MCAA Regional Report, Region D

Words: Dick PorterIllinois - Dick Porter
Indiana - No State Chair
Wisconsin - No State Chair

Economic Climate

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These figure are based on Safety Money ($0.01) per hour ie 2003 = 6.1 Million hours

A list of Union Bricklayer hours worked and reported for each month in the past 7 years. As you can see, hours worked are declining considerably from the 2003’s “banner” year. 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 dead and prices have dropped. Restoration has even slowed. The Bricklayers Union has merged with Marble Setters, Tile Setters, Tuckpointers and taken in a number of Plasterers. This merger has completed.

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 near impossible. If you don’t have an apprentice — you aren’t looking for one. 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. Our Masonry / Bricklayer Recruiter who visited schools and other community centers to educate the public about the careers available in bricklaying, has been let go, due to the market place.

Membership Growth & Chapter Activities

Membership is stagnant in the greater Chicago chapter. — The CBA has changed, due to a Contract Extension which altered the agreement 1 year ahead of its time by adopting a couple of amendments. One of them is to have all under one contract therefore all signatory contractors pay into the promotion and industry advancement funds. It should mean close to 30% increase in funding to our chapter and the local promotion budgets. “Supporting Members” have been very active and generous, allowing the chapters social activities to really prosper. The downturn in hours has hit the association but the above mentioned Contract Extension amendment forcing all to pay has truly been a savior.

OSHA & Safety

Chicago’s position has not changed and the addition of language in ASTM did not please to many of our members. Silica: a problem for everyone. But, OSHA still does not seem to have it on target as of yet. We urge the MCAA to continue to monitor this for us? Chicago would like to become more involved in the MCAA Silica Committee.

Repeat: Our local Silica Committee has tested numerous contractor sites throughout the Chicagoland area and we urge all contractors associations to take a proactive role and get test results. We can’t have a solution if we don’t know the problem. If all the local associations and contractors would sponsor testing, those results could be used to effectively produce a program and give guidelines to Mason Contractors for the purpose of combating the Silica Problem. It could also show OSHA and other regulatory agencies areas where there is not a major hazard of Silicosis. We need to know to properly serve you, the Masons in the OSHA Compliance and Safety arena. If you have testing data please share. If you want ours we will be happy to do the same — but it’s a two way street.

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 will give the CCSC the needed funds to operate their new and improved training facility in Hillside, IL. Search the web @ www.buildsafe.org they can help you too!

Lobby Efforts

MCA of Greater Chicago is very pleased with the efforts put forth by MCAA It remains one of the bright spots, which keeps Chicago enthused with the MCAA. The MCAGC would like to again, publicly thank Jeff for all his fine work on a tight budget. The effort he has made to be more transparent and work with all of his chapters has been remarkable..

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.

MCAA Regional Report, Region D

Economic Climate

Workforce Development

Membership Growth & Chapter Activities

OSHA & Safety

Lobby Efforts

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