This Issue of the BAC Journal touches on many topics important to BAC members and their families. It speaks to what has happened in the last four years under the Biden-Harris Administration regarding safety, health care, mental health, and other issues. It has a comparison of the two candidates for President — Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump — highlighting where they stand on issues important to BAC members including wages, job opportunities, retirement security, safety, and training.
No one can tell you how to vote. However, it is important that you know where the candidates stand on important issues for workers and their unions.
EXECUTIVE
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
Darin Compton
IU West Regional Director, San Leandro, CA Email: dcompton@bacweb.org Office: 202-304-8582
CANADA
Craig Strudwick
IU Canada Regional Director, Ottawa, ON Email: cstrudwick@bacweb.org Office: 613-830-0333
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Workers Have the Power
Unions advocate for workers both on and off the job, fighting for better pay, benefits, and working conditions, while also supporting policies that benefit working families at all levels of government. We need to elect leaders who support workers’ rights to organize, negotiate fair contracts, safer workplaces, protect hard-won benefits, and enjoy a dignified retirement.
Democracy only works when citizens hold their elected officials accountable for prioritizing the needs of all, especially workers. How you vote is your decision alone, and informed voting is essential to accountability. That’s why we want every member to know where the candidates stand on issues important to workers and our union (page 18). And after reviewing the facts, Kamala Harris is the clear choice for BAC and all working Americans. Because we know that when we elect candidates who support our union’s priorities, we can collectively shape the future of our workplace and community.
BAC members work hard every day and give back to their community in many ways. We build the infrastructure that supports education, health care, public safety, and civic engagement in our communities. This issue features two
outstanding school projects being constructed by the members of BAC Local 1 Washington / Alaska (page 3). These projects exemplify the skills, dedication, and creativity that BAC members deliver on the job every day.
Of course, the apprenticeship programs of BAC are one of the chief ways that BAC provides support for our communities and the next generation (pages 13–14 and 22). BAC also raises the standards for all by organizing those engaged in our work, as BAC Local 3 California recently did (page 12). Whether it is mentoring young apprentices or welcoming newly organized members, BAC is committed to investing its resources to expand the benefits of union membership to all workers engaged in our trade.
Growing the ranks of our union does not come without challenges, though. We need to advance the role of masonry in a changing construction industry by engaging owners, developers, and designers on the multiple benefits of masonry including the building performance qualities of our materials (page 23). There is also an urgent need to engage the public on the benefits of union construction, and the value of the community-sustaining careers that BAC work opportunities provide.
BAC members are living proof of the benefits that union construction represents, and we need elected leaders at all levels who aren’t afraid to say so. BAC respects the right of every member to vote their conscience. Our obligation as leaders of this union is to make clear that the basis for receiving BAC’s support is a candidate’s support for our union. This year, on that score, the choice couldn’t be clearer. Vice President Harris’ career-long support for unions has earned her our support in return. Stay healthy and stay safe, Brothers and Sisters! //
Trabajadores tienen el poder
Las uniones abogan por los trabajadores tanto dentro como fuera del trabajo, luchan por mejores pagos, prestaciones y condiciones laborales al tiempo que apoyan las políticas que benefician a las familias trabajadoras en todos los niveles del gobierno. Necesitamos elegir líderes que apoyen los derechos de los trabajadores para: organizarse; negociar contratos justos y luchar por lugares de trabajo más seguros; proteger las prestaciones ganadas con esfuerzo; disfrutar una jubilación digna.
La democracia solo funciona cuando los ciudadanos responsabilizan a sus funcionarios elegidos a que den prioridad a las necesidades de todos, principalmente de los trabajadores. El voto es exclusivamente su decisión y un voto informado es esencial para la responsabilidad. Por eso, queremos que cada miembro conozca la postura de los candidatos en relación con los aspectos que son importantes para los trabajadores y nuestra unión (página 18). Después de revisar los hechos, Kamala Harris es la mejor opción para la Unión Internacional de Albañiles y Oficios Afines (International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, BAC) y todos los trabajadores estadounidenses. Porque sabemos que cuando elegimos candidatos que apoyan las prioridades de nuestras uniones, formamos colectivamente el futuro de nuestro trabajo y el de nuestra comunidad.
Todos los días, los miembros de BAC trabajan arduamente y contribuyen a su comunidad de muchas maneras. Construimos la infraestructura que apoya la educación, el cuidado de la salud, la seguridad pública y la participación ciudadana en nuestras comunidades. Esta edición resalta la construcción de dos proyectos escolares sobresalientes dirigidos por los miembros del BAC Local 1 Washington y Alaska (página 3). Estos proyectos ejemplifican las habilidades, la dedicación y la creatividad que los miembros de BAC entregan diariamente en su obra.
Por supuesto, los programas de formación de BAC son una de las principales formas en que BAC apoya a nuestras comunidades y a las futuras generaciones (páginas 13-14 y 22). Al mismo tiempo, BAC eleva los estándares para todos al organizar a quienes participan en nuestro trabajo, como lo hicieron recientemente en el BAC Local 3 California (véase página 12). Ya sea para asesorar a jóvenes aprendices o dando la bienvenida a los miembros que recién se han organizado, BAC está comprometido en invertir sus recursos para expandir los beneficios de la membresía de la unión a todos los trabajadores participantes de nuestro comercio.
Aunque elevar los rangos de nuestra unión no está exento de desafíos. Debemos fomentar la labor de la albañilería en la cambiante industria de la construcción, al involucrar a los propietarios, desarrolladores y diseñadores en los múltiples beneficios de la albañilería, lo que incluye la calidad de nuestros materiales para la construcción (página 23) Existe también una necesidad urgente de involucrar al público en los beneficios de la construcción de uniones y en el valor de las carreras que sostienen la comunidad y que ofrecen las oportunidades de trabajo de BAC.
Los miembros de BAC son la prueba viviente de los beneficios que representa la construcción de uniones y necesitamos líderes elegidos en todos los niveles que no tengan miedo de decirlo. BAC respeta el derecho de cada miembro a votar según su conciencia. Nuestra obligación como líderes de esta unión es aclarar que la base para recibir el apoyo de BAC es el apoyo de un candidato para nuestra unión. Este año, en ese sentido, la elección no podría ser más clara. La larga trayectoria que tiene la vicepresidente Harris en apoyar las uniones, la retribuimos en nuestro apoyo a ella.
¡Manténganse saludables y seguros, hermanos y hermanas! //
Seattle-Area Students Get a BAC Built Upgrade
Too many students in schools across the US spend their days in aging, crowded buildings. That’s going to change next year for students at two Seattle-area high schools when they move into new buildings built by the best hands in the business. These students will enjoy the benefit of attending school in beautiful, modern facilities featuring innovative masonry designs achieved by the expert craftsmanship of BAC Local 1 Washington/Alaska members.
MEMBERS AT WORK
The new schools show what can be achieved when communities invest in high-quality infrastructure, with a focus on building to last, and creating inviting spaces where people want to spend time and learn. Both schools feature extensive detail work that highlights the prowess and dedication of BAC members working for signatory
contractors Keystone Masonry Inc. and The Henson Company.
‘INTENSE’ JOB
Randy Graves, a 14-year member of Local 1 and Foreman for The Henson Company, described a project of both massive scope and fine detail. It was
“the most intense job that I’ve done,” he said, “and I’ve done a lot of jobs.”
The Henson Company projects that BAC members will work over 41,000 hours to complete Evergreen High School located in Burien, Washington. This project features 54,000 sf of concrete masonry units (CMU), 265,000 Norman brick laid in a one-third running bond, 26,000 Modular Glazed Brick for accent features, 35,000 Norman Thin Brick
to span areas where support steel was not feasible, and more than 74,000 sf of water repellent and anti-graffiti protection installed by BAC members.
Two gymnasiums and a theater were constructed with 12-inch block and reinforcing steel, Graves said, but that was just the start. “After we built the main structures,
the whole thing is veneered with brick,” in a highlight of the project that will immediately stand out to students, educators, and visitors at the school.
“This job is unique. It’s got different patterns,” Graves explained.
“It’s got glazed brick patterns integral into the brickwork. It’s got a soldier course that actually are
houndstooth, they step in and out around the building. It’s a really nice set-up as far as architecture.”
BUILDING THE FUTURE
Keystone Masonry, the contractor for the Rainer Beach High School project in Seattle, called attention to the detail work that will produce 11,000 work hours for BAC
BAC Local 1 Washington / Alaska members with local and international officers, laborers and Henson staff.
MEMBERS AT WORK
members. The building is planned for LEED platinum certification.
“This project has canted walls that batter in and corbel out using squints at returns, so this was a challenge even for the most talented of masons, both laying the material and setting lines and poles, to do so,” Keystone President Chris Ivy said. “Fortunately we have some of the best BAC craftworkers on our project that the industry has to offer. Their experience, professionalism, and attention to detail is a tribute to some of the best quality and craftsmanship that you’ll find anywhere.”
Steve Alcorn, a 13-year Local 1 WA/AK member and project Foreman, described one of the challenges: “We have canted, angled walls that are going up. Some of them are coming out from the building, the whole building, and they’re kind of like stepping out each course all the way up, and we’ve got a column that’s doing the reverse, stepping in, and out on the other side.”
“I’ve done corbel work, but not at this scale at all,” he said. Alcorn relied on his years of experience to ensure this aspect of the project went smoothly, “using poles to keep a straight line for the corners that are leaning out and also going at a compound angle. I had to figure out a way to set those up so we’ve got a true corner there that’s following a specific line.”
BAC Local 1 Washington / Alaska members with local and international officers, laborers and Keystone Masonry staff.
“There’s another curveball,” Alcorn added. “Every four or five feet there’s a flashing detail in there that you’ve got to restart everything. That was an added dilemma there as well, but we’re conquering it.”
The large scope and level of detail in these projects also provided learning opportunities. Alex Williams is a US Army veteran who joined BAC through the Helmets to Hardhats program five and a half years ago. Williams journeyed out early on this project, which he said included his first time on a 12-inch double wall and has been “the first job I’ve been laying every day, the block side and the brick side.” Being involved in a project of this complexity has been an opportunity: “I’m on the wall every day, learning stuff from all the ‘old-timers.’”
ABLE TO GET THE BEST WITH PREVAILING WAGE
“Local 1 members are showcasing their exceptional skill and dedication on two prevailing wage projects in King County, WA,” said Local 1 Washington / Alaska President Lowell Glodowski. “These projects are not only a testament to the craftsmanship of our union bricklayers, but also highlight the critical role of prevailing wage in ensuring fair compensation and maintaining the high standards that benefit our communities. By upholding these standards, we continue to strengthen our local economy
MEMBERS AT WORK
and support the livelihoods of our skilled BAC workers.”
According to Graves, the fact that it was a prevailing wage jobsite made working with other trades a better experience. “Because they get skilled workers in here for the other trades, it makes it easier for us to work with them.”
“Prevailing wage is crucial for our contractors to be able to compete for these public projects,” Glodowski continued. “Without it, low-road contractors would under-bid ours, and taxpayer money would go to a
company that exploits their workers and does inconsistent work.”
The two school projects have added significance for these BAC members, for the communities they’re serving, and for the trade.
The average public school building in the United States is 49 years old, according to National Center for Education Statistics data, and 38% of school buildings were constructed before 1970. Many permanent school buildings are too small for the student populations they serve — 31% of schools are
using one or more non-permanent (portable) buildings.
The school being replaced by the Keystone Masonry Inc. project is a case in point — it is in such poor condition that students staged a walkout in protest more than a decade ago and continued to advocate until the school board passed funding for the new building.
There are many schools across the country in dire need of replacement in the coming years, and Graves sees the scale of the masonry in the school he’s working on as a hopeful sign. “If they start making schools like this, it’s going to help our trade,” he said.
Alcorn agreed, saying, “The last two school jobs that I’ve done,
there’s been a lot of detail work that we don’t normally see,” with another school near Seattle including 90 arches.
The Local 1 WA/AK members are also focused on the service they’re providing to the local community through their craftsmanship. The students “are going to be awed,” Graves said. “I’ve never seen a school like this.”
“When I was in the Army, I was an infantryman, and doing that job felt like I was serving a greater purpose. It felt good to be doing it,” Williams said. “And doing this job, building a school for kids, it’s kind of like the same thing, I’m doing something for someone else, so it’s a greater deed.” //
NEWS IN BRIEF
Local Leadership Conference Focuses on Growing BAC
BAC local union leaders from across the US and Canada gathered at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor from July 31–August 2 for the annual Local Leadership Conference. This year’s conference focused on the US presidential election, strategic approaches to organizing, and managing roles as union leaders, all with the goal of growing BAC.
“This isn’t the first time our union has been tested on multiple fronts, and it won’t be the last. Resiliency has defined our union over its history, and we have an obligation to adapt to changes in our world of work and in society overall. That is what BAC members expect — and deserve,” BAC President Tim Driscoll stated in his opening remarks.
During the three-day educational program, local leaders attended plenary sessions and workshops on topics including organizing, safety, communications, research, management, mental health, collective bargaining, and political action.
Political strategist and Purple Strategies Senior Advisor Donna Brazile; National Labor Relations Board Member David Prouty; NABTU President Sean McGarvey; and Vice President of Research, Advocacy and Outreach at the Center for American Progress Will Ragland addressed the conference on the accomplishments of the Biden-Harris administration and the potential consequences of the upcoming election, especially the threat that Project 2025 poses to workers.
“The Local Leaders Conference was enlightening, engaging, and informative,” shared Local 1 MN/ND/SD President Doug Schroeder. “The ability to take these lessons and apply them to our local is invaluable. I came back with a renewed enthusiasm of what it means to be a local leader.”
To kick off the get out the vote campaign, BAC hosted a welcome reception at Michigan Stadium, home of the Michigan Wolverines. BAC leaders gathered with brothers and sisters from North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) and the Michigan Building Trades to unite their efforts to elect Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz. US Representative Debbie Dingell (MI-6), US Representative Elissa Slotkin (MI-7), and MI State Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks were amongst the evening’s speakers. //
1.
2.
3. National Labor Relations Board Member David Prouty
4. US Representative Debbie Dingell (MI-6) 5. US Representative Elissa Slotkin (MI-7)
Political Strategist and Purple Strategies Senior Advisor Donna Brazile
NABTU President Sean McGarvey
BAC Local Unions
Celebrate Labor Day
BAC Local Unions and ADCs showcased their BAC pride and solidarity by participating in Labor Day parades across the country.
NEWS IN BRIEF
Sealing Up BAC’s Trade Jurisdiction Through Organizing
For over a decade, BAC Local 3 California had been working to sign Urban Waterproofing to a collective bargaining agreement. Current and retired Local 3 leaders, including President Troy Garland, spent countless hours over the years talking to the owners and workers of the Bay Area firm, which was founded in the early 1990s and quickly grew to become
one of the area’s most prominent waterproofing contractors.
“Urban was always signatory with the Roofers Union for the Roofers’ jurisdictional scope, but we knew there was a real opportunity for them to grow in caulking and above-grade waterproofing through a partnership with BAC,” said Garland. “We never stopped trying to show them the advantages of signing with us.”
Then in January 2023, Urban partner Marshall Johnson called Local 3 to discuss possible work on Alcatraz, and field representatives David Calderon and Colin Johnson saw an opportunity to finally capitalize on the groundwork that the Local had been laying for years.
“Marshall wanted to talk about the kind of skills that our members could offer the company, and wanted to make sure that we could provide them the craftworkers to achieve their expansion goals,” said Colin Johnson. “We showed them how the work that BAC members do complemented their existing business, and we talked about our comprehensive PCC training program.”
While Urban was interested in what BAC could offer, the company still had reservations. “When we sat down with them, some of
the leadership group were really concerned about how their Roofers would react to having BAC members on the job,” remembered Calderon. “We discussed how other signatories balanced those issues, and the upsides of expanding fully into BAC caulking and masonry and concrete restoration work.”
After months of discussions and emails, Urban signed a full CBA with Local 3 in October 2023, and since then has quickly grown its BAC workforce. “When Urban signed, they brought in three new members, including a couple former members who were happy to be back in BAC, and they’ve been hiring up,” Garland said. “They’re investing in the future — bringing on apprentices as well.”
One of those apprentices, Vanhsay Nompraseurt, is glad Local 3 never stopped trying to organize Urban. “I like working for them because they model safety, customer satisfaction, and the foremen work with me hands-on to teach me the trade. They have had me doing waterproofing, restoration, spall repairs, and laying down epoxy membrane to waterproof a ledge over a penthouse.”
As Garland explained, “that’s why we never give up on an organizing target.” //
Urban Waterproofing partner Marshall Johnson and Local 3 California Vice Chair Colin Johnson (no relation) shake hands after signing Urban’s first BAC CBA.
Local 3 California PCC apprentice Vanhsay Nompraseurt on an Urban project on Treasure Island.
BAC Local 1 PA/ DE Demonstrates
Bricklaying at Philadelphia’s Carpenters Hall
In May, BAC Local 1 PA/DE — in collaboration with the International Masonry Institute, the Employing Bricklayers Association, Williamson College of the Trades, and signatory contractor Joseph Dugan, Inc. — demonstrated bricklaying at the Historical Craft and Trades Fair at Philadelphia’s historic Carpenters Hall.
BAC apprentices and students from Williamson College of the Trades demonstrated traditional bricklaying techniques to the public touring the historic site, while Joe Healy from Joseph Dugan, Inc. displayed traditional masonry tools.
BAC has a historic connection to Carpenters Hall — the Bricklayers Company or Bricklayers Society, which was the precursor to BAC Local 1 PA/DE, met at Carpenters Hall when they began organizing in the late 1700s. //
Western Region Apprentices
Compete In Yearly Contest
Every year, the Locals in the BAC Western Region come together to have their apprentices face off. In 2024, Local 1 Washington / Alaska hosted the event at their training center outside of Seattle, Washington.
“This competition is a fun and exciting event every year, and we were honored to be this year’s hosts,” said Local 1 WA/AK President Lowell Glodowski. “It is great to see apprentices each year show what they can do and for BAC members at all levels to network and social with each other, building our BAC Western Region family.” //
CONGRATULATIONS TO THIS YEAR’S WINNERS: BRICK
1st Place Coy Seeger, Local 1 OR/WA/ID/MT
2nd Place Isaac Graham, Local 1 OR/WA/ID/MT
3rd Place Ashley Harris, Local 1 WA/AK
TILE
1st Place Jesus Angulo, Local 3 CA
2nd Place Eduardo Artiaga, Local 4 CA
3rd Place Alan J. Ramirez Gomez, Local 4 CA
PCC
1st Place Kevin Santos, Local 1 WA/AK
2nd Place Anthony Hernandez Govea, Local 1 WA/AK
3rd Place Daniel Bojorquez, Local 3 CA
MARBLE
1st Place Irvine Acevedo, Local 4 CA
2nd Place Stephen Hannon, Local 1 WA/AK
3rd Place Fabian Gomez, Local 3 CA
BAC officers, IMI and IMTEF staff, and contestants at the 2024 Western States Apprentice Contest.
Local 4 CA member Eliel Gutierrez
Local 4 CA member Eduardo Artiaga
Local 1 WA/AK member Ashley Harris
Mountain West ADC (Local 13 NV) member Jonathan Renteria
Local 4 CA member Irvine Acevedo
BAC MEMBER PROFILE
Able to Retire with Dignity
Thorleif “Leif” Boro is a BAC member currently enjoying his well-earned and fought for pension. Starting with the union in 1987, Brother Boro is proud of his career as union bricklayer. “I loved it, working with my hands, I miss it,” Boro said. “I had a lot of friends, apprentices that I helped… It was just really enjoyable.”
Boro started out working non-union, but when he had an opportunity to join BAC, he jumped. He was out of his apprenticeship a year later. “I love my union, I love the whole thing about it — the people, the work we did, caring about each other,” Boro said. “When I worked non-union, I was out there by myself.”
GETTING INVOLVED
Brother Boro served in his local, Local 5 New York (now merged with Local 1), as Secretary for many years, getting involved “because I cared.”
He was a strong advocate for the union on the jobsite, enforcing the union shop and organizing new members. When working on the Davis Barracks at West Point University the contractor hired out-of-state, non-union workers; “I told him, ‘They can’t work here,’” Boro recalled. “So, I signed them up. They are still in the union now.”
While salting, he saw the difference with many non-union
contractors. “You get quality work with the BAC because we care about what we do; we do it correctly,” Boro explained. Without prevailing wages to maintain a standard for public projects, “everyone would lowball the bids.” He has been salting on jobs where he has had to redo work of other workers, adding to the cost.
PENSION SAVED
After the 2008 Financial Crisis, the Local 5 New York pension was hit hard, and not enough new workers were coming in to replenish the losses. Local 5 members, along with over 1 million other workers, desperately needed legislative support to fix what Wall Street broke. Thankfully, because of the Biden-Harris administration’s inclusion of the Butch Lewis Act into the American Rescue Plan, Boro and his other BAC brothers and sisters will receive the pension they earned.
“Nothing was happening when Trump was in there, and as soon as Biden was put in, boom, we got it. That tells you something about priorities,” Boro said. “Without Joe Biden, I would not have a pension right now, I wouldn’t have a house… I’d have lost it all.”
“With the election coming up, I am noticing a lot of union members are looking toward Trump,
which I don’t understand,” Boro emphasized. “He is a BS artist. He will just lie, lie, lie to get elected and if he gets in there again, he isn’t going to care one bit for anyone but himself.”
“Harris is going to follow Joe’s lead on labor,” Boro continued. “As President, Joe Biden was always for union workers, and she saw that as his VP. Nothing bad is going to happen to union families while she is President, only good. People can get good, union jobs because of the laws in place now — like prevailing wage. If we lose that, then we are done.” //
The Biden-Harris Administration: Four Years of Prioritizing Worker Safety
In October and November, BAC members in the United States will cast their ballot along with their fellow citizens. There are many issues that are important to every voter. For those of us in construction for whom workplace safety is a priority, the BAC Safety and Health Department put together a few key points for consideration:
WORKER PROTECTIONS FROM RISING HEAT
The Labor Department, led by the Biden-Harris Administration, has proposed a new rule to protect workers from extreme heat (tinyurl.com/ye22x7x6). This rule is crucial for keeping BAC members, and all workers, safe during extreme heat events as they become more common.
WORKER FOCUSED OSHA
During the Trump Administration, the number of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspectors and OSHA inspections dropped drastically. In January 2019, OSHA stated that they employed 875 compliance officers, down from 952 in 2016. The number of inspectors directly correlates with the number of workplaces that can be inspected and citations issued to employers. Inspectors on staff were cut to 870 in April 2019, the lowest number of compliance officers in OSHA’s history. As a result, according to
Photo Courtesy of BlueGreen Alliance
a 2019 report, there was only one OSHA inspector for every 79,000 workers in the US. At that staffing level, OSHA only had enough inspectors to inspect workplaces once every 165 years.
After the Biden-Harris administration took over, by the end of 2023, OSHA had 878 inspectors, an 11% increase from the Trump Administration. The agency conducted 31,820 total inspections in 2022, a 30.8% increase from 2021.
Under the new Worker Walkaround Rule (tinyurl.com/ 2jphf6yd), OSHA inspectors can also permit union representatives to join walkaround inspections on non-union sites to ensure that safety standards are being met on those worksites.
STRENGTHENED PROTECTIONS AGAINST HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS
On March 1, 2024, the EPA, under the direction of the Biden-Harris Administration, finalized its amendments to the Risk Management Program Rule to reduce the threat of chemical accidents.
The Safer Communities by Chemical Accident Prevention Rule (tinyurl.com/5y259wac) requires stronger measures for prevention,
preparedness, and public transparency, including searching for safer technologies and frameworks for safety processes. It also includes stop work authority and increases worker participation and training in safety decisions.
PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENTS
Thanks to the Biden-Harris led Department of Labor, there is now a federal requirement to use Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) on construction projects receiving federal funding.
PLAs require every contractor on a jobsite to pay the wages and benefits negotiated in the applicable local union contract, and abide by the safety standards in those contracts. This means BAC members get more work on federal jobs and all work is done at high safety standards. But if Donald Trump wins the election, he plans to ban federal PLAs.
The Biden-Harris Administration’s actions noted above make construction workers safer, but they didn’t stop at correcting the mistakes of the previous administration — they are actively working to address concerns
around worker safety that the Trump Administration never considered. For example, OSHA has launched the first ever effort to establish a national workplace heat standard — an increasingly prevalent hazard that Trump’s OSHA neglected to address.
“There is no question that workers are safer today because of the Biden-Harris Administration,” said BAC Secretary-Treasurer Jeremiah Sullivan. “If President Trump is reelected, we can expect all the gains of the last four years to be rolled back, and protections gutted possibly even further than his first term. The transition plan published by key members of his advisory team, Project 2025, would make workplace protections negotiable, so workers can be put in a position that their workplace is no longer meeting basic federal safety standards.”
“BAC’s goal will always be that every member goes home in the same condition that they came to work in, every day,” Sullivan continued. “When it comes to workplace safety, it’s clear which candidate for President shares our goal.”
References: BlueGreen Alliance, AFL-CIO, OSHA //
“BAC’s goal will always be that every member goes home in the same condition that they came to work in, every day”
How do the Candidates for President of the United States Support Workers and their Unions?
JOBS AND WAGES
Wages: The Biden-Harris administration modernized the federal prevailing wage law, the Davis-Bacon Act, to increase wages for workers, making it easier to update wage scales, and enforce prevailing wage requirements. It will help prevent low-road companies from winning bids by exploiting workers.(1)
Infrastructure: The Biden-Harris administration enacted the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).(3) The IIJA is a once-in-a-generation investment in our nation’s infrastructure; providing much needed resources to help address critical infrastructure needs, including roads, bridges, railroads, airports, public transit, and water systems. The IIJA will improve economic productivity and create more than two million jobs over the next decade. In addition, thanks to the strong labor
protections included in the law, most of those jobs will be career-sustaining, union jobs.
Project Labor Agreements: The Biden-Harris administration issued an Executive Order requiring that all federal projects over $35 million be done using Project Labor Agreements (PLAs).(4) PLAs require the payment of union wages and benefits on projects. This Executive Order has resulted in the most federal PLAs in history.
RETIREMENT SECURITY
As vice president in 2021, Kamala Harris cast the tiebreaking vote to save more than 1 million union members’ pensions by passing the Butch Lewis Act as part of the American Rescue Plan. Her vote prevented massive cuts to the pensions of 1 million workers and retirees, including thousands of BAC members, to ensure they wouldn’t face poverty in retirement through no fault of their own.
JOB SITE HEALTH & SAFETY
The Biden-Harris administration increased the number of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspectors by 11% over the Trump administration and increased the number of worksite inspections by 31%. Under the Biden-Harris administration, OSHA also announced an
1. https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/government-contracts/construction/rulemaking-davisbacon 2. 2025 Presidential Transition Project Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise, page 604 3. https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3684
extreme heat rule to address some of the most basic needs for workers’ health and safety including water, shade, and rest breaks.(12)
UNION RIGHTS
The Biden-Harris administration appointed the most pro-union National Labor Relations Board—the agency responsible for protecting workers’ organizing and bargaining rights—in history. For the first time in decades, organizing was made easier for workers. The Board has gone after illegal, corporate union-busting and made it easier for workers to organize new unions. This led to the largest one-year increase in union victories on record.
Vice President Harris has committed to sign the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act into law if/when Congress passes it. The PRO Act is a landmark labor bill that would end union-busting “right to work” laws and make it easier for workers to form unions and win strong contracts.
TRAINING / APPRENTICESHIPS
The Biden-Harris administration has invested $730 million to expand, modernize and diversify the use of Registered Apprenticeships to create and strengthen career pathways for all workers to obtain good jobs with competitive wages.(11)
5. 2025 Presidential Transition Project Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise, page 604 6. Statement of Administration Policy, February 5, 2020 7. Donald J. Trump and Elon Musk’s Live Interview on X, August 13, 2024 8. https://www.osha.gov/workerwalkaround/final-rule 9. https://www.osha.gov/heat-exposure/rulemaking 10. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/12/08/fact-
KAMALA HARRIS
Voting is our most essential right as citizens. How you vote is your decision alone, but we want every BAC member to know where the candidates stand on issues important to workers and their unions. By voting for candidates who support our union’s priorities, we can collectively shape the future of our workplace and community.
JOBS AND WAGES
Wages: The Trump administration failed to effectively enforce prevailing wage requirements and allowed the number of investigators enforcing Davis-Bacon to fall to record lows.
Trump’s Project 2025 agenda proposes to repeal Davis-Bacon and gut protection for all construction workers.(2)
The Trump administration’s overtime rule left many workers without needed protections.(14) As this issue was being finalized for press, Donald Trump boasted to a campaign rally in Erie, PA that he “hated” overtime pay, and that in the past he “wouldn’t pay” overtime to his workers.(15)
Infrastructure: For the Trump administration it was all talk and no action when it came to doing anything to address the long and growing backlog
of much needed infrastructure investment. Trump promised to invest in infrastructure, but after four years all we ever got was a PR sound bite of “infrastructure week.”
Project Labor Agreements: The Trump administration ignored the rights of workers and refused to fight for any standards on federal construction projects. As a result, there were exactly zero federal PLAs during the Trump administration. Trump’s Project 2025 Agenda would eliminate PLAs.(5)
RETIREMENT SECURITY
When President, Trump was well aware of the multi-employer pension crisis, and even promised to fix it. Not only did he not fix the problem, but the measures that he and his allies proposed would not have made the plans solvent. Even worse, the Trump plan would have put even the most wellfunded pension plans in jeopardy.
JOB SITE HEALTH & SAFETY
Under the Trump administration, workplace safety was such a low priority that they never even named a director of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. They also let the number of inspectors drop to historic lows.(13)
For more information about the candidates and where they stand on worker issues, go to https://tinyurl. com/37hzpphk, or scan the QR code.
UNION RIGHTS
Trump appointed union-busters to the NLRB, and they did everything in their power to weaken the rights of workers to collectively bargain and form unions. Among other things, Trump’s NLRB made it harder for unions to win elections, allowed forced arbitration, and made it easier for employers to make contract changes without negotiating with unions.
Trump has said he would veto the PRO Act if passed by Congress.(6) His opposition to workers and their unions is well documented, such as his recent conversation with Elon Musk where he complemented Musk for firing his Space X workers for exercising their right to strike. Trump said: “they go on strike, and you say, ‘That’s OK. You’re all gone.’”(7)
TRAINING / APPRENTICESHIPS
The Trump administration introduced IRAPs, Industry Recognized Apprenticeship Programs. While building trades unions successfully fought off IRAPs in the construction industry, their introduction threatened to undercut our established apprenticeship programs across the country and allow the nonunion sector to abuse and underpay their workers in the guise of training.(16)
BAC Delegates Attend Democratic National Convention
BAC delegates advocated for working people and represented the union at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. They participated in meetings and events to coordinate mobilization efforts to elect pro-worker candidates up and down the ballot this fall.
Delegates also met with labor-friendly legislators to discuss issues affecting BAC members. BAC ADC 1 of Illinois, and the International Masonry Institute, held a demonstration during an event at the McCormick Place Convention Center. //
Each year, the Illinois State Fair Twilight Parade marches proudly through Springfield, IL announcing the annual eleven-day showcase of Illinois agriculture and entertainment. Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) took a moment with Local 8 IL member Brandon Pittman to show her support of BAC.
1. Left to right: B AC Northeast Regional Director Al Catalano, Local 3 NY President Rick Williamson, BAC President Tim Driscoll, IMTEF National Director of Apprenticeship & Training Anthony DiPerna, US Representative Joe Morelle (NY-25), BAC Director of Collective Bargaining Agreements Michael Di Virgilio, and BAC Secretary-Treasurer Jerry Sullivan.
2. Left to right: B AC President Tim Driscoll, IL Governor J.B. Pritzker, and ADC 1 of IL President Mike Volpentesta.
3. Left to right: B AC North Central Regional Director Jeremy Rivas, ADC 1 of IL Organizer Tony Demme, IL District Council Training Center Brick Instructor Mariusz Panocha, BAC Director of National Agreements and Trade Jurisdiction Tim Rossborough, BAC Director of Collective Bargaining Agreements Michael Di Virgilio, and IL District Council Training Center Tuckpointer Apprentice Coordinator Jose Miramontes at a demo event at the McCormick Place Convention Center.
4. Left to right: ADC of NJ Secretary-Treasurer Leon Jones, Jr., BAC President Tim Driscoll, and NJ Governor Phil Murphy.
5. Left to right: Former SAG-AFRTA President Gabrielle Carteris, BAC Secretary-Treasurer Jerry Sullivan, and AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler.
6. Left to right: B AC Executive Vice President Keith Hocevar, US Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-7), and ADC of Eastern MO Director Brian Jennewein.
7. Left to right: B AC Secretary-Treasurer Jerry Sullivan, US Senator Raphael Warnock, and BAC President Tim Driscoll.
Project 2025 — Get the Facts
There is a lot of information circulating about the Project 2025 Presidential Transition plan drafted by right-wing groups for former President Trump to follow if re-elected. Here are some myths vs facts about the controversial plan:
MYTH: Workers will earn more money under a second Donald Trump presidency.
FACT: Project 2025 will change overtime rules to allow employers to compensate overtime work with paid time off instead of overtime pay. Overtime will also be amended to be based on 80-hour two-weeks or 160-hour months, so employers do not have to pay overtime if a worker works 10–12 hour shifts for a day or week and then doesn’t work for others. (tinyurl. com/2a95tda9, page 588).
MYTH: Donald Trump claims he does not know who is behind Project 2025.
FACT: A review of Project 2025 revealed at least 240 people with ties to both Project 2025 and to Trump working on the “Mandate for Leadership.” (CNN - tinyurl. com/3y9btvpt)
MYTH: Union members will have more work under a Donald Trump presidency.
FACT: Project 2025 will let employers retaliate against union organizers and allow companies to decertify union elections midcontract. (tinyurl.com/2a95tda9, pages 601 & 603)
MYTH: Donald Trump will invest in infrastructure to rebuild our cities.
FACT: Project 2025 seeks to repeal the Davis-Bacon Act and end prevailing wage payments on federally funded projects. (tinyurl. com/2a95tda9, page 604)
MYTH: JD Vance claims that Donald Trump will fight for workers and unions.
FACT: The Trump-endorsed Project 2025 will gut union rights and allow for employers to bust unions in secret. (tinyurl.com/2a95tda9, page 602)
It is certain that if Donald Trump and his ultra-right-wing Republican allies are allowed to enact this presidential transition agenda, it would fundamentally change labor, and all, laws in our country.
In addition to what is above, Project 2025 seeks to:
+ Let employers create their own sham company unions by reintroducing Republican Senator Marco Rubio’s Teamwork for Employees and Managers (TEAM) Act, creating employer-controlled “councils” to weaken workers’ bargaining power. These phony organizations with fake employee committees are staffed with anti-union workers hand-picked by management. This would erase unions’ influence on labor laws, worker protections, and splinter worker representation.
+ Eliminate child labor laws that protect teens from working in construction, mines, meatpacking plants, or other dangerous workplaces. If minors are allowed into a construction job site, not only will it restrict job opportunities for our members, but also make everyone’s job more dangerous!
We encourage every BAC member and their family find out more by going to betterunion.org/project2025 or scan the QR code. //
Coordinators Share Ideas to Advance Apprenticeship & Training at IMTEF Conference
Over 40 apprenticeship and training coordinators from across the US and Canada gathered this September at the BAC/ IMI International Training Center for IMTEF’s Coordinators Conference. The event provides coordinators the opportunity to learn best practices that strengthen the union’s training programs.
“Interacting with other coordinators is so valuable,” said Josh Height, Local 3 CA Coordinator. “The air of professionalism from my colleagues is apparent in everything we do, from curriculum development to training deployment.”
During the conference, attendees participated in roundtable discussions on effective recruitment and retention strategies that can bring in more members and help them lead fulfilling, lifelong careers with BAC.
“We need to be innovative to make the opportunities BAC provides to build a middle-class lifestyle available to everyone,” said IMTEF National Apprenticeship and Training Director Anthony DiPerna. “We also need to continue to invest in programs like Mentorship Matters to carry our craft traditions into the future and make our job sites, training centers, and
union halls welcoming places for BAC members.”
One part of that inclusivity is making training more accessible, whether by delivering instruction in multiple languages or offering more online and hybrid programming.
“We’re facing a Great Resignation in construction with the number of retirements projected to occur over the next 6 years,” said Howard Hipes, Local 2 MI Director of Apprenticeship and Training. “By providing online learning opportunities can help us address the knowledge and skill gap we’re up against, while supporting members as they look to advance their careers and step into leadership and management positions.” Hipes cited IMTEF’s online Foreperson training and partnership with Saylor Academy, which allows BAC members to take free classes for college credit, as examples.
Another solution in recruiting qualified BAC craftworkers is strengthening local partnerships
with organizations like Helmets to Hardhats (H2H), which helps transitioning veterans find employment in the building trades, and IMI’s Job Corps programs, which provides masonry and tile pre-job training to young people. Attendees learned about working with these organizations to fill the need for more skilled craftworkers.
Apprenticeship and training coordinators play a critical role in ensuring members have a positive experience in the program. As a part of that effort, coordinators reviewed member feedback provided in IMTEF’s apprenticeship survey and shared successes they’ve had in creating positive environments for apprentices, from providing more flexibility, to team building experiences, to supportive services, and more.
“It’s great having our coordinators come together to share ideas that will continue to make BAC’s training programs the best in the business,” concluded DiPerna. //
IMTEF's Apprenticeship and Training Coordinators at the BAC/IMI International Training Center for the 2024 Coordinators Conference
IMI Convenes Masonry Industry to Keep BAC Materials at Forefront of Green Building
IMI’s Sustainability Summit, held this September, convened masonry industry stakeholders and decision makers from across North America to discuss how BAC-installed materials can meet the increasing market demand for green building. Event attendees included leaders and sustainability practitioners from the Brick Industry Association (BIA), the Concrete Masonry and Hardscapes Association (CMHA), and major brick and block manufacturers.
The Summit provided a forum to discuss the industry’s progress in developing product category rules (PCRs), life-cycle assessment (LCA) tools, and environmental product declarations (EPDs) for masonry materials. This information is used to provide standards for assessing the environmental performance of a material over its lifetime so that project owners, designers, and construction professionals can make informed product selections. As federal and local regulations make the push for low carbon building materials and practices, owners and designers are increasingly requesting this data.
Summit attendees heard about federal regulations and building projects from Charlie Martin, the General Services Administration’s
(GSA’s) Buy Clean Advisor. GSA, the largest landlord in the US, owns and leases over 363 million square feet of space in over 8,000 buildings across the country.
The agency is currently using funds from the Biden-Harris Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to make their buildings more sustainable and cost-efficient. The IRA also includes a grant program that supports the development of EPDs.
BIA is currently updating its industry wide EPD. CMHA recently released an industry wide EPD and is in the process of developing a new PCR. Both associations are also working to encourage and support their manufacturer members in developing product specific EPDs.
“Masonry materials have long been considered a sustainable product because of their durability, longevity, and local availability and IMI has promoted our systems based on this,” said Caryn Halifax, IMI President. “Now, as the manufacturers in our industry develop the necessary environmental data we’ll have the tools needed to clearly demonstrate the superiority of building with masonry.”
Masonry industry stakeholders also heard from Ryan Welch, Principal and Research Director
at the architecture firm KieranTimberlake, on the specific data needed to effectively advance masonry systems viewed through an environmental lens. Welch, who developed the LCA app Tally®, which also worked on a study for IMI to show how masonry can be better represented in tools like Tally.
“Having our materials in the software that designers use to assess the embodied carbon of a building is critical in ensuring they continue to choose masonry,” said Roy Ingraffia, IMI National Director of Industry Development and Technical Services. //
Tricia Mauer, Chief Operating Officer and President-Elect of the Brick Industry Association, tries her hand at laying brick during IMI's Sustainability Summit at the BAC/IMI International Training Center.
BAC Announces 2024 US and Canadian Bates Scholarship Recipients
Thanks to the 2024 US and Canadian Bates scholarship programs, six college-bound students from BAC families will receive financial assistance to continue their education.
Each year BAC awards three US Bates scholarships to graduating seniors whose parents or stepparents are BAC members in the United States. Complete information and the application form for the 2025 US Bates scholarship will be available in early 2025 in the Education & Training section of bacweb.org, or by texting BATES to 50607.
Each year BAC awards three Canadian Bates scholarships to graduating seniors whose parents or stepparents are BAC members in Canada. Complete information and the application form for the 2025 Canadian Bates scholarship will be available in early 2025 in the Education & Training section of bacweb.org.
US BATES SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
PAUL KACZOR
Attending: University of Wisconsin
Major: Architectural Engineering
Family/IU Info: Piotr Kaczor, BAC Local 21 Illinois
What does this recognition and the union mean to you?
This recognition means a lot to me. It signifies hard work, dedication, and achievement. It’s a validation of my efforts and a reminder to keep pushing forward. The union represents solidarity, collective strength, and shared goals. It’s a support system that ensures fair treatment, better working conditions, and a sense of belonging. For my family, it symbolizes protection and advocacy.
What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received? “Be kind to yourself.” We often set high standards and criticize our mistakes. Remember, it’s okay to stumble; what matters is how you rise and learn from it.
Who would you like to give a shout-out to?
A shout-out to my amazing teachers, mentors, and friends who’ve shaped my journey. Their guidance and encouragement have been invaluable.
Attending: University of Michigan
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Family/IU Info: Paul Shampo, BAC Local 2 Michigan
What does this recognition and the union mean to you?
This recognition is a validation of not only my hard work but my dad’s as well. It encourages me to keep pushing towards what I want and serves as a reminder that perseverance and passion can lead to meaningful achievements.
The union has allowed me and my family to live our lives comfortably and happily. When I was younger, my family was in a terrible car accident. Fortunately for us, my dad wasn’t involved in the accident, so he was able to keep working to support us. The accident left us with a ton of medical bills, but with the help of the union we had health insurance.
What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received?
My grandfather, Carl Feathers, told me to “Never, never give up.” It is with this advice that I gained my drive and determination.
OLIVIA SHAMPO
Who would you like to give a shout-out to?
I would like to give a shout out to my mom, dad, older brother, and grandparents. Without them I would have never achieved as much as I have. They were great role models of what it’s like to work hard and they supported me in everything I have done.
JASON CUSHING
Attending: University of Pittsburgh
Major: Engineering
Family/IU Info: Craig Cushing, BAC Local 9 Pennsylvania
What does this recognition and the union mean to you? It’s a huge honor to me that the BAC has awarded me this scholarship. Unions negotiate higher wages for their
members compared to non-union workers, which provides better financial stability for my family. Membership includes access to benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, and paid leave, which ensures that my family has access to necessary healthcare and financial security for the future.
What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received? Treat others with respect until they show they don’t deserve it.
Who would you like to give a shout-out to?
My father, 100%.
CANADIAN BATES SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
LEAH WHERRY
Attending: University of Manitoba
Major: Science
Family/IU Info: Simon Wherry, BAC Local 1 Manitoba
What does this recognition and the union mean to you?
This scholarship is such an honour, and recognizes the hard work and time I dedicated towards my studies and passions throughout high school. This is an amazing start to the journey towards my career and allows me to pursue my studies and ease the financial burden of my continued education. The union is a support system for my family and I, and provides stability and a sense of security. The union prioritizes family values, which is demonstrated by awards like this.
What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received? Mindset is everything. If you pursue things with a positive mindset and that you can succeed, you will. This mindset also allows you to enjoy the process and improves your outlook on life.
Who would you like to give a shout-out to?
I would like to give a shout-out to my dad. He continuously shows me the importance of hard work and supporting your family. He shares my excitement for my future ambitions and has always encouraged me to pursue them.
KEAGEN SLANEY-BOLAND
Attending: Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador
Major: Computer Science
Family/IU Info: Jennifer Boland, BAC Local 1 Newfoundland and Labrador
What does this recognition and the union mean to you?
Receiving the Bates Scholarship is a tremendous honour and a crucial step in my academic journey. This recognition not only validates my dedication and hard work but also provides essential financial support, which will allow me to focus on my studies and future career.
The union represents a community committed to the highest standards of craftsmanship, professional development, and mutual support, which resonates with my own values and goals. I am deeply grateful for this opportunity and excited
SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
about the ways it will help support my academic and professional growth.
What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received?
The best piece of advice I have ever received was never give up. Life will put many obstacles in your path but there is absolutely nothing you can’t overcome. Leave yesterday in the past, embrace the present, and strive for the future. You’ve got this.
Who would you like to give a shout-out to?
I would like to give a big shout-out to my family. I wouldn’t have accomplished what I have if it wasn’t for their love, support, encouragement and guidance.
EROS BAZAN
Attending: University of Manitoba
Major: Business Commerce
Family/IU Info: Darrell Bazan, BAC Local 1 Manitoba
What does this recognition and the union mean to you?
Receiving this scholarship from my dad’s and grandpa’s union holds a special significance for me. Not only is it an incredible honor that validates my hard work, but it also feels deeply personal as it reflects a legacy within my family. This recognition is a meaningful connection to the values
and contributions of those who came before me. The scholarship eases the financial burden of my studies, allowing me to focus on my academic and extracurricular passions. It motivates me to continue striving for excellence and to honor my family’s legacy by giving back to my community.
What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received?
The best advice I’ve been given is to stay true to myself. In high school, it’s easy to worry about what others think, but this advice helped me focus on what makes me happy and to stick to my own values. It has taught me not to be afraid to make my own decisions or face new challenges, and trust myself, which has really boosted my confidence.
Who would you like to give a shout-out to?
I want to give a huge shout-out to my grandpa (60-year Local 1 MB member Luciano Toppazzini) for taking a big risk when he decided to come to Canada and become part of Local 1 MB. His bravery in leaving behind everything familiar and starting a new life has shaped my family into what it is today. Joining the union and working hard to build a stable life for our family wasn’t easy, but his determination and sacrifices paved the way for the opportunities I now have.
His story is a constant reminder to me of the importance of perseverance, hard work, and taking risks when it matters most. I’m incredibly proud of what he achieved, and his efforts have truly made a lasting difference in our lives.
BAC FAMILY MEMBERS AWARDED 2024 UNION PLUS SCHOLARSHIPS
Four students from BAC families were among the 209 students selected to receive 2024 Union Plus scholarships. Nearly 6,000 students applied for the 2024 scholarships, which range from $500 to $4,000.
BERTHA AMARIZ ESPINOZA
Bertha is the daughter of BAC Local 21 Illinois member Juan Espinoza-Gutierrez. She is a 2024 graduate of Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School in Chicago and plans to study architecture at Illinois Institute of Technology. She has long dreamt of becoming an architect and is inspired to increase
the number of Latina women in the field. While at Mother McAuley, she earned Academic Awards of Distinction in English, music, orchestra, performing arts, and science.
“This recognition means a lot to me because my father has worked very hard my entire life to get me where I am now. He has always supported my dreams, from learning to play the violin to studying architecture. With this scholarship, it will also give my father something less to worry about
financially. I am very glad to have received this scholarship and it is one of my first steps in honoring my dad’s hard work,” Bertha said.
“My father’s union has meant a lot to my family and me since he joined,” she continued. “Local 21 has helped us find good and reasonable health plans, and has given us security knowing that my father’s work rights are being protected and represented by the BAC. My dad also has a good retirement plan that gives him and my family some security for their future to come. I am proud to be a BAC Local 21 home.”
ABIGAIL HUNTER
Abigail is the daughter of BAC Local 4 Indiana/Kentucky member Gary Hunter. She is pursuing an associate degree in paramedic sciences at Ivy Tech Community College in Indianapolis. Abby is a certified nursing assistant (CNA) and telemetry monitor technician at Dukes Memorial Hospital in Peru, IN. She earned CNA certification during her junior year at Northfield Junior/Senior High School and recently became a certified EMT. Her goal is to serve her home community as a paramedic firefighter.
Abby’s father was raised in a union home and was able to work alongside his father before he retired. “My father has taught me how to be a leader and have a good work ethic, both of which are traits he learned as a BAC member,” Abby said. “Working a BAC job has provided my father with job security and continuous training to improve himself in the trade.”
“This recognition is extremely important to me,” she continued. “When writing essays for the scholarship application, I was able to learn more about my father’s experiences through his work. This scholarship is not only a recognition of me, but to my father’s years of hard work.”
VICTORIA SAMOJEDNY
Victoria is the daughter of BAC Local 1 New York member Adam Samojedny. She is a 2024 graduate of the High School for Math, Science and Engineering at City College in New York and plans to study neuroscience at Case Western Reserve
University. In high school she was a student researcher at Mount Sinai, softball manager, and participated in Taekwondo and skiing.
“The scholarship provides much needed financial aid as I embark on my college journey,” said Victoria. “It eases the burden of tuition and other expenses, allowing me to focus more on my studies and less on financial worries. This support is crucial for my academic success and personal growth. This recognition motivates me to uphold the values of BAC — integrity and craftsmanship — as I pursue my education and future career.”
“I owe a great deal of gratitude to BAC,” she continued. For me and my family, BAC is much more than just an organization; it represents a foundation of support and opportunity.”
AVA SCHMIDT
Ava is the daughter of BAC Local 15 Missouri/Kansas/Nebraska member Cody Schmidt. She is a 2024 graduate of Santa Fe High School in Alma, MO. In high school she participated in basketball, volleyball, and track, and was a member of the Future Farmers of America, Fellow Christian Athletes Club, and Chiefs Club for athletes who achieved varsity letters in one sport. She also achieved academic all state, an award given to students who excel on the court and in the classroom.
“The union has brought many things to our family, like a roof over our heads, food to eat, healthcare, and electricity. It also gives my family peace of mind for a safe working environment for our dad. My father has been in the union for over 20 years. As he nears the end of his career as a bricklayer, he will worry less about retirement because of the pension system that the union has offered,” Ava shared.
Complete information and the application form for the 2025 Union Plus scholarship program is available in the Education section of unionplus.org, or by visiting https://www. unionplus.org/benefits/education/union-plus-scholarships. The application deadline is January 31, 2025. //
CANADA INVESTS TO SUPPORT SKILLED TRADES WORKERS
The Government of Canada recently announced over $14.1 million for 13 new projects in Ottawa funded through the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy’s Union Training and Innovation Program (UTIP) — Investments in Training Equipment stream and the Innovation in Apprenticeship stream. Over $1.1 million in funding for three projects in Alberta under the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy’s Investments in Training Equipment stream — primarily going to the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology.
The projects in Ottawa are part of the over $74.6 million being invested in 124 projects recently awarded funding
under the UTIP. Under the Investments in Training Equipment stream, 114 projects awarded funding over the last two years are helping unions and training providers improve the quality of training by purchasing equipment and materials that meet the latest industry standards or investing in new technology. The remaining 10 projects are being funded under the 2022 UTIP — Innovation in Apprenticeship stream, which support innovative approaches and strengthen partnerships to address apprenticeship challenges in the Red Seal trades.
UTIP is part of the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy’s response to the most
pressing needs of the skilled trades workforce, including addressing the housing crisis, barriers to successful entry, and increasing net-zero construction to unlock Canada’s full economic potential. The Government of Canada invests nearly $1 billion annually in apprenticeship assistance. The goal of the support is to build a robust skilledtrades workforce that is inclusive, certified, and productive.
“By investing in these projects, the Government is providing the resources and support necessary for BAC to attract, train, and retain the next generation of craftworkers,” said BAC Canada Regional Director Craig Strudwick. //
INVESTISSEMENT DU CANADA POUR SOUTENIR LES OUVRIERS QUALIFIÉS
Le gouvernement du Canada a récemment annoncé l’octroi de plus de 14,1 millions de dollars à 13 nouveaux projets à Ottawa, financés par les volets Investissements dans l’équipement de formation et Innovation dans l’apprentissage du Programme pour la formation et l’innovation en milieu syndical (PFIMS) de la Stratégie canadienne de formation en apprentissage. Plus de 1,1 million de dollars ont été accordés pour trois projets en Alberta dans le cadre du volet Investissements dans l’équipement de formation de la Stratégie canadienne de formation en apprentissage, principalement au profit du Northern Alberta Institute of Technology.
Les projets d’Ottawa font partie des 74,6 millions de dollars investis dans 124 projets récemment financés
dans le cadre du PFIMS. Dans le cadre du volet Investissements dans l’équipement de formation, 114 projets financés au cours des deux dernières années aident les syndicats et les organismes de formation à améliorer la qualité de la formation en achetant des équipements et du matériel conformes aux normes industrielles les plus récentes ou en investissant dans de nouvelles technologies. Les 10 projets restants sont financés dans le cadre du volet Innovation dans l’apprentissage du PFIMS de 2022, qui soutient les approches innovantes et renforce les partenariats pour relever les défis de l’apprentissage dans les métiers du Sceau rouge.
Le PFIMS fait partie de la réponse de la Stratégie canadienne de formation en apprentissage aux besoins
les plus pressants de la main-d’œuvre qualifiée, notamment en ce qui concerne la crise du logement, les obstacles à l’entrée sur le marché du travail et l’augmentation du nombre de constructions à consommation énergétique carboneutre afin de libérer tout le potentiel économique du Canada. Le gouvernement du Canada investit près d’un milliard de dollars par an dans l’aide à l’apprentissage. L’objectif de ce soutien consiste à créer une main-d’œuvre qualifiée, solide, inclusive, certifiée et productive.
« En investissant dans ces projets, le gouvernement fournit les ressources et le soutien nécessaires à BAC pour attirer, former et maintenir en poste la prochaine génération d’ouvriers », a déclaré Craig Strudwick, directeur régional de BAC Canada. //
INTERNATIONAL FUNDS
INTERNATIONAL HEALTH FUND
Four Years of Better Health
Four years ago, in October of 2020, the United States reported more than 20 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 and over 6.4 million people contracted the virus during the month. American workers had not experienced this deadly or disruptive of a pandemic since the 1918 flu pandemic, and they felt it. In addition to the lives lost, work was limited from construction projects that were paused to meet states’ shelter-in-place orders to cities where our crafts were considered “non-essential” work, nobody needs a reminder of how challenging the COVID-19 pandemic was on BAC members.
Then President Donald Trump’s disastrous initial handling of the pandemic and subsequent COVID19 vaccine roll out slowed the return to work for many BAC members and their families. Trump set a goal to vaccinate 20 million Americans by the end of 2020. However, by the end of 2020, fewer than three million Americans, most in the health care field, had received their first vaccine.
When Joe Biden and Kamala Harris entered the White House, the attitude changed on day one. They began the “war” on COVID,
working tirelessly to get the American Rescue Plan (ARP) passed. And when passage of ARP was threatened by GOP obstruction, Vice President Kamala Harris cast the tie-breaking vote that delivered relief to millions of Americans. This plan provided stimulus checks for families struggling during the pandemic, financial support for workers’ COBRA payments, saved our pensions, and supported the small business that kept our members working. It also facilitated access to COVID vaccines and important healthcare while Americans were still battling the raging virus, mutating to other variants, and reinfecting workers.
The American Rescue Plan created a national vaccination program to facilitate the safe reopening of most K-8 schools in the first 100 days of the Biden-Harris Administration. They also ensured that working Americans were protected by ensuring paid sick leave and allocating $50 billion to scale up COVID testing and ensured that any American could get free COVID tests as needed.
The Administration also expanded upon the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act
(MHPAEA), requiring health plans to cover mental health benefits on the same terms as other types of medical care, improving access to essential mental health and substance abuse coverage for millions of Americans.
After the country’s health started to normalize, the Biden-Harris Administration did not stop fighting for our health, and passed the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022, which allowed for Medicare to negotiate lower prices for certain life-saving medications for seniors — lowering the cost of insulin to $35.
Now that President Biden has stepped aside and Vice President Harris has begun her campaign, she has already made key plans that if passed will continue improving the lives and health of BAC members and their families — including canceling medical debt for millions of Americans, and fight to lower the costs of other medications.
In contrast, Donald Trump’s advisors have published their dangerous Project 2025 agenda. It would repeal the parts of the Inflation Reduction Act that allowed Medicare to negotiate and lower drug prices, make it more difficult to qualify for Medicaid, and eliminate the Affordable Care Act. //
We Can’t Go Back on Worker Mental Health
Federal leadership shapes public health perspectives, and a public health perspective that centers on worker mental health and wellbeing is one we can stand behind. The Biden-Harris Administration has demonstrated a commitment to combatting the mental health and substance use crisis. The Harris-Walz Administration promises to further our country’s mental health infrastructure and prioritize equitable treatment.
Mental health is a workforce issue, as our workplaces play a significant role in our daily lives. Mental health challenges can arise from a variety of reasons, such as long, inflexible hours, excessive workloads or pace, discrimination, harassment or bullying, or conflicting home and work demands. These challenges can affect us all, as 84% of workers surveyed by the HHS reported their workplace conditions contributed to a mental health struggle.
Since taking office, the Biden-Harris Administration has taken steps to help people experiencing mental health struggles. Under the Administration’s Unity Agenda, a large and comprehensive national strategy was released to greatly improve access and utilization of mental health and substance use disorder treatment
services. These resources are a critical component to the structural success of the Biden-Harris Administration’s 988 suicide and crisis lifeline, which has answered millions of life-saving calls and texts since it was launched in 2022.
The Food and Drug Administration, led by the Biden-Harris Administration, recently approved the life-saving opioid overdose reversal medication Naloxone for over-the-counter use, a critical success for stakeholders within the construction industry, whose workers have been disproportionately harmed by the opioid epidemic. Labor partnerships, with Biden-Harris’s guidance, have led to increased education, training, and distribution of Naloxone via Building Trades Unions and Building Trades Employers’ Associations.
The Department of Labor led by the Biden-Harris Administration has also partnered with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to address workplace mental health challenges, including providing training and resources on how to reduce burnout at work.
Breaking the stigma of mental health struggles takes time and dedication. While mental health is currently a priority, the momentum can easily be shifted. Under different leadership a new Surgeon General could be appointed, or the Department of Labor and OSHA priorities could be completely shifted away from mental health issues. We must stay the course if we are to conquer the mental health crisis.
We cannot go back on mental health in this country. //
LOCAL Compass
LOCAL
9 PENNSYLVANIA
Dennis “Jim” Bogan, a 67-year member of Local 9 Pennsylvania, celebrated his 100th birthday in June with family and friends. Brother Bogan joined BAC in September 1956 as a brick and stone mason. A World War II veteran,
as a radio operator 2nd class in the US Navy, and participated in three major battles in the Pacific Theater during the
he served
war.
Left to right: Local 9 PA member Sam Testa, Local 9 PA Organizer Lewis Radomile, and Local 9 PA members Ray Mincin and Jared D’Alessandro at the Labor Day parade in Pittsburgh. The group worked together at Patrizio Art Mosaic Company, the oldest terrazzo contractor in the US.
ADMINISTRATIVE DISTRICT COUNCIL OF EASTERN MISSOURI
Administrative District Council of Eastern Missouri presented several 50-year members their Gold Cards during a retiree luncheon in May. Not present, but also receiving Gold Cards were John Smith, Charles “Rick” McMullin, Robert “Mike” Heitkamp, and James Meyer.
LOCAL 3 CALIFORNIA
Retired E MO
ADC Director Don Brown receives his Gold Card from E MO
ADC
LOCAL 4 INDIANA/KENTUCKY
Secretary-Treasurer Michael Fox Director and E MO ADC Director Brian Jennewein.
Front row left to right: Dennis Shy, Dan Stamm, Robert O’Leary, Mike Mell, Dennis Koelling, Dennis Gallagher, and Retired E MO
ADC Director Don Brown. Back row left to right: Local
1 MO Vice President and Business Agent Terry Daniel, E MO ADC Secretary-Treasurer Michael Fox, Sr., Local 1 MO Recording Secretary and Business Agent Tim Kaikkonen, E MO ADC
Director Brian Jennewein, Johnny Walker, Jr., and Local 18 MO President and Business Agent Mike Weber.
Left to right: Local 3 CA member Steve Marriott and retired Local 3 CA President Greg Miranda are recognized for their 50 years of service.
Local 4 IN/KY 50-year member Ed Helton receives his Gold Card from Local 4 IN/KY Field Representative Robert Thomas. Before he retired, Brother Helton was an Apprenticeship Instructor and Organizer with the local.
IN MEMORIAM — MARCH
Benefit Claims for March 2024
Antonacci, Sr., James N. - 02, NY/VT B, M, P 89 71
Barbeito, Raul - 04, NJ B, CM 92 68
Broberg, Robert F. - 01, MN/ND/SD B 92 68
Cannon, Francis G. - 01, PA/DE B 84 57
Charsha, Jr., Malvin C. - 04, CA PC 87 54
Clark, Sr., Ronald E. - 23, OH/KY/WV/MD B 84 56
Coombe, Abner G. - 05, PA B 89 68
DeJonghe, Leroy D. - 02, MI B, M 85 55
Delgado, Luis A. - 01, CT TL 66 33
DeSantis, Antonio - 02, MI CM 98 66
Dibble, Brian K. - 02, NY/VT FN 59 29
Dippold, Ervin E. - 01, PA/DE B 75 42
Dotson, II, Johnny M. - 23, OH/KY/WV/MD B 62 39
Duvall, William R. - 09, PA B 87 54
Dzieciolowski, James M. - 02, MI B 86 66
Farrell, John E. - 09, PA B 92 62
Ferrante, Joseph R. - 08, SE PC 92 68
Fritsch, John N. - 03, NY B 92 35
Giszas, Fritz C. - 01, AB B 96 69
Graham, Leo S. - 03, MA/ME/NH/RI B 79 44
Hall, Robert S. - 21, IL PC 67 42
Hanrahan, Francis T. - 01, MN/ND/SD CB 90 58
Henry, Thomas J. - 01, MO B 94 61
Huff, Sr., Bennie L. - 08, SE B 94 69
Ihlenfeld, Paul J. - 08, WI B, M 77 51
Jackson, Peter S. - 04, ON B, M 100 74
Johnson, Robert J. - 01, PA/DE B, M 88 70
Keicher, Stefan - 01, MB B 93 69
MEMORIAM — APRIL
Albright, Joseph M. - 08, WI B 89 66
Andreina, Leonida - 79, IL B, CM 88 62
Angel, Earl H. - 01, MD/VA/DC B 100 58
Bennett, John - 01, NY B 89 61
Benninghoven, Claus - 03, IA B, M 89 66
Bleem, Sr., David F. - 09, PA B, CM 82 55
Bondi, Neil P. - 21, IL B 84 65
Bucchiotti, Nibe - 02, BC B 91 67
Cadeddu, Antonio - 02, ON B, M 97 59
Cali, Anthony - 23, OH/KY/WV/MD B 97 75
Carey, Rodney E. - 23, OH/KY/WV/MD B 61 22
Dandois, John R. - 01, MD/VA/DC B, M, W 78 60
Kent, Donald W. - 03, CA TL 85 61
King, Clarence E. - 01, MO B 90 68 Kratsch, Friedrich J. - 08, SE TL 95 66
Lemonakis, Mike - 08, SE CM 90 42 Lopez-Morales, Ricardo - 21, IL FN 36 4
Lotoahea, Sione M. - 01, OR/WA/ID/MT TL 44 6
Luczynski, Anthony - 56, IL B 93 71
Ludwig, Robert C. - 09, PA PC, CM 76 25
Martinez, John R. - 03, IA B 87 64
Mauriello, Salvatore A. - 02, NY/VT B, CM, P 89 64
Morgan, Elwood R. - 23, OH/KY/WV/MD PC 83 50
Nelson, Charles R. - 01, MN/ND/SD B 88 61
Nemeth, Arthur R. - 09, PA B
Ott, Erwin A. - 01, NY B 84 63
Reisbick, John R. - 15, MO/KS/NE B 91 71
Rich, John C. - 05, NJ/DE/PA CM, P, W, B 73 5
Robinson, Samuel T. - 01, PA/DE B 94 76
Ruisi, Francesco P. - 03, MA/ME/NH/RI B 75 47
Sarullo, Stefano A. - 04, NJ B, CM 85 61
Sciaudone, Pasquale - 01, PA/DE TL 92 50
Sharp, Douglas L. - 04, IN/KY RE 65 26
Staab, Francis J. - 09, PA PC, CM 88 67
Tsang, Shung K. - 03, MA/ME/NH/RI B 75 48
Vatter, Jr., Frank J. - 09, PA B 93 71
Wade, Sr., Oliver E. - 01, MO B 87 67
Webb, James W. - 23, OH/KY/WV/MD B, M 88 59
Williams, Tony A. - 04, NJ B 61 39
Sebastiano - 02, MI
DeMuyt, Thomas E. - 21, IL
Dennis, Charles W. - 01, MO
arley, Freddie E. - 03, CA
Gattozzi, Aldo S. - 06, ON B, M 87 60
Gemmill, Glen E. - 05, PA B, M 90 35
Grippaldi, Anthony - 01, NY B 84 44
Grizely, George - 21, IL B 83 59
Gunther, Jacob M. - 01, NY M 90 66
Harvey, Eugene - 56, IL B 85 50
Hotel, Jr., John J. - 03, NY B, CM, M 63 15
Jacobs, Brian W. - 01, MN/ND/SD B 78 48
Johansson, Allan - 21, IL B 92 72
Johnson, Raymond - 01, WA/AK B 92 56
Jones, Sr., Freddie L. - 21, IL B 95 68
Krotzer, Lloyd G. - 02, MI B 85 66
Kursell, Edwin S. - 74, IL B 87 64
Lagzdins, Edgar - 01, MD/VA/DC B 90 50
Marshall, Thomas J. - 01, NY B 88 67
Martin, Willie J. - 21, IL B 88 57
Maurer, Francis W. - 21, IL B 87 68
May, Theodore - 01, CT TL, T W, MM 96 70
McCausland, Hugh - 05, NJ/DE/PA B 80 59
Mencl, Gerald J. - 23, OH/KY/WV/MD B 70 46
Molon, Robert T. - 21, IL B 93 61
Monteleone, Vincent - 04, NJ B, CM 89 57
Nagasawa, Dean T. - 01, HI TL 54 21
Noon, Clarence E. - 09, PA B, M 98 72
IN MEMORIAM — MAY
Andersen, Jr., Jens A. - 04, WI B, M 91 69
Baldassi, Roberto - 02, ON B 90 65
Bednar, Vincent D. - 21, IL TL, T W, B, CH 94 58
Berg, Lennart F. - 04, NJ B, CM, M, P 95 71
Biery, Bradley K. - 04, IN/KY B 64 44
Blakeman, Duane N. - 03, CA B 88 66
Bolden, Sr., Maxie D. - 04, IN/KY B 89 57
Buntjer, Laverne A. - 79, IL B 84 56
Caron, Joseph L. - 04, PQ B 56 20
Cuntrera, Agostino - 23, OH/KY/WV/MD B 77 57
Davis, Jr., Ed - 08, SE B 94 73
Dimitrijevs, Walter - 23, OH/KY/WV/MD B 91 70
Eggerth, Gary L. - 01, MN/ND/SD B 76 54
Fitch, Thomas G. - 23, OH/KY/WV/MD B 80 65 Floyd, Von B. - 04, IN/KY B 83 57
Gaughran, John - 02, NY/VT M 88 42
Gauldin, Thomas C. - 08, SE B 90 62
Graziosi, Giuseppe - 04, NJ CM, P, B 86 53
Hale, Robert - 04, CA B 89 70
Hartley, Richard A. - 01, AB B 88 71
Herzberg, Paul T. - 07, CN B 96 61
Hillman, Walter R. - 01, MN/ND/SD B 100 74
Hodgson, Jr., Charles R. - 01, MN/ND/SD B 91 59
Hoppenworth, Leroy H. - 02, MI B, CM 93 52
Huntley, Vern R. - 15, MO/KS/NE B 82 29
Pang, Donald K. H. - 01, HI TL 84 58
Pardy, Clayton - 01, NL B 71 51
Parnell, Sr., George L. - 08, IL B 99 78
Philpott, Norbert V. - 01, NL T W, GP 83 54
Relf, Edward G. - 04, CA FN 90 33
Reynolds, Robert F. - 01, MN/ND/SD B
Richardson, Rudell W. - 04, IN/KY B
Riley, Sr., Murray L. - 08, SE B, CM
Rizzo, Lorenzo C. - 01, NY B
59
Roessel, Winfried W. - 01, AB B 81 55
Romano, Francesco - 01, CT B, M 93 59
Scharbo, Frank L. - 09, PA B 98 70
Simonson, Ronald P. - 21, IL B, W 63 28
Soucy, James J. - 01, NY PC 83 56
Tenyer, Josef - 21, IL B 95 67
Tertel, Donald O. - 08, IL W, B, MM, M 86 69
Tiberio, Filippo - 01, NY B 92 60
Todd, Ronald J. - 01, NY B 92 70
Tunno, Richard - 09, PA B
Weiner, Gerald B. - 23, OH/KY/WV/MD B
69 Wells, Richard E. - 03, NY B
51 Whitney, Richard A. - 04, CA B
Yoast, Jack R. - 05, OK/AR/TX B 83 59
Yost, Donald R. - 05, PA P, B, CM
Johnson, Lawrence H. - 08, WI B, M 69 44
Jovanovic, Miroslav - 01, HI TL, T W, B, CH 60 4
Kay, Norman W. - 02, NY/VT B, CM, P 83 59
Killenberger, Jeremy J. - 02, NY/VT TL, T W, B, CH 43 15
Leadbetter, James M. - 23, OH/KY/WV/MD B 84 64
Ledbetter, Bobby G. - 01, MO B 87 66
Lohmar, Warren W. - 74, IL B 90 72
Maitland, Bruce P. - 23, OH/KY/WV/MD B 83 64
Mancini, Ronald - 04, NJ B, CM, M, P 85 61
Martin, Celestino - 02, MI CM, P, B 92 50
McDermott, James P. - 23, OH/KY/WV/MD B
63 Merker, Glen C. - 74, IL B
Minick, Richard E. - 04, IN/KY B
Mion, Sr., Robert L. - 03, NY TL, T W, B, CH
Steger, Robert F. - 05, OK/AR/TX B, M 89 65
Stidsen, Jr., Henry B. - 03, MA/ME/NH/RI B 85 68
Terravecchia, Guido - 21, IL FN 83 24
Thornhill, Robert - 03, MA/ME/NH/RI B, CM 85 63
Tymchuk, William - 02, ON B 102 77
IN MEMORIAM — JUNE
Vollmer, Simon - 21, IL B
Wood, John R. - 02, MI B,
Zorger, Eugene E. - 23, OH/KY/WV/MD B 88 67 Zumello, Herman D. - 04, CA
Alexander, Odell - 74, IL B 85 56
Anderson, Hugh R. - 02, MI B, M 88 56
Berardi, Dominick - 03, MA/ME/NH/RI B,CM, M, MM, TL 91 57
Berns, Gordon P. - 08, WI B 97 66
Bolos, William D. - 01, HI M 85 58
Bond, Ronald R. - 79, IL B 79 57
Buckman, Foster - 04, CA TL 95 67
Calabrese, Nicholas J. - 08, SE B 81 44
Capp, Michael A. - 03, MA/ME/NH/RI B 69 25
Cardillo, Michael S. - 01, CT B, P 83 65
Cicerchia, Ralph - 21, IL B 96 68
Cooper, Sr., Frank W. - 04, CA B 89 66
Crouch, Ronald E. - 15, MO/KS/NE PC 69 40
D’Aniello, Luigi - 02, NY/VT B, CM, M, P 87 54
Dingess, Ernest E. - 04, IN/KY FN 84 31
Donath, Arthur J. - 05, NJ/DE/PA CM 83 62
Doranzo, Frank T. - 01, PA/DE M, B 95 75
Dziukiewicz, Alexander L. - 01, NY B 91 74
English, Curtis J. - 07, NY/NJ TL, T W, B, CH 81 54
Facchin, Renato - 07, NY/NJ T W 91 64
Federer, Richard C. - 02, MI B 80 50
Fernahl, Werner B. - 02, BC B 89 55
Garvey, John W. - 02, MI B 100 42
Gradisher, Anthony J. - 23, OH/KY/WV/MD B, M, P, TL 94 73
Granata, John - 01, CT B, CM, M 88 59
Halter, Daniel L. - 23, OH/KY/WV/MD B 85 57
Harvey, Jr., Arthur E. - 23, OH/KY/WV/MD B 90 73
Hervela, Douglas G. - 02, MI B, CM 84 38
Ienzi, Alberto - 01, MD/VA/DC TL, CH 85 58
Jodlowski, Jr., John J. - 03, MA/ME/NH/RI B 78 46
Kinslow, William T. - 01, MO B 95 75
Kirst, Peter - 23, OH/KY/WV/MD B 81 55
Lisotto, Henry - 07, NY/NJ TL 91 59
Macak, Sr., David R. - 23, OH/KY/WV/MD B 86 67
Madsen, Richard E. - 03, IA B 81 62
Mancini, Mario - 01, CT B 84 49
Marchionda, Leonardo - 02, MI FN 89 36
Martin, Jesse O. - 02, MI CB, B 91 68
Mauri, Sr., Ernesto - 08, SE MH 84 47
Mazza, Frank A. - 03, MA/ME/NH/RI B, CM 91 67
Meagher, Gordon H. - 01, MN/ND/SD CB, M, B 79 50
Mudryk, John J. - 04, CA B
Murphy, Stephen L. - 04, IN/KY B
O’Donnell, Casey R. - 02, NY/VT B, CM, P 70 50
Rioux, Roland J. - 08, NB B
Santarossa, Vincenzo - 06, ON M, TL, T W 94 58
Schincariol, Antonio - 06, ON B
Schmitz, Peter - 07, NY/NJ TL
Schuessler,
MAKE A PLAN TO VOTE!
It can be challenging to stay engaged on the different political issues, especially with the negative, partisan divide currently in our country. It is important though that every BAC member’s voice is heard on November 5.
Whether you have voted in every election or have not voted before, it is important to make a plan to vote.
Voting in elections is how we, the workers, have a voice in how our government is run. Democracy requires everyone to participate. Make your voice heard and VOTE!
CHECK YOUR REGISTRATION STATUS AND/OR REGISTER TO VOTE
Some states allow in-person registration on Election Day, or the week before. It only takes moments to check.
LEARN ABOUT OPTIONS TO VOTE EARLY
Getting time off work is a big reason why many workers do not vote. Most states have absentee, mail-in and early in-person voting options.
EXPLORE YOUR DAY OF VOTING OPTIONS
Find out where you are voting if you are voting in person. Learn what you need to bring with you on Election Day.
RESEARCH THE CANDIDATES
Find out where the candidates stand on the different issues that effect you and your household. See page 18 for a candidate comparison of the US Presidential Election.
SHARE
YOUR PLAN
Vote411.org is a great resource to easily have your voting questions answered. Scan the QR code to check it out. 1 2 3 4 5
Let your friends, family, and fellow BAC members know you are voting, have made a plan, and encourage them to do the same.
