Congratulations on a job well done to eight union carpenters who pitched in a lot of time and effort to help the Rebuilding Together Boston Program on their National Rebuilding Day. The women members, who participated through the Sisters in the Brotherhood program, worked on three sites in the city, adding experienced, skilled hands to the effort.

Rebuilding Together Boston works on an annual basis to repair and renovate the homes of economically disadvantaged homeowners (including the elderly, veterans, families with children, single parent households, the physically challenged and others in need) as well as non-profit-owned facilities (community centers, schools, worship centers, etc.) in the City of Boston. RTB provides its services at no cost to recipients due to the generous support of foundations, corporations, individuals and vendors.

This year's projects on National Rebuilding Day included: six homes in Mattapan, Dorchester and Roxbury; Pine Street Inn Veterans’ housing, a residence for formerly homeless women, and the Nazareth Residence for Mothers and Children.

Members involved in the effort included: Joan Bennett, Local 33; Theresa Haymon, Local 33; Maureen Owen-Ewings, Local 67; Marcia Williams-White, Local 33; Karen Blandino, Local 67; Judy Sullivan, Local 67; Mikey Myles, Local 67 and Liz Skidmore, Local 118.

New England Cable News last week reported on the work being done to rebuild Jackson Square in Boston. The piece includes an interview with the developer and also Charles Cofield. Cofield grew up in the area and is now working there as the carpenter steward and a member of Local 67.

Massachusetts Democratic Senate Candidate Elizabeth Warren was in Washington this week where she visited UBC headquarters and met with General President Doug McCarron, Secretary-Treasurer Andy Silins, UBC Political Director Tom Flynn, NERCC Executive Secretary-Treasurer Mark Erlich and NERCC Political Director Steve Joyce.

Warren will be meeting rank-and-file union members at a Town Hall meeting next week. The event will be held Wednesday, May 9 at 5:30 PM at 1199SEUI's Union hall on Mount Vernon Street in Dorchester. All carpenters are encouraged to attend and bring their families to this important event. Warren will talk to members about herself and where she stands on issues important to us.

Our future is in our hands!

 In recognition of Earth Day 2012 the New England Carpenters Training Fund is sponsoring a FREE electronics Recycling on Monday, April 23, 2012 at the New England Carpenters Training Center (NECTC), 13 Holman Rd, Millbury, MA 01527.

Items may be dropped off between the hours of 7:00 AM and 2:30 PM (any day this week or on Monday, April 23).

Please call the NECTC at 508-792-5443 to let them know if you will participating so they have an idea of when you will arrive and the items you will be bringing.

The following items will be accepted.

• PC’s/Laptops
• Monitors (CRT & LCD)
• Terminals
• Servers
• Wires and Cables
• Fax Machines
• Printers
• Power Supplies
• VCR, DVDs, CD’s, floppies, camcorders
• Electrical Equipment
• Stereo Equipment and components
• Server Racks
• Projectors
• Photocopiers
• Communication Equipment
• Networking equipment
• Cell Phones
• Telecom Equipment

****We will not accept TV’s as there is a charge for them

The office of Mayor Thomas Menino released the following video about construction projects in the City of Boston, terming 2012 the “Year of the Crane”. The video highlights the $3.4 billion in projects currently under construction along with an additional $14 billion in approved projects.

The New England Regional Council of Carpenters and other industry groups are calling on the Massachusetts legislature to make it a felony for employers to fail to purchase workers compensation insurance for their employees. Senate Bill 915, sponsored by Senator Katherine Clark (D-Melrose) and Majority Whip Ronald Mariano (D-Quincy) also has the backing of Attorney General Martha Coakley.

Operating without workers' compesnation insurance is currently a misdemeanor, punishable by upt oa year in prison or a find of up to $1,500. The new law would make the felongy punishapble by up to five years in state prison, two-and-a-half years in jail or a fine of up to $10,000.

NERCC Political Director Steve Joyce said that although union carpenters are always covered by workers' compensation insurance, they are still hurt by those who cheat.

"In an industry where work most often goes to whoever submits the lowest price, any contractor who does not purchase workers' compensation coverage has a competitive advantage right from the start over contractors who follow the law and have coverage," he said. "That negatively impacts any carpenter that works for a legitmate contractor. We're not looking to hurt all employers, we value the role they play in creating jobs. We just want everyone to comply with the law when they do it."

Even the Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM), a group that lobbies for businesses, support the bill. In a story by the State House News Service, John Regan, AIM's Executive Vice President described the current situation as unfair to too many.

"Their faliure to have that insurance in place means that if workers working for them get injured, the rest of the employer commnity pays the bill" and that making failure to have coverage a felony "reflects the seriousness of the issue, and conveys how important it is that coverage be in place."

According to the SHNS story, the Massachusetts Department of Industrial Accidents has reported more than 1,000 cses costing the worekrs compensation fund $26 million in the last five years becuase their employer didn't have worers' compensation coverage. In recent years the department has routinely issued Stop Work Orders against more than 3,000 employer found to be operating without workers' compensation coverage.

Information sessions are being held for members who would like to learn more about degree programs available through the union at Wentworth Institute of Technology. Two sessions are scheduled in the coming weeks.

Saturday, April 21 at 10AM: 750 Dorchester Ave., Boston, MA

Saturday, May 5 at 9 AM: 13 Holman Rd., Millbury, MA

Learn more general information about the program by clicking here.

Brother Thomas Flynn, a 25-year member of Carpenters Local 67, has been appointed by UBC General President Doug McCarron to the position of Political and Legislative Director. The appointment was announced by McCarron today at a meeting of Regional Council leaders.

"The UBC's gain is obviously NERCC's loss," said Mark Erlich, Executive Secretary-Treasurer. "Tom has been one of our shining stars, a valuable leader, and a great friend. As much as I am pleased that he will have this opportunity in Washington D.C., I recognize that it will be very difficult to fill his shoes in New England."

Flynn has served as the Political and Legislative Director of the New England Regional Council of Carpenters for eleven years. During that time he has also served as the Executive Director of the New England Carpenters Labor-Management Program and, since 2009, he was been the Regional Manager for the Boston commercial carpentry Local Unions. He has also been a member of the New England Carpenters Combined Benefit Funds and subcommittees of that fund. In 2010 he was elected to the Executive Committee of the New England Regional Council of Carpenters.

Prior to working for NERCC, Flynn was an Organizer and Business Manager of Local 67 and served in various positions on the Local Executive Board, including President.

While we love the convenience and immediacy of sharing news and information through the “Council Update” and on NERCC.org and social media platforms, we know not every carpenter is active online. So the New England Regional Council is committed to continuing to produce the New England Carpenter magazine and deliver it to every member’s home.

The latest issue of New England Carpenter magazine has rolled through the presses up in Salem, Massachusetts at Deschamps Printing. You’ll notice some changes in this issue, including some new design elements and more (and bigger) pictures of union members and union projects!

We’re featuring a cluster of stories about member involvement in area standards demonstrations and introducing the Union Participation Program, which will plug active members into ongoing union efforts to protect standards and win more work opportunities.

Keep an eye on your mailbox or check-in at the media center on NERCC.org

A group of carpenters at a jobsite in Jamaica Plain saved a young boy’s life and came to the aid of his mother who was struck by a car trying to protect him.

The incident happened last Friday in front of the carpenters’ jobsite at 365 Center Street. The group witnessed a young boy walking down with the street with his mother. Suddenly, the boy darted out in to the busy street. As the boy ran off it appeared he was unable to hear the yells from his mother warning him of the danger he was in.

Carpenters Almarie “Annie” Condry (LU 67), Michelle “Mikey” Myles (LU 67) and Joan Bennett (LU 33) saw the incident unfold and ran out to the street, scooping the boy up and out of harm’s way while stopping traffic. Unfortunately, in a panic, the boy’s mother ran in to the street and was struck by a car. Condry, a former medic in the US Army, lay on the ground next to the woman. Condry immobilized the mother while reassuring her that her child was not hurt and that she would also be ok.

The other carpenters called 911 and comforted the young boy while they waited for help. Paramedics leaving the scene told the group that the woman appeared to have only suffered minor injuries.

On Saturday, Carpenters Local 67 joined Boston City Council President Mike Ross and hundreds of other volunteers to help spruce up the Boston Common for "Boston Shines" a city wide cleanup program to spruce up the city for the upcoming tourist season. Forty rank and file members joined executive board members to lend their valuable skills to the effort.

On the event and the Local's relationship with Councilor Ross, Chris Shannon commented: "Mike Ross' district covers a lot of Local 67s jurisdiction and so we've gotten to know him well in the community and in regards to City of Boston business. His district covers the Longwood Medical Area, Fenway Park and Kenmore Square, Northeastern University and into Mission Hill. City councilors play key roles in bringing new construction projects through the neighborhood process and have a huge influence on how these projects get built. Mike's position as president of the city council means he is involved with projects throughout the city. He has been a great friend of Local 67 and has worked diligently to make sure that union carpenters participate in City of Boston construction projects. We're happy to cooperate with him on the business side, but also when it comes to helping out in the community, where we both try to play leading roles."

Local 67 Executive Board members Chris Shannon, Jay Glynn, Vic Carrara, Mike Kerin, Pat Sugrue and Pat Donavan were joined by rank-and-file members Greg Rouse, Allen McCoy, Modesto Osario, Lorenzo Rusconi, Mike Lavoie, Terence O’Connor, Jimmy Moran, Pierre Calixte, Brian Sugrue, Don Gillis, Albert Robinson, Jeff Glynn, Brandon Lewis, Wayne Thompson, Richard Attardo, Jesus Silva, Daniel Bruto, Trevor Harrigan, Erica Ross, Wendell Sinaise, Erik Goodrich, Al Briggs, Steve Buckley, Dave Lewis, Paul Teahan, John Joyce, Yusif Ali, James Hendricks, Mario Kennard, Richard Diangio, Rob Clarke, Mathew Ward, Steven Feeney, Mark Dellascio, Paul Hagberg, Latisha McQueen, Issiah McQueen, Reggie Joseph, Devon Clark, and Almarie Condry.