MCAA Regional Report, Region D

Words: Larry VacalaIllinois - Larry Vacala
Indiana - Dan Kwiatkowski
Wisconsin - No State Chair

Workforce Development

No work means problems for Apprentices. Union trying hard to enforce a ration of 1-5 but in this difficult time it is impossible to ask a contractor to take one. There have been some informal conversations about relaxing the ratio due to the lack of work and the low margins allowed on the work that we do have. DCTC (District Council Training Center), is the Bricklayer Apprenticeship School for the area. IUBAC still uses the facility for nationwide training sessions and more are scheduled. There website is www.bac2school.org. A labor management group called CISCO (www.cisco.org) has picked up the slack visiting trade schools and making presentations whenever needed.

The IUBAC has searched out and promoted other areas of construction that Bricklayers and their Union is claiming. It is a new category at the National Union level and at the International Masonry Institute they have titled it “NEW WORK OPPORTUNITIES” (www.imiweb.org).

IUBAC Apprenticeship Program Director is John Flynn (no relation to former IUBAC President) who really hasn’t missed a beat. Chicago remains thrilled with the DCTC and the quality of the instruction awarded our Union Bricklayers.

Nationally many people have commented that we will need 40,000 bricklayers — nationwide. We don’t believe the majority of those are for the Region D Masons? We are slow and don’t anticipate a huge masonry demand. Also many of the bricklayers who left for other work will jump back in for the $41.58 and hour plus benefits. I don’t think too many of them are making more money than that with benefits on top. We are pretty confident they can be lured back into the industry if the need arises.

Economic Climate

2007200820092010201120122013
4254.982819.302064.442348.701952.091537.561056.76JAN
4814.272693.631974.971951.771332.841111.801062.10FEB
2785.622851.982066.281443.67973.201267.94967.38MAR
2406.053530.642175.401354.541384.97921.011194.99APR
3618.923841.262559.951628.061311.491123.751422.14MAY
5512.013265.362370.711836.631459.181433.321552.25JUN
4345.213690.801828.661683.891133.581479.881943.28JUL
4968.153947.672616.241857.532316.781908.581413.13AUG
4783.983498.122628.251756.002281.511901.731627.95SEP
4563.363729.062606.002036.101797.421782.751681.02OCT
4783.982075.282405.031866.891833.301877.51NOV
3447.512097.202475.952067.541071.691426.39DEC
2007200820092010201120122013
50284.0438040.3027771.8821831.3218848.0417772.2213921.00

These figure are based on Safety Money ($0.01) per hour i.e. 2003 = 6.1 million hours.

A list of Union Bricklayer hours worked and reported for each month in the past 8 years. As you can see, hours worked are declining considerably from the 2003’s “banner” year (6 million Hours). It is even worse than this example shows because during 2004 through today in these hours Plasters and Marble Setters (estimated at 450 workers) have been added due to the merger of the “trowel trades”. Work is dead and prices continue to drop. Restoration has even slowed. The Bricklayers Union has merged with Marble Setters, Tile Setters, and Tuckpointers and taken in a number of Plasterers. This merger has been in effect for over 3 years now.

Membership Growth & Chapter Activities

Membership is stagnant in the greater Chicago chapter. —We are losing more members due to failures than ever before. We have had some surprising former members completely leaving the industry and most likely for good. Unfunded Liability issues restrict these contractors from alternative construction contracting. “Supporting Members” have been very active and generous, allowing the chapter’s social activities to continue but they are not growing for now. The downturn in hours has hit the association luckily we had saved for these times.

OSHA & Safety

Locally the MCA of Greater Chicago continues to support the Chicagoland Construction Safety Council (CCSC). Our donations and (1 cent) contributions from the collective bargaining agreements of the Laborers, Bricklayers and Operating Engineers along with others should give the CCSC the needed funds to operate their new and improved training facility in Hillside, IL. But with hours down everyone is suffering. Search the web at www.buildsafe.org they can help you too!

The re-election of President Obama has brought a new agenda for OSHA in 2013. Employers can expect to see OSHA continue its aggressive enforcement including an increase in penalties.  OSHA is continuing to place employers in the Severe Violators Enforcement Program (SVEP) when they are found to disregard safety and health, and issued repeat or willful violations.  Employers placed in the SVEP can expect an increase in inspections and significant fines for violations discovered. Other items we can expect are increased enforcement in programs such as violence in the workplace, Whistleblower Protection Program, recordkeeping and fall protection — now SILICA issues have returned.

We all need to be very vocal about any silica program that could hurt our industry.

Lobby Efforts

MCA of Greater Chicago is very pleased with the efforts put forth by MCAA It remains a bright spot, one of many that keep Chicago enthused with the MCAA. Jeff and MCAA’s efforts have made our chapter poised and willing to continue our support of the MCAA. Local and National policy has been effective. The willingness of our MCAA to help in all aspects has made it easy to stay involved. Concrete Masonry Industry and Pension Reform are our largest issues. Go MCAA Legislative Committee!

We are very active in the state with our membership in Illinois Construction Industry Committee membership. It is tough in Illinois’ with the present leadership, but we will keep the fight on. The ICIC is a consortium of contractor groups formed to monitor statewide legislation. Recently we had an unlikely victory, which is awaiting the Governor’s signature a law change to protect our Contractors. Just amazing what you can do when you work with Labor and lobby for a common cause.
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