BAC Journal (Issue 4, 2022)

BAC

JOURNAL

IUBAC | INTERNATIONAL UNION OF BRICKLAYERS AND ALLIED CRAFTWORKERS | ISSUE 4 | 2022

BUILDING THE BAC IN

BAC JOURNAL

CONTENTS

The Official Journal of the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers (ISSN 0362-3696) | ISSUE 4 | 2022 EXECUTIVE BOARD Timothy Driscoll President Robert Arnold Secretary-Treasurer Jeremiah Sullivan, Jr. Executive Vice President REGIONAL DIRECTORS NORTHEAST Al Catalano IU Northeast Regional Director, Albany, NY Email: acatalano@bacweb.org Office: 518-439-6080 SOUTH Ed Navarro IU South Regional Director, Lawton, OK Email: enavarro@bacweb.org Office: 580-357-3048 NORTH CENTRAL Jeremy Rivas IU North Central Regional Director, Portage, IN Email: jrivas@bacweb.org Office: 219-248-5017 WEST Raymond Keen IU West Regional Director, Las Vegas, NV Email: rkeen@bacweb.org Office: 702-254-1988

PAGE 14 Over 70 BAC apprentices faced off at the 2022 BAC/IMI International Apprentice Contest this September in Boston to earn the title of International Champion for their craft.

1

President’s Message

24

Safety and Health

2

Mensaje Del Presidente

26

Canada

3

Convention

28

International Funds

11

News in Brief

30

Sporting Life

14

IMI/IMTEF

32

Local Compass

19

Legislative and Political

34

MAP

23

BAC Profile

35

In Memoriam

CONTENTS // BRICKLAYERS AND ALLIED CRAFTWORKERS

CANADA Craig Strudwick IU Canada Regional Director, Ottawa, ON Email: cstrudwick@bacweb.org Office: 613-830-0333

Editorial Staff: Emily Smith, Yin Yin The BAC Journal (ISSN 0362-3696) is published quarterly for $1.50 per year in advance, postage paid, for the U.S. and Canada ($1.75 per year in all foreign countries belonging to the Postal Union) by the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers.

Periodicals class postage paid Washington, DC, and additional mailing offices.

Postmaster: Send address changes to the BAC Journal, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, 620 F Street, NW Washington, DC 20004.

Canadian Postmaster: Send address changes to PO Box 503, RPO West Beaver Creek, Richmond Hill, ON L4B 4R6 Published for Bricklayers, Stone Masons, Plasterers, Tile Layers, Marble Masons, Cement Masons, Mosaic and Terrazzo Workers, Finishers, Pointers, Cleaners, and Caulkers.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Our Economy Must Serve People

W

ork is more than a way to make a living, it is also our contribution to the communities we live in. That’s why delegates to the BAC 2022 Special Convention reaffirmed the principle that work must be honored and dignified. That requires that workers’ rights must be respected – from the right to decent wages and meaningful benefits, to those ensuring safe working conditions, a voice in how their jobs are performed, and the unhindered right to join a union. And for the skilled trades of BAC, who invest so much time, energy, and training towards the mastery of our crafts, it involves recognition and trust by employers in our ability to successfully complete their projects.

BAC’s apprenticeship and training programs are central to the value that BAC craftworkers provide, and those skill-building programs were front and center during our Convention. Over 70 apprentices, who advanced from local and regional contests across the US and Canada, competed for the title of “best in the business” (p.

15–17). And while there could only be one winner named for each of the craft competitions, the preparation and passion of each apprentice made it clear that our industry’s future is in good hands.

Delegates to the Convention considered and adopted a diverse

set of resolutions and initiatives to address organizing, recruitment, retention, labor law reform, health and safety, immigration, marketing and promotion of BAC building materials, and retirement security, amongst others (p. 3–10).

Underlying all these actions was a recognition by delegates that growth of membership must be a central goal over the next three years because BAC’s market share in any given area determines our ability to deliver the wages, benefits, programs, and representation that BAC members expect and deserve.

The International Union has a central role to play in supporting efforts to expand membership and market share, but delegates were equally clear that it’s local BAC leaders — and just as importantly local union members — who are best positioned to identify the targets, develop the strategies, and execute the campaigns that bring new workers and contractors under the BAC banner.

That is why the 2022 Special Convention revised the IU Constitution to require that every Local Union and every District Council amend their Local Constitution and By-Laws to formally establish organizing committees. Each local organizing committee will include no fewer than two rank and file members and will prepare and

present reports of their activities on a regular basis.

Spearheading organizing activities for the International Union will be IU Organizing Director Luciano Padilla (p. 12), Brother Padilla, a 25-year member, has served as an IU Organizer since 2016, and prior to that worked as an organizer with the BAC Administrative District Council No. 1 of Illinois for 14 years. His two decades of experience in organizing new members and contractors make him the ideal leader to assist local unions and ADCs coordinate organizing efforts across the International Union.

The upheaval of the pandemic has awoken workers’ collective sense of what’s possible. They know that joining together in a union is the best way to improve wages, benefits, safety, security and dignity in the workplace. Now it’s our job to make sure that all workers engaged in our trades enjoy the benefits of BAC membership.

Brothers and Sisters, wishing you a happy and safe holiday season!

ISSUE 4, 2022 // 1

MENSAJE DEL PRESIDENTE

Nuestra economía debe servir al pueblo

E

l trabajo es más que una forma de ganarse la vida, también es nuestra contribución a las comunidades en las que vivimos. Es por eso que los delegados a la Convención Especial BAC 2022 reafirmaron el principio de que el trabajo debe ser honrado y digno. Eso requiere que se respeten los derechos de los trabajadores – desde el derecho a salarios decentes y beneficios relevantes, hasta aquellos derechos que garantizan condiciones laborales seguras, una voz sobre cómo se deben realizar sus trabajos y el derecho sin restricciones a unirse a un sindicato.

Y para los oficios especializados del BAC, que invierte tanto tiempo, energía y capacitación hacia el dominio de nuestros oficios, implica el reconocimiento y la confianza de los empresarios en nuestra capacidad para culminar con éxito sus proyectos.

Los programas de aprendizaje y capacitación del BAC son fundamentales para el valor que aportan los artesanos del BAC, y esos programas de desarrollo de habilidades fueron el centro de atención durante nuestra Convención. Más de 70 aprendices, que avanzaron de concursos locales y regionales en los EE. UU. y Canadá, compitieron por el título de «mejor en la industria» (pág.

15-17). Y aunque solo podía haber un ganador para cada una de las competencias artesanales, la preparación y la pasión de cada aprendiz dejaron en claro que el futuro de nuestra industria está en buenas manos.

Los delegados a la Convención consideraron y adoptaron un conjunto diverso de resoluciones e iniciativas para abordar la organización, el reclutamiento, la retención, la reforma de la legislación laboral, la salud y la seguridad, la inmigración, la comercialización y promoción de los materiales de construcción del BAC y la seguridad en la jubilación, entre otros temas (pág. 3 -10). Subyacente a todas estas acciones hay un reconocimiento por parte de los delegados de que el crecimiento de la membresía debe ser una meta central durante los próximos tres años porque la participación de mercado del BAC en cualquier área dada determina nuestra capacidad para producir los salarios, beneficios, 2 // BRICKLAYERS AND ALLIED CRAFTWORKERS

programas y representación que los miembros del BAC esperan y merecen.

El Sindicato Internacional tiene un papel central que desempeñar en el apoyo a los esfuerzos para ampliar la membresía y la participación de mercado, pero los delegados fueron igualmente claros en cuanto a que son los líderes locales del BAC – e igualmente importante, los miembros del sindicato local – quienes están mejor posicionados para identificar los objetivos, desarrollar las estrategias y ejecutar las campañas que atraen a nuevos trabajadores y contratistas bajo la bandera del BAC. Es por eso que la Convención Especial de 2022 enmendó la Constitución del SI para exigir que cada Sindicato Local y cada Consejo Distrital enmienden su Constitución y Estatutos Locales para establecer formalmente comités organizadores. Cada comité organizador local incluirá no menos de dos miembros de base y preparará y presentará informes de sus actividades periódicamente.

Luciano Padilla, Director de Organización del SI, encabezará las actividades de organización del Sindicato Internacional (pág. 12). El hermano Padilla, un miembro de 25 años, se ha desempeñado como Organizador del SI desde 2016, y antes de eso trabajó como organizador con el Consejo del Distrito Administrativo del BAC No. 1 de Illinois por 14 años. Sus dos décadas de experiencia en la organización de nuevos miembros y contratistas lo convierten en el líder ideal para ayudar a los sindicatos locales y a los Consejos de Distritos Administrativos a coordinar los esfuerzos de organización en todo el Sindicato Internacional.

El trastorno ocasionado por la pandemia ha despertado el sentido colectivo de los trabajadores de lo que es posible. Saben que unirse en un sindicato es la mejor manera de mejorar los salarios, los beneficios, la seguridad y la dignidad en el lugar de trabajo. Ahora es nuestro trabajo asegurarnos de que todos los trabajadores involucrados en nuestros oficios disfruten de los beneficios de la membresía en el BAC. Hermanos y Hermanas, ¡les deseo una feliz y segura temporada festiva!

CONVENTION

BAC Back Together in Boston

B

AC delegates from across the US and Canada gathered in Boston, Massachusetts this past September for the BAC 2022 Special Convention, the first in-person Convention since 2015. Delegates were eager to engage, deliberate, and formulate policies in a way that the online 2020 Convention (caused by the Covid-19 pandemic) was unable to accommodate.

“I’m excited about being back together with everyone from across North America again. Since COVID, we have not really been able to do that,” Executive Vice President of host Local 3 Massachusetts/Maine/New Hampshire/

Delegates and guests of the 2022 BAC Special Convention

Rhode Island Charles Raso II said.

“It is an honor to be hosting this Convention in Boston.”

“It’s always good to come back and collaborate with other labor leaders,” added Local 1 Minnesota/ North Dakota/South Dakota President Doug Schroeder. “Local union leaders face many of the same challenges across our jurisdictions and the convention provided us an opportunity to exchange ideas, explore new tactics and strategies on how to better represent the interests of BAC members in each of our local unions.”

President Tim Driscoll echoed those sentiments in his keynote

address, “We meet this week in a Special Convention to plot BAC’s path towards growth and the greater bargaining power that it delivers,” President Driscoll explained. “Unemployment is low, we have elected officials attuned to our cause, public sentiment for unions is strong, and workers across all industries are rightfully demanding more.

“Quite simply, there has never been a better time in the last 60 years to organize and build union power,” President Driscoll continued. “Now is the time for BAC to push our chips into the center of the table and bet on our ability to grow.”

ISSUE 4, 2022 // 3

CONVENTION

Tim Driscoll

LABOR ALLIES HIGHLIGHT VICTORIES FOR WORKING PEOPLE & ORGANIZING OPPORTUNITIES Labor leaders from across North America came to Boston to share their experiences and encouragement, including officers of the American Federation of Labor — Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), North America’s Building Trades Unions (NATBU), Canada’s Building Trades Unions (CBTU), and the California AFL-CIO. AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler fired up Convention delegates and guests, highlighting organizing victories and opportunities.

Emphasizing the current high approval rating of unions and organizing momentum — citing recent BAC organizing victories

— she expressed that, “organizing has to be our number one priority.

It has to be at the heart of everything we do.”

President Shuler went on to speak about the importance of recruiting women, people of color, immigrants, and young people.

“Organizing and recruiting new people is how we can change and shape the future of our workforce,” she remarked.

NABTU President Sean McGarvey addressed the Convention on Monday afternoon. He noted that while the last several years have brought unprecedented challenges, they have also led to an unparalleled opportunity to demonstrate the true value of the building trades throughout North America.

4 // BRICKLAYERS AND ALLIED CRAFTWORKERS

He reiterated the importance of organizing non-union workers and contractors. “It is a great time to be a union, a union member, and a union contractor. We have created the opportunity of a lifetime and we have built the relationships needed to capitalize on public and private opportunities, but there is a responsibility on our side as well,” McGarvey stated. “We can and must seize this moment. We must build communities and build lives through the middle-class, family-sustaining careers that our unions offer.”

CBTU Executive Director Sean Strickland spoke to the delegates and guests about many of the legislative and membership opportunities that Canadian unions are seeing across the country.

“Our commonalities outnumber our difference, especially when it comes to fighting for working people,” he said, speaking to the members from the United States.

“We’re tied economically, we’re tied socially, and it’s important for us to work together to continue to provide good working opportunities for the men and women of the building trades together. Just like the theme of your conference, we’re building communities and building lives.”

Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, addressed the

Convention Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 28. She stressed that it’s not enough to just pass laws that protect working families – they need to be enforced. She emphasized that the labor movement has to be accessible to workers, whether it’s on social media or in their workplace. “We have to meet workers where they are,” she remarked.

PRO-LABOR ADMINISTRATION ADDRESSES DELEGATION On Wednesday Sept. 28, after a video message from US President Joseph Biden, Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh — a union construction laborer from Boston — delivered a passionate address worthy of his true trade unionist roots.

Secretary Walsh recounted the bold progress for unions that the Biden Administration has achieved to date, including; the American

DELEGATES AND GUEST PARTICIPATE IN ‘INCREDIBLE’ WORKSHOPS On September 27 and 28, Convention delegates and guests attended workshops that covered a range of topics, including: + Growing Masonry and Tile’s Share of the Construction Pie + Market Recovery Best Practices + Organizing and Supporting Immigrant Craftworkers and Apprentices + Recruiting and Retaining Women Craftworkers and Apprentices + Effective Member Communication in the Digital Age + Effective Use of Action Builder + Working Effectively with CBTU “I always find something from each workshop that I can take back to my local,” said Matt Braun, Local 8 Illinois President. One of the four workshops he attended was Organizing and Supporting Immigrant Craftworkers and Apprentices. “It is an untapped [area] for us... All our

Liz Shuler

staff are male, white guys that don’t speak Spanish, so anytime I can hear about that, it’s very useful.”

Local 2 Michigan President Paul Dunford felt that the Effective Use of Action Builder and the Recruiting and Retaining Women Craftworkers and Apprentices workshops really stood out. “I saw how hard it is for [women] to get into the industry,” he said. “We were able to hear their perspective and I think that helped all of the guys here… I would say we have less than 100 women in our local throughout the state, and there is obviously a lot more opportunity. I hope we can build that.”

“I think the workshops were incredible… getting perspective on what my representatives at the union hall are doing is huge,” said Local 1 OR/WA/ID/MT apprentice Chelsea Collson. “It is nice to know that [the union has] these resources, because that means that I have them as resources… I know that Local officers have all the tools that they need to support me.”

ISSUE 4, 2022 // 5

CONVENTION Rescue Plan (a bill that preserved the retirement security of hundreds of thousands of workers including more than a thousand BAC members in New York and Ohio), Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act that will create tens of thousands of construction jobs, the use of project labor agreements on federal projects, and the Inflation Reduction Act, ensuring that clean energy projects seeking public financing will benefit from prevailing wage and apprenticeship standards.

“Hundreds of multi-employer pension plans were under-funded.

Many were at risk of going under.

Some had already started to cut benefit payments,” Secretary Walsh explained. “This President said ‘that cannot happen in the United States of America.’ He made sure

those pensions got funded and those benefits are protected. As Labor Secretary, I oversee that plan and I can tell you: we are fully funding multi-employer pension benefits through 2051. And no one can take that away!”

Secretary Walsh next discussed what the Labor Department is doing to help working people. “We are expanding our capacity,” he said, “to protect health and safety on the job, crack down on wage theft and discrimination, invest in registered apprenticeships and union partnerships, and expand programs for veterans and rural workers… We are working all across this government to take down the barriers to worker organizing. We are making it clear that it is the workers’ choice — and the workers’ choice alone — to form a union.”

Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher

6 // BRICKLAYERS AND ALLIED CRAFTWORKERS

Sean McGarvey

Marty Walsh

LEGISLATORS PLEDGE SUPPORT TO BAC Many local and federal legislators came on to speak to the 2022 BAC Special Convention delegates and guests. They all pledged their support for the labor movement and BAC, many citing recent worker victories in Washington, D.C., and what can be done with a legislative body that will proactively fight for working families.

The Convention opened with Mayor Michelle Wu welcoming the delegation to Boston. Later in the morning, Salem Mayor (and now, since the November election, Lieutenant Governor-Elect of Massachusetts) Kim Driscoll spoke to the delegates, “I’m the proud wife of Local 3 bricklayer… a 25-year member. He gets up early every day,

and comes home after a long day – grateful for what he does.”

Mayor Driscoll recognized the role of good union jobs in combating the rising income inequality in Massachusetts and the nation at large. “While there is a role for our state to play in meeting the workforce gap, we know we’ll need strong labor leaders at the table,” she said. “Building apprenticeship programs, recruiting new members, and working with us to share our workforce and development programs. We’ve seen a resurgence in the interest of skilled labor [as a career]. Everyone wants to be part of the ‘best hands in the business’ club.”

Delegates heard from members of Congress who have strong ties to working families; including Representative Lori Trahan (D-MA-03), whose father was an ironworker, and Representative Brian Higgins (D-NY-26), whose father was a leader of BAC in Western New York.

“It’s not banks or Wall Street that built America,” Rep. Higgins said. “It’s the middle-class that build America, and unions build the middle-class. Bricklayers built America and built the guts of this nation.”

“We passed the American Rescue Plan to save workers’ pensions and ensure they can retire with confidence they earned through a lifetime of hard work,”

WOMEN IN THE BAC TRADES LUNCHEON On Sunday, September 25, female convention delegates and guests met with the International Executive Board – President Tim Driscoll, Secretary-Treasurer Bob Arnold, and Executive Vice President Jerry Sullivan, Jr. – and IMI/IMTEF President Caryn Halifax at the Women in BAC Trades luncheon.

Participant Krista Kelly-Cox and President Tim Driscoll at luncheon

Luncheon attendees brainstormed different strategies to recruit and retain significantly more women in BAC trades across North America.

Halifax also presented information about the new maternity and childcare benefits, and the participants discussed how attractive the programs will be for women looking to pursue a career in the trades.

Women in all different stages of their careers spoke about their experiences. All were passionate about reaching out to students, assisting recruitment in their home locals, and ending the myth that working with tools and your hands is just for men.

(L-R) Angela Henderson, Liliana Calderon, Jana Ashton, Briana Coffer, Chelsea Collson, Helene Brown, Jenna Lipinski, Amber Weissmann, Jackie Townsend, and Kristine Azzoli

Rep. Trahan said. “There’s a hell of a lot more work to do, not just to protect workers’ rights, but strengthen them.”

Long-time labor champion Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) also addressed the delegation. “We are finally seeing what it looks like

to have a government on the side of workers,” he said, speaking of experiences at the White House and the positive way President Biden regularly speaks of unions. He outlined the value in having a Department of Labor and National Labor Relations Board lead by people who are ISSUE 4, 2022 // 7

CONVENTION

ICE PRESIDENT PROUD TO PROVIDE JOBS THAT BUILD COMMUNITIES

unionists, and who understand that government needs to work for workers, not corporations.

“When you love this country, you fight for the people who make it work. That is what you do every day,” he concluded. “We all have to show this country when you fight for workers you win.”

DELEGATES COMMIT TO BUILD BAC Throughout the Convention, delegates committed to growing BAC, adopting numerous resolutions to guide that work. Key initiatives embraced by the Convention included recruiting and retaining a diverse, younger workforce, working to strengthen apprenticeship programs, and organizing in

immigrant and other underserved communities.

Convention Resolution 9, adopted unanimously by the delegates, focused on expanding inclusivity efforts adopted

by IMTEF, local unions, training programs, and contractors.

These include increasing access to multilingual training materials, eliminating jobsite rules and policies that favor English over other languages, and removing some barriers to apprentice program entry. The resolution also challenged BAC locals and district councils to recognize the untapped potential of women, who represent 50% of the total workforce in both the United States and Canada, but

8 // BRICKLAYERS AND ALLIED CRAFTWORKERS

In his address to the 2022 BAC Special Convention, Michael Schmerbeck, President of the International Council of Employers of BAC (ICE), discussed challenges and opportunities facing the union masonry industry – from material design trends to the need for skilled workers and how to compete against open shop contractors.

Schmerbeck talked about his pride in being a union contractor and providing good, safe jobs with health care and retirement benefits to his employees.

“I saw firsthand what the union did for my family,” said Schmerbeck, whose father was a longstanding BAC member.

“When I was a young kid, we never worried about health care. I saw my father retire, and how he did so with a little bit of dignity and comfort.”

Lieutenant Governor Elect Kim Driscoll

CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES RECOGNIZE DEDICATED MEMBERS AND NEED FOR GROWTH On the first day of the 2022 Special Convention, the Committee on Finance referred a resolution, adopted by the Convention, that amended the Constitution to lower IU dues for eligible disabled members, and to exempt inactive members with 30 continuous years of service provided they are no longer actively working at the trade.

Sen. Sherrod Brown

“This was an important constitutional change that will reward the loyalty and hard work of members who have served BAC and the industry for decades,” said delegate and Local 9 PA President Norman Ringer. “As long-time members retire from active service, it’s important to keep them engaged in the union that they helped build.”

Another Constitutional amendment, referred by the new Committee on Organizing and adopted by the Convention, focused on growing the union.

Recognizing that organizing is central to BAC’s survival, growth, and success, the Convention amended the International Union Constitution to require each Local Union and ADC to establish an Organizing Committee that includes rank-and-file members as well as officers and staff.

less than 5% of the construction workforce. Programs like IMTEF’s maternity disability benefit and its Women’s Leadership Conference represent important steps towards making the trades more welcoming to women.

Another source of prospective BAC members is Helmets to Hardhats, which connects transitioning military servicemembers to careers in construction. Convention Resolution 10 called on BAC training programs to include Veteran Direct Entry Programs into their apprenticeship standards, consistent with the National Guideline Standards.

Of course, to retain new recruits, BAC must continue to change the job site culture and

“Organizing has been BAC’s primary objective since our founding, and it follows that every BAC affiliate needs to have an Organizing Committee focused solely on growing the union and bringing the power and security of BAC representation to unorganized craftworkers,” said President Driscoll, welcoming the Convention’s action.

ISSUE 4, 2022 // 9

CONVENTION encourage journeyworkers to help mentor the next generation of craftworkers. Convention Resolution 11 encouraged widespread adoption of IMTEF’s Mentorship Matters course to help apprentices and journeyworkers effectively communicate and work with one another to better teach and learn the skills of the trade.

Resolution No. 48 called on BAC’s continued support of and advocacy for immigration reform – to denounce those who use demagoguery, fear, and hateful rhetoric to divide workers – and commended the Biden Administration’s efforts to focus its resources on unscrupulous employers, rather than punishing the workers they exploit. The Resolution also called on BAC to continue to expand its efforts to connect those

CHRIS GARDNER SPEAKS ABOUT APPRENTICESHIP, TRAINING AND RECRUITMENT The second day of the BAC Special Convention kicked off with a rousing address from Chris Gardner, whose rise from homelessness to business success was chronicled in the award-winning book and movie The Pursuit of Happyness. Having built several multimillion dollar companies over the past 40 years, Gardner has now turned his attention to helping young people realize their own potential, creating the Permission to Dream Partnership – an organization that provides inspiration and guidance to young people setting career goals.

Recognizing that the skilled trades are an essential option for disadvantaged students, Gardner’s foundation is partnering with BAC and NABTU to help hard-working young people find pathways into our unions.

Gardner discussed how skills, talent, and expertise learned in one area are transferrable to other areas of life, citing how he applied what he learned in the U.S. Navy to the rest of his life. He emphasized the importance of having a ‘Plan A,’ which must be clear, concise, compelling, consistent, and committed. “A dream without a plan is worthless, a dream with a plan is priceless,” he remarked.

Ohio-Kentucky ADC Director Ken Kudela asking a question

Gardner left the audience with much to consider as BAC focuses on recruiting and training the next generation of craftworkers. “The question is: ‘What are you fighting for?’” he asked Convention delegates and guests. “Now that we can see how truly short life can be, what are you going to do with the rest of your life?”

BAC looks forward to working alongside Gardner, his Foundation, NABTU, and the AFL-CIO to connect underserved communities to union apprenticeships.

who seek assistance in obtaining legal work status or naturalization with the resources they need.

Together, these and the many other resolutions passed will ensure 10 // BRICKLAYERS AND ALLIED CRAFTWORKERS

that BAC and its apprenticeship programs continue to develop qualified, safe craftworkers who can command the wage and carry the masonry crafts into the future. //

NEWS IN BRIEF

BAC Members Come Together at Annual NABTU Tradeswomen Build Nations Conference

M

ore than 3,100 tradeswomen representing all 15 building trades unions, 48 states, and 10 provinces gathered in Las Vegas from October 28–30 for North American’s Building Trades Unions’ (NATBU) 12th International Tradeswomen Build Nations conference. During the conference, participants shared experiences and best practices with fellow tradeswomen, learned about new programs and opportunities in the industry, and engaged with top leaders from government, industry, and the largest international building trades unions.

“The Tradeswomen Builds Nations Conference is a place where we all can come together to build union power and show our strength together,” said BAC Safety and Health Manager and NABTU Tradeswomen Committee member Liliana Calderon.

“Whether you are a first-timer or have participated for many years, the energy that comes out of the conference inspires all of us to go back to our locals and get more involved. It is truly an experience like no other in the labor movement.”

The conference featured two formal plenary sessions, a banner parade on the Las Vegas strip, and over a dozen workshops on a range of topics addressing unique and critical issues of tradeswomen in the workforce.

The Tradeswomen Build Nations Committee invited President Driscoll to speak on the second day about BAC’s newly launched maternity and childcare benefits. “We know both anecdotally and from surveys that most women parents who consider leaving the trades cite difficultly finding childcare, lack of pregnancy accommodation, and lack of support for new mothers as significant factors,” President Driscoll explained. “BAC will remain engaged on this front, not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because

it’s also the smart thing to do. The demand for skilled workers across the US and Canada is reaching record levels, and going forward, successful organizations will need to draw from every segment of our society.” //

BAC attendees to the 2022 Tradeswomen Build Nations conference

President Driscoll addressing TWBN plenary session

BAC sisters and officers marching in the parade

BAC RISE FACEBOOK PAGE BAC Sisters RISE (Resource for Inclusion, Success and Empowerment) launched a closed Facebook group earlier this year for sisters to come together in a safe space and speak about their experiences at the worksite and in life.

Scan here to go to the BAC Sisters RISE Facebook Group

Group members are encouraged to share pictures, ask for advice or general questions, circulate useful information, or just share stories.

If you are a BAC sister who would like to join, please scan the QR code.

ISSUE 4, 2022 // 11

NEWS IN BRIEF

IU Organizer Luciano Padilla Appointed Organizing Director

L

uciano Padilla, a 25-year member of Local 21 Illinois, was appointed as the International Union’s Director of Organizing after the tragic passing of Steve Nelms earlier this year. As Organizing Director, he is responsible for implementing and overseeing the union’s organizing campaigns as well as developing strategies to support the coordinated organizing efforts of Locals and ADCs. Brother Padilla joined BAC as an apprentice in 1997 and worked as a bricklayer for the next six years. He came to work for the union in 2003 as an organizer for Local 21. In 2016, he was appointed to the position of International Regional Organizer. In this role, he supported various Local Unions and ADCs in their Director Luciano Padilla

organizing efforts and demonstrated hands-on techniques in their campaigns to benefit and increase their membership.

“I am following great organizing leaders, including my predecessors Steve Nelms and Don Newton, who understood that the union’s most important charge is to organize new members and contractors,” said Brother Padilla. “This commitment to organizing has directly contributed to the union’s longevity and position as the oldest continuous union in North America.”

“Lou has proven himself to be a strong organizer, with keen insight into today’s trowel trade workers,” said President Tim Driscoll. “His clear dedication to his union and all workers, combined with his past successes, make him the ideal person to fill the big shoes Brother Nelms left.” //

New Leaders Sharpen Their Skills

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wenty-seven new local officers, organizers, and field representatives from across the United States and Canada participated in the International Union’s fall New Leaders Program, held November 5-9 at the Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies (MITAGS) in Linthicum Heights, Maryland. A key educational program since 1974, the training offers an extensive orientation to the IU’s programs, resources, and personnel for recently appointed or elected Local/ADC officers and staff.

New Leaders with the Executive Board at the International Union’s Headquarters.

The fall program consisted of a hybrid of online and in-person sessions. Attendees participated in online training sessions on the Action Builder organizing tool, Construct Connect construction

12 // BRICKLAYERS AND ALLIED CRAFTWORKERS

project tracking database, and Microsoft Excel before the in-person session.

During the intensive five day in-person training, participants learned about the union’s core

functions and structure, organizing tactics, project tracking best practices, IMI and IMTEF, and IU departments and programs.

The core of the training focused on organizing, covering topics such as organizing basics, strategies, and how to talk with general contractors, as well as a Construction Organizing Membership Education Training (COMET) train-the-trainer.

“These new leaders were very engaged and asked a lot of great questions. They came enthusiastic and ready to learn,” remarked Executive Vice President Jerry Sullivan.

Ramon Curet, Organizer at Administrative District Council 1 of Illinois, commented, “I’ve only been doing this for three months, so any information I can get is wonderful. You go from being an

experienced journey worker for 27 years to this role, and it’s like being an apprentice again. Now I have a clear focus for when I go home.”

“It’s been an incredible experience,” Local 7 New York / New Jersey Organizer Sal Correa agreed. “I’ve learned a lot, and it made me realize I need to keep learning. I’m inspired to get to the point where I’m proficient in my role.” //

BAC Sister Speaks About New Maternity Benefit

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essica Weber, a member of Local 3 New York, will be one of the first BAC tradeswoman to take advantage of our new BAC/ IMI maternity benefit. “This is a life saver for me and my family,” she said when asked about what it means to her. “I had just found out I was pregnant, and at the next union meeting, our president came up and said we are starting maternity leave… I thought ‘Seriously?! That’s amazing!’”

Weber started her restoration/ PCC apprenticeship two years ago. She was in a dead-end job, and friend of hers, who is a BAC member, recommended she come and check out the local’s job fair. She immediately was intrigued by the work and excited about the ability to secure

a good wage and benefits for her family.

Two years in, she loves the work and is grateful for the opportunity to earn the critical benefits that a BAC contract provides. “My husband and I both have good jobs, but the maternity benefit coupled with unemployment benefits when I can no longer work due to pregnancy means my family won’t experience undue hardship to keep the house paid for and the lights on” explained Sister Weber.

The fact that the maternity benefit is available to eligible expectant BAC members, including those who are certified by their physician as unable to work due to a pregnancy-related physical illness or condition (no sooner than the 4th

Jessica Weber (right) with her sisters from Local 3 NY at the 2022 Tradeswomen Build Nations conference.

month of pregnancy), has lessened Weber’s anxiety as her pregnancy continues.

“I think the maternity and childcare benefits are going to bring more people into the union, and, more importantly, help the women who are already members,” Sister Weber said. “Those women will bring more – they will want to show their friends and family what they have… Women who want to have children are looking at what the benefits are before they go to get a job. So, this will be a big help recruiting women. It is really important.” //

ISSUE 4, 2022 // 13

IMI & IMTEF

BAC’s Bright Future on Full Display at the 2022 International Apprentice Contest

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ver 70 BAC apprentices faced off at the 2022 BAC/IMI International Apprentice Contest this September in Boston, MA to earn the title of International Champion in their craft.

The competition floor buzzed with energy, excitement and nerves as the men and women who represent the future of the union showcased the skills they’ve been learning on the job and in the classroom during their apprenticeship.

For many, earning the chance to compete at the international level was the culmination of months of practice and preparation, having placed in local and regional competitions to qualify.

Amber Weissman, PCC apprentice with the Wisconsin District Council, said having the opportunity

Marilena Montano, PCC apprentice of Local 13 Nevada, competing at the International Apprentice Contest.

to compete in Boston after placing in the North Central Regionals was a milestone in and of itself. “I had some pretty stiff competition at Regionals, so I was shocked to place, but it felt great,” she said. “The first thing I did was call my teacher and say, ‘Guess what? We’re going to Internationals!’”

Weissman was not the only one thrilled to compete. Her peers across the US and Canada all agreed that just qualifying was exciting — and a sign that their hard work in the apprenticeship program paid off. “This is the premier league,” said Marilena Montano, PCC apprentice from Local 13 Nevada. “Making it to Boston is a realization that you’re playing with the big dogs — and keeping up.”

First place winner and brick apprentice of the Ohio-Kentucky ADC Garrick Manning competing at the International Apprentice Contest.

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Garrick Manning, brick apprentice with the Ohio-Kentucky Administrative District Council, was honored to compete on the international stage, but his accomplishments reached a new high when he won first place in Boston, becoming the 2022 International Brick Champion. Manning modestly credited the backing of his instructors and fiancée in making it where he is today. “I was lucky to have so much support. My instructors really helped me prepare and kept me motivated,” he said.

“Having a career in this industry is a very rewarding experience, and it is open to anyone and everyone.”

Zhenyong Lin, International Tile Champion and an apprentice with Local 3 California, also reflected on his experience

Local 1 New York Plaster apprentice Cameron Holder placed third at the International Apprentice Contest.

First place winner Zhenyong Lin, tile apprentice of Local 3 California.

2022 INTERNATIONAL CRAFT CHAMPIONS

Apprentices competing at the 2022 BAC/IMI International Apprentice Contest.

BRICK

MARBLE

First: Garrick Manning, Ohio-Kentucky ADC

First: Mason Steed, Local 3 California

Second: Kurtis Sutter, Ohio-Kentucky ADC

Second: Angel Diaz Hernandez, Local 1 Maryland, Virginia and District of Columbia

Third: Joseph Cosman, Local 1 Connecticut POINTING-CLEANING-CAULKING First: Donald Murray III, Ohio-Kentucky ADC Second: Francisco Ramirez Esparza, ADC 1 of Illinois Third: Jakub Bialas, Local 1 New York TILE

PCC apprentice Amber Weissman from the Wisconsin District Council competing at the International Apprentice Contest.

First: Zhenyong Lin, Local 3 California

winning first place in his trade. “I couldn’t believe it when they called my name at the awards ceremony,” he said. “Just being there was enough for me, but winning – that was everything.”

It is clear that his attention to detail and humility led Lin to that win. “I pay close attention to my mistakes,” he continued. “After I’ve finished working on a project, I always go back to see where I could have improved and where corrections need to be made so that I can learn.”

Of course, Lin’s mentality is a reflection of the pride he has in his work—a trait that connects BAC craftworkers everywhere.

Second: Edwin Rosado, ADC 1 of Illinois Third: Gregory Gartner, Local 1 Pennsylvania/Delaware STONE

Third: Julian Valencia, Local 7 New York & New Jersey TERRAZZO First: Brian Dohring, Local 3 California Second: Nick Hardwick, ADC of Eastern Missouri Third: Arturo Banda, ADC 1 of Illinois CONCRETE First: John Fogarty, Local 3 New York Second: Travis Probst, Wisconsin District Council Third: Stephen Kocik, Local 3 New York PLASTER

First: Sebastian Tomaszewski, Local 1 New York

First: Luis Padron, ADC 1 of Illinois

Second: Jorge Soriano, Local 1 Pennsylvania/Delaware

Second: Salvador Vargas, ADC 1 of Illinois

Third: Jeremy Bercier, Local 1 Oregon/Washington/Idaho/Montana

Third: Cameron Holder, Local 1 New York

Cameron Holder, plaster apprentice from Local 1 New York, certainly felt that pride when he placed third at Internationals.

“It felt amazing being in Boston and competing. There was a lot of pride

in that room when the clock ran out and we all took a step back to look at our work,” he explained. “Our talent, hard work, and dedication brought us here. It was a moment I’ll never forget.” // ISSUE 4, 2022 // 15

IMI & IMTEF

2022 JBC Masonry Innovation Award Winners Celebrate BAC-Built Projects and Exciting Possibilities for the Masonry Industry

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he winners of the 2022 JBC Masonry Innovation Award prove that leading architects turn to BAC signatory contractors and craftworkers to bring their forward-thinking designs to life.

The competition challenges designers to incorporate BAC materials into their projects in innovative ways, helping to keep masonry relevant now and into the future by aligning with the latest architectural trends. This work will continue the trowel trades in the generations to come.

PHILADELPHIA DESIGN FIRM LOOKS TO MASONS FOR CONSTRUCTION EXPERTISE The skill of BAC installers shines at St. Joseph’s Arrupe Hall, a residential ministry for Jesuit priests in

Philadelphia. The project earned Moto DesignShop this year’s JBC Award in the A/E firm category.

At the heart of Arrupe Hall is a curvilinear brick chapel. Its design pays homage to the Jesuit Christopher Clavius’ role in developing the Gregorian calendar in the 16th century, which today is the most widely used calendar in the world.

The chapel is made up of 123 courses of bull nose and header brick. Together, they create an undulating screen that filters light and views inside the sanctuary. The screen steps back at each course by approximately 1/4 inch.

To bring the intricate design to life, each course of custom brick was laid out digitally in AutoCAD. A complete 3D Rhino model provided a visualization of the installation.

Bricklayers of BAC Local 1 Pennsylvania/Delaware constructing St. Joseph’s Arrupe Hall.

Every brick in the screen was documented and labeled by its type and location. The masons on the project, members of BAC Local 1 Pennsylvania/Delaware, with signatory contractor Lepore, were given a coursing plan for each layer. The crew used Hilti laser positioning to lay each course according to the plans, which they referenced both digitally and in print.

The perforated structure gives masonry an unexpectedly airy look, while a thoughtful structural system provides rigidity. The brick walls were reinforced using vertical rods through the courses. This allowed the brick to act as a continuous membrane, so that it could be tied to horizontal and vertical structural members behind it. That system, in turn, was tied back into the building structure, creating a rigid hidden skeleton with only the brick membrane visible.

YOUNG OHIOAN ARCHITECT’S DESIGNS SHOW DEEP APPRECIATION FOR MASONRY In Ohio, Eric Pros, Director of Design at DS Architecture, collaborated with IMI and BAC craftworkers to figure out how to make his designs a reality. The son 16 // BRICKLAYERS AND ALLIED CRAFTWORKERS

of a BAC Local 5 Ohio BAC member, he knew from experience that the union would have the answers.

Pros was honored with the 2022 JBC Award in the Young Architect category for a body of work he submitted that celebrates creative, and cost-effective, uses of masonry.

One such project is Lakewood Fire Station Number 2, which includes a brick feature wall installed by BAC Ohio-Kentucky Administrative District Council (OH-KY ADC) members with signatory contractor United Masonry.

Eric worked with IMI to develop the details for the project using BIM for Masonry tools, and BAC apprentices built a mock-up of the wall in their training center. Rather than using special shaped units, the brick is rotated 30 degrees, forming a number “2” that’s meant to pay tribute to the proud legacy of the city’s heroic firefighters.

In another creative use of masonry, the Westlake Senior Community Center draws inspiration from ancient Roman architecture like the Pantheon.

The design, constructed by OH-KY ADC members with signatory contractor Coates Construction, reimagines a standard running bond pattern with a unique quarter coffer that runs a full wythe. After testing designs at BAC’s training center, and with the help of IMI, the team created a jig as a template

to make the system repeatable and easy to construct on site.

It takes innovation to revitalize landmarks on the National Register of Historic Places like the LN Gross Company Building.

Eric’s team at DS architecture transformed the art deco garment factory into new office spaces fit for collaboration. Together with BAC signatory contractor Ameriseal & Restoration, the project team reused over 90% of the building’s original brick, despite decades of neglected mortar joints, and failing walls. On the building’s addition, the brick was tumbled and manually marred to blend with the historic units. The building is a shining example of masonry’s sustainability in adaptive reuse projects.

STUDENTS IN CANADA EXPERIMENT WITH 3D PRINTED WATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM The JBC Award also honors the next generation of architects and engineers with a student award. This year, a team of graduate architecture students at the University of Waterloo were recognized for their project Shedding Water, a 3D printed terra cotta rainscreen system.

The concept reimagines a typical roof-to-wall architectural detail, integrating water management into a continuous clay cladding rainscreen system on a supporting substructure. Each unit

BAC OH-KY ADC bricklayer installing a brick wall at the Lakewood Fire Station Number 2.

A brick feature wall of Lakewood Fire Station Number 2 was installed by BAC OH-KY ADC members.

St. Joseph’s Arrupe Hall in Philadelphia designed by Moto DesignShop.

in the system has a unique shape, making 3D printing essential to the manufacturing process. Shedding Water represents a broader culture of experimentation with masonry materials that push the boundaries of how we design and build.

These award-winning projects are a testament to the innovation that takes place when designers and builders collaborate to create highperforming, beautiful buildings. // ISSUE 4, 2022 // 17

IMI & IMTEF

New Class of Certified Instructors Equipped to Teach and Inspire BAC Craftworkers Nationwide

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his fall, nineteen BAC members graduated from IMI/ IMTEF’s Instructor Certification Program (ICP), demonstrating their commitment to training the best hands in the business. ICP ensures BAC instructors have the skills and expertise to effectively teach the trowel trades to apprentices and journeyworkers throughout their long and thriving careers with BAC. “The program teaches us how to not only be technically trained

says ICP helped him develop a more approachable teaching style, thanks in part to the mentoring he received from other certified instructors. “ICP taught me that a successful mentor can influence an apprentice just as much as a role model. We owe it to ourselves to get the next generation ready to become skilled journeyworkers,” he explained.

In ICP, instructors also learn how to teach according to a variety of learning styles. “The program

2022 ICP graduates with BAC Executive Board members and IMI/IMTEF leadership.

instructors, but leaders with social and interpersonal skills,” explains 2022 ICP graduate Alonzo Freeman IV, BAC Local 3 Massachusetts/Maine/New Hampshire/ Rhode Island. For Freeman, mentoring is at the heart of those skills, and key to sparking a passion for the craft in young apprentices and journeyworkers.

Jorge Lopez de Arriaga, BAC Local 3 California, agreed. Arriaga

showed us how to make our lessons more inclusive and accommodating for different types of students and their personal learning styles,” said Robert Gatz, BAC Local 5 Pennsylvania.

For Stanislaw Kulasik, BAC ADC 1 of Illinois, ICP helped build his confidence and qualifications as an instructor. “The training I received during ICP will make it easier for me to prepare myself to

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teach, plan lessons, and set up the classroom,” he said.

Many ICP graduates see teaching and mentoring as a part of their personal and professional legacy, like Jackie Townsend, BAC ADC 1 of Illinois. “You will probably never read about me in the history books, but I am proud to know that I am leaving a long-lasting impression on our young adults,” she said.

Charles Schuett, BAC Wisconsin District Council, also takes great pride in seeing his students’ lives transformed by learning a skilled trade and joining BAC. “I’m fortunate enough to land on a career path that allows me to help tomorrow’s future leaders by training the underprivileged youth of today. This career has given me more purpose than I ever thought possible,” he said.

For Rocco Mateo, BAC Local 1 Pennsylvania/Delaware, earning this rigorous certification is a momentous occasion. The fiveyear program includes 200 hours of coursework and culminates in a teaching portfolio project.

Congratulations to the class of 2022 ICP graduates, who will undoubtedly help many young tradespeople find their love of craft and carry the union into a strong, bright future. //

LEGISLATIVE & POLITICAL

Labor Movement Delivers Key Wins in 2022 Midterm Elections

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idterm elections aren’t historically kind to the party that controls the White House. In fact, on average, the President’s party loses 28 seats in the House of Representatives and four Senate seats during midterms. That wasn’t the case in 2022, as proworker candidates fared far better than predicted by the pundits, stemming the “red wave” that so many projected.

Indeed, the pro-labor ranks of the US Senate were expanded by one when Senator Raphael Warnock (D) beat back a challenge from antiunion candidate Herschel Walker.

Sen. Warnock’s victory ensures that Senate committees will now be able to more effectively move proworker initiatives and appointments through the chamber. While the exceedingly narrow margin of GOP control in the House means that Republicans must carefully weigh any proposed attacks on working families and their labor unions.

One of the key reasons for these results is that the country as a whole voted against extremist, election-denying candidates, and for candidates they felt were more in touch with the issues that mattered to them and their families.

In many key races, workers made the difference.

And the victories for laborfriendly candidates were not limited to federal races. Throughout the nation, candidates who supported working families were consistently rewarded at the ballot box.

In Michigan, voters returned control of the State House to worker-friendly Democrats who have pledged to end the state’s anti-union “right-to-work” law, while in Pennsylvania, Democrats captured the House of Representatives. Similarly, Democrats retained critical governorships in Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Illinois, Minnesota, and New York, and won new governorships in Arizona, Maryland, and Massachusetts.

OUR MOVEMENT, OUR MOMENT BAC President Tim Driscoll praised union brothers and sisters for their canvassing efforts throughout this election cycle.

“These important victories for worker-friendly legislators could not have happened without the hard work of the BAC and our brothers and sisters in the labor movement — especially in critical battleground states,” he said.

Many BAC members invested their time heavily into the AFLCIO Labor 2022 program by knocking on doors, phone-banking — taking the political conversation to the jobsite.

“We kept our pro-labor majority in the US Senate because of tireless campaigning from union members across the country,” AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler said. “Some people said our pro-labor majority was a lost cause. But we showed them what we can do when we keep fighting.”

Labor unions continue to have their moment under the most prounion administration in decades.

According to a Gallup poll released

BAC Local 2 Michigan Secretary-Treasurer Brett Gierak speaking with BAC members about the midterm elections at a construction site.

ISSUE 4, 2022 // 19

LEGISLATIVE & POLITICAL at the end of August, 71% of Americans approve of labor unions, up from 64% before the pandemic — the highest recorded in more than half a century.

From October 2021 to June 2022, union representation petitions filed at the National Labor Relations Board increased 58%, compared to the same time over the previous year. By May 25, fiscal year 2022 petitions exceeded the

Local 2 Michigan Secretary-Treasurer Brett Gierak discussing election issues with BAC members.

RIGHT TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING ENSHRINED IN ILLINOIS CONSTITUTION A major election victory for workers in Illinois was cementing the right to organize and bargain collectively in their state constitution. Over 2.1 million people (58% of the electorate) voted on Election Day for the Worker’s Rights Amendment.

“This win is something that BAC and other unions have been working around-the-clock to pass,” said ADC 1 of Illinois President Mike Volpentesta.

“It will no longer be easy for right-wing, anti-worker state legislators to chip away at our hard-won labor rights. This historic amendment will protect not only collective bargaining, but will also — through stronger unions — combat income inequality and foster safer workplaces.”

BAC Wisconsin District Council members supporting Governor Tony Evers (D-WI) who won re-election on November 8, 2022.

total number of petitions filed in all of fiscal year 2021.

THE FIGHT ISN’T OVER A divided Congress will make it more difficult for the Biden Administration to move its legislative agenda forward. The administration will probably turn its attention from Congress to the federal agencies it oversees in order to achieve its labor and employment goals.

20 // BRICKLAYERS AND ALLIED CRAFTWORKERS

“We know the fight isn’t over – we’ll soon be called upon again to stand up for workers’ rights and to ensure that all Americans have access to the ballot box,” President Driscoll said. “In the interim, let’s remain engaged on the issues that affect BAC members’ livelihood and why elections matter.” //

Together, Biden Administration and BAC Make Efforts on Apprenticeship Training

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n November 2, 2022, President Biden brought together more than 350 organizations, including BAC, to the White House to discuss expanding equitable workforce development for jobs by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act, Inflation Reduction Act, and American Rescue Plan. During the event, President Biden delivered a speech on how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law expanded apprenticeship programs through the administration’s “Talent Pipeline Challenge,” a challenge aiming to help create pathways for Americans from every background to fill the millions of good-paying jobs.

“Companies, many of you are here, are forging partnerships with unions, community colleges, and local nonprofits to create apprenticeships that train workers to develop the necessary skills,” President Biden said. “It’s the first time we have high-paying jobs and not enough people to do them. It’s a nice problem to have. We’re solving it quickly.”

BAC representatives at the event included IMTEF National Director of Apprenticeship and Training Tony DiPerna, BAC Safety and Health Manager Liliana Calderon, and BAC Local 1 MD/

President Biden meets Local 1 MD/VA/DC apprentice Jamaar Evans at the “Talent Pipeline Challenge” White House event.

To the right are BAC Safety and Health Manager Liliana Calderon and IMTEF National Director of Apprenticeship and Training Tony DiPerna. BAC President Tim Driscoll, not pictured, also attended the event.

VA/DC apprentice Jamaar Evans, who spoke with President Biden about BAC’s apprenticeship and training programs. Evans also gave President Biden a bricklaying demonstration and answered his questions about the craft.

“I couldn’t believe it when they invited me to the White House! It was an incredible experience to be able to interact with the President and explain the importance of the trades to him,” Evans said after.

“BAC apprenticeships are a gateway to the middle class and a

great opportunity to learn a skilled trade,” said Director DiPerna after the event was concluded. “Programs like IMTEF — that provide comprehensive apprentice training with benefits, that partner effectively with community organizations, and that recruit and support craftworkers from underserved communities — are exactly what the Talent Pipeline Challenge envisions will help meet the demand created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for highly trained, diverse construction workers.” // ISSUE 4, 2022 // 21

LEGISLATIVE & POLITICAL

Pro-Worker NLRB General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo

O

ne major reason that it’s important to have a US President who is supportive of organized labor is the people appointed to key offices within the administration.

Labor is experiencing the support of President Biden everyday through the work of his choice for the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) General Counsel.

Jennifer Abruzzo became the General Counsel for the NLRB on July 22, 2021. Abruzzo has over twenty years of experience working as an attorney for the NLRB, and during the Trump Administration she served as special counsel to the Communication Workers of America.

The Trump Administration’s NLRB was viewed as the most antiunion board in the history of the agency. The Republican majority of the NLRB and the General Counsel were almost all attorneys from union-busting law firms. In fact, Peter Robb, the General Counsel at the time, had a long history as a union buster, including advising the Reagan Administration to fire the Air Traffic Controllers in 1981, effectively destroying their union.

Robb was so awful for workers that President Biden asked for his resignation on his first day as President.

Abruzzo comes at the job from a different perspective. She aggressively supports the mission of the NLRB to encourage workers to join unions and collectively bargain for their wages and benefits. She is working to prevent employers from illegally subverting unions, including efforts to stop forcing workers to

Jennifer Abruzzo

attend mandatory, “captive audience,” anti-union meetings. Abruzzo has also sought increased penalties for employers who illegally fire workers for supporting unions, and is reconsidering many anti-union rulings of the Trump Board that diminished the rights of workers.

An important part of Abruzzo’s agenda is strengthening enforcement of the National Labor Relations Act. She advised Regional Offices to seek “the full panoply of remedies available to ensure that

22 // BRICKLAYERS AND ALLIED CRAFTWORKERS

victims of unlawful conduct are made whole for losses suffered as a result of unfair labor practices.”

Employer fines and backpay for workers are rising, and more workers are seeing their rights protected.

Abruzzo is also leading an effort at the NLRB to protect undocumented workers from being abused by their employers. These protections are important in the construction industry, because it stops unfair contractors from taking advantage of a cheap, disenfranchised workforce. This helps even the playing field for union contractors, and protects all construction workers from declining standards.

However, underfunding of the agency and staff vacancies continue to plague the NLRB. Years of neglect of the agency have had a negative impact on the effectiveness of the agency.

With Abruzzo as General Counsel and a new NLRB majority, workers will see an improvement as the Board works to protect their rights and supports the mission of the agency. The BAC supports all efforts to have Congress pass a budget that funds the NLRB to the capacity it needs to continue the important work of protecting working families. //

BAC PROFILE

BAC ‘Gave Me a Life’

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efore joining the BAC, US Army veteran John Myers was struggling to create a life that he wanted to live.

After trying college, he worked multiple jobs for low pay and benefits, “I was that person who worked three to four jobs just trying to make ends meet, staying up late, not sleeping properly, not taking care of myself, and stressed out all the time,” he said. “Now that I’m a journey worker, the wages are great.

I work one job, 40-hours a week, and I have everything covered.”

ARMY VETERAN Brother Myers, a six-year BAC member, works in PCC and restoration. He is no stranger to hard work after serving in the US Army National Guard from 2008-2018.

During his time in the service, he was deployed to Iraq and countless times to different parts of the United States to help during natural disasters. He is passionate about spreading the word to veterans about all the opportunities in the trades. “I think a lot of our service members could really benefit from getting into the trades,” he said.

“Veterans have always been trained, taught, to get it done,” Myers continued. “People will tell you that the trades are hard, but in the miliary, we’ve done so much harder. Things like standing

all day laying 12-inch block in the sun, sweating, that is hard work, no doubt. But it’s nothing compared to going four or five days with very minimal sleep, getting shot at, and not knowing if you are going to make it home.”

“When you come home from a deployment… it’s called demobilization, where you go through classes, and they try to help you readjust to civilian life,” Myers said. “They have job recruiters come in and tell you the things that are available to you, but the construction trades weren’t really talked about.”

After joining Local 3 New York, he found out he could use his 911 GI bill – a stipend for housing – during a registered apprenticeship as well as for college. “It helped tremendously,” Myers explained. “Without [Local 3 NY] I would never have known I could use it.”

SAVING LIVES From his time working multiple non-union jobs, Myers knows how the BAC saves lives everyday by requiring a safe working environment, training members and fighting for government standards to protect all workers.

Once while working at a nonunion sign maintenance company, Myers had a close call. “I worked with electrical boxes, and turned

off the power to work on the box and someone turned on the power,” Myers said. “I got shocked and knocked down for five minutes.

At this point, I thought, ‘I’ve got to make a change.’”

“It makes me feel wonderful now to know that the BAC has my safety and health living at the forethought of their minds,” Myers continued. “I don’t have to worry about safety anymore when I go to the job site.”

“The BAC gave me a life,” he said simply. “I didn’t have a life when I was working 80 hours a week, not being able to afford anything, not being able to go out, take a vacation, have a break, and certainly not able to retire.”

“Now I have time to take care of myself. I have money to pay bills… now I have a house,” Myers continued. “A union is when we all come together and we make sure we are treated with respect, paid fairly, and have a safe workplace. And that is what BAC does.” // ISSUE 4, 2022 // 23

SAFETY & HEALTH

BAC Launches New Safety and Health Webpage for Members

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n November, BAC was proud to launch a new safety and health webpage, which will serve as an easy-to-access hub for safety, health and jobsite-injury prevention information. Whether it’s videos from the BAC Department of Safety and Health’s webinar series, BAC/IMI training programs, COVID resources, recent articles, related legislation, or other industry resources, you’ll find it at bacweb.org/ safety.

One of the most useful resources on the site are the webinars conducted by the BAC Safety and Health Department, which are micro-trainings on the latest research and safety trends in the construction industry.

They cover a variety of topics including ladder safety, fall protection, working in the heat, silica dust prevention, and OSHA/MSHA updates. Members can also find and register for upcoming webinars directly on the page.

“Every worker has a right to come home from work every day in the same physical condition as they left,” said BAC Safety and Health Manager Liliana Calderon.

“We hope this safety and health webpage will serve as an informational and educational portal for all hardworking BAC brothers and sisters.”

If you have any suggestions or comments for the safety and health page or a future webinar topic, please contact Sister Calderon at lcalderon@bacweb.org. //

INTRODUCING SC-SMIS:

A Tool for Continuous Safety Management and Safety Climate Improvement

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ver the last two decades, it has become clear to construction companies and safety practitioners that a company’s safety record comes down to the climate that it has onsite. “Safety climate” — defined as the shared understanding among workers regarding what is rewarded, expected, valued and reinforced at the jobsite with respect to safety – is directly associated with the numbers of injuries and their outcomes. To strengthen

a company’s safety climate, the company needs to improve its safety management practices, policies, and procedures used on the jobsite.

To help companies, particularly those with fewer personnel and financial resources, effectively carry out these activities, CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training (www.cpwr.com) — created the Safety Climate-Safety Management Information System or SC-SMIS (www.scsmis.org). It is

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an easy-to-use, interactive webbased system that any company can access, at no cost, to: Measure jobsite safety climate across eight leading indicators using CPWR’s reliable and valid safety climate assessment tools.

Download evidence-based safety management policies, procedures, guidelines, and templates from a large resource repository to strengthen low-scoring indicators.

All ninety resources are available

in English and Spanish, and formatted in Microsoft Word or Power Point so companies can tailor them to their specific needs.

Develop a Plan to put the selected resources into action, keep track of current and completed plans, and schedule

reminders to conduct future assessments for continuous safety climate and safety management improvement. //

Resolutions on Safety and Health Adopted at the 2022 Special Convention

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uring the 2022 Special Convention, the Committee on Safety referred five Resolutions — Resolutions 52–56 — to the Convention floor. Each of the Committee’s recommendations was unanimously adopted by the Convention.

Resolution No. 52 urged OSHA to continue to effectively enforce its critically important comprehensive silica standard and to regularly update Table 1 of that standard to make sure that the most effective controls are in place to protect worker safety. The Resolution also called on IMI and local training centers to continue to provide robust training and support for new tools and technology that will minimize the risk associated with silica exposure.

Resolution No. 53 called on BAC to continue to work with others in the industry and the labor movement to protect all workers’ lives through a strong commitment to occupational safety. It also called on the United States and Canadian Governments to vigorously enforce worker safety laws to further reduce the number of injuries, illnesses and fatalities on the job, including swift passage, signing, and enforcement of the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness and Fatality Prevention Act. Resolution No. 54 concerned climate change and jobsite effects like extreme heat. It called on BAC Local Unions and ADCs to enforce the provisions of their collective bargaining agreements that ensure such workplace provisions as rest breaks and ready access to drinking water, and to reinforce the role of stewards in monitoring

potentially dangerous work sites or conditions, as well as individual worker response to adverse conditions. The Resolution also called on BAC Locals and ADCs to continue to seek improved regulations and enforcement both at the federal, state, provincial, and local levels, including adoption of a national heat stress standard under OSHA and new state standards influenced by those of California, Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington.

Resolution No. 55 called on BAC to continue to urge OSHA to implement a COVID-19 standard that will keep all workers safe on the job, and to conduct classroom, online, and webinar training on pandemic preparedness to ensure BAC members are afforded the right to work safely in the event of another similar viral outbreak.

Resolution No. 56 reaffirmed the union’s commitment to safety training at the International and local levels. It called on BAC Local Unions and ADCs to ensure that their apprenticeship and training programs participate in IMTEF’s Train-the-Trainer Safety Programs and that their trainer(s) are certified to perform OSHA 10, OSHA 30, and MSHA training.

“These resolutions help set our tone and focus for the next few years,” said BAC Executive Vice President Jerry Sullivan. “Safety has always been one of the union’s top priorities and I thank all the Safety Committee Members for their work.”

For more on the 2022 BAC Special Convention, see page 3. // ISSUE 4, 2022 // 25

CANADA

BAC Announces 2022 Canadian Bates Scholarship Recipients

E

ach year, the BAC Canadian Bates Scholarship program awards scholarships to graduating seniors whose parents or stepparents are BAC members in Canada.

The stipends range from $2,000 to $3,000 (CN) per year, for up to four consecutive years.

SAVANNAH MCCARTHY Daughter of BAC Local 1 Newfoundland member Benjamin Rideout, Savannah McCarthy is studying Behavioral Neuroscience at Memorial University

of Newfoundland’s Faculty of Science and hopes to work as a neuropsychologist.

Savannah was involved in rugby, soccer, badminton, volleyball, student council, debate team, and math club during high school. Her hobbies include hiking, reading, and cars.

When asked of the importance of the union to her family, Savannah remarked: “Unions are all about equality and fairness. They exist to make sure workers are treated fairly, receive fair wages and fair chances to get work. For my family, being part of BAC means my dad is assured equal opportunities for jobs; everyone in the union gets an equal opportunity. And when he is on a union job, all of us in the family benefit.”

CAITLYN COLLINS

2022 BAC Canadian Bates scholarship winner Savannah McCarthy and her father Benjamin Rideout of BAC Local 1 Newfoundland.

Daughter of BAC Local 1 Newfoundland member Randy Collins, Caitlyn Collins is studying science at Memorial University of Newfoundland and hopes to work as a sonographer.

Caitlyn was involved in student council and canteen service during high school. Her favorite college course so far is math. She enjoys drawing, reading, and playing piano in her free time. When asked of

26 // BRICKLAYERS AND ALLIED CRAFTWORKERS

2022 BAC Canadian Bates scholarship winner Caitlyn Collins and her father Randy Collins of BAC Local 1 Newfoundland.

the importance of the union to her family, Caitlyn commented, “My dad has been in the BAC for 30 years. It has provided for us with good benefits.” //

DO NOT MISS OUT ON THIS GREAT BENEFIT FOR YOUR FAMILY! Complete information and the application form for the 2023 Canadian Bates scholarship will be available in early 2023 in the Education & Training section of www.bacweb. org, or by scanning the QR code.

IN THE TRADES PROGRAM INVESTS IN THE FUTURE OF UNIONIZED SKILLED TRADES

C

anada’s Building Trades Unions (CBTU) are connecting first-year apprentices of the Red Seal Program, a program that sets Canada-wide trades skill standards, with small and medium-sized contractors across Canada through a federally funded In The Trades program.

In the Trades program provides financial and training incentives for unionized Canadian contractors who hire, onboard, train, and retain skilled trades first-year apprentices. Specifically, union contractors can receive $5,000 for new first-year apprentices and $10,000

for onboarding apprentices from traditionally underrepresented groups.

+ women,

Union contractors must meet the following program requirements to participate:

+ indigenous peoples,

+ Have less than 500 employees at the time of application, + Hire a first-year apprentice in one of the 39 approved trades, + Legal agreement must pre-date the hiring of the first-year apprentice.

The contractor is eligible for the additional $5,000 if the first-year apprentice is from at least one of the following underrepresented groups:

+ persons with disabilities,

+ members of the LGBTQ2+ communities, + newcomers (new immigrants), + visible minorities.

“This program is an essential investment in the future of our skilled trades,” said BAC Canada Regional Director Craig Strudwick.

To learn more about the program or request more information, please visit: https://buildingtrades.ca/inthetrades //

LE PROGRAMME DANS LES MÉTIERS INVESTIT DANS L’AVENIR DES MÉTIERS SPÉCIALISÉS SYNDIQUÉS

L

es Syndicats des métiers de la construction du Canada (SMCC) mettent en relation les apprentis de première année du programme du Sceau rouge, un programme qui établit des normes de compétences pour les métiers à l’échelle du Canada, avec de petits et moyens entrepreneurs à travers le Canada par l’entremise d’un programme financé par le gouvernement fédéral intitulé Dans les métiers.

Ce programme offre des incitatifs financiers et à la formation aux entrepreneurs canadiens syndiqués qui embauchent des apprentis de première année dans les métiers spécialisés, les intègrent, les forment et les maintiennent en poste. Plus précisément, les entrepreneurs syndiqués peuvent

recevoir 5 000 dollars pour les nouveaux apprentis de première année et 10 000 dollars pour l’intégration d’apprentis issus de groupes traditionnellement sous-représentés.

+ les femmes;

Pour y participer, les entrepreneurs syndiqués doivent répondre aux exigences suivantes :

+ les nouveaux arrivants (nouveaux immigrants);

+ Compter moins de 500 employés au moment de la demande; + Embaucher un apprenti de première année dans l’un des 39 métiers approuvés; + L’accord juridique doit être antérieur à l’embauche de l’apprenti de première année.

L’entrepreneur a droit aux 5 000 $ supplémentaires si l’apprenti de première année est issu d’au moins un des groupes sous-représentés suivants :

+ les personnes handicapées; + les peuples autochtones; + les membres des communautés LGBTQ2+;

+ les minorités visibles.

Craig Strudwick, directeur régional de l’Union internationale des briqueteurs et métiers connexes – Canada, estime que le programme Dans les métiers constitue un investissement essentiel dans l’avenir de nos métiers spécialisés.

Pour en savoir plus sur le programme ou demander plus de renseignements, veuillez consulter le site https://buildingtrades.ca/fr/danslesmetiers/ // ISSUE 4, 2022 // 27

INTERNATIONAL FUNDS INTERNATIONAL PENSION FUND

BAC SAVE Annuity Posts 9.73% Return for 2021, Adding New Participating Locals

T

he International Pension Fund (IPF) recently mailed over 22,000 annual member statements of the BAC Save Retirement Savings Plan (RSP). The 2021 annual statements, also available on the BAC Member Portal, show monthly hours, employer contributions, and any hardship or other withdrawals. This year there was also a 9.73% investment return applied to individual accounts.

WATCH FOR 2021 IPF AND IHF SUMMARY ANNUAL REPORT IPF and IHF Decades of Service, the 2021 IPF and IHF summary annual report, was mailed to you in October. Along with detailed financial information on all the BAC International Benefit Programs, this year’s report features the recent 50th anniversary of the establishment of the International Pension Fund and other significant milestones of all BAC Benefit Plans.

Throughout the Annual Report you will see references to the progress the International Benefit Programs have made throughout their history, including improved BAC Member Portal, BAC mobile apps, BAC Save, Member Assistance Program, and BAC Cares programs.

Find more about each program and the contact information at BACBenefits.org.

The individual, year-end RSP account balance is also converted to estimates of a monthly benefit — as a joint and survivor option or a single-life benefit option.

The higher the RSP account balance, the higher these estimates will be. These estimates should not be confused with your separate estimated IPF monthly retirement benefit. An enrollment card is enclosed with a member’s statement if a beneficiary for the RSP 28 // BRICKLAYERS AND ALLIED CRAFTWORKERS

is not on file. Please note designations made for the IPF, or a Local Benefit Plan, do not apply to the RSP. The assets of the BAC SAVE RSP Annuity Plan total more than $220 million and cover more than 22,000 participants. New participating jurisdictions include the Knoxville and Nashville Tennessee Chapters of BAC Local 8 Southeast and the Southern Colorado Chapter. The former BAC Local 15-11 Florida Annuity Plan merged into the BAC SAVE RSP on March 1, 2017.

In addition to financial hardship and inactive benefits withdrawals, participants wishing to receive a distribution from their accounts are offered several payment options, including joint and survivor, single life annuities, monthly installments over 10 or 15 years, lump sums, and rollover options at retirement.

The RSP’s moderately conservative investment policy has approximately 45% of Plan assets held in high quality fixed income securities, 40% in equity investments, and 15% in pooled real estate funds, such as the AFL-CIO Housing and Building Investment Trusts.

RSP ANNUITY PORTAL ACCESS BAC Member Portal enrollment continues to increase as RSP participants are enjoying round-the-clock access to account balances, monthly hours, and contributions to their individual accounts. Currently 3,772 RSP participants are using the Member Portal, or the BAC mobile app. Member Portal registration is fast and easy — just scan the QR Code to get started!

Should you have any questions regarding a statement, please contact the IPF Office at IPFannual statements@ipfweb.org with a copy of the statement and proof of any missing hours. //

INTERNATIONAL HEALTH FUND

New Rally Rewards for 2023!

T

he International Health Fund (IHF) is preparing for the fourth year of the United Healthcare Rally® Rewards program. Rally is an app-based rewards program that helps you make simple changes to your daily routine, set health goals, and stay on target to meet those

Rally will then make personalized recommendations just for you. You will be able to sync your tracking device and join a challenge while earning virtual coins that can be exchanged for rewards.

Other health actions that earn you virtual coins include com-

“Rally is an app-based rewards program that helps you make simple changes to your daily routine, set health goals, and stay on target to meet those goals.” goals. Members that participate receive rewards for taking healthy actions. The first of those actions is completing a quick health survey.

pleting an annual physical and preventive screenings, participating in the Orthopedic Health Solutions program, visiting the BAC Cares

on-site clinics in Indiana or Missouri, completing a virtual visit, or participating in the Real Appeal program. Once members have earned enough coins, they can be exchanged for prizes. In 2023, IHF’s rewards will include a BAC IHF high visibility t-shirt, BAC jacket, and an Apple watch. These virtual coins can also be donated to the BAC Disaster Relief Fund.

This program is exclusively for members of IHF participating locals and ADCs. Members can enroll online at www.myuhc.com or by downloading the “Rally by Rally Health” app and entering code BAC123. If you have any questions about the BAC Cares Rally® Rewards program, contact the IHF Fund Office at 1-888-880-8222. //

STAYING HEALTHY WITH THE BAC CARES PROGRAMS IHF was able to return to conducting in-person health fairs in 2022. This fall, health fairs were held in St. Louis, MO; Indianapolis, IN; and Orlando, FL. Members participated in biometric screenings; received immediate results of their blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose screenings; and had access to receive flu shots. The fairs included raffle prizes and presentations to members regarding their IHF benefits.

Conducting health fairs is just one of the many ways the BAC Cares program helps you to be the healthiest you

can be. The IHF understands the importance of having access to essential services such as preventive care. Our programs are designed to prevent common and complex illness and to remove barriers to care, covering many services with low or at no cost to members – making it possible for you to stay as healthy as possible with minimal financial impact.

For more information about the IHF benefits package and BAC Cares program, contact the IHF Fund Office at 1-888-880-8222.

ISSUE 4, 2022 // 29

SPORTING LIFE

BAC Ohio-Kentucky ADC’s Sporting Clays Shoot Celebrates its 10th Year

O

n October 22 BAC Ohio-Kentucky Administrative District Council (ADC) held their 10th annual Sporting Clays Shoot. The event raises funds for conservation projects throughout the country, while bringing local members and Brother John Lucarelli (deceased) and his brother Tony their families together. teamed up with three Local 16 apprentices and took a In addition to the Sportthird-place win in the 2019 Sporting Clays Shoot event.

From left, Local 16 members Brad Bargione, Kile Stillman, ing Clays Shoot, OH-KY ADC John Lucarelli, Tony Lucarelli, and Eddie Carson. regularly partners with Union Sportsmen Alliance (USA) to host a variety of activities for BAC families to take part in including fishing trips for children with special needs, cleaning up and installing area lake piers, and building an environmental studies center for Ashland University.

This year’s Sporting Clay Shoot was bittersweet for members of BAC Local 16 Ohio as it was the first after the passing of John M. Lucarelli, an anchor of the annual event.

“Brother Lucarelli took the role of mentor with him off the job and brought his knowledge to our apprentice teams who have shot there over the years, always willing to help and give advice and encouragement,” BAC Local 16 Ohio President Dan Musacchio said. “The event will never be the same without him. But his memory will live on every year as those apprentices who are now journeyworkers pass down what was imparted to them.”

BAC OH-KY ADC Director Ken Kudela said, “Because of contributions from brother Lucarelli and many others, we were able to build up more shooting teams and grow the event to the size that it is today.”

BAC Executive Vice President Jerry Sullivan, who also participated in this year’s Sporting Clays Shoot, agreed. “This year’s event was well attended by more than 100 local members, family members and friends,” he said. “This is due to the to the strong commitment of the ADC members and their leadership.” // 30 // BRICKLAYERS AND ALLIED CRAFTWORKERS

LOCAL 8 ILLINOIS Jason Atwood of BAC Local 8 Illinois engaging in night coyote hunting to protect his farm animals.

LOCAL 1 WASHINGTON/ALASKA Juan Tapia of BAC Local 1 Washington/Alaska caught this chum salmon in Green River, Washington.

LOCAL 21 ILLINOIS BAC Local 21 Illinois member Hal Yuhas caught a buck in Henry, Illinois in November 2021 and a coho salmon on Lake Michigan in June 2022.

LOCAL 9 PENNSYLVANIA BAC Local 9 Pennsylvania member Lewis Radomile harvested a 480lb Russian boar in Ohio’s Hocking Valley in August 2022 and a 9-point deer during the hunting season in Pittsburgh, PA in September 2022.

ISSUE 4, 2022 // 31

ADMINISTRATIVE DISTRICT COUNCIL OF EASTERN MISSOURI

LOCAL Compass

Dan Giebe receiving his 25-year service award from ADC of Eastern Missouri Director Brian Jennewein, left, and Secretary-Treasurer John Hopkin.

Emil Sean Hutton receiving his 25-year service award from ADC of Eastern Missouri Secretary-Treasurer John Hopkin, left, and Director Brian Jennewein.

32 // BRICKLAYERS AND ALLIED CRAFTWORKERS

LOCAL 4 INDIANA/KENTUCKY

LOCAL 5 PENNSYLVANIA

BAC Local 5 PA member Robert Zortman receiving his 75-year service award plaque from Local 5 PA President Lester Kauffman.

BAC Local 4 IN/KY Gold Card member Mike Anderson celebrates his career milestone with his son Blake Anderson who is also a Local 4 IN/KY member.

BAC Local 5 PA 50-year members Harold Yoder, left, and Ron Emerich, receiving their service awards from Local 5 PA President Lester Kauffman.

OHIO-KENTUCKY ADMINISTRATIVE DISTRICT COUNCIL Seventy-five-year member Joseph DeFuria with his son Dennis DeFuria who is also a member of Local 8 Ohio.

Brother Joseph DeFuria of BAC Local 8 Ohio receiving his 75-year membership plaque on October 24, 2022, at the Youngstown Union Hall.

Joseph DeFuria, a proud 75-year member of BAC Local 8 Ohio, with Local 8 OH President Lee Kurtz, left, and Field Representative Brian Collier.

BAC Local 8 Ohio 75-year member Joseph DeFuria receiving his service award from Local 8 President Lee Kurtz.

ISSUE 4, 2022 // 33

MAP

Talking About Emotions

O

ne of the strongest predictors of health and well-being is emotional intelligence, characterized by the ability to recognize, manage, and communicate effectively around one’s own emotions and those of others.

Benefits associated with constructive emotional expression include better physical health, strengthened interpersonal relationships, reduced stress levels, lower levels of loneliness, higher self-esteem, improved decision making and problem-solving skills, and stronger concentration and job performance, as well as reduced absenteeism from work.

Yet with so many compelling reasons to focus on building emotional intelligence and incorporating

emotional expression into daily life, many continue to underprioritize or side-step this health and wellness initiative.

Most men in North America report that they are punished for expressing their emotions, even if they believe it is important to do so.

The social consequences lead many men to suppress emotions rather than express them.

Suppressive behaviors include changing one’s demeanor to appear more masculine, holding back tears to preserve the masculinity image, and avoiding talking to others about a difficult problem. These behaviors may be linked to some of the grimmer data around high rates of suicidality, depression, and burnout within the trades.

The hopeful news is that change is possible and emotional intelligence can be cultivated.

It is important to start by committing to overcoming personal barriers that limit emotional expression, such as internalized stigma or shame. Weighing the potential rewards of routine and consistent emotional expression against the potential costs can be a useful tool for encouraging a pivot in how you approach emotional health.

If you or a loved one needs help, or would like more information about this topic, please call MAP for free, confidential support at 1-833-MAP-TALK, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST. //

MAP WELCOMES NEW DIRECTOR ALEXANDRA JACOBI AS KAREN GREAR RETIRES

D

r. Karen Grear retired on August 31, after 24 years of dedicated service as Director of BAC’s Member Assistance Program (MAP). Alexandra Jacobi, a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) who joined BAC MAP as Assistant Director in 2018, now serves as the Department’s Director.

Prior to joining BAC, Jacobi provided behavioral health and care coordination services for a managed healthcare plan.

She specialized in the implementation

of focused interventions with insights of healthcare systems. She also worked at an outpatient mental health clinic in Columbia, MD for several years in a counseling capacity.

Jacobi earned her graduate degree in Clinical Psychology from Loyola University in Maryland, completed her training at Johns Hopkins Hospital Center for Addiction, and performed cognitive, psychosocial and behavioral evaluations with Baltimore City Public

34 // BRICKLAYERS AND ALLIED CRAFTWORKERS

Schools. She is a member of NABTU’s Opioid Task Force.

Director Alexandra Jacobi

“I take great pride in my family’s connection to the construction industry as my maternal grandfather worked much of his career in the trades,” Jacobi said. “I look forward to serving with an impassioned commitment to providing the greatest level of support, guidance, service, and care to our members and their families.” //

IN MEMORIAM — JULY

MEMBER - LOCAL UNION

Death Benefit Claims for July 2022 Total Amount Paid

$92,000.00

Total Union Labor Life Claims

$2,000.00

Total Death Benefits

$90,000.00

Total Number of Claims

54

Average Age

82.06

Average Years of Membership

55.54

BRANCH of TRADE

AGE

YEARS of MEMBERSHIP

Jeanne, III, Charles J. - 08, SE

B

89

69

Karlov, Robert - 21, IL Keel, Arnold L. - 05, OK/AR/TX Korrie, Patrick J. - 02, NY/VT Koutsouros, John C. - 01, PA/DE

B B B, CM, M, P B

85 88 82 76

68 59 58 53

Malatesta, Michael - 01, PA/DE Malbouef, Lionel G. - 02, MI Manda, Jeffrey P. - 08, IL Mauro, Michele A. - 03, MA/ME/NH/RI McLeod, David B. - 01, NY Meyers, Donald E. - 03, NY Morneau, Jr., Raymond P. - 03, MA/ME/NH/RI Morrow, Spencer . - 05, PA

B B B B B, CM, P TL, B B, CH, CM, PC FN

93 80 44 89 85 87 21 90

72 56 20 50 67 65 42 34

BRANCH of TRADE

AGE

YEARS of MEMBERSHIP

Ormiston, Wendell O. - 04, CA Orne, Alan E. - 08, WI

B B

92 92

60 69

Allbee, Gaylord E. - 01, OR/WA/ID/MT

B

87

57

Pinder, Sr., Porter J. - 08, SE Pittman, James A. - 21, IL

P, TL TW

94 64

71 22

Basil, Donald J. - 55, OH Berube, Richard E. - 03, MA/ME/NH/RI Boyers, James S. - 03, OH

B B, CM B

84 82 91

64 56 63

Campanella, John B. - 21, IL Chambliss, Samson - 08, SE Cleveland, Douglas P. - 05, OK/AR/TX Conley, Jr., Willard O. - 55, OH Cuzzupe, Jr., Joseph P. - 09, PA

B B CS B B, W

86 101 77 88 62

66 72 46 58 29

Raia, Joseph - 01, NY Ranieri, John - 01, NY Rohrig, Robert J. - 18, OH/KY Rust, Waldo E. - 07, CO/WY

B B B B, M

85 85 86 91

59 59 66 66

Scopa, Michele - 01, NY Sweebe, Jerry G. - 02, MI

B B, W

93 83

72 26

Darga, Ronald J. - 02, MI DeGray, Angelo M. - 01, CT

B, CM B, CM

86 76

64 40

Thomas, Gilbert P. - 01, AB Trozzo, Danny R. - 05, OH

B B

99 94

72 71

Eberly, Gerald E. - 46, OH Ess, Robert H. - 01, MN/ND/SD Evenson, James R. - 01, MN/ND/SD

B, CM, M CB, M, B B, M

88 79 76

56 55 58

Uhernik, Martin L. - 09, PA Uruchurtu, Ricardo D. - 01, WA/AK

TL, B B

65 78

32 54

MEMBER - LOCAL UNION

Fandel, John D. - 01, MN/ND/SD

B

93

43

Gallues, Martin - 01, OR/WA/ID/MT Genender, Joseph T. - 04, IN/KY Gilbert, Richard A. - 01, MN/ND/SD Guidara, Carmine A. - 05, NJ/DE/PA

B B B CM, P

69 32 79 82

35 1 59 54

Hill, Sr., Richard H. - 03, NY

P, B

92

74

Veilleux, Antoine J. - 03, MA/ME/NH/RI

B, CM

94

56

Wachter, Theodor - 21, IL Walker, Jr., Hampton L. - 05, OH Watts, Sr., James - 08, SE Wetzel, Martin J. - 05, NJ/DE/PA Williams, Sr., Clemit V. - 08, SE Winston, Jr., George - 18, OH/KY

B B B B, CM, P TL, B B

82 91 89 77 92 86

64 63 67 58 68 61

IN MEMORY OF DOMINIC A. SPANO

F

ormer BAC International Executive President Dominic Spano passed away peacefully at home in Naples, Florida, on October 26, 2022. He was 84 years old.

Brother Spano joined BAC Local 6 New York in 1959 as a stone mason, bricklayer and plasterer.

He served as the Local’s Financial Secretary from 1970 to 1975, and as President and Business Agent from 1975 to 1985. He was appointed to serve as IU Special Deputy in 1985 and then elevated to IU Regional Director in 1992.

In 2000, he was elected to the BAC International Executive Board as Executive Vice President and held this position until his retirement in June 2005. He also served as an officer of the New York State Conference during the 1970s and 1980s.

“Brother Spano was a dedicated unionist and served BAC members over many decades,” BAC President Tim Driscoll said. “He worked his way through the ranks from the field to Regional Director to Executive Vice President. He will be missed by all those whose lives he touched.” // ARTICLE XIX OF THE IU CONSTITUTION REQUIRES THAT DEATH BENEFIT CLAIMS MUST BE FILED WITHIN 12 MONTHS OF A MEMBER'S DEATH. MEMBERS ARE ALSO ADVISED THAT THEY SHOULD UPDATE THEIR BENEFICIARY DESIGNATION FOLLOWING ANY MAJOR LIFE CHANGES (MARRIAGE, DIVORCE, DEATH OF A SPOUSE, ETC.).

ISSUE 4, 2022 // 35

IN MEMORIAM — AUGUST

MEMBER - LOCAL UNION

Death Benefit Claims for August 2022 Total Amount Paid

$112,000.00

Total Union Labor Life Claims

$3,000.00

Total Death Benefits

$109,000.00

Total Number of Claims

70

Average Age

83.29

Average Years of Membership

54.93

MEMBER - LOCAL UNION

BRANCH of TRADE

AGE

YEARS of MEMBERSHIP

Alves, Jose C. - 03, MA/ME/NH/RI Bigelow, George A. - 04, NJ

PC B

65 77

Blundell, Feryn J. - 02, MI

FN

32

2

Callaghan, Robert G. - 21, IL Chicantek, Kenneth J. - 05, WI Clark, Peter F. - 01, AB Corazza, Alfred J. - 07, NY/NJ Cywinski, Bernard R. - 05, PA

B GP B TL B

93 86 81 92 95

74 22 30 64 70

DeCapite, Vincent V. - 05, OH Dias, Jose F. - 03, MA/ME/NH/RI Diffenderfer, Robert J. - 21, IL Dix, Ramon T. - 08, SE

B B, CH, CM, P M, MM B

93 74 67 92

72 19 40 74

Eshbach, James J. - 05, PA

B, W

74

56

Federico Ascenzo - 03, MA/ME/NH/RI Ferrari, Mario - 07, NY/NJ Fisher, Donald C. - 08, SE Frye, Gary N. - 05, PA

B, CM MW, TW, CM P PL

100 77 84 61

82 58 38 17

Gill, Don N. - 01, WA/AK Grabanski, Ronald - 21, IL Guess, Earl E. - 15, MO/KS/NE

B, MM TL B, M

98 87 91

81 56 66

Halbert, Joe - 04, IN/KY Harter, Fritz - 04, NJ Hester, Murry A. - 15, MO/KS/NE Hinkle, Theodore A. - 08, IL Hoadley, John W. - 01, MB Hoiland, Roger W. - 01, WA/AK

B B B B B B

86 90 90 87 57 87

64 52 66 67 31 70

Inglin, Sr., Joseph M. - 04, NJ

B, CM, PM, W

86

61

36 // BRICKLAYERS AND ALLIED CRAFTWORKERS

36 56

BRANCH of TRADE

AGE

YEARS of MEMBERSHIP

Isidori, Vincenzo - 02, ON

B

90

61

Kempf, Mark L. - 21, IL

B

72

52

Lane, Jr., John T. - 01, CT Lavin, Jr., Charles E. - 03, NY Letzel, Helmut P. - 21, IL Lucarelli, John M. - 16, OH

B, CM PL, TL, B B B

78 79 83 58

57 51 57 39

MacKenzie, Peter C. - 04, CA Masters, Louis W. - 05, OK/AR/TX McAdam, William P. - 01, NS McAfee, Sr., Roland D. - 03, CA McClennon, Sr., Melvin A. - 08, SE McCrea, George W. - 03, NY Morales, Jr., Vernon W. - 05, OK/AR/TX Morelli, Benedetto - 04, NJ

B B MH FN B B, CM B B

92 90 83 90 97 86 79 92

74 67 49 32 70 61 62 66

O’Neill, John E. - 02, MI

B, M

91

73

Perner, Donald E. - 05, OK/AR/TX Peterson, Robert D. - 21, IL Phair, Thomas E. - 03, NY Piccioni, Remo - 5, PA Pistole, Michael C. - 15, MO/KS/NE Poltorak, Norbert S. - 02, MI

MM, M B, M PC CM B B

87 88 75 94 74 91

66 66 36 57 50 74

Quaceci, Giuseppe - 03, MA/ME/NH/RI

P

76

49

Reames, Sr., Leslie P. - 02, MI Robinson, Charles - 01, MO/KS/NE Ross, Paul E. - 03, IA

B, CM, TL, W B B

79 80 92

35 62 72

Sears, Richard E. - 01, OR/WA/ID/MT Schneidewend, Leo - 08, WI Scola, Lawrence D. - 09, PA Seney, Arthur T. - 01, CT Sheler, Don E. - 15, MO/KS/NE Sherry, Larry V. - 04, IN/KY Spooner, Gerald F. - 03, MA/ME/NH/RI St. Aubin, John G. - 21, IL Stoudt, Jack G. - 05, PA Sullivan, Donald J. - 02, MI

B B B B B B B B TL B, CM, M

87 94 95 83 79 79 89 92 87 88

31 72 78 61 61 32 72 74 63 45

Tiede, Dennis L. - 09, WI Tisbert, Scott - 03, MA/ME/NH/RI

B, CM, M, P B, CM, PC

82 63

58 35

Venuti, Enzo - 21, IL Vinyard, Robert E. - 08, IL

TL B

86 94

66 67

Walczyk, Emil S. - 03, CA Wolfe, James F. - 08, OH Wortsman, Larry M. - 04, IN/KY

B, MM B B

100 76 70

60 52 23

Zanelli, Antonino - 03, MA/ME/NH/RI

FN

88

33

ARTICLE XIX OF THE IU CONSTITUTION REQUIRES THAT DEATH BENEFIT CLAIMS MUST BE FILED WITHIN 12 MONTHS OF A MEMBER'S DEATH. MEMBERS ARE ALSO ADVISED THAT THEY SHOULD UPDATE THEIR BENEFICIARY DESIGNATION FOLLOWING ANY MAJOR LIFE CHANGES (MARRIAGE, DIVORCE, DEATH OF A SPOUSE, ETC.).

IN MEMORIAM — SEPTEMBER Death Benefit Claims for September 2022 Total Amount Paid

$98,400.00

Total Union Labor Life Claims

$2,400.00

Total Death Benefits

$96,000.00

Total Number of Claims

55

Average Age

84.96

Average Years of Membership

58.07

MEMBER - LOCAL UNION

BRANCH of TRADE

AGE

YEARS of MEMBERSHIP

Aagaard, Douglas R. - 03, WI

B, CM, M

90

66

Barkey, John A. - 06, IL Barlow, Royce F. - 04, IN/KY Biddle, Jr., Anthony G. - 01, PA/DE Block, Eugene S. - 03, IA Blonigen, Gerald F. - 11, WI

B B, M M B B, M, P

66 89 63 88 97

46 56 44 70 74

Cardus, Walter G. - 01, HI Chella, Joseph A. - 03, MA/ME/NH/RI Clamp, Ray M. - 07, CO/WY Coletti, Frederic E. - 21, IL

B B, CM B, M B

44 81 96 88

15 56 74 71

Debeljak, Louis - 05, OH Distefano, Domenic V. - 01, PA/DE Derby, Jason B. - 05, NJ/DE/PA DiBernardo, Angelo - 21, IL

B B MH B

89 93 50 93

62 66 3 56

Fantin, Sr., Ronald M. - 02, MI Fergus, Thomas J. - 21, IL

FN TL

90 87

34 52

Gannon, Kevin J. - 21, IL Garufi, Giuseppe - 02, NY/VT Gernux, Thomas J. - 03, MA/ME/NH/RI Gleason, John W. - 21, IL

TL B B TL

75 92 93 77

38 55 72 53

MEMBER - LOCAL UNION

BRANCH of TRADE

AGE

YEARS of MEMBERSHIP

Godiska, James P. - 05, PA Grall, Gary E. - 11, WI Grubb, Robert F. - 01, PA/DE

CM, B CM B

93 80 74

68 54 37

Henrickson, Alan R. - 56, IL Hickey, Lloyd G. - 15, MO/KS/NE Hodel, Walter - 08, WI Hunter, Knud B. - 01, WA/AK

B B, M B, M B

88 89 82 92

68 66 57 64

Jung, Jr., Karl - 05, OH

B

84

67

King, Joseph P. - 07, NY/NJ King, Melvin J. - 03, CA Korom, Frank - 01, PA/DE

FN B B, M

82 91 92

34 70 57

Lafeber, Raymond - 07, OH Laurencig, Daniel R. - 02, MI Legrottaglie, Oronzo - 04, NJ Little, Jr., Thomas H. - 08, SE

B B, CM B, M M, MM

87 85 86 91

63 67 49 71

McCann, Hugh - 04, QC McMurray, Edward B. - 15, MO/KS/NE Mellom, Jr., Darrell J. - 06, IL Menke, Robert E. - 03, CA Meyer, John H. - 01, MO Milburn, William L. - 03, CA Minick, Walter R. - 21, IL

B B B FN B TL B

90 96 89 59 88 97 96

72 74 71 20 71 73 73

Ozzello, Frank J. - 09, PA

B

97

71

Packard, Gerald - 03, MA/ME/NH/RI Painter, William P. - 02, MI Perkins, Merwin A. - 01, MN/ND/SD

FN GU, MS, W, CM B, M, MM

54 89 91

14 44 69

Rash, Thomas J. - 04, IN/KY Reynolds, Jr., John L. - 03, NY Richardson, Sr., Marzell L. - 21, IL

B B B

83 83 92

65 60 70

Saraceni, Ralph - 01, NY Sjelin, Donald A. - 01, MN/ND/SD Summa, Gene A. - 05, OH

B CB B, CM, P

89 93 85

72 63 68

Vetovitz, William H. - 05, OH Vivacqua, Romvaldo - 07, CN

B TL

94 81

71 53

Wirth, Raymond A. - 21, IL

B

90

65

ARTICLE XIX OF THE IU CONSTITUTION REQUIRES THAT DEATH BENEFIT CLAIMS MUST BE FILED WITHIN 12 MONTHS OF A MEMBER'S DEATH. MEMBERS ARE ALSO ADVISED THAT THEY SHOULD UPDATE THEIR BENEFICIARY DESIGNATION FOLLOWING ANY MAJOR LIFE CHANGES (MARRIAGE, DIVORCE, DEATH OF A SPOUSE, ETC.).

ISSUE 4, 2022 // 37

Happy Holidays from the officers and staff of the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers.

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unionplus.org BAC-ES-12-02-2022