Tag Archive for: Community

Community Values in Youngstown

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Although the local JATC was unable to hold their annual open house, the Youngstown-Steubenville Hub still found a way to introduce high school students to the opportunities within the IKORCC apprenticeship program.

The Mahoning Valley Skilled Trades Expo hosted their second skilled trades event aimed at promoting union trades to seventh through twelfth-grade students.  Unfortunately, the event was canceled last year due to the pandemic but returned with new ways to promote careers in the trades.  The Hub partnered with local contractors like AP O’Horo, the Western Reserve Building Trades, and the area school’s Educational Service centers to host the two-day event.  The event launched with a public open house to recruit and educate members from the community outside of just schools. Students from three Ohio and two Western Pennsylvania counties were given a chance to experience hands-on activities at each of the craft’s stations. Splitting this year’s event into two days gave the over 4,500 students more time to visit with each craft.

 

The Youngstown-Steubenville Hub has also partnered with the United Way to build several wheelchair ramps and assist the team in bagging groceries for more than 350 families unable to reach a food pantry in person.  IKORCC members along with community members spent about three to four hours bagging groceries for United Way’s Satur-Day of Caring. The groceries were loaded into volunteers’ cars to be delivered to elderly members of the community.

 

 

Partnership Helps Build Membership & Community

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A new partnership in Louisville is breaking down barriers & growing membership. This innovative partnership with the Louisville Urban League’s Kentuckiana Builds Program reduces the time it takes to enter the apprenticeship from six months to only six weeks for participants. Students will gain direct entry to the apprenticeship once they complete a six-week construction training program that includes: First Aid/CPR, OSHA-10 and the core construction credential.

 

One week of the program is hosted in the IKORCC Training Center where students learn hand and power tools, soft skills and safety. “The partnership between the IKORCC and the Urban league is important for everyone to know that there are endless opportunities to build your future and your family’s future,” said Kentuckiana Builds Instructor and Local 175-member Michael Greathouse. Two cohorts of classes have completed this program with more classes scheduled in 2022.

 

There couldn’t be a better time to grow the membership in the Louisville-area. Louisville Senior Business Representative Waylon Isaacs says the work forecast for 2022 is strong. He’s estimating a large growth in manhours with work on projects like Baptist Hospital, Blue Grass Army Depot, Joint Forces HQ, Nucor, Ford Battery Plant and the VA Hospital in Louisville.

 

In addition to growing membership, the Louisville hub continues to build their community. They are currently working with the Jefferson County Public Schools and Louisville Metro Council on building community lending boxes to place in neighborhoods across the city. The boxes will be filled with food, toiletries, books and more.

 

Recruitment and Retention: Cleveland Nails It

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The “Great Resignation” is hitting the country hard especially with the baby boomer generation retiring in waves.  Now more than ever it is crucial to bring in and retain new members.  The Cleveland Hub has organized over 60 new Hispanic members throughout the year with the help of bilingual representatives. The Hub has also signed two new minority contractors along with several other new signatory contractors. More contractors mean more future work and more advancement opportunities for members.

 

Renewed attention on apprentice retention from locals out of their office has proved successful with retention rates in the 90th percentile. A focus on mentoring, maintaining a strong relationship between the Hub and the JATC, and attentive job placement assistance keep these apprentices busy working and coming back year after year.

 

Fourth-year apprentice Savannah Engelman is one of these returning stars. “Joining the Carpenters’ Union and Apprenticeship Program has been a rewarding and fulfilling experience, as there are so many skills to be learned and mastered.  With numerous opportunities around every corner and at every level of our profession, there are always new goals to work towards and new skills to learn!”, she said about her journey so far.

 

The biggest project out of the Cleveland hub this year has been the mass timber frame mixed-use project across from the historic West-side market in downtown Cleveland.

Relationships Built to Last in Eastern Kentucky

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Just like a structure, relationships are built one step at a time. In Ashland Kentucky, relationship building is a fundamental aspect of their day-to-day operations. Thanks to that dedication, they have secured more local work for IKORCC members.

 

Ongoing meetings over three years led to a signed Infectious Control Risk Assessment (ICRA) agreement with King’s Daughters Medical Center. This ICRA agreement made the contractors with ICRA trained UBC members the obvious choice for their $100 million expansion in Ashland.

 

Senior Representative Jerry Yates says using real-world hospital equipment at the local training center pushed the partnership over the edge for success. Based on the current projection of work, it is expected at least 60 members will stay busy on this project.

 

Relationships are tested through tough times, but they usually emerge stronger in the end.  Eastern Kentucky saw several weeks of historic flash flooding in the Spring. When two nearby partner trade schools experienced this detrimental flooding in March, the Ashland Hub knew they wanted to help. They coordinated donations from the council to help repair a flooded carpenter shop and assist students whose homes had experienced flooding. Local 472 also donated a commercial gas stove to a community senior center cooking food for the elderly and families in need.

 

 

Rubber City with their Eye on the Ball

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Keeping the Akron-Canton members on top of the area’s biggest projects includes one of their most notable attractions, the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  The Hall of Fame Resort recommitted to using local, union workers in the next phase of their Hall of Fame Village Project in April 2021. President and CEO of the Hall of Fame Resort and the East Central Ohio Building Trades President jointly signed a PLA to confirm the commitment.

 

The $900 million Phase II includes the development of the Hall of Fame Village.  They plan to build a new hotel, an indoor waterpark, medical facilities, business and research buildings, retail stores, and more. Carpenters recently completed the renovation of the football stadium and are currently working on the Center for Excellence, practice fields for high school students, and the beginning stages of the onsite hotel.

 

From football to basketball, Akron has its share of high-profile places and people.  The kid from Akron made a name for himself across the country but continues to make the biggest impact in his hometown. The Lebron James Family Foundation is expanding their I Promise campus to create more opportunities for the success of their students.

 

The Akron/Canton Hub is proud to have worked on the first section of this project in building key aspects of the I Promise Campus. Representatives worked tirelessly to secure the work for our carpenters in this next phase despite many challenges. By supporting one of our signatory minority contractors, the Hub has guaranteed this high-profile work will be completed using local union carpenters.

 

Building Market Share & Community in Newburgh

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In the Newburgh area, 2021 was all about growing market share and building community – something members in this area excel at. Members worked on big projects, including the Evansville Aquatic Center, St. Vincent Hospital, Deaconess Hospital, a pool at University of Southern Indiana and on a bridge over Green River.

Next year’s work forecast looks solid. Members are working on an ongoing simple cycle project at Tennessee Valley Authority, where AZCO is installing three simple cycle gas turbines. This project kicked off in October. At its peak it will have around 60 carpenters and 15 Millwrights on the project.

Members are looking forward to the Toyota/Lexus line expansion, which is set to begin in early 2022. This $840 million-dollar project will create plenty of man hours. In March, Pratt Industries Paper Mill is coming to Henderson, KY. This $340 million-dollar project will also increase man hours.

In addition to growing market share, members in Paducah are also building the community. Local 357 members are finishing work on a McCracken County Habitat for Humanity home. This is the fourth home they’ve helped build for the organization that helps families and individuals in need of decent, affordable housing achieve their dream of homeownership. Carpenters did the framing, set trusses, roof decking and will set the windows and complete the vinyl siding.

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, carpenters mobilized and held a canned food drive. The food drive was so successful, they’ve decided to do it again in 2021 and are currently taking canned food and Christmas toy donations for families in need.

Community Based Organizing

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Our country is experiencing an unprecedented labor movement not seen since the 1940’s & 50’s. Every labor union in the country should be capitalizing on this momentum, but at some point, every union member has to ask themselves…what can I do to help?


Members like you, have and always will be the UBC’s most valuable asset. To reach the UBC goal of 70% market share & the regional council’s goals, we need you engaged.

Throughout our history carpenter to carpenter & community-based organizing have been the most effective tools we have as a union. Many of you are familiar with the IKORCC M.A.C program. The regional council has set up Membership Action Committees and holds meetings in multiple areas in IN, KY & Ohio.

Unlike regular monthly business meetings, this is where you have the opportunity to get involved in our organizing efforts. Activities range from community events, helping our neighbors with small construction projects, but most importantly showing up in force to collectively voice our concerns on carpenter issues.

We are the community, and we will hold elected officials, owners and developers accountable when they let unscrupulous contractors come into our community and steal the work that puts food on our tables. We are putting a schedule of events together for the 2022 M.A.C. agenda & we need you there.

Please contact your local or regional council office for more information & how you can make a difference.

Fraternally,

Ken Lyons

Director of Organizing

Merrillville – Readying for an Influx of Work

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The Northwest Indiana-area is readying for an influx of commercial, roadwork and light industrial projects. Current and future projects exist of: New Franciscan Hospital in Crown Point, new schools and renovations for Hanover Community Schools, Crown Point Community Schools and Duneland Community Schools. Along with this work the area has ongoing maintenance work at industrial facilities.  These projects are projected to create several thousands of man-hours for members.

 

To help grow market share, business representatives have been pursuing multiple solar projects in the area. There are currently nine large scale solar farms slated for development in NW Indiana.  Each project may vary from a one year to two years in duration and have the potential to generate extensive man-hours and long-term employment opportunities for members. The team is currently in negotiations with owners and developers on these projects and feels optimistic about future opportunities.  The solar trend is projected to continue to expand, so members are encouraged to contact the Merrillville training center to inquire about solar training programs.

 

Along with solar training tools made available at the Merrillville Training Center, there are other new opportunities to expand memberships opportunities.  The training center recently invested in a mockup to include the scopes of the entire building envelope.  This includes training opportunities in commercial flat rolled membrane roofing applications, the installation processes of several types of rain screens and various exterior cladding systems, including the science behind the systems and how to apply the weather and waterproofing membranes.

 

The NWI area has historically been a heavy industrial market with the majority of millwright man hours generated from the local steel mills and power generating stations.  With a recent increase of construction projects in the light industrial market, the team has worked with contractors to find manpower.  Recently, they’ve been successful in organizing a group of non-union light industrial workers to pursue this field.

 

Along with organizing this group comes the opportunity to work maintenance in eight new light industrial facilities, potentially generating several thousands of man hours for our membership.  Considering the growth in the light industrial market in NW Indiana, we encourage our signatory contractors and membership to take advantage of the industrial maintenance training programs that are offered at our training centers.

2022 Scholarship Applications Now Open

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Applications are now open for the IKORCC scholarship program. Forty $1,000 scholarships will be awarded in 2022 to eligible member’s dependent children. Twenty of the scholarships are awarded based on scholastics, and twenty others via a random drawing.

The Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council scholastic scholarships are awarded based on 60% high school grade point average and 40% on

 SAT or ACT scores. Twenty scholarships will be selected by random drawing.

The scholarship is to be used solely for the purpose of education in the form of tuition, room and board, and or books.

Sons, daughters, and dependent children of members of the Indiana /Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights are eligible for scholarships provided that:

  • The parent or guardian is now and has been a member in good standing of the Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters for at least one year.
  • The son, daughter, or dependent child is a high school graduating senior.
  • The son, daughter, or dependent child will be attending a college, university, or trade school as a full-time student.
  • Application is received at the Council office prior to Friday, March 18, 2022.

All applications must include: 

  1. Signed and dated application form
  2. Signed certificate from a local union official
  3. Signed certificate from the high school principal
  4. Official high school transcripts with grade point average
  5. SAT or ACT scores
  6. Record of extracurricular activities

Click here to download the IKORCC Scholarship Application

IKORCC Programa de Becas

Scholarship applications must be received prior to Friday, March 18, 2022 at the Greenwood Council Office, located at 771 Greenwood Springs Drive, Greenwood, Indiana 46143. 

 

 

Carpenters Build Community at Indiana State Fair

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Nearly a dozen carpenters spent Saturday building something a little different than usual. Instead of constructing buildings – they volunteered to build community and relationships at the Indiana State Fair.

Saturday, August 7th was Carpenters Day at the Indiana State Fair. Volunteers spent the day building keepsake toolboxes with families, recruiting new members and forming community partnerships.

When visitors came to the fair, the first thing they saw was giant banners that said “Welcome to Carpenters Day”. Fair staff wore “We’re Hiring” buttons directing them to our career application. All day long, radio ads for the Carpenters played over the loud speaker and our ads were on the back cover of the State Fair program. The sky ride also had recruitment advertising on the back of the cars.

Volunteers for the IKORCC were phenomenal. They set up four tents, showcased a new “Now Hiring” truck and had a large presence on the busiest corner of the fair. Volunteers handed out recruitment materials and built over 600 toolboxes. You couldn’t walk anywhere at the fair and not see the IKORCC and UBC logo in the hands of kids and adults. Hammy the mascot also made a few appearances!

In addition to building toolboxes, volunteers also sold raffle tickets for a playhouse with proceeds benefiting Carpenters Caring. Carpenters Caring is a non-profit that raises money for IKORCC members in need. This year’s playhouse was built by our partners at Central Nine Career Center. Students in the construction trades class completed the project. Special thanks to these students and their instructor Frank Wormann for their help.

Volunteers raised nearly $600 for Carpenters Caring thanks to raffle ticket sales and plan to continue selling raffle tickets until the drawing in late October.

To view all photos from the event, click here:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/1esmj3cmm1qx369/AACQNHUnN78hqSh48noCKFaya?dl=0

To view a Facebook live video of the event, click here;
https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=675898710474761&ref=watch_permalink