Author: paul

By Mark Gruenberg and John Wojcik
Press Associates Union News Service
 
The U.S. needs to spend $4 trillion, four times as much as the Republican Trump administration requested, for needed infrastructure repairs, the president of North America’s Building Trades Unions says.
And that’s what the unions will lobby for, adds NABTU President Sean McGarvey. And there must be “a dedicated funding source,” including an increased federal gasoline tax, to provide the money, he contends. Another large chunk of change, he said, will come from public-private partnerships.
McGarvey and construction union presidents James Callahan of the Operating Engineers, Robert Martinez of the Machinists and Lonnie Stephenson of the Electrical Workers made the case for more money at an October 23 press conference during the AFL-CIO Convention in St. Louis.
Despite the recovery from the Great Recession, which didn’t start in the construction industry until 2011, the U.S. still has great unmet infrastructure needs, the four said. They include old water pipes, underground utilities which break down, cracking and decaying roads and a creaky electrical grid.
“We’re also concerned about the funding, but also with the underground subsystems,” Callahan said. They’re “the sewers, the electrical lines and what’s below the roads. That’s why we’re trying to get a permanent (fiscal) ‘lockbox,’ both for funding structures and for hiring enough people.”
 
Repairing all that via a federal infrastructure law would put and keep even more construction workers on the job, especially in coming colder months when residential construction slows, the four said.
 
That’s a distinct change, McGarvey and the others admitted, from the depths of the Great Recession, which began when the bottom dropped out of the housing market. Construction joblessness hit a high of 2.44 million in February 2010, and the construction jobless rate that month was 27.1 percent. The September 2017 data, the latest available, show 433,000 jobless construction workers (4.7 percent).
 
The Trump administration has yet to produce a detailed infrastructure plan, though congressional committees have held hearings on the nation’s needs. And McGarvey said his department has been working with both the White House and three business groups – the Business Roundtable, the National Association of Manufacturers and the Chamber of Commerce – on crafting legislation.
 
The Chamber traditionally allied with the construction unions in pushing for infrastructure spending.
 
But the administration also floated the idea of funding all infrastructure improvements at the $1 trillion level and only through the partnerships, rather than direct federal spending. That’s produced criticism the money would flow into Wall Streeters’ pockets rather than rebuilding the country.
 
McGarvey floated a third idea for funding infrastructure repairs: Using negotiations on the pending tax bill, which analysts call a tax cut for the rich, to produce “a huge repatriation payment” of corporate profits now stashed overseas to escape U.S. taxes. “We also haven’t had a gas tax increase in 25 years.”
 
The type of funding and its sources will help the building trades unions evaluate it, he said. And he said that, despite appearances, both the administration and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., are fully engaged on the infrastructure issue.
 
That assessment appears to differ somewhat from remarks by AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka a day earlier. Trumka said infrastructure is one of the area where Trump has so far produced “nothing.”
 
There’s another reason the construction unions push infrastructure spending, the four presidents said: Apprenticeships. They pointed out training new apprentices is absolutely needed not just to build the projects but to replace the tens of thousands of Baby Boomer construction workers who retire every year.
 
At the same time, apprenticeships are also vital to increasing participation by women, minorities and veterans in construction, which is still a white male-dominated field. Federal data show 3 percent of construction workers are women, 6.8 percent are African-American, 1.7 percent are Asian-American and 34 percent are Latino.
 
That led McGarvey and several other construction union leaders to join a Trump administration advisory task force on increasing apprenticeships. “The administration views” union apprenticeship programs “as a model” for the industry, McGarvey claimed. Though he did not say so, the administration also proposed a budget cut in federal apprenticeship aid.
 
McGarvey said in an interview last spring that raising the issue of the need for apprentices, especially for women and minorities, was one reason he and other construction union leaders engaged with Trump so early on, despite criticism from others in the labor movement for doing so.
 
But even more apprentices won’t fill the workplace void, the union presidents said. That will occur only when construction firms, notably non-union firms, pay their workers what they’re worth. A pay rate of $15 an hour, for a worker with a family of four or “women of color with kids” is not enough, McGarvey and Stephenson said. “As long as these companies go higher” than that, “we can get them the workforce. What we don’t have a guarantee on is jobs. And we’ve got to make sure our contractors are competitive.”

SMART General President Joseph Sellers was named today to serve on the President’s Task Force on Apprenticeship Expansion.
In June, President Trump signed an executive order expanding apprenticeship programs and vocational training at a White House ceremony.  The executive order led to the creation of this task force to identify strategies and proposals to promote apprenticeships throughout the United States and especially within the private sector.
SMART General President Sellers, a native of Pennsylvania, served as the training coordinator for Sheet Metal Workers’ Local 19 from 1996 through 2000 when he began his term as Business Representative, then became the Local Union’s Business Manager. Throughout his career, General President Sellers held a number of critical union and industry posts and has bridged the gap between labor and management while always meeting the needs of the industry, including as a member of the Pennsylvania State Apprenticeship and Training Council.
Sellers thanked President Trump and Secretary Acosta for the nomination,  “I look forward to contributing to this important task force through my experience and ideas.”  Sellers continued, “this work will benefit workers and their families through an established career path and applied education curriculum in support of a new workforce for tomorrow.”
Today’s American workforce faces a skills gap with 6.1 million job openings in the United States, and 6.8 million people seeking employment.  “To close the skills gap,” Sellers stressed, “we must give working families the opportunity to learn while they earn as they pursue a demand driven education.   Apprenticeships are a proven form of this and the Task Force will serve as a way to plan and grow America’s capacity to expand avenues to opportunity through apprenticeships.
SMART, the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers, is one of North America’s most dynamic and diverse unions with 200,000 members. SMART’s members ensure the quality of the air we breathe, promote energy efficiency, produce and provide the vital services that move products to market and passengers to their destinations. We are sheet metal workers, service technicians, bus operators, engineers, conductors, sign workers, welders, production employees and more. With members in scores of different occupations, we advocate for a safe and fair workplace, excellence at work and opportunity for all working families.

Behind the work, training, bids and contracts is the business of sheet metal work, and for decades, training coordinators and instructors have taught Business 101 to their members at their home training centers. The class was geared to educate members on the financial, human resources and general operation of a business using in-person classes, books and expertise.
For all the class was, it wasn’t available to everyone who wanted to partake. The International Training Institute (ITI), the education arm of the sheet metal and air conditioning industry, and SMART, created the SMART Business Development course in its place. Part distance learning, part in-person training, the class is meant to do more — be more — than its predecessor.
“An online version of this class makes it more accessible to more members,” said James Page, administrator of the ITI. “With technology being at the forefront of education, we wanted to get it to those members who otherwise wouldn’t have access. Education keeps the union, and our industry, moving forward, and the mix of learning — self-paced, virtual live classroom and weekly deliverables — rejuvenated this program and made it stronger and a better fit for the members.”
“It really opens up the class for members geographically, for those who couldn’t travel,” added Aldo Zambetti, ITI field staff and facilitator of SMART Business Development. “There were people who took Business 101 who were successful, whether they were going into business or decided not to go into business.”
SMART Business Development, which is currently in the pilot stage, consists of three phases. Phase one is an eight-week, online course meant to give participants an introduction, which includes self-assessment, risks and rewards, planning and human resources, estimating and bidding and an overview of what to expect when going into business.
Participants interact online, complete homework and study questions, and attend a live virtual classroom discussion once a week. The second phase consists of a week in residence at a central location. For the pilot program, the class will visit SMART SM Local 33 near Cleveland. While there, participants will visit with experts in legal, insurance, finance, labor and sales to seek advice, gather information and ask questions.
During the third phase — also conducted online like phase one — participants will learn how to construct, investigate and formulate a business plan, which is the class’s final project. At any point during the class, a participant can acknowledge going into business is not for them. That, as well as completing the whole course, is considered a graduation, Zambetti said.
For participants’ employers, the benefits are two-fold. If a course graduate takes the leap into self-employment, they become an informed competitor. If a course participant decides not to go into business, he or she now understands much more about their employer.
“Whether they choose to stay or leave — they’re both celebrations,” he added. “Now, they have a better knowledge of what their employers take to bed with them every night. Employers aren’t always the fat cats making a lot of profit. Your employer would be happy with 2-and-a-half to 3 percent profit. These are the benefits.”
Because the course is online, participants can remain anonymous to the outside world.
“They can leave or keep on going and still accomplish something,” Zambetti said. “And they are spending 10 hours per week on their effort, which is a small price to pay to make one of the most important decisions of your life. That’s why it works. It’s an exciting program.”
The ITI plans to host additional SMART Business Development courses later this year. For information on this course, or to request a registration link, email Aldo Zambetti at azambetti@sheetmetal-iti.org.

When the public school that housed SMART Sheet Metal Local No. 4’s training center abruptly closed last spring, the program — and the union — were at a bit of a loss. In the end, the experience proved to be a blessing in disguise.
Through a partnership with the local school district, Local No. 4’s training center was housed inside a public adult training center that was closed due to a school district consolidation. Local No. 4 had to move all equipment and materials out of the building quickly, regroup and figure out a next step.
The union hall, housed in a 7,500-square-foot building, wasn’t large enough to take on the training center as a whole; however, there was space for classes. To accommodate the situation and to maintain apprenticeship progression in the program, the curriculum was front-loaded to give students all their coursework in hopes they would find a building in time to allow apprentices to complete their fabrication shop requirements for the year. During that time, students completed training in reading blueprints, plans and specifications and the 30-hour Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) course, said John Williams, business manager for Local No. 4.
In August 2016, Local No. 4 found a new, 12,500-square-foot building — one that could not only house the training program, but the union hall as well. The International Training Institute (ITI), the education arm of the unionized sheet metal, air conditioning and welding industry, sent out the mobile welding trailer, so apprentices could complete their welding classes and any certifications in the interim.
“The idea is to keep training moving forward no matter the circumstances, so the ITI was happy to help keep these apprentices current on their skills,” said Mike Harris, ITI program director. “The mobile welding trailer was created for situations much like this one, and it’s serving its purpose well until Local No. 4’s welding lab is complete.”
The new warehouse-style building allowed for large pieces of equipment to be moved in immediately, so apprentices could get started on their fabrication shop curriculum and renovations could begin simultaneously. Welding and computer labs as well as plans for CNC machines and other technology are in the works. It’s a blank slate, Williams said.
“The great thing about having a new facility is we can upgrade our training to the future of our industry,” Williams added. “At the other building, we had our hands tied. Now, we have a new facility with plenty of space in the union hall area to have classes while we’re renovating everything.”
There is also space to offer continuing education classes to journeypersons and, once renovations are complete, bring in potential apprentices for tours as part of recruitment efforts. One of the goals is to use the new center and union hall to teach apprentices and get them experience to help supplement the workforce when members retire.
“We can build it the way we want it, to suit our needs. There are so many possibilities,” Williams said. “The goal is to turn out more than you retire. That’s not happening. We’re looking over the next five to 10 years, and the eligibility for retirement is going to exceed the number of apprentices. This new building will help us attract new apprentices and continue to educate our current workforce.”
Local  4 members are excited and have a reason to be. Once the renovation is complete, the training center will far exceed previous accommodations, Williams said.
 

When the economy crashed, many Detroit residents had to search for any job that could pay the immediate bills instead of a promising career that could provide a future. Building trades unions and their affiliated contractor associations stepped up with the Access for All program (accessforalldetroit.com) to help individuals seeking a career in construction find a pathway to success.
That investment is paying off now that Detroit’s economy has turned around, and there is unprecedented demand for skilled union construction workers, according to CASS Sheet Metal President Glenn Parvin.
“We want to create a better Detroit and create more opportunities for residents,” he said.
Parvin is a board member for the sheet metal apprenticeship training center sponsored by the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART) Local 80 and contractors of the Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning Contractors National Association (SMACNA) Metropolitan Detroit Chapter.
Access for All is a nine-week, 270-hour training program that prepares participants for successful entry into construction apprenticeships and employment in the skilled trades. It covers workplace essential skills, such as safety, financial coaching, mentoring and teamwork; teaches basic construction skills, such as how to read a tape measure and blueprints; and provides a refresher on math and algebra skills. Students also work on a simulated construction site.
“Many Access for All participants come from poverty and several are homeless, so we have to start with the basics.” said Don O’Connell, administrator for Access for All.
In the past four years, more than 100 individuals have enrolled and 80 percent have completed the program. Of those, 91 percent are employed, 81 percent have industry-related employment, and 67 percent entered into apprenticeships.
SMART Local 80 has welcomed several Access for All graduates into the program.
“These students are very energetic and optimistic,” said Sam Velez, a sheet metal journeyman and architectural instructor at the training center. “Their training allows them to be quickly placed with contractors.”
Velez is enthusiastic about the program.
“Access for All is giving opportunities to candidates who want to work hard,” he said, “and it gives us the opportunities to employ good workers.”

A majority of commercial builders and contractors in the United States plan to employ more workers in the coming months – assuming they can find them. In fact, 61 percent of contractors maintain they are having a difficult time finding workers to man projects with skilled workers.  This comes from a report by USG which is unique in that it dooes not just tabulate numbers but measures the outlook of leading figures in the construction contracting and end user sectors.