The International Association of Sheet, Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART) and its allied unions on the Long Island Rail Road urge all members, friends and supporters of organized labor to a “LIRR Labor Rally” on Saturday, June 21, at 11 a.m. at the Massapequa Train Station.
LIRR employees have worked without a contract since June 15,2010. In a ruling delivered May 20, a Presidential Emergency Board found decisively in favor of LIRR employees in their ongoing dispute with New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) over wages, work rules and pension reforms.
Please forward this message to all your friends, family and co-workers and urge them to attend this important rally.
The more of us who take a stand, the louder our voices will be.
Local 124 Training Facility At the training center for Sheet Metal Workers Local No. 124 in Oklahoma City, committee members and training director Trent London grew tired of hearing “I’m just a sheet metal worker” as an excuse for apprentices’ unprofessional behavior. To change the mentality, they sought out and hired consultant Nic Bittle. Sheet metal workers are professionals, and apprentices needed to start seeing themselves in that light. Bittle, who owns Workforce Pro, helps those not in managerial or leadership positions create an entrepreneurial mindset for better performance on and off the job. “That’s what we’re trying to erase,” London said. “It should be ‘I’m a professional, and I need to look and dress like one.’ We want them to think about what they do today as having an effect on their ability to get hired.” The idea: to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of the apprentices and apprentice program and fill the need for professional development, which includes written and verbal communication in the workplace, personal appearance and personal finance and management. The program started with a pilot program in January 2013 and has evolved and continued since then. The goal is to have all apprentices participate through the years of their education. To start, Bittle spent two weeks researching the industry and visiting contractors and apprentices on job sites and in fabrication shops in the area. He identified four core competencies he felt lacked in the apprenticeship: communication, leadership, entrepreneurship and professionalism. To address these ideals, Bittle hosted a seminar at the beginning of the semester and followed up with a 24-part series of email lessons. Apprentices are required to engage in conversation about the topics addressed during the lessons, which are readdressed during a second seminar in the second half of the school year. “Because I was the outside guy, the apprentices were willing to talk to me,” Bittle said. “My hope is they implement it into their lives and use it. We’re not building better buildings. We’re building better people. They’re going to be better when they turn out. But they’ll also be better husbands and fathers. That’s what gets me excited.” The program is about to finish its first full school year, but it’s still too early to tell exactly how much headway is being made with apprentices, London said. “Our committee thinks it could be a few years until they see a definite change,” London said. “I’ve heard people say they’ve gotten something out of it. It’s something our committee, the contractors that employ these people, thinks [the apprentices] need.” The idea for the program came directly from the members of the training committee who are also contractors. They found that although the work was good, apprentices lacked professional skills. During his research, Bittle found many apprentices felt the quality of their work should be the benchmark of their professional careers – not their attitude, communication skills or leadership qualities. Bittle introduced to apprentices the idea of a reputation score – how they are viewed from job site to job site, contractor to contractor. “If you’re difficult on the job site, the next boss will likely hear about it. Everybody has a reputation score,” Bittle said. “You have a reputation the minute you enter the union. And it’s how you manage your reputation score. Their job is part of it, but so is their professionalism. You can’t look up your score, but you’ve got one.” Bringing in Bittle was a way to allow the apprentices to speak and think freely, saying what they needed to say without worrying about what their instructors, coordinator or committee would think. Changes in the way the training center staff communicates with the apprentices have already been made based on Bittle’s conversations with the students, London said. “I think it’s really opened us up to a lot more communication between the apprentices and the committee,” London said. “It’s given the apprentices more of a voice.” Because of the success in Oklahoma City, the training center in Tulsa, Oklahoma also hired Bittle, who started the program there in January. In Tulsa, 90 percent of the apprentices are younger than 25. “The younger generation’s time is more valuable to them than their job or money. It wasn’t like that for my generation. For us, it was all about the job,” said Arthur Winters, part-time training director for Sheet Metal Workers Local No. 270’s training center in Tulsa. “I’m hoping this will help them prepare for their futures and approach their lives a different way. If we can make a difference in even a few lives, it’ll be well worth the effort.” Not every apprentice is a fan of the program, but for now, London and Bittle are fine with that. “There’s a handful that thinks this is junk. I’m not saying I’m the last person on the planet who understands integrity and personal finance. We have really good kids. Not everyone is a fan of it, but I’m OK with that,” Bittle said. “It’s a four-year thing. It’s a long process.” “Right now, the plan is to keep this going, build the relationship and put this food-for-thought into their heads to put more value in their careers,” London said.
Celebrate your father in solidarity this Father’s Day by getting him a gift that sports the union label. You can also find gift ideas from Labor 411, the union business directory from the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor. Some of the brands you will find include:
Hugo Boss (UNITE HERE)
Jim Beam (United Food and Commercial Workers [UFCW])
Joseph Abboud clothing (UNITE HERE)
Klein Tools (Boilermakers [IBB])
Knob Creek whiskey (UFCW)
Louisville Slugger (UAW)
Naturalizer shoes (UFCW)
Old Spice (UFCW)
Pierre Cardin cologne (UFCW)
Red Wing Shoes (UFCW)
Spalding basketball (Machinists [IAM])
Stella Artois beer (IAM)
Timex watches (IAM)
The Union Boot Pro (UFCW)
The International Association of Sheet, Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers and its allied unions on the Long Island Rail Road invite members of organized labor and their family, friends and supporters to a “LIRR Labor Rally” on Saturday, June 21, at 11 a.m. at the Massapequa Train Station. SMART Transportation Division GO 505 General Chairperson Anthony Simon said the purpose of the rally is to demonstrate the resolve of affected LIRR employees in achieving the recommendations of Presidential Emergency Board 245. In a ruling delivered May 20, PEB 245 found decisively in favor of the unions in their ongoing dispute with New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority over wages, work rules and pension reforms. In its report, the board notes that “the lack of notice and bargaining on substantial issues in the Carrier’s final offer is of significant concern … The Unions’ final offer, on the other hand, represents a reasonable balance addressing the priorities of both parties … It is noteworthy that the Unions’ assertion that real wage increases for LIRR employees, absent inflation, have not increased at all since 1991, was not challenged by the Carrier.” The PEB report set in motion a final 60-day cooling off period. If no agreement is reached during that time, SMART and the other unions are legally allowed to strike July 19 under provisions of the Railway Labor Act. However, Simon told New York’s Newsday May 27 that SMART would be willing to extend by 60 days, or until mid-September, any strike on the railroad. “Our members care about Long Island and its economy,” said Simon, adding that a strike could harm summer tourism-based businesses. “All we would need is the MTA to mutually agree on the extension.” SMART’s coalition partners include the Transportation Communications Union, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, and the National Conference of Firemen & Oilers-Service Employees International Union. To print a rally flyer, click here.
The idea of putting a permanent roof on the youth archery range at the J.W Corbett Wildlife Management Area’s Everglades Youth Conservation Camp in West Palm Beach, Florida has come to fruition thanks to the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance (USA) and its Work Boots on the Ground program that mobilizes skilled union members for conservation. Members of Sheet Metal Workers Local 32 and Electrical Workers Local 359 showcased the program in full force as they utilized their trade skills to cover the 84-foot archery range. Side by side, utilizing tools, plywood, metal tin, airguns and compressors, they worked throughout the weekend, May 3-4, to finish the job in record time and expert fashion. According to Lynne Hawk, Regional Hunter Safety Coordinator with the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, the archery range provides year-round hunter safety courses for children and adults, as well as school and community groups. Hawk facilitated the project with the leadership of the Work Boots on the Ground volunteer project leader Rick Pazos, a training director and member of SMART Local 32. “Rick did an excellent job. This project wouldn’t have gotten done if it weren’t for him. The guys (all) worked really hard…I am so thankful for all of them.” “The archery range is used by kids every day during the facility’s summer camp,” added Hawk, “…We now have a new roof on the archery range that should last for many, many years to come.” Fred Myers, Executive Director and CEO of the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance, said the USA’s Work Boots on the Ground program was created to form collaborations all over the country on behalf of conservation, to drive projects faced with narrowing budgets, staffing and materials challenges. “The people who volunteer with us to identify projects, raise money to support them and show up in numbers to provide the hands-on labor all have a commitment to conservation and their communities,” Myers said. “They want to give back and find that our Work Boots on the Ground collaborations provide a vehicle to get involved and make a difference for future generations.”
SMART Local 49 was the winner in yet another representation election. This time, workers at Automated Mechanical, an Ogden, UT based mechanical contractor, voted unanimously to join SMART. This follows an earlier victory this month when SMART’s Transportation Department added 40 new transit members in Albuquerque.
Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam May 20 announced the appointment of SMART Transportation Division Tennessee State Legislative Director Roger “Adren” Crawford to the Tennessee Council for Career and Technical Education.
The TCCTE serves as an independent advocate for quality career and technical education programs and functions as an independent oversight body. It consists of 13 members appointed by the governor to serve in an advisory capacity to the Tennessee Board of Education, Tennessee Board of Regents, the governor and the general assembly. Members of the council are appointed to serve six-year terms. Seven individuals are representatives of the private sector in the state and constitute a majority of the membership. Six individuals are representatives of secondary and post-secondary education, career and technical institutions, career guidance and counseling organizations within the state, and/or individuals who have special knowledge and qualifications with respect to the educational and career development needs of special populations. “I appreciate the commitment of these men and women and want to thank them for their willingness to serve the state,” Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam said. “Tennessee will be well represented on these boards and commissions.” Crawford is a member of Local 339 at Jackson, Tenn., and serves as the local’s chairperson, legislative representative and delegate.
A dedicated group of volunteers from the Central Pennsylvania Building Trades Council and the Ned Smith Center for Nature & Art’s Lands and Trails Committee celebrated the opening of a new footbridge this week, thanks to the completion of a conservation project spearheaded by the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance’s (USA) ‘Work Boots on the Ground” program. The project involved the hands-on work of about 12 volunteers over two consecutive weekends in April, to tear out the existing, temporary, all-wood bridge and to reconstruct it as a permanent structure, complete with new hand rails and gravel. The USA’s ‘Work Boots on the Ground’ program, a volunteer initiative that mobilizes skilled labor union volunteers for conservation projects, was tapped by long-time USA member and Ned Smith Board of Trustees Member Matt Roberts. When he learned about the Center’s need to replace its older footbridge in disrepair, Roberts brought the idea for a ‘Work Boots’ project to the attention of the Central Pennsylvania Building Trades Council, and they agreed it would be a great fit. “I felt this was a perfect situation to bring it all together,” said Roberts, noting the weather was the only small challenge to the volunteer crews out on the job to complete the project. “We had rain from lunch on,” he said, “but the guys wouldn’t give in to Mother Nature’s fury.” Dedicated crews made up of union sheet metal workers, steel workers and carpenters, along with community volunteers from the Ned Smith Center for Nature & Art, worked to complete the bridge over a two-day period, despite the weather. Fred Myers, Executive Director and CEO of the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance, said that speaks to the spirit of the outdoorsmen and women who enjoy membership in the USA, volunteering their time and talents to support conservation projects. “There’s no group of people with more skills and know-how than union members to help take on today’s conservation challenges,” said Myers, who founded the non-profit organization seven years ago. “All over the country, we are forming committees, identifying needs, raising money and taking on projects to ensure future generations can enjoy the outdoor opportunities that we enjoy today.” Ned Smith Center for Nature & Art is home to 12-miles of hiking trails and offers educational value for the thousands of students, families, hikers, anglers and hunters who visit the Center’s 500-plus acres each year. The Center’s Executive Director, Stephen Quigley, is grateful for the partnership between the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance and the Center, in particular, its joint commitment to educating youth. “The union contractors and partners involved in this project have personal lives as sportsmen themselves, enjoying the outdoors…and know that the youth today are not as connected to the environment as a generation ago,” said Quigley. “While the team worked well together and had fun doing the project, they understand that there is a significant purpose in using these projects as a catalyst for educating our youth about the environment and conservation of our natural resources.” For more information on the Ned Smith Center’s lands, galleries and education programming, please visit www.nedsmithcenter.org.
Currently, only four percent of the Canadian construction force is female. Journeyman, a national program that helps mentor, support and promote women working in construction, hopes to change that along with any lingering stereotypes. Journeyman, which recently launched a Facebook page in order to bring workers together around this concept has released a video featuring participants in this new program. Please take a moment to visit their new FaceBook page and also view the video featuring this exciting new program.
According to a report released today by the AFL-CIO, 4,628 workers were killed in the United States during 2012 due to workplace injuries. Additionally an estimated 50,000 died from occupational diseases, resulting in a loss of nearly 150 workers each day from preventable workplace conditions. The report, entitled Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect, marks the 23rd year the AFL-CIO has produced its findings on the state of safety and health protections for workers within the United States. The report shows the highest workplace fatality rates were found in North Dakota, Wyoming, Alaska, West Virginia and Montana, while Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire (tied), and Washington (tied) had the lowest state fatality rates. While national numbers remained steady from 2011, the most alarming statistics come from North Dakota, where the state’s job fatality rate of 17.7 per 100,000 workers is five times the national average, which is 3.4 per 100,000, and is among the highest state job fatality rates ever reported. Especially alarming is the high fatality rate in North Dakota for those in the mining and oil and gas extraction sector, where 104 out of every 100,000 workers died on the job, more than six times the national average in this industry. The AFL-CIO’s report also highlights the number of Latino and immigrant workers killed on the job, with Latino workers facing a nine percent higher risk of a workplace death, 3.7 per 100,000 workers, than the national average. Of the 748 Latino workers killed on the job in 2012, 65% were immigrant workers, with the highest fatalities occurring in Texas, California, and Florida. The report’s disturbing numbers come in the wake of further statistics showing the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) remains underfunded, understaffed, and unable to levy penalties strong enough to deter workplace safety violations. At current levels, it would take federal and state OSHA inspectors an average of 105 years to inspect every workplace within the United States at least once, with South Dakota facing the largest backlog resulting in an estimated 521 years to inspect workplaces. Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect was released after numerous Workers Memorial Day vigils, rallies, and actions were held across the country. An online copy can be found here.
The International Association of Sheet, Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART) and its allied unions on the Long Island Rail Road urge all members, friends and supporters of organized labor to a “LIRR Labor Rally” on Saturday, June 21, at 11 a.m. at the Massapequa Train Station.
