos que los representan, (6) el derecho a asistir, hablar o votar enlas reuniones de la unión, donde se determinan las políticas de la unión queafectan directamente sus trabajos, y (7) el derecho a una tarjeta de transferen-cia, para que si ellos se van a trabajar a una unidad diferente de conveniocolectivo no tengan que pagar una nueva cuota de iniciación, lo cual sucedefrecuentemente cuando el trabajador cambia de empleo.

En resumen, estos trabajadores que no pertenecen a la unión pier-den importantes derechos, beneficios y privilegios, incluyendo el dere-cho a involucrarse de manera significativa en establecer los términos ycondiciones de sus empleos – una voz y un voto en las decisiones de launión – permitiendo así a otros realizar decisiones unilaterales que lesafectan a ellos, sus familias y sus vidas.

Es ilegal que un empleador compense a un trabajador que nopertenece a la unión de cualquier manera por la pérdida de estosvaliosos derechos y beneficios de la unión. En cuanto a la unión, ésta re-quiere por ley representar a personas que no pertenecen a ella, al mismotiempo que representa a sus miembros. Mientras que la unión cumplecon estos requerimientos de la ley, no hará nada que no sea absoluta-mente requerido por ley por las personas que no pertenecen a ella.

Las personas que no pertenecen a la unión que están en de-sacuerdo y deciden registrar sus objeciones con la unión sobre los gas-tos de las cuotas por propósitos no pertinentes a un convenio colectivodeben cumplir con el siguiente procedimiento:

Property of the Carpenters International Training Fund (CITF)

Scan QR Code to verify all current training, certifications, and

qualifications.

QUESTIONS? Contact your local UBC Training Center.

Go to www.carpenters.org for a directory of

UBC-Affiliated Training Centers.

If found, return to: Carpenters International Training Fund

6801 Placid Street

Las Vegas, NV 89119

UBC Personal Training Verification CardKeep building your skills—and keep your training records with you.

The UBC is duly proud of our train-ing and skills. We promote them tothe industry, and we want members

and contractors to be able to see andconfirm those skills at any time. Now thatwill be as easy as clicking a smartphone.

In September 2013, the CarpentersInternational Training Fund (CITF) willsend each UBC member a personalTraining Verification Card (sampleshown here, front and back).

The card’s key feature is a square,black-and-white QR code—unique toyou—that can be scanned by any smart-phone. That personal QR code links to on-line records of your current training, certi-fications, and qualifications. Any that haveexpired or are incomplete will not appear.

Important points to remember:CITF and local classes included: The

QR code links to your personal trainingrecord in TRAIN, including CITF classesand local classes as well as all certifica-tions and qualifications; the records up-date automatically.

Ask questions locally: If you haveany questions about the records shownon your card, please contact your localtraining center.

Install a QR code reader on yourphone: To see (or show) your records, you

need a “QR code reader” app on yoursmartphone. Download one for free fromyour mobile device’s app/play store. Choos-ing and installing one is fast and easy. To useit, just point the phone’s lens at the code.

Have the card with you: The card ac-cesses an official record of your skills, sokeep it with you at all times to show con-tractors and verify your training, certifi-cations, and qualifications.

Keep your card—and your skills—secure: Card security is important. Ifyour card is lost or damaged, contactyour local training center immediately;they will deactivate it (so no one else canclaim to have your skills) and issue a two-week temporary card. Within those twoweeks, a new permanent card will bemailed to your home address.

We encourage you to contact your localtraining center to add or update your photoon the card. Visit www.carpenters.org tolearn more and to search for your nearestUBC affiliated training center.

This is 2013’s only Carpenter magazine, but the UBC is online 24/7/365.

� Carpenters.org is home to all kinds of news andinformation—on labor issues, training, industry partnerships,market share campaigns, Work in Canada, fighting payrollfraud, Sisters in the Brotherhood, and much more.

� The website’s Members-Only section brings youmore member-oriented stories plus protected contentlike political action and our Work-in-Canada registrationsystem. Set up a member log-in and check it out.

� UBCmobile is our smartphone app available for Androidand iOS smartphones and tablets. Take a video tour ofour International Training Center; get Council and TrainingCenter contact info; link to top news items; go to pageson our specialty crafts; and more.

It’s your union, so stay informed and stay involved.

For reaching almosthalf a million UBChouseholds, online is farbetter than spending$250,000 to print andmail a magazine. That’sserious money that wecan invest in raisingunion market share. Just as important, the

year-round updates willkeep you better informedand more up to date.Here’s a very quick lookat our online content. Hit the web and

get the UBCmobile app, too.


Carpenters.org Training CenterSearch

La tarjeta con un código personalde respuesta rápida muestra losregistros de capacitación

En el verano del 2013, los miembros dela UBC recibieron una tarjeta de veri-

ficación de capacitación con un códigopersonal de respuesta rápida (QR, por sussiglas en inglés). Utilice el código con suteléfono inteligente para observar todo suhistorial de capacitación sobre cursos dela UBC/CITF, al igual que de su capac-itación local.

Escanee el código QR para consultarsu historial oficial de capacitación y paraver una lista de posibles empleadores. Co-muníquese con su centro de capacitaciónlocal para hacer cualquier corrección quesea necesaria. Descargue un lector gratu-ito de códigos QR en la tienda de aplica-ciones de su teléfono y aprenda más coneste código QR o en Carpenters.org.

UBC News Year-Round by Web and Phone

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Sisters Scale New Heights | 22 Conservatives’ War on Wages | 24

CARPENTER

2013 CARPENTERS.ORG

Members Step UpRank-and-File Leaders Build Better Jobsites,Stronger Union

CARPENTER 2013 3

FOLLOW YOUR BROTHERHOOD AT CARPENTERS.ORG.

The United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners

of America

General OfficersGeneral President

Douglas J. McCarronGeneral Vice PresidentDouglas J. Banes

General Secretary-TreasurerAndris J. Silins

1st Vice President EmeritusPaschal McGuinness

1st Vice President EmeritusDean Sooter

District Vice PresidentsFrank Spencer (Eastern)

P.O. Box 375Haddonfield, NJ 08033

(856) 428-1650David C. Tharp (Midwestern)1701 Library Boulevard

Suite D Greenwood, IN 46142

(317) 300-8964Charles Danny Maples

(Southern)900 S. Gay St.

Knoxville, TN 37902(865) 673-4549

Michael V Draper (Western)805 S.W. Industrial Way #1

Bend, OR 97702(541) 388-2342

James E. Smith (Canadian)5799 Yonge St., #807Toronto, Ont. M2M 3V3

(416) 225-8885

Carpenter Magazine101 Constitution Ave. NWWashington, DC 20001

Executive Editor: Andris J. Silins

Director of Communications:Larry Ropeik

Contributing Editors:Michelle MerloBarbara DohertyEditorial Assistant:Shari Underhill

Design: Barbieri & Green, Inc.

bgdc.netAdvertising Sales Office:The Sales Department

7910 Woodmont Ave., Ste. 530Bethesda, MD 20814(301) 652-8862

Fax (301) 907-8132

The Carpenter (ISSN-008-6843)is published by the United

Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners ofAmerica, 101 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington,

D.C. 20001. POSTMASTER: please send

address changes to: Carpenter Magazine,

4801 Viewpoint Pl, Cheverly,MD 20781. © 2013 Printed in U.S.A.

Canadian Publication MailAgreement #40032998Return undeliverable Canadian copies to:

Toronto Station A, PO Box 640Toronto, ON, M5W 1G2.

VOL. 133 NO. 1 2013CARPENTER

[ ]Quotable

“It takes so little to be a leader but means so much.”

Bill Hedlund, Atlantic Canada Business Representative, on the UBC’s Journeyman leadership training.

22

Women are reaching new levels on jobsites across Canada.

8

ON THE COVER: Scaffolding the 555'-tall Washington Monument forrepairs. Photo taken from roof of UBC HQ 1.3 miles away.

In This Issue2 FROM THE GENERAL PRESIDENTCon Español

4 UP FRONT Con Español

10 MORE SKILLS, MORE WORK:PROFILES IN TRAINING

12 MEMBERS STEP UP FOR LEADERSHIP EDUCATION

17 OFFICEHOLDERS KEEP UBC ISSUES FRONT AND CENTER

22 SISTERS IN 25% OF SCAFFOLDERSLOTS ON SASK. CLEAN-COAL JOB

24 FEDERAL CONSERVATIVES’ WARAGAINST WAGES—AND WORKERS

26 ATLANTIC MEMBERS ANSWERINGCALL AFTER LEADERSHIP COURSE

28 PERSONAL CARD VERIFIES YOUR TRAINING RECORDS

12

Carpenter Ad PolicyCarpenter is a union publication and promotes union values, and its

advertising must reflect that. It accepts advertising, as it has since its firstissue in 1881, as a way to defray publishing costs for the members of theUnited Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America.

Our policy is to accept advertising for products made in the U.S. orCanada. We do not accept advertising from companies involved in boycottsor other disputes with organized labor or from nonunion companies inindustries that employ UBC members. The magazine reserves the right todecline any advertisement.

Advertising in Carpenter does not imply endorsement or warranty bythe magazine or the United Brotherhood of Carpenters.

We welcome comments from members on our advertisers and our policies.Potential advertisers should contact: The Sales Department, 7910 Woodmont Ave., Ste. 530, Bethesda, MD 20814 Tel: (301) 652-8862 Fax: (301) 907-8132

Get UBC news on the w

eb

and from our mobile app.

Visit Carpenters.org

and use

UBC Mobile on your phone o

r

tablet. Get it from the

Android or

iPhone app stores. Che

ck in for

news, info, and memb

ers-only

content, too. Be

informed and stay

in touch with your

union—24/7/365.


Canada

There are two fundamental approaches to the labourmarket. One is to promote a highly skilled, productiveand safe work force which is paid accordingly. The other

is to authorize procedures that encourage the growth of a low-wage, low-skilled work force that often labours in unsafeworkplaces.

A review of the Federal Conservative policies towardsworking people shows they are busy constructing their own“Made in Canada” low-wage system.

Take collective bargaining. Last year Lisa Raitt, the formerfederal Minister of Labour, repeatedly invoked early back-to-work legislation in disputes at Canada Post, Air Canada, andCP Rail. Union bargaining power is now weakened, plusmanagement knows it can likely obtain concessions from anarbitrator appointed by a federal minister.

In this year’s budget implementation (Bill C-60), theHarper Conservatives have inserted themselves directly intobargaining at Crown corporations (CBC, Canada Post, VIA)with a seat at the table—and now reserve the right of finalapproval over any changes to an employee’s terms andconditions of work.

Next consider a flood of low-wage labour. Abuses of theTemporary Foreign Worker (TFW) program finally came fullyto light when Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) forced itsCanadian employees to train their own foreign-workerreplacements. Companies were using TFWs to pay 15% belowthe average Canadian wages—until the RBC revelations.

I sent a strongly worded letter about these abuses to RBCCEO Gordon Nixon, stating that our Union’s continued use ofRBC services would be determined by their response. RBCthen promised to review its outsourcing policies from “theperspective of Canadian jobs and prosperity” and that thereview would engage “outside parties including input fromunions.”

Read your Union’s letter to RBC and the CEO’s response at www.carpenters.org/Canada.

But RBC’s shameful actions are only the tip of the TFWiceberg.

In Manitoba, Pagnotta Industries—a contractor fromEdmonton—was allowed to bring temporary foreigncarpenters into Manitoba while local carpenters were out ofwork. Pagnotta’s TFW application cited ads seeking Canadians;these ads were placed in the Edmonton Journal for a project inManitoba. The federal government approved them anyway.

Using government statistics the Alberta Federation ofLabour reported the large numbers of TFWs entering thecountry while unemployment was rising and for job sectorswhere labour shortages did not exist, simply to keep wages low.Several university studies reached similar conclusions.

The Conservative Government have also changedEmployment Insurance so that those out of work must nowtravel further and accept jobs well below their accustomed payscale—or lose their benefits. It is not yet known what impactthis change will have on construction workers between jobs.

Finally, Bill C-377 makes sure the recipe for a low-wageCanadian labour market is complete. The Bill intends tocripple unions, but not other groups, with excessiveaccounting requirements. It is another incremental steptowards making Canada a low-wage, “right-to-work” country.

Forced bargaining. Temporary Foreign Workers.Unemployment limits. Bill C-377. Clearly, our livelihoods areunder attack. We need to fight back.

We have to judge politicians and parties from oneperspective: Are their policies promoting a labour marketwhere skill, safety, and productivity earn living wages, benefits,and retirement security? Or are their policies promoting alabour market with low wages, low benefits (if any), and anuncertain retirement?

The Conservative attack on wages, jobs, workers’ rights—and unions themselves—should be a call to all Canadians. Allof us, within and outside of the UBC, need to stay informed,get involved, and fight for the decent labour standards allCanadians deserve.

The Federal Conservative policies are busy

forming a “Made in Canada” low-wage system.

Their attack on wages, jobs, workers’ rights

—and unions—should be a call to all Canadians.

A message from UBC Canadian District Vice President Jim Smith

The Growing Attack on Canadian Wages—and Workers

CARPENTER 2013 25

En ce qui concerne le marché du travail, il existe deux approchesfondamentales. La première consiste à promouvoir une main-d'œuvre travaillant dans des conditions sécuritaires, hautement

qualifiée et productive, qui est rémunérée en conséquence. L'autreapproche est de permettre la mise en place de procéduresfavorisant la croissance d'une main-d'œuvre peu rémunérée et peuqualifiée, qui besogne souvent sur des lieux de travail nonsécuritaires.

En examinant les politiques du Parti conservateur fédéral àl'égard des travailleurs, on constate qu'il s'applique à concocter sonpropre système de bas salaires « fabriqué au Canada ».

Prenons par exemple la négociation collective. L'annéedernière, Lisa Raitt, ministre fédérale du Travail, a eu recours àplusieurs reprises et de façon prématurée à une loi forçant le retourau travail dans des conflits à Postes Canada, Air Canada et CP Rail.Le pouvoir de négociation des syndicats s'en trouve affaibli, et ladirection sait qu'elle peut probablement obtenir des concessionsd'un arbitre nommé par cette ministre.

Dans le cadre de l'exécution du budget de cette année (Projetde loi C-60), les Conservateurs de M. Harper se sont immiscésdirectement dans la négociation à des sociétés d'État (CBC/Radio-Canada, Postes Canada, VIA) et se sont assis à la table denégociation ‒ se réservant ainsi le droit d'approuver de façonfinale tout changement apporté aux modalités d'emploi et auxconditions de travail d'un employé.

Passons ensuite à l'afflux de main-d'œuvre peu rémunérée.Dans le cadre du Programme des travailleurs étrangerstemporaires (PTET), des abus ont finalement été étalés au grandjour lorsqu'il a été établi que la Banque Royale du Canada (RBC)obligeait ses employés canadiens à former les travailleurs étrangerscensés les remplacer. Jusqu'à ces révélations, les entreprises avaientrecours à des travailleurs étrangers pour pouvoir leur verser dessalaires inférieurs de 15 % à la rémunération canadiennemoyenne.

J'ai adressé une lettre ferme au sujet de ces abus à GordonNixon, président et chef de la direction de RBC, déclarant qu'enfonction de leur réponse, notre syndicat déciderait ou non decontinuer à utiliser les services de RBC. Nous avons ensuite reçu lapromesse que RBC allait examiner ses politiques de sous-traitanceselon la « perspective du maintien des emplois au Canada et de laprospérité du pays » et que l'examen impliquerait des « tiers, etnotamment des syndicats ».

(Consultez la lettre de la FUCMA à RBC et la réponse duprésident et chef de la direction en allant àwww.carpenters.org/Canada_Group)

Malheureusement, les pratiques regrettables de RBCreprésentent seulement la partie visible de l'iceberg.

Au Manitoba, Pagnotta Industries — un entrepreneurd'Edmonton — a pu faire venir des charpentiers étrangerstemporaires au Manitoba alors que des charpentiers de la provinceétaient sans travail. La demande déposée par Pagnotta auprès duPTET citait des annonces comme quoi l'entreprise cherchait destravailleurs canadiens — annonces mises dans le Edmonton

Journal pour un projet au Manitoba. Cela n'a pas empêché legouvernement fédéral d'approuver la demande.

S'appuyant sur des statistiques du gouvernement, la AlbertaFederation of Labour a indiqué que de grands nombres detravailleurs étrangers temporaires entraient au pays alors que lechômage était en hausse et qu'il n'existait pas de pénurie de main-d'œuvre dans les secteurs en question, ceci dans le seul objectif demaintenir la rémunération à un bas niveau. Dans le cadre deplusieurs études réalisées par des universités, on en est arrivé à desconclusions similaires.

Les Conservateurs ont également apporté des changements àl'assurance-emploi de telle sorte que les sans-emploi doiventmaintenant se déplacer plus loin et accepter des emplois bien endessous de l'échelle salariale habituelle — ou perdre leursavantages sociaux. On ne sait pas encore quel sera l'impact de ceschangements sur les travailleurs de la construction entre deuxchantiers.

Enfin, le Projet de loi C-377 est la dernière pierre qui manquaità l'édifice. Le projet de loi cible les syndicats, et non les autresgroupes, et vise à les paralyser en leur imposant des exigencescomptables excessives, le Canada devenant de plus en plus un paysoù le « droit au travail » et les bas salaires règnent en maître.

Négociation forcée. Travailleurs étrangers temporaires.Restrictions à l'assurance-emploi. Fardeau imposé aux syndicatsavec le Projet de loi C-377. Il est clair que nos moyens desubsistance sont menacés. Nous devons nous défendre.

Nous devons juger les politiciens et les partis selon une seule etmême perspective : Leurs politiques favorisent-elle un marché dutravail où les qualifications, la sécurité et la productivité setraduisent par des salaires suffisants, des avantages sociaux et lasécurité de la retraite? Ou bien, leurs politiques promeuvent-ellesun marché du travail qui se caractérise par des salaires bas et desavantages sociaux faibles (si tant est qu'il y en ait), et une retraiteincertaine?

L'attaque menée par les Conservateurs contre les droits destravailleurs, leurs emplois et leur rémunération — et contre lessyndicats eux-mêmes — devrait être une sonnette d'alarme pourtous les Canadiens et Canadiennes. Tout le monde, au sein de laFUCMA et à l'extérieur, doit se tenir informé, s'impliquer et sebattre pour obtenir les normes du travail décentes que méritenttous les Canadiens..

Les politiques du gouvernement fédéral

Conservateur visent à créer un système

de bas salaires « fabriqué au Canada ».

Cette attaque contre les droits des

travailleurs, leurs emplois et leur

rémunération — et contre les syndicats

— devrait être une sonnette d'alarme pour

tous les Canadiens et Canadiennes.

L'assaut contre les travailleurs canadiens s'intensifie

Message de Jim Smith, vice-président de district pour la FUCMA (Canada)


Canada

Fired Up for a Strong FutureAtlantic Canada Sent First DET Leadership Training Class

When General President Mc-Carron visited the then-newAtlantic Canada RegionalCouncil (ACRC) in June2012, he spoke of a leader-

ship program the UBC was creating for our“.300 hitters,” and he challenged seniorACRC members to be worksite leaders andbecome better mentors to their apprentices.

Late in 2012, 124 ACRC journeyper-sons formed the first class to travel to theUBC International Training Center (ITC)in Las Vegas for the new program, UBCJourneymen: Building Leadership for aStrong Future.

President McCarron had warned thatthe members would return to AtlanticCanada “all fired up.” He was right.

“A More Positive Influence”Many said the training reenergized and

refocused them, and they returned passion-ate about being a more positive influence intheir Locals and on the jobsite.

Member Bill Hedlund said, “It takes solittle to be a leader but means so much. It’sthe little things that make a difference. Oneword can be the difference between moti-vating or frustrating another member.”

Participants called the program an “eyeopener” that provided the skills needed toinstill a new attitude, and made clearer thedirect connection between productivity andbuilding market share—all the way to ourgoal of 70 percent.

After the session, ACRC surveyed par-ticipants. The cliché may be “our future is inthe hands of the young,” but across theboard, survey responses showed that ourmost senior members also feel their respon-sibility for the UBC’s future.

Many participants said a change hadtaken place that infused them with pride,awareness, and confidence that their efforts

were valued and needed. As one answerput it, “The biggest change in my view isthat being a leader in the UBC is more im-portant than I realized. We all need to leadby listening and by example. We need totake the extra second to realize that whatwe do as a leader or foreman can influencea lot of people.”

The survey also asked how the programwas applicable to their everyday work. Oneconcise response summed it up as, “Listening,motivating, influencing, and mentoring.”

Finally, the poll asked for examples ofnew leadership since members returned. Atelling response was, “To lead by example, Itried an experiment. I started going to break alittle later and heading back to work a littleearlier—and it didn’t take very long for themen to react. One guy asked why I did it, andI told him… ‘How could I expect moremoney when we negotiate our next contractif I wasn’t willing to honour the one we have?’That’s all it took, and the men followed.”

In reporting on the survey, ExecutiveSecretary-Treasurer (EST) Gus Doyle said,“The survey responses indicate that theprogram had changed the views, attitudeand actions of our journeypersons. Theirview of being jobsite leaders changed significantly with the realization that their

union appreciated them as leaders, wantedto improve their leadership skills, and hadexpectations of them in the future. This realization that they are part of a larger effort has buoyed and reenergized thejourneyperson class in Atlantic Canada.”

Building on SuccessAfter closely consulting with the mem-

bership in a two-month process, EST Doylemandated that the Council build on theUBC program with a mentoring programof its own. The Council will identify a poolof journeypersons and senior apprenticeswith the ability and inclination to be men-tors and will provide them with tools andsupport to become effective mentors toyoung and new members.

The seeds planted at the ITC continueto grow in Atlantic Canada—and in theother Councils who have also now sentmembers to this powerful program.

Those seeds are bearing fruit. It is nowour challenge to continue planting andtending them to build leadership for astrong future—and to build that 70 percentmarket share.

See profiles of leadership program partici-

pants on pp. 12-15 and at carpenters.org.

Along with Canadian District VP Jim Smith(front center), 124 members of the Atlantic

Canada Regional Council (ACRC) formed oneof the first groups to participate in the UBC’s

journeyman leadership training program.Council officials with Smith are (front, l-r):

Gord Jacobs, Cape Breton Regional Manager;Simon Pitts, ACRC President; Smith; Gus

Doyle, ACRC Executive Secretary-Treasurer;and Andrew Dawson, New Brunswick

Regional Manager.

CARPENTER 2013 27

Très enthousiastes face à l'avenir Le Canada atlantique a envoyé le premier groupe de participants

Lorsque le président généralMcCarron a visité le nouveauConseil régional du Canadaatlantique en juin 2012, il a parléd'un nouveau programme de

leadership de la FUCMA et il a mis audéfi les dirigeants du Conseil d'être desleaders sur les chantiers et de meilleursmentors.

À la fin de 2012, le Conseil a envoyédes compagnons au Centre internationalde la formation de la FUCMA à Las Vegasen tant que premier groupe departicipants à un programme intitulé «Building Leadership for a Strong Future »,créé par le département d'éducation et deformation de la FUCMA.

Le président général McCarron avaitprévenu que les membres reviendraient «très enthousiastes » dans la région duCanada atlantique. Cela s'est avéré.

Bon nombre des participants ontdéclaré que la formation leur avait donnéun regain d'énergie et les avait recentrés,et qu'ils étaient revenus passionnés àl'idée d'exercer une influence plus positivedans leur section et sur le chantier.

« Être un leader n'est pas si dur, maiscela a un impact énorme. Le choix d'unmot peut engendrer de la frustration ou

motiver un membre », a indiqué lemembre Bill Hedland.

Selon les participants, le programmeleur a ouvert les yeux en leur offrant lescompétences nécessaires pour instaurerune nouvelle attitude. Cela a égalementpermis de clarifier le lien entre laproductivité et le renforcement de la partde marché — pour atteindre notreobjectif de 70 pour 100.

L'ACRC a sondé les participants à leurretour. On pourrait employer le cliché «l'avenir est entre les mains de la jeunesse», mais les réponses ont révélé que lesmembres plus âgés se sentent égalementresponsables de l'avenir du syndicat.

De nombreux participants ont déclaréqu'un changement avait eu lieu et qu'ilsavaient pris conscience du fait que leursefforts étaient appréciés et nécessaires.Comme l'a affirmé l'un des membres, «Être un leader à la FUCMA est plusimportant que je ne le pensais. Nousavons tous besoin d'écouter et de montrerl'exemple.».

Dans le cadre du sondage, on a aussidemandé dans quelle mesure leprogramme s'appliquait au travail de tousles jours. Une des réponses l'a très bienrésumé : « Cela se sent au niveau de

l'écoute, de la motivation, de l'influence etdu mentorat. »

Un membre a essayé de « diriger parl'exemple » en retranchant quelquesminutes au début et à la fin de ses pauses.Son équipe l'a tout de suite remarqué et «un gars m'a demandé pourquoi je l'avaisfait. Je lui ai répondu 'Commentpourrais-je m'attendre à recevoir plusd'argent lorsque nous négocions notreprochain contrat si je ne suis pas prêt àrespecter le contrat actuel?' Les gars enont fait autant ».

En communiquant les résultats dusondage, le secrétaire-trésorier exécutifGus Doyle a affirmé : « Les réponsesindiquent que le programme a changé lesopinions, attitudes et actions de noscompagnons. Leur opinion sur le rôle deleader a beaucoup évolué lorsqu'ils ontréalisé que le syndicat appréciait leurleadership. Cette prise de consciencequ'ils font partie d'un effort plus grandeéchelle a donné un regain d'énergie à laclasse de compagnons du Canadaatlantique. »

La réussite du programme aégalement amené le Conseil à introduireun programme de mentorat de son cru.Les graines plantées à la fin de 2012continuent à se développer au Canadaatlantique — et dans les autres conseilsqui ont également envoyé des membrespour qu'ils participent à cet excellentprogramme.

Ces graines portent fruit. Notre déficonsiste maintenant à continuer à planterdes graines pour renforcer le leadershipde demain — et pour atteindre cette partde marché de 70 pour 100.

Consultez les profils des participants au

programme de leadership aux pages 12 à

15 et à carpenters.org

Les compétences en communication sont aucœur de la formation en leadership descompagnons de la FUCMA.

Carp mag 2013 lo

News & Politics

que contamos en

diversos miembros que

ubc det

ubc work

que tambin alcancen

ubc journeymen

ubc pride

ubc strength