I hope you all have enjoyed the start of 2024. As we reflect on 2023, we finished the year on a high note, with numerous construction projects throughout the state providing work for our members. We enter 2024 with strong momentum, thanks to substantial infrastructure spending from Washington, D.C., that continues to reach the state and local levels.
Late last year, the federal government announced that some $299 billion in infrastructure spending had leveraged another $503 billion in business investment. Business spending on infrastructure, including manufacturing plants and transportation equipment, rose 56 percent in the last quarter, accounting for 15 percent of the economy, according to data from the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis. These investments will provide hundreds of work hours for many of our members.
Our member pipefitters, welders, and HVAC and refrigeration technicians have been working actively in hospitals, businesses, apartment buildings, and school campuses across the state. Some of our members have used this time of prosperity to start their own businesses.
The new year will also provide a number of opportunities for our members to gather together to give back to the community. I’d like to sincerely thank all of those that
coordinated and attended another very successful annual Blood Drive held at the Local 537 Training Center in January.
We also hope you will visit our merchandise store to purchase some of the popular apparel for yourself, or as a gift to family and friends.
I am looking forward to a tremendous new year for Local 537, and to continuing to serve as your Business Manager. Thank you for all you do, and stay safe.
In Solidarity,
Daniel T. O'Brien Business Manager/Financial Secretary-Treasurer Pipefitters Local 537
Pipefitters Local 537 members have been hard at work at Bunker Hill Community College, overhauling and performing maintenance to the school's chiller plant for the upcoming cooling season.
Bunker Hill is the largest community college in Massachusetts, with an average 13,000 students enrolled per year, and includes an array of building trades study programs. In 2022, the college broke ground on a new Student Success Center building, the first new building in more than a decade and the first of several planned upgrades for the almost 50-year-old campus.
In January, Local 537 was proud to host our annual blood drive in partnership with the Red Cross. With the help of our volunteers, 59 presenting donors, and the Red Cross team, we collected a total of 60 pints of lifesaving blood, including eight PRC procedures.
Thank you to all who volunteered, donated, or supported this year’s blood drive, including our 15 first time donors. We look forward to sharing more opportunities to give back to important organizations in our neighborhoods!
Local 537 members are playing a vital role in one of the biggest construction projects at one of Massachusetts' largest medical research centers. Located in Cambridge, the Ragon Institute of Mass General, MIT, and Harvard conducts groundbreaking immunology and infectious disease research.
The work being done will expand the Institute’s ability to bring together scientists and engineers from diverse fields to better understand the immune system and support human health. The Institute now has six priority research areas: HIV/AIDS, Global Infectious Diseases, Emerging Infectious Diseases, Vaccine Development, Basic and Applied Immunology, and Clinical Studies, along with a COVID-19 emergency area.
Local 537 Scholarship Application –Apply Now!
We're thrilled to announce that the Pipefitters Local 537 Member Scholarship Application for the academic year 2024-2025 is officially open!
Don't miss the deadline! Applications must be submitted by Wednesday, March 30, 2024.
Please note that applications received after this date will not be considered.
To submit your application, you can either email it to LU537unionhall@pipefitters537.com or mail it to Pipefitters 537 Scholarship Fund, 40 Enterprise Street, Ste 420, Dorchester, MA 02125. Visit the website at Pipefitters537.org/members/scholarships to learn more about all future scholarships, eligibility, and application processes.
Don’t forget to check out the Local 537 Store –your one-stop destination for the latest and greatest union clothing merchandise! At Local 537, we're all about empowering our members to express their unique style, and now, you can do it while representing our union.
Visit the store today: Pipefitters537.org/products
Available merchandise includes:
• Baseball Caps
• Tees
• T-Shirts
• Polo Shirts
• Jackets
• Hoodies
• Belts
• And more!
Visit the store today: Pipefitters537.org/products
Congratulations to the members who retired this season! We are so thankful for all your hard work and service to the union. Best of luck as you start this next chapter of your life!
OCTOBER
Thomas E. Creutz
Sandra M. Williams
JANUARY
Brian J. Calvo
Bruce Dixon
NOVEMBER
Paul M. Castellano
Dennis Morse
Timothy B. Tinker
James M. Bordeau
FEBRUARY
Joseph B. Murray, Jr
Scott G. Mackie
Mark E. Spence
