ROOFERS IN THE NEWS
International President Robinson Announces Retirement
K
insey M. Robinson has announced that he is stepping down as International President of the United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers & Allied Workers on January 8, 2022. Robinson stated that “after 55 years of International President Kinsey Robinson will membership and being afforded retire in January. the unique privilege of serving in the capacity of a General Officer for 37 years, it is now time to turn the reins of power over to a younger
generation of leaders. Change is positive and necessary in order for new ideas and strategies to emerge so that our union may continue to grow and prosper.” Upon Robinson’s announcement, the union’s International Executive Board elected current International Secretary-Treasurer James A. Hadel to assume the position of International President January 9, 2022. Assistant to the International President Mitch Terhaar was elected to fill the position of International Secretary-Treasurer to be vacated by Hadel, effective January 9, 2022. ■
Three Questions for International President Kinsey Robinson
T
he daily AFL-CIO Dispatch featured Roofers & Waterproofers President Kinsey Robinson in its July 29 edition. It in, President Robinson is asked to discuss the core of what makes our union great—its members and its programs.
How would you describe members of the Roofers Union? Unionized Roofers and Waterproofers are a diverse group coming from all social and racial backgrounds— natural born and immigrant. They are men and women dedicated to their families, their union and their work. They are the most industrious, most capable and the most resourceful workers in our industry. Through their commitment to hard work and strong union principles, they improve the lives of their families, fellow members and the communities they reside in. I’m honored to be part of a fraternity of brothers and sisters steeped in the rich and lasting heritage of our union’s traditions, and committed
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• The Journeyman Roofer & Waterproofer
to making our industry a better place to work.
Can you tell us about the ERT program your union is engaged in? The Roofers Emergency Response Team, or ERT, is a program developed to help members and their families when catastrophic accidents, disabling injuries and fatalities occur on the job. Whenever an on-thejob accident occurs, if requested, an ERT member is immediately deployed to the location of the accident with a single goal in mind—to assist injured members and their families, as well as any co-workers who may need support. This support involves a variety of tasks that may seem overwhelming to the affected family, such as finding lodging for family members in the area where the injured member is being treated; setting up communications with the employer and the local union; researching appropriate and competent mental health counselors for the affected family; assisting with workers’ compensation, total and
permanent Social Security benefits and gathering information about health benefits and other insurance; and continued support up to one-year. The ERT is comprised of concerned active or retired Roofers Union responders, who are specially trained to handle the necessary tasks.
What are the highest priorities for your union? Our union has an abundance of priorities like all unions do. We choose to focus on craft training, jobsite safety and marketing as the effects of these efforts show the greatest positive results for our members. We provide state-of-theart apprenticeship, journeyman upgrading and foreman training programs at training centers throughout the country. We set the bar high in all our training programs so that members receive the most advanced training available allowing them to compete and increase their work opportunities. Training is a career commitment of all roofers and waterproofers.
