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.

John Cunningham, Business Manager for Carpenters Local 210, has written an opinion piece, published in the Stamford Advocate today highlighting some very dangerous trends in the area's construction industry. A young trades worker was killed when he was blown off a roof in a very preventable accident. He and his brothers were owed more than $6,000 in wages, according to reports. Stop Work Orders issued against contractors who don't carry workers' compensation insurance for their crews or who misclassify workers to avoid payroll taxes and their share of other "safety net" programs are becoming more and more common. Major projects being done by major developers are involved.

The last few months should serve as something of a wake-up call for everyone from workers to elected officials and everyone in between. It is especially necessary that general contractors, construction managers and developers begin to pay more attention to what is actually happening on their sites.

Union carpenters have also begun to make more noise in the streets, demonstrating and asking people to pay a more attention to these very serious issues. The industry needs basic standards for how work is done and how workers are treated. Contractors who only focus on getting jobs, investors interested in only profits and elected officials interested in only ribbon cuttings and job creation statistics can not be relied on to follow through. Union carpenters intend to lead the fight.

The Boston Globe today published an opinion piece by Mark Erlich, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the New England Regional Council of Carpenters.

Please read and share.

Scapegoats in Wisconsin
Why is the middle class demonized when Wall Street is the problem?

WE ARE in the third winter of the recession; 26 million Americans are out of work, cannot find full-time work, or have given up looking for work, and $11 trillion in household wealth has vanished.

As winter turns to spring, there is an evolving perspective on the crisis, shifting from an attempt to identify the causes to blaming the victims.

Congress is aggressively looking to eliminate regulatory excesses that are presumably hindering economic recovery only weeks after the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission, appointed by Congress in 2009, issued a report concluding that the crash was caused by 30 years of deregulation, the stripping of key safeguards, and an overly optimistic reliance on self-regulation by large financial institutions. If the Republican approach were part of a homicide investigation, it would be as if the detectives had removed the smoking guns from the perpetrators’ hands and arrested the corpses.

Wisconsin is only the most dramatic site of a broader strategy of absolving Wall Street and scapegoating public employees and their unions. While there are legitimate and critical public policy issues about education reform, spiraling health costs, and pension liabilities at a time of state and municipal budget deficits, why is the fault laid at the feet of teachers, police, and firefighters? Today’s pension obligations are the product of massive investment losses, not excessively generous public pensions that, in fact, average about $19,000 a year. For that matter, a 2010 Economic Policy Institute study showed that, controlled for educational achievement, public sector workers actually earn less than their private sector counterparts.

With corporate profits at record levels, strong bank balance sheets, along with the return of large compensation packages in the financial sector, the commission’s reminder that the continuing devastation of the crisis was entirely avoidable is worth remembering. It was not the invisible hand of the free market but rather “the result of human action and inaction,’’ a reckless environment in which the five major investment banks had leverage ratios (assets protected by capital) as high as 40 to 1.

For a brief moment after the economy fell off the cliff, the excesses of financial manipulations put broader social and economic questions back on the table. Why, for example, does the United States rank 31st out of the world’s 33 most advanced economies in terms of income inequality, more unequal than Third World countries such as Guyana, Nicaragua, and Venezuela? Why, according to the Census Bureau, has inequality increased by 22 percent, and why have the wealthiest 5 percent expanded their share of total income by 32 percent since 1980? And why, during the same period, has average family income climbed less than 1 percent a year, especially when there are far more two-income earners in most families?

The emergence of an American middle class coincided with the growth of unions, and the rise in inequality has accompanied their decline. The myth of the American dream, of the United States as a meritocracy in which economic opportunity is universally available, has never been more in question. Children from upper income families are now 20 times more likely to have high incomes of their own than children from low income families. Classic rags-to-riches stories are limited to professional athletes, celebrities, and fortunate individuals who manage to beat the odds.

Why does the gulf in economic equality matter? Research has repeatedly shown that negative indicators for health, educational performance, economic mobility, and a broad array of social issues are correlated with income inequality. The more unequal a society, the less likely its citizens will have a stake in pulling in the same direction. A generation ago, non-union workers often welcomed news of improved wages and benefits for unionized employees, recognizing that a rising tide lifts all boats. But today’s waters are murkier. At a time of sacrifice and insecurity, many would prefer to sink their neighbor’s slightly bigger boat while wistfully hoping for a glance at a yacht in a gated marina.

The demonization of public employees is a calculated strategy to steer the political spotlight away from those who brought us the recession. If the focus is not shifted back to the root causes of the crisis, in the words of the commission, it will happen again.

Mark Erlich is executive secretary-treasurer of the New England Regional Council of Carpenters.

Mark Erlich, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the New England Regional Council of Carpenters, has appointed David Dow Regional Business Manager for Carpenters Local Unions 26, 111, 275 and 475 in Massachusetts. He takes over the position from Lou Catanzaro, who is retiring from the Brotherhood.

Dow has held multiple positions within the union, starting as a Business Agent for Carpenters Local 218 and including jobs with the Boston District Council, New England Regional Council and the UBC. Before taking the Regional Business Manager’s position he worked for the New England Carpenters Labor Management Program. There he worked on special projects, often building relationships between union contractors and developers.

“While we will miss Louie’s experience and knowledge of the industry, we are lucky to have someone like Dave available to fill the position,” Erlich said. “His many years of leadership and work within the union and with developers, owners and politicians throughout his career give him the opportunity to help the Council and the Local Unions in this area move forward in winning work for our members.”

Mark Erlich, Executive Secretary-Treasurer was recently asked by the editors of Dissent magazine to write a piece summarizing his experience and thoughts about his career in the UBC and the labor movement. It is available here and follows him from an apprentice in Oregon in 1975 through his work as head of a regional union during hard times for construction workers and unions in America.

Dissent is a quarterly magazine featuring a liberal perspective on politics and culture that has been published since 1954.

Architectural millwork is a key element of any building project. When done right, it can really open eyes. At Walter A. Furman Company, craftsmanship and commitment are key, as union carpenters and company management carry on a long-standing company tradition of exceeding client expectations. Take a look behind the scenes to see how they bring it all together.

The Scholarship Sub-Committee of the New England Regional Council of Carpenters has established the guidelines for the eligibility, application, and awarding of scholarships for 2011.

The official guidelines and application can be found here.

Applicants should submit the completed essay, application form and most recent transcript of grades by 5:00 p.m. on April 15, 2011 to NERCC Scholarship, ATTN: Malerie Anderson, 750 Dorchester Ave., Boston, MA 02125.

Applications received after April 15, 2011 will be ineligible.

To eliminate bias, the scholarship committee is blind to the identity of the applicant. Essays are numerically coded to prevent any reader from having knowledge of the writer. Winners of the top two prizes will be asked to read their essays at the June 2011 delegate meeting. Persons awarded first or second place in a prior year are ineligible for first or second place in subsequent years.

Brother Thomas Flynn of Local 67 was elected to the Executive Committee for the New England Regional Council of Carpenters at the quarterly Delegates meeting in Millbury on Saturday. Running unopposed, Flynn will serve out the current term, which expires in
2013. He had held the position on a pro tem basis since the resignation of Richard Dean.

Flynn currently serves as the Political Director for NERCC, the Executive Director of the New England Carpenters Labor Management Program and is the Regional Manager for Locals 33, 40, 67, 218 and 723.

Flynn was nominated by Local 107's Jack Donahue. The nomination was seconded by John Murphy of Local 33.

The Boston Globe did a story over the weekend about the aggressive building program at the University of Massachusetts, state-wide. While projects all over the state are stalled or canceled--including a major Harvard development--UMass is going full steam ahead.

NERCC's Mark Erlich is quoted in the piece.

The Scholarship Sub-Committee of the New England Regional Council of Carpenters has established the guidelines for the eligibility, application, and awarding of scholarships for 2010.

Please read the following guidelines before submitting your application:

2010 NERCC Scholarship Guidelines

2010 NERCC Scholarship Application


Applicants should submit the completed essay, application form and most recent transcript of grades by 5:00 p.m. on April 16, 2010 to NERCC Scholarship, ATTN: Malerie Anderson, 750 Dorchester Ave., Boston, MA 02125.

Applications received after April 16, 2010 will not be eligible.

To eliminate bias, the scholarship committee is blind to the identity of the applicant. Essays are numerically coded to prevent any reader from having knowledge of the writer. Winners of the top two prizes will be asked to read their essays at the June 2010 delegate meeting. Persons awarded first or second place in a prior year are ineligible for first or second place in subsequent years.

The Boston Globe and Boston.com today featured a story about the Carpenters Center being built by the New England Regional Council of Carpenters.

Motorists stuck on the Southeast Expressway soon will have something besides radios and cellphones to grab their attention: trainees learning carpentry at the new Carpenters Center in Dorchester.

The striking $19 million, 75,000-square-foot home of the New England Regional Council of Carpenters is being readied for a Feb. 1 opening on the edge of the expressway. At drivers’ eye level, and less than 30 feet from the southbound travel lane, will be oversize windows that look in on the training center for area carpenters.

Nominations for Executive Board positions for the New England Regional Council of Carpenters have been completed. The following members were nominated and seconded for office and will be placed on the ballot.

Executive Secretary-Treasurer
Mark Erlich, member of Local 40. Nominated by Tom Flynn, member of Local 67. Seconded by Tim Perkins, member of Local 40. Elected without opposition.

President
Richard Monarca, member of Local 24. Nominated by Bob Beauragard, member of Local 24. Seconded by John Murphy, member of Local 33. Elected without opposition.

Vice President
Bill Holmes, member of Local 94. Nominated by Joe Gangi, member of Local 111. Seconded by Bill Cloutier, member of Local 94. Elected without opposition.

Warden
Dan Flynn, member of Local 33. Nominated by Jim McDermmot, member of Local 33. Seconded by Pete McLaughlin, member of Local 33.

Jack Donahue, member of Local 107. Nominated by Fred Taylor, member of Local 107. Seconded by Harry Dow, member of Local 26.

Conductor
Joe Power, member of Local 40. Nominated by Mark Sutherland, member of Local 40. Seconded by Richard Dean, member of Local 275.

Richard Scaramozza, member of Local 33. Nominated by Bert Monte, member of Local 33. Seconded by Lou Cocozza, member of Local 210.


Trustee (three will be elected)
Dave Palmisciano, member of Local 94. Nominated by Chuck Applebee, member of Local 24. Seconded by Mike Antunes, member of Local 94. Elected without opposition.

Brian Richardson of Local 56. Nominated by Bruce Lydem, member of Local 24. Seconded by John Manning, member of Local 535. Elected without opposition.

George Meadows, member of Local 43. Nominated by Dave Palmisciano, member of Local 94. Seconded by Dean Palotti, of Local 24. Elected without opposition.

Executive Committee (five will be elected)
Gary DeCosta of Local 1305. Nominated by Tom Savoie, member of Local 94. Seconded by Ron Rheaume, of Local 1305. Elected without opposition.

Bryan Bouchard of Local 1996. Nominated by Dan Kuhs, member of Local 56. Seconded by Matt Durocher of Local 1996. Elected without opposition.

Richard Dean, member of Local 275. Nominated by Kevin Kelley, member of Local 275. Seconded by Chuck Appleby, member of Local 24. Elected without opposition.

Chuck Appleby member of Local 24. Nominated by Bill Callahan, member of Local 24. Seconded Richard Dean, member of Local 24. Elected without opposition.

Glenn Marshall, of Local 210 nominated for Executive Committee by Mike Robinson of Local 210. Seconded by Mike Magut, member of Local 210. Elected without opposition.

Following are the vote totals for the election of officers to the New England Regional Council of Carpenters. All elected officers were sworn in and take office immediately. The term of elected officers will expire in September 2013.


Executive Secretary Treasurer
Mark Erlich* (unopposed)


President
Richard Monarca* (unopposed)


Vice President
Bill Holmes* (unopposed)


Warden
Dan Flynn--39
Jack Donahue*--82


Conductor
Joe Power*--61
Richard Scaramozza--60


Trustee (top three elected)
David Palmisciano* (unopposed)
Briand Richardson* (unopposed)
George Meadows* (unopposed)


Executive Committee (top five elected)
Gary DeCosta* (unopposed)
Bryan Bouchard* (unopposed)
Richard Dean* (unopposed)
Chuck Appleby* (unopposed)
Glenn Marshall* (unopposed)

*Incumbent candidate.

Congrats to Beth Sturtevant of CCB for being named one of the 2009 Women to Watch by Maine Biz, the state's leading business publication.

CCB is a longtime union signatory contractor in the state and Sturtevant has done radio ads with the New England Regional Council of Carpenters to promote the partnership between contractors and the union. It's a commitment she didn't shy away from in her interview with Maine Biz:

The company prides itself on being a “self-performing” general contractor, meaning it employs much of its craft labor directly, rather than through subcontractors. CCB is also a union shop, one of few of its kind in Maine, an alliance that supplies the company with well-trained and certified employees, she says.

Sturtevant, in her role as a board member for the Associated General Contractors of Maine, has long advocated and lobbied in Augusta for “responsible contracting” practices, or limiting use of independent contractors in the regular work force, a tactic some companies use to avoid providing health insurance, access to workers’ compensation and other benefits.

She’s also dedicated to her employees’ safety, and says the company’s experience modification rate, an insurance calculation that reflects historical safety statistics, has remained below average for years. “Ultimately, the buck stops with me, and the culture and the attitude we have in this company is safety is the priority,” she says.

Contract negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement in Rhode Island between the New England Regional Council of Carpenters, Local 94 and the AGC Labor Division and the Construction Industries road builders have not been completed.

Both of the associations and the union have agreed to a two week extension, with the understanding that any increase in wages or benefits will be retroactive to June 7. As a result of this extension, the membership meeting scheduled for Sat June 6 has been canceled. Another meeting has been scheduled for Saturday June 20 at 9 am at the Carpenters Local 94 hall to consider contract proposals.

A rare bit of good news has come in for former employees of Wood Structures in Saco, Maine. US Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis announced today that the Department of Labor is providing a grant of more than $600,000 for displacement services.

The State of Maine will administer the grant, which may provide "individual career counseling, skills assessment, and basic and occupational skills training," according to the DOL press release.

Bob Burleigh, an Industrial Representative serving Northern New England for the New England Regional Council of Carpenters said: "After two months of nothing but bad news, it is great to have something positive to tell the members affected by the plant shutdown and the bankruptcy. This grant will help these laid off workers get the training and other help that they may need to get back on their feet."

Wood Structures, a 40-year old company who's trusses and raw lumber have been used throughout New England and New York struggled with the collapse of the housing market. They attempted to reorganize their debt through Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, but were forced to lay off the final 50 or so union carpenters in mid-March. They are likely looking at Chapter 7 bankruptcy, which involves liquidation of the company's assets.

As part of their "@ Odds" feature, the Boston Sunday Globe today featured an Opinion piece by NERCC Executive Secretary-Treasurer Mark Erlich. The opposing piece, which followed was written by Greg Beeman, President of the Associated Builders and Contractors, a group that opposes unions. The focus of the two pieces is the use of federal stimulus money in the construction industry and project labor agreements.

Wood Structures, Inc. the Saco, Maine based yard that sold raw lumber and manufactured trusses and other materials for lumber yards throughout New England, has closed and will be liquidated through Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings.

Wood Structures has been struggling for some time as the housing sector steadily declined. The company, more than 40 years old has had multiple owners, according to news reports. The current owner was listed as Roark Capital Group of Atlanta, GA. The final 50 or so employees, who were members of Carpenters Local 1996, were laid off on Monday.

Employees who belong to Local 1996 of the New England Regional Council of Carpenters will be owed a week's pay for every year of service, said Bob Burleigh, the union's industrial representative. Severance and vacation pay will be among the issues the union will seek for workers during bankruptcy proceedings.

Union workers earned wages ranging from approximately $15 to $25 an hour and received benefits, including health care, a retirement plan and paid vacation.

"They were very good jobs," Burleigh said.

The New England Regional Council of Carpenters continues to take advantage of modern methods of communication by recently starting a group on Facebook. Any members or family who are active on Facebook can search for New England Regional Council of Carpenters and select the "Groups" tab on the results page.

The group is currently open for anyone to join, without invitation or permission. Union news and notices will be posted on the group wall, pictures and videos are available and members can easily connect with other members.

More than fifty apprentices at the New England Carpenters Training Center became the latest members to participate in the B.U.I.L.D. program on Friday. The session was led by NERCC ES-T Mark Erlich, Organizing Director Brian Richardson, and Council Representative Vin Scalisi.

The program was slightly altered to account for the knowledge and experience apprentices have and general questions they had about the Council and how it operates.

Council staff will be presenting the BUILD program to apprentices in Millbury every Friday. BUILD has been held in a number of Local Unions within the Council since being rolled out a few months ago. It was developed by NERCC staff over the course of a year. To date, more than 180 members have participated in BUILD since it debuted in the fall.

Any members interested in participating in a BUILD session should contact their Business Agent.

Video highlights of the groundbreaking at Carpenters Place, NERCCs new regional headquarters, is available online. It has been uploaded to a growing library of videos on youtube produced by NERCC.



The video used to open the 2008 NERCC Convention in October is also on the necarpenters page at YouTube in two forms. It is there as it was seen at the convention, but has also been re-edited for expanded use. The modified version uses the same music and many of the same images, but incorporates messages that point out the advantages for owners and developers of hiring union carpenters and contractors.

The next contract allocation will be the subject of discussion at January monthly meetings for those locals covered by the Boston and Eastern Massachusetts agreement, the Northern New England agreement, as well as Locals 723 and 2168.

With the downturn in the financial markets in 2008, there will be an opportunity to review the impact on the New England Pension and Annuity Funds.

Brother Simon James, who serves as the Warden of the New England Regional Council of Carpenters as well as the Business Manager of Carpenters Local 108 and Regional Manager for Central and Western Massachusetts, has announced his retirement from those positions, effective December 31, 2008.

James has been a member of the Brotherhood for more than 29 years and has served as a Trustee on numerous benefit and training funds. He was elected to serve as the NERCC Warden in 1997, 2001 and 2005.

Executive Secretary-Treasurer Mark Erlich has appointed Jack Donahue to fill out James’ unexpired term on the NERCC Executive Board as Warden. Donahue will also take over as Regional Manager for Central and Western Massachusetts. Jason Garand has been named Business Manager for Local 108.

The NERCC presence in cyberspace is growing. It's been many years since we created a website. About two years ago we started sending Council Updates to staff, delegates and local union officers by email. Since July, we've been playing with this Blog thing. We haven't really let anyone know it's here yet, but maybe soon.

The latest front in the effort to reach out to members, prospective members and the general public. I've generated a Facebook profile for myself and started a Facebook "group" for the New England Regional Council of Carpenters. They both link back to our website--necarpenters.org--and will have more content and news as we go.

Check it out. Generate a profile, then search for and join the New England Regional Council of Carpenters.

--Bert Durand

Manny Gines, a member of Carpenters Local 107 and a full time Organizer with the New England Regional Council of Carpenters has been named to the Board of Directors for MassCOSH.

According to its website, "MassCOSH brings together workers, unions, community groups, and health, safety and environmental activists to organize and advocate for safe, secure jobs and healthy communities throughout eastern and central Massachusetts. Through training, technical assistance and building community/labor alliances, MassCOSH mobilizes its members and develops leaders in the movement to end unsafe work conditions."

Since becoming an Organizer almost two years ago, Gines has played an integral role in helping the union connect with exploited workers, particularly those who do no speak English. He has worked in multiple states and with various organizing teams to build coalitions not only in the construction industry, but within communities as well.

The Scholarship Sub-Committee of the Council has established the guidelines for the eligibility, application, and awarding of scholarships for 2009. They are encouraging each Local to make the guidelines available at the next regular meeting and post a copy on the Local’s bulletin board. The guidelines are listed below and will also be available in the news section of the Council website.

The Sub-Committee is seeking four retirees who would be interested in serving as essay reader/graders for 2009. They should contact Ed Flaherty at the Council for more information.

There will be a required essay on a labor-related topic. The essays will be graded by the selected reader/graders for 2009. Please note that essays are provided to the reader/graders with no student names all essays are coded by number so the grader is not aware of whose essay is being read.

The deadline for submitting letters of interest in a NERCC scholarship is March 15, 2009.

At the quarterly Delegate's meeting on Saturday, NERCC Executive Secretary-Treasurer Mark Erlich announced labor trustees for the new Eastern Massachusetts Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee. The Committee, which is the result of the merger of three funds that served all of Massachusetts, excluding Western Massachusetts and Boston, will be composed of 9 labor and 9 management trustees.

The labor trustees will be:
Nick DiGiovanni, Local 26; Jim Turner, Local 107; Joe Gangi, Local 111; Kevin Kelley, Local 275; Rick Braccia, Local 424; Charlie Ryan, Local 475; Joe Broderick, Local 535; Rick Anderson, Local 624 and Ron Rheaume, Local 1305.

The merger of the funds is intended to cut down cost through resource sharing and reduction of administrative costs. It should not lead to any loss in the quality of training programs offered or the service given to apprentices and members seeking upgrade training.

UBC General President Doug McCarron has been encouraging benefit funds to consider consolidation of duplicate programs in Regional Councils across the country.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has taken an increasingly aggressive stance in regards to the misclassification of workers as independent contractors. And well they should. It costs the state millions of dollars in lost tax revenue, strips workers of vital workers compensation coverage and puts honest businesses at a significant competitive disadvantage.

In addition to improving coordination and enforcement by state agencies, leading enforcement agencies are holding meetings around the state to notify businesses and workers about the crackdown.

The latest was held in Southeastern Massachusetts and received prominent coverage in the New Bedford Standard Times. Read the full coverage and post your comments at their web site here. Remember these are public forums, so be direct, but respectful of others. Site editors do reserve the right to remove comments they find objectionable.

The Boston Globe today contained an article about one of the few expanding segments of the economy: tax compliance. In the rough times, many states are ramping up efforts to bridge the income gap by collecting more of the taxes that have been going unpaid.

The article specifically mentions efforts to increase collections of taxes not paid in Massachusetts as a result of workers being misclassified as independent contractors.

The story said: “Massachusetts tax collectors expect to squeeze another $30 million out of some businesses by cracking down on those that improperly classify workers as independent contractors instead of full-time employees to avoid taxes.”

The full story can be read online here.

Two of the videos featured at the recent NERCC convention have been posted online. Please visit the “News and Events” section of necarpenters.org to view them and share them with your fellow union members. The video montage of union jobs throughout New England, which opened the convention is there, as is “Union Town,” featuring rank-and-file members actively promoting union carpenters and union contractors within their communities.

The videos can be viewed here.

Both of the videos are posted using YouTube, which means they can be linked from that site or embedded in other sites using YouTube embedding codes. They will also be burned to DVD for distribution to Local Unions for showing at monthly meetings. Anyone interested in receiving DVDs, should contact Celia McDonough at the Council.

More video content from the convention is being edited and produced so that it can be shared with members who were not able to attend.

This weekend's convention at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods was very well received. We'll be posting some highlights, including video highlights from speakers and programs from throughout the day.

For now, here's the video that opened the convention Saturday morning.