Monday, November 02, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
CMAW Fall 2009 Newsletter now online
download the Write Angle as a .pdf
articles:
New 1995 president plans to move forward
CWBP cuts benefits to retired members
Coles says vision & strength needed like never before
Oldest chartered local in Western Canada turns 100
Dam expansion project will create work for carpenters
How the home reno tax credit works
New t-shirts for scaffolders available now
articles:
New 1995 president plans to move forward
CWBP cuts benefits to retired members
Coles says vision & strength needed like never before
Oldest chartered local in Western Canada turns 100
Dam expansion project will create work for carpenters
How the home reno tax credit works
New t-shirts for scaffolders available now
Thursday, October 08, 2009
A different view outside AFL-CIO’s big tent
read full article By Michael Mishak, Las Vegas Sun
The fight goes back to 2001, when the carpenters, under the leadership of Douglas J. McCarron, split from the country’s largest labor federation, dismissing the AFL-CIO as a lumbering bureaucracy that had failed to adapt to changes in the modern construction industry.
The carpenters pledged to organize nonunion workers through so-called “wall-to-wall” agreements, designed to place all workers on a project under the carpenters umbrella. Such pacts, however, effectively meant poaching members from other trades, thus setting up jurisdictional warfare across the country.
After years of fighting, the battle seemingly came to a head in August at the painters union convention in Las Vegas. Painters officials called on the AFL-CIO to condemn what they called the carpenters’ “predatory behavior” and asked the federation’s new leader, Richard Trumka, to help them fight back.
Delegates exclaimed in unison: “It’s about time!”
The AFL-CIO responded at its convention in Pittsburgh last month, passing a resolution urging the carpenters to rejoin the federation. Failing that, the AFL-CIO gave its Building and Construction Trades Department permission to start organizing carpenters — with the ultimate goal of forming a competing carpenters union.
In a statement, McCarron dismissed the resolution as “a solution in search of a problem,” adding that his carpenters work with AFL-CIO unions on a regular basis to complete construction projects.
He said the federation’s officials should spend their resources “organizing the craft workers in the markets they used to represent, before they divert their members’ hard-earned dues in efforts to reach out to workers they lack the knowledge to represent and the skills or resources to train.”
The carpenters’ aggressive organizing strategy, McCarron said, reflects “the industry our members work in, instead of the industry our founders knew.”
Labor experts said they expect the conflict to intensify as more and more contractors engage in work that cuts across traditional jurisdictional lines.
The fight goes back to 2001, when the carpenters, under the leadership of Douglas J. McCarron, split from the country’s largest labor federation, dismissing the AFL-CIO as a lumbering bureaucracy that had failed to adapt to changes in the modern construction industry.
The carpenters pledged to organize nonunion workers through so-called “wall-to-wall” agreements, designed to place all workers on a project under the carpenters umbrella. Such pacts, however, effectively meant poaching members from other trades, thus setting up jurisdictional warfare across the country.
After years of fighting, the battle seemingly came to a head in August at the painters union convention in Las Vegas. Painters officials called on the AFL-CIO to condemn what they called the carpenters’ “predatory behavior” and asked the federation’s new leader, Richard Trumka, to help them fight back.
Delegates exclaimed in unison: “It’s about time!”
The AFL-CIO responded at its convention in Pittsburgh last month, passing a resolution urging the carpenters to rejoin the federation. Failing that, the AFL-CIO gave its Building and Construction Trades Department permission to start organizing carpenters — with the ultimate goal of forming a competing carpenters union.
In a statement, McCarron dismissed the resolution as “a solution in search of a problem,” adding that his carpenters work with AFL-CIO unions on a regular basis to complete construction projects.
He said the federation’s officials should spend their resources “organizing the craft workers in the markets they used to represent, before they divert their members’ hard-earned dues in efforts to reach out to workers they lack the knowledge to represent and the skills or resources to train.”
The carpenters’ aggressive organizing strategy, McCarron said, reflects “the industry our members work in, instead of the industry our founders knew.”
Labor experts said they expect the conflict to intensify as more and more contractors engage in work that cuts across traditional jurisdictional lines.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
The Situational Ethics of Union ‘Raiding’
read full article at Talking Union by Steve Early "CWA organizer"
Whatever their roots or rationale, schisms in the “house of labor” are invariably accompanied by much-feared “rogue union” activity.
That’s why, in Pittsburgh this week, AFL-CIO conventioneers called a brief halt to their torrent of speeches and resolutions about corporate misbehavior to deal with a menacing labor miscreant and outlier—Doug McCarron’s United Brotherhood of Carpenters (UBC).
The 500,000-member UBC left the AFL ahead of other CTW unions, saying its per capita dues were being wasted on ineffective “New Voice” programs launched by the now-departed John Sweeney. Then, in 2005, the Carpenters joined CTW. Then, last Fall—in a development concealed by CTW until this month–the UBC stopped paying dues to Stern’s new federation as well.
A week ago, McCarron made it official—he has quit Change To Win, several steps ahead of John Wilhelm’s UNITE-HERE, which reaffiliated with the AFL-CIO yesterday.
In the meantime, McCarron’s critics say, he has been undercutting AFL construction unions by offering contractors wall-to-wall labor agreements designed to replace other skilled tradesmen with his own members, who will be employed for less pay under more “flexible” work rules.
Not surprisingly, this has made his fellow building tradesmen–plus manufacturing and even public employee unionists–quite irate.
Mike Sullivan, general president of the Sheet Metal Workers, was among those convention delegates who denounced the Carpenters and bemoaned the “millions of dollars” spent “defending the rights of members who don’t want to be in their union.”
Tom Buffenbarger, president of the Machinists (IAM), declared that “this is not just a building trades issue. This is an issue for all others” in the federation (as indeed it is, since the IAM has lately been poaching truckers from the Teamsters).
These more conservative speakers were joined by former UE organizer Ken Allen, now the top AFSCME official in Oregon and a past Labor Notes conference participant. Allen blasted both the UBC and SEIU, headed by Andy Stern. (Stern’s top-down “modernization,” centralization of control over bargaining, and forced consolidation of locals has often been compared to the Carpenters’ own restructuring under McCarren).
Allen told the convention that affiliates “who left in 2005 opened the door for all kinds of trouble… SEIU and the Carpenters are doing the bosses’ work when they raid our unions.
Whatever their roots or rationale, schisms in the “house of labor” are invariably accompanied by much-feared “rogue union” activity.
That’s why, in Pittsburgh this week, AFL-CIO conventioneers called a brief halt to their torrent of speeches and resolutions about corporate misbehavior to deal with a menacing labor miscreant and outlier—Doug McCarron’s United Brotherhood of Carpenters (UBC).
The 500,000-member UBC left the AFL ahead of other CTW unions, saying its per capita dues were being wasted on ineffective “New Voice” programs launched by the now-departed John Sweeney. Then, in 2005, the Carpenters joined CTW. Then, last Fall—in a development concealed by CTW until this month–the UBC stopped paying dues to Stern’s new federation as well.
A week ago, McCarron made it official—he has quit Change To Win, several steps ahead of John Wilhelm’s UNITE-HERE, which reaffiliated with the AFL-CIO yesterday.
In the meantime, McCarron’s critics say, he has been undercutting AFL construction unions by offering contractors wall-to-wall labor agreements designed to replace other skilled tradesmen with his own members, who will be employed for less pay under more “flexible” work rules.
Not surprisingly, this has made his fellow building tradesmen–plus manufacturing and even public employee unionists–quite irate.
Mike Sullivan, general president of the Sheet Metal Workers, was among those convention delegates who denounced the Carpenters and bemoaned the “millions of dollars” spent “defending the rights of members who don’t want to be in their union.”
Tom Buffenbarger, president of the Machinists (IAM), declared that “this is not just a building trades issue. This is an issue for all others” in the federation (as indeed it is, since the IAM has lately been poaching truckers from the Teamsters).
These more conservative speakers were joined by former UE organizer Ken Allen, now the top AFSCME official in Oregon and a past Labor Notes conference participant. Allen blasted both the UBC and SEIU, headed by Andy Stern. (Stern’s top-down “modernization,” centralization of control over bargaining, and forced consolidation of locals has often been compared to the Carpenters’ own restructuring under McCarren).
Allen told the convention that affiliates “who left in 2005 opened the door for all kinds of trouble… SEIU and the Carpenters are doing the bosses’ work when they raid our unions.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Finance Minister welcomes investment from Chinese sources
read full article at Calgary Herald
"The high price of developing the oilsands has been a concern for China, which wants to bring in their own cheap labour to offset costs."
"The high price of developing the oilsands has been a concern for China, which wants to bring in their own cheap labour to offset costs."
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
CMAW Spring/Summer newsletter 2009
Click here to download the Spring/Summer '09 newsletter as a PDF.
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Carpentry Workers Pension and Benefit plans Spring newsletter
click to download the Pension and Benefits plan newsletter in PDF format
of special note on the last page are changes to the
Extended Health Care Online Centre
register by July 31 to win an iPod Shuffle
(a tip on registering, no spaces between your first and last name, a short password will be rejected, and the user id # is the full Green Shield card ID number, not just your Plan number)
of special note on the last page are changes to the
Extended Health Care Online Centre
register by July 31 to win an iPod Shuffle
(a tip on registering, no spaces between your first and last name, a short password will be rejected, and the user id # is the full Green Shield card ID number, not just your Plan number)
Monday, June 29, 2009
one million visits to carpentersunionbc.com and one more McCarron cartoon
It's been 10 years since I started carpentersunionbc.com and the visit counter is now over 999,000. By the start of July it will roll a million or go back to zero. To celebrate I have made the 100th poster satirizing Douglas J. McCarron, the CEO of the Carpenters Union. You can view it at the douglas j mccarron: the complete despot collection weblog where the other 99 cartoons now reside on the internet.
It's been 10 years since Doug McCarron ventured out of his comfort zone to have the lights turned off on him at Local 513 in Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada when his restructuring initiative tried to take away the right to vote for contracts and officers. YouTube - Lights Out, McCarron It's been 10 years since the wildcat strike at the San Francisco airport and McCarron and Draper hung John Reimann of Local 713 out to dry by expelling him from the union. Since that time McCarron has not missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity. He hobnobbed with George W. Bush on Labor Day in 2001 and 2002 when he flew to Wisconsin and Pennsylvania on Air Force One with Dubya. It's a been 7 years since he locked out the officers of Atlanta 225 and imposed trusteeship.
He tore down 101 Constitution Ave. in Washington DC and had condos built within spitting distance of the White House. He gambled your dues money on a new training center in Las Vegas and there are 2000 members sitting on the board there now. He lined his pockets with insider trading loot in the ULLICO scandal and had to give it back. He did his best to gut the AFL-CIO by withdrawing along with Hoffa's Teamsters and the Labourer's Union. He endorsed John Edwards (and Bush before him) for President.
He makes over a quarter of a million dollars a year plus tips over the last 10 years and is about as visible these days as Pauxutawney Phil at midnight. He only surfaces to be voted Construction Man of the year by the Association of General Contractors. He addressed them again on May 28th of 2009. Busy guy, but he hasn't done much for you, the rank and file carpenters.
UBCJA carpenters can print this Where's McCarron poster and hang it by the phone as you continue to wait for the call for work. Enjoy your summer off.
CMAW carpenters can take a bit of pride in the fact that McCarron lost face, bigtime, right here in BC.
You earned your autonomy.
It's been 10 years since Doug McCarron ventured out of his comfort zone to have the lights turned off on him at Local 513 in Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada when his restructuring initiative tried to take away the right to vote for contracts and officers. YouTube - Lights Out, McCarron It's been 10 years since the wildcat strike at the San Francisco airport and McCarron and Draper hung John Reimann of Local 713 out to dry by expelling him from the union. Since that time McCarron has not missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity. He hobnobbed with George W. Bush on Labor Day in 2001 and 2002 when he flew to Wisconsin and Pennsylvania on Air Force One with Dubya. It's a been 7 years since he locked out the officers of Atlanta 225 and imposed trusteeship.
He tore down 101 Constitution Ave. in Washington DC and had condos built within spitting distance of the White House. He gambled your dues money on a new training center in Las Vegas and there are 2000 members sitting on the board there now. He lined his pockets with insider trading loot in the ULLICO scandal and had to give it back. He did his best to gut the AFL-CIO by withdrawing along with Hoffa's Teamsters and the Labourer's Union. He endorsed John Edwards (and Bush before him) for President.
He makes over a quarter of a million dollars a year plus tips over the last 10 years and is about as visible these days as Pauxutawney Phil at midnight. He only surfaces to be voted Construction Man of the year by the Association of General Contractors. He addressed them again on May 28th of 2009. Busy guy, but he hasn't done much for you, the rank and file carpenters.
UBCJA carpenters can print this Where's McCarron poster and hang it by the phone as you continue to wait for the call for work. Enjoy your summer off.
CMAW carpenters can take a bit of pride in the fact that McCarron lost face, bigtime, right here in BC.
You earned your autonomy.
Friday, June 26, 2009
1995 Elections results
unofficial results of the 1995 election/June 16th
President, Bill Duck 193
Randy Smith 117
Vice President Randy Freeman 124
Eugenio Zanotto 190
President, Bill Duck 193
Randy Smith 117
Vice President Randy Freeman 124
Eugenio Zanotto 190
Monday, June 22, 2009
1995 Elections
I would like to congratulate the Bill Duck and Eugenio Zanotto slate for taking all positions in the CMAW 1995 election except for the position of Recording Secretary which was won by Randy Freeman.
Thank you for all your support.
Randy Smith
CMAW Local 1995 President
Good luck to the new executive in solving the many issues within CMAW. Hopeful the issues of being the construction arm of CEP get dealt with in a manner that all CMAW 1995 members can be proud of.
Thank you for all your support.
Randy Smith
CMAW Local 1995 President
Good luck to the new executive in solving the many issues within CMAW. Hopeful the issues of being the construction arm of CEP get dealt with in a manner that all CMAW 1995 members can be proud of.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Retail Wholesale Union cuts pension benefits
read article: Vancouver Sun
One of the plan's problems is that there are about 660 retired members receiving benefits and only about 400 active members paying into the plan. This is due, in part, to contracting out of some work that union members previously performed.
Even before the recent market meltdown, the plan was in some difficulty. As of Dec. 31, 2007, the plan had a 'solvency deficiency' of three per cent, DeBeck noted in his letter to members.
That deficiency jumped to 24 per cent by Dec. 31, 2008, due mainly to the plan's heavy weighting in equities, a weighting so heavy that by April 30 this year -- even after the stock market had suffered a sharp reversal -- the plan had 57 per cent of its $215 million total assets in stocks.
One of the plan's problems is that there are about 660 retired members receiving benefits and only about 400 active members paying into the plan. This is due, in part, to contracting out of some work that union members previously performed.
Even before the recent market meltdown, the plan was in some difficulty. As of Dec. 31, 2007, the plan had a 'solvency deficiency' of three per cent, DeBeck noted in his letter to members.
That deficiency jumped to 24 per cent by Dec. 31, 2008, due mainly to the plan's heavy weighting in equities, a weighting so heavy that by April 30 this year -- even after the stock market had suffered a sharp reversal -- the plan had 57 per cent of its $215 million total assets in stocks.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Alberta oil jobs returning, but N.L. workers see leaner offerings
read article: CBC
The president of the Newfoundland and Labrador United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners says that at this time last year workers from the province couldn't keep up with the demand from Alberta.
Gus Doyle said many of his union's 2,000 members found work in Alberta's oilfields, but lost work when the economy tanked last year. Now Doyle said some of them are finding jobs in Western Canada again.
'I would say we still got 200 or 300 members working there,' he said.
But Doyle said workers aren't piling up overtime hours like they used to anymore.
'Now it's 40-50 hours a week, as opposed to 70 or 80 hours. So they're going to be more cautious about what they put in for overtime,' he said.
The president of the Newfoundland and Labrador United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners says that at this time last year workers from the province couldn't keep up with the demand from Alberta.
Gus Doyle said many of his union's 2,000 members found work in Alberta's oilfields, but lost work when the economy tanked last year. Now Doyle said some of them are finding jobs in Western Canada again.
'I would say we still got 200 or 300 members working there,' he said.
But Doyle said workers aren't piling up overtime hours like they used to anymore.
'Now it's 40-50 hours a week, as opposed to 70 or 80 hours. So they're going to be more cautious about what they put in for overtime,' he said.
Monday, June 08, 2009
Judge orders union to return $800,000
read full article: The Province
A judge has ordered that a union representing electrical workers pay back more than $800,000 in dues unlawfully collected from more than 400 members.
In a class-action suit, former International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers local 213 union member Richard Frick objected to dues collected from members working on the Vancouver Island highway deal under the then NDP government's union-only hiring policy.
The money collected on those projects was put in a fund to subsidize bids for contractors on other jobs.
B.C. Supreme Court Madam Justice Kirsti Gill found that the IBEW could collect dues for that purpose under their standard agreement, but not under the union-only deal.
A judge has ordered that a union representing electrical workers pay back more than $800,000 in dues unlawfully collected from more than 400 members.
In a class-action suit, former International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers local 213 union member Richard Frick objected to dues collected from members working on the Vancouver Island highway deal under the then NDP government's union-only hiring policy.
The money collected on those projects was put in a fund to subsidize bids for contractors on other jobs.
B.C. Supreme Court Madam Justice Kirsti Gill found that the IBEW could collect dues for that purpose under their standard agreement, but not under the union-only deal.
Sunday, June 07, 2009
Almost half of top unions have underfunded pension plans
read full article: washingtonexaminer.com
Almost half of the nation’s 20 largest unions have pension funds that federal law classifies as “endangered” or in “critical” condition due to being underfunded, an Examiner review of federal actuarial reports shows.
Pensions with less than 80 percent of the assets needed to cover present and projected liabilities are considered “endangered,” while those that fall below a 65 percent threshold are classified as “critical” under the Pension Protection Act of 2006.
Unions are required to file 5500 forms that record the financial health of their retirement plans, show that union pension funds have lost their financial footing over the past several years.
Eight of the largest unions have underfunded plans, according to the most recent 5500 reports, including the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the Laborers International Union of Northern America, the International Association of Machinists, the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, the International Union of Operating Engineers, and the National Plumbers Union.
The average union pension has resources to cover only 62 percent of what is owed to participants, according to the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC). Less than one in every 160 workers is covered by a union pension with required assets.
Almost half of the nation’s 20 largest unions have pension funds that federal law classifies as “endangered” or in “critical” condition due to being underfunded, an Examiner review of federal actuarial reports shows.
Pensions with less than 80 percent of the assets needed to cover present and projected liabilities are considered “endangered,” while those that fall below a 65 percent threshold are classified as “critical” under the Pension Protection Act of 2006.
Unions are required to file 5500 forms that record the financial health of their retirement plans, show that union pension funds have lost their financial footing over the past several years.
Eight of the largest unions have underfunded plans, according to the most recent 5500 reports, including the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the Laborers International Union of Northern America, the International Association of Machinists, the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, the International Union of Operating Engineers, and the National Plumbers Union.
The average union pension has resources to cover only 62 percent of what is owed to participants, according to the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC). Less than one in every 160 workers is covered by a union pension with required assets.
Thursday, June 04, 2009
CMAW Construction
read full text: http://cepunion.blogspot.com
"I can (see) how one issue might bother CMAW Local 1995. CEP representative Mike Fenton is list on the CEP Western Region site a the Recording Secretary for CMAW. Who interests does Mike represent? I would assume the one that is paying him which would be CEP. I could see why CEP would like to have a representative on the board of CMAW. After all this is the construction arm of CEP ( well that is the way CEP likes to say it )
CMAW views the relationship slightly differently in the CMAW Owners Manual it says ' as an independent Canadian union CMAW is organizing workers in construction in other fields...'"
"I can (see) how one issue might bother CMAW Local 1995. CEP representative Mike Fenton is list on the CEP Western Region site a the Recording Secretary for CMAW. Who interests does Mike represent? I would assume the one that is paying him which would be CEP. I could see why CEP would like to have a representative on the board of CMAW. After all this is the construction arm of CEP ( well that is the way CEP likes to say it )
“CEP’s construction arm will work to change that, and we will also work to ensure that workers who are laid off in other sectors of the economy, can transition to construction, when skills permit,” says Coles
CMAW views the relationship slightly differently in the CMAW Owners Manual it says ' as an independent Canadian union CMAW is organizing workers in construction in other fields...'"
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
CEP Union: Forestry Not The Only Protest
read full article (and 1995 press release) via cepunion.blogspot.com
It is interesting that CMAW and CMAW Local 1928 went to get an order to stop protesting in front of their offices. Especially when CEP members across the country have occupied a number of member of parliaments constituency offices in trying to raise awareness about the forestry issues across Canada.
This issue seems to have been an on going issue since the fall of 2008 when CMAW Local 1995 member(s) voted to leave CEP. Since that time CMAW has continued to (remit) dues on behalf of CMAW local 1995 members to CEP.
It is interesting that CMAW and CMAW Local 1928 went to get an order to stop protesting in front of their offices. Especially when CEP members across the country have occupied a number of member of parliaments constituency offices in trying to raise awareness about the forestry issues across Canada.
'An Order that the CMAW Bargaining Council Local 1995, its officers, members employees, agents and any other persons authorized by Local 1995 and Randy Smith and Mitch Nowak shall refrain from picketing at or near 2806 Kingsway, in the City of Vancouver BC which means refraining from attending at or near the entrances, exits, or premises of the building for the purpose of persuading or attempting to persuade any one not to enter that place of business or building, and includes any similar act at such place that has an equivalent purpose.'
This issue seems to have been an on going issue since the fall of 2008 when CMAW Local 1995 member(s) voted to leave CEP. Since that time CMAW has continued to (remit) dues on behalf of CMAW local 1995 members to CEP.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
1999 Wildcat Strike - 10 Years After - part3
Facts For Working People: full article: "Local 713 was probably the most militant local. Members of 713 sent wildcatters to all the other bay area locals to push for a vote against the contract and resolutions for the return of our right to vote on the contract. In June Local 713 voted 85 to 6 for a One Member One Vote resolution and at a following meeting, in a standing vote, passed a motion against the contract of 182 to 5. I can still see the faces of the 5 business agents up against the wall as their votes were counted."
Monday, May 18, 2009
UFO Drops Out Of Large Craft Over The Palo Verdi Nuclear Power Plant
HBCC UFO Research, Box 1091 Houston, British Columbia, Canada
"I was one of the Electricians on the tower with 15-20 people from the Carpenters Union."
"I was one of the Electricians on the tower with 15-20 people from the Carpenters Union."
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Coastal mayors prepare for showdown with Catalyst Paper over tax bills
Company says the burden is unacceptable to industry in these tough times
read article: VANCOUVER SUN
read article: VANCOUVER SUN
article from the Times-Colonist archives: August 24, 2006
Island towns stare down Catalyst
Lefebure points out that the taxes represent only about one per cent of Catalyst's operating expenses, but they're the lifeblood of the communities that house the mills. Those communities, which have already endured sawmill closures, slowdowns in the fishing and mining industries and the loss of residents to more prosperous regions, say they just can't absorb the loss of millions in tax revenue.
Ken McRae, mayor of Port Alberni, said Catalyst just cut 60 jobs when it shut down the pulp facility in the mill there, and now is "suggesting if we don't want to lose more, we'd better do something."
Lefebure points out that the taxes represent only about one per cent of Catalyst's operating expenses, but they're the lifeblood of the communities that house the mills. Those communities, which have already endured sawmill closures, slowdowns in the fishing and mining industries and the loss of residents to more prosperous regions, say they just can't absorb the loss of millions in tax revenue.
Ken McRae, mayor of Port Alberni, said Catalyst just cut 60 jobs when it shut down the pulp facility in the mill there, and now is "suggesting if we don't want to lose more, we'd better do something."
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