Masonry Magazine May 1981 Page. 10
NEW INSTITUTE
Continued from page 9
They said the new IMI may also explore the feasibility of experimental "quality of work life" projects in masonry to determine if such new approaches can not only improve worker compensation, but assure management of a work force which produces high quality work on a sustained, uninterrupted basis, exhibits a high degree of loyalty and enthusiasm for its work, and applies itself with purpose and imagination.
The masonry industry-composed of craftsmen, contractors, and manufacturers and fabricators of products such as brick, concrete block, stone and tile-has annual receipts amounting to $4-$5 billion, and provides direct employment for approximately 500,000 persons.
The new International Masonry Institute will be a trust fund. In addition to serving as a forum for the consideration and analysis of problems and issues, the Institute will operate four separate programs. Two of these are existing labor/management programs-a market development and promotion program, and an apprenticeship and training program. The former has been conducted through a trust also called the International Masonry Institute, while the latter has been conducted by the International Masonry Apprenticeship Trust (IMAT). Both of these trusts have been succeeded by the new International Masonry Institute trust.
The other two programs to be operated by the IMI are a research and development program and a labor/management relations program.
Three of these four programs-market development and promotion, apprenticeship and training, and research and development-will be funded by collectively-bargained contributions. The fourth-labor/management relations will be funded directly by BAC and MCAA.
(Another existing joint MCAA/BAC program-the Bricklayers and Trowel Trades International Pension Fund-will continue to operate independently and is not affected by the creation of the new IMI.)
The market promotion and apprenticeship and training programs already are funded by collectively bargained contributions, and MCAA and the International Union stated that, beginning immediately, they will seek to have the International Union's local affiliates, and MCAA's chapters and members, include in their collectively-bargained contracts a contribution for research amounting to one cent per hour worked by each union member covered. It is expected that in three to five years, collectively-bargained research contributions will amount to $500,000-$700,000 annually. These contributions would be augmented by research funds from masonry product manufacturers and research grants. As a result as much as $1 million yearly could be available from the industry to the Masonry Research Foundation-a non-profit organization supported by manufacturers, contractors and labor unions or to other research agencies.
Helbert and Joyce said that "masonry needs much more than a $1 million annual research program in order to make a significant contribution to increasing the efficiency of the building industry and thus benefitting the public, as well as to keep masonry competitive with other kinds of building products and systems. We hope, therefore, that we can use collectively-bargained research contributions and funds from manufacturers to attract public and private grants that ultimately may make it possible for masonry to spend $7-$10 million annually meeting its research needs."
MCAA and BAC pointed out that the research program, the market development and promotion program, the apprenticeship and training program, and the labor/management relations program will operate independently within the new IMI and under the over-all policy direction and supervision of a joint labor/management board of trustees.
The two organizations said that standard contract language providing for research and development contributions of one cent per hour worked by BAC members covered by agreements has been worked out and is being made available to local unions and contractor chapters which are now, or shortly will be, in negotiations.
Labor/management relations in masonry have always been close. One reason often cited is the fact that the preponderance of mason contractors began their work careers as craftsmen and BAC members.
MCAA and BAC began creating national joint programs in 1970. The first was a market development and promotion program which now has an annual budget of approximately $900,000; these funds are spent on advertising, public relations and promotion projects in the United States and Canada.
That was followed in 1972 by the creation of the "International Pension Fund." Three years later, a national apprenticeship and training fund was established, and it currently has an annual operating budget of approximately $400,000.
Both MCAA and BAC have membership in the United States and Canada. MCAA has some 1,500 countractor members, while BAC has approximately 135,000 craftsmen members. BAC is the oldest building trades union, and the second oldest union, in the United States.