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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.

 

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

Political Update

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Indiana

2021 has been another successful year for Indiana politics. The IKORCC managed to harvest a great relationship with the Indiana Association of Public-School Superintendents (IAPSS) and received an invitation to go on tour with them for all eight of their district meetings. During the tour, we were introduced to public school superintendents in all 92 counties. In addition, we were given the opportunity to talk about our Door Safety Inspection (DSI) Program and Career Connections.

One of our many focuses was on getting more “Responsible Bidder Language” added into front end bid specs with school corporations. During the 2021 year, we were able to obtain an additional two agreements with the Metropolitan School District of Boone Township and Concord Community Schools.

Other events worth mentioning that took place during the 2021 year are several successful meetings with political figures regarding laws being introduced to support ICRA training requirements being put in place if any work is being done in occupied health care facilities or schools that may have students present. Also, the City of Indianapolis has promised to make tax fraud and worker misclassification its number one priority for 2022. This commitment came directly from Mayor Joe Hogsett during a public speech that he gave to the city.

During the Delegates conference, Senator Fady Quadra (left) spoke to the membership and explained his level of respect for the Carpenters Union and other organized labor affiliates. He affirmed that he would carry the Carpenters ICRA legislation in 2022.

Due to line redistricting, a Senate seat for District 46 has come up for grabs. We have successfully sourced a candidate that is a card-carrying member of AFSCME whom we helped get elected to the Indianapolis City County Council, to go after this open seat. The candidate has confirmed they will make it known that this seat will be a union held seat if elected. This seat will be won during the primaries due to it being a largely held partisan district.

 

Kentucky

2021 was a busy political year in Kentucky.  Even with the COVID-19 restrictions we’ve been able to build great relationships with local lawmakers and state legislators.  Our goals in Kentucky are to address tax fraud and ensure we are in the best position to secure our work with the influx of new solar projects coming to the area.

With solar, it is our hope to introduce language similar to legislation that exists in other states that would protect our work and put our contractor base in the best position possible to secure solar work.  Our solar committee, headed up Jeremy Welch and Wallace Turner, has done a tremendous job working with developers and owners to provide information to the political team. That info is vital in working with our lawmakers to sell our training and the importance of the upcoming work.

Tax fraud is a major problem in Kentucky.  1099 worker misclassification and the cash under the table business model used by non-signatory contractors has put our contractor base at huge disadvantage.  Working with our Director of Organizing Kenneth Lyons and our political team, we’ve been taking local and state legislators to job site visits to show them the impact and loss of tax revenue that is currently going on.

Now that the November local elections are over, we will actively continue to educate local elected officials about our issues.  We use our training facilities to conduct tours and plan to ramp up job site visits.  Do not discount the importance you have in actively participating to successfully reach our goals.

If you are not registered to vote please do so.  You can register online at vrsws.sos.ky.gov.  Moving into 2022 there will be very important races all across Kentucky.

 

Ohio

2021 was a challenge, politically.  Our approach in building relationships with lawmakers became more difficult as a result of the COVID-19 mandates throughout Ohio. Thankfully, we found creative ways to continue building relationships with our local and state lawmakers.  We use our four self-funded Ohio training centers as our main selling point with politicians.  We continue to take elected officials out for jobsite visits to showcase what we do and also highlight the bad jobsites where tax fraud is rampant due to the lack of legislation in Ohio.

As a result, we continue to build support from both sides of the aisle – Democrat and Republican.  We have been successful in protecting our core issues such as Prevailing Wage, Right to Work, and Unemployment Compensation.  We are now using our relationships to introduce language to address tax fraud.  Our tax fraud bill will create a Tax Fraud Commission to study the impact that paying cash under the table and worker misclassification abuse is having, not only to us but every taxpayer within Ohio.  We are aggressively lobbying on current issues to protect our work within all four refineries in the state.

Our motto has always been to Educate, Agitate, and Organize.  These very same principles are used when working with any elected lawmaker.  Our Ohio political team covers all corners of the state and we will keep every UBC member informed of legislation that may affect us.

With the 2022 election cycle upcoming we will be very busy working for current lawmakers we support and going through a vetting process for any open seats to ensure that the right lawmakers are elected.  If you are not already registered to vote, please do so.

You can register online at ohiosos.gov.  Remember that when a recommendation is made to support a candidate they are soundly in support of protecting your work, your career, and your ability to provide for your family.

Health & Welfare Update

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The Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters has two Health & Welfare Funds, one for Indiana/Kentucky and another for Ohio. Both Funds are healthy with growing net reserves.

As of June 30th, 2021, the Ohio Plan’s net reserves are at seven months of reserves, up from five months last year. Net reserves are monies in the fund, which have no obligation against it and are used to pay our healthcare costs and fund expenses. The Indiana/Kentucky fund as of June 30, 2021 has 9.9 months of net reserves, up from 9.1 last year (a month of net reserves is equal to the average cost of healthcare expenses for one month). Both funds are operating well and expect continued growth of net reserves.

Effective September 1, 2021 the trustees of both funds were pleased to announce, that regardless of the amount of contributions received, all apprentices will be credited for all hours s/he attends school to receive training required by a training program affiliated with the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America. The apprentice shall be credited with an amount equal to the actual number of hours the apprentice attends school per week.

The Indiana/Kentucky fund’s Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that effective September 1, 2021, it has reduced its bank threshold (point at which monthly contributions received above required premium are allocated to participant’s bank) from $200 to $150. The ability to do this is a direct result of improving net reserves.

The UBC continues to work to provide the best prescription drug program available in the marketplace. Currently, the IKORCC and Ohio Health plans participate in a pharmacy benefit program negotiated on a national basis with Express Scripts, known as Level Care Pharmacy Program. This program covers over 30 participating Carpenter Funds throughout the country. In early 2021, after many months of review, analysis and negotiation, a new five-year agreement was finalized covering mail order, retail, and specialty drugs. The program is projected to save over $362 million over these 5 years for the participating Carpenters Funds, with over $40 million in projected savings for the IKORCC and Ohio plans.

IKORCC Magazine

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You won’t want to miss all the great content inside our annual IKORCC magazine. Inside you’ll find a letter from EST Todd Pancake, updates from hubs across the council, important information on your pension and healthcare, infrastructure information, Sisters in the Brotherhood, training updates, recruitment efforts, and stories on the incredible impact IKORCC members have […]

Read more

2020 Magazine

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Union Carpenters to Build I Promise Housing Complex

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AKRON, OH – Home to the one-of-a-kind I Promise School initiated by a partnership with the LeBron James Family Foundation and Akron Public Schools, the I Promise complex is ready for the next big phase of their innovative learning model.  The LeBron James Family Foundation has been working with the East Akron Neighborhood Development Corporation or EANDC to develop affordable housing for families.

This new phase of the I Promise Network will offer housing with affordable rent expected to range from $350 to $850.  Families qualifying to live in the complex will be those earning 30% to 60% of Akron’s median household income of between $11,259 to $22,519, according to data reported by cleveland.com. Read more

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. 

 

 

Mass Timber Project Celebrates with Topping Out

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A symbol of achievement and dedication – this topping out signifies much more than just the final beam.

Wednesday, July 28th, 2021, the Indiana Kentucky Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters sponsored a topping out ceremony for the Intro Cleveland project.  The event was held to celebrate the feat of this historic project across from the West Side Market in Cleveland, OH.

Intro Cleveland will be a mixed-use building with apartments, an event center, and retail space.  The building is nine stories high and completely framed with mass timber.  Over 2,000 pieces of timber, cut and shipped from Binderholtz in Austria, will make this building temporarily hold the title of the tallest mass timber building in the United States.  Around 50% of the timber will remain visible in the building as it is filled with tenants, a reminder of the sustainability of the project. The wood began to arrive in the Port of Cleveland in December 2020 and the final piece was installed by IKORCC Union Carpenters on July 1, 2021.

IKORCC Executive Secretary-Treasurer Todd Pancake spoke at the ceremony about the hard work members have put into this project. Read more

Pro Football Hall of Fame Village Signs Historic PLA

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CANTON – Last week marked a monumental moment for the Canton area and potentially the future of project labor agreements.  The Pro Football Hall of Fame has recommitted to the next phase of their Hall of Fame Village Project being completed using local, union workers.  Michael Crawford, president and chief executive officer of the Hall of Fame Resort, and the East Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council President Dave Kirven jointly signed a PLA to confirm the commitment on Wednesday, April 14th, 2021.

“A PLA is a prehire pact with at least one [labor organization] that sets employment terms and conditions for all workers on a building project, regardless of whether their employers are unionized or nonunion contractors”, Bloomberg Law reports.

Canton has the most PLA’s than any other city in the United States with over 100 according to William Sherer, Business Manager for Ironworkers Local 550 and Canton City Council President.  A PLA with the Hall of Fame Resort sets a standard for the area and will help spur others’ interest in the agreements, according to Sherer.  He said economic development [like this project] spurs more economic development.

Part of this labor agreement includes cooperation with the Stark County Minority Business Association (SCMBA).  The goal set by SCMBA and the Hall of Fame Resort is 12% minority participation in all aspects of the project.  Kirven told us ongoing projects on site are currently at 19%, exceeding the goal.  In a speech at the signing given, Michael Crawford said “we fumbled the ball on community and diverse involvement on the first phase of the project” when talking about the importance of the SCMBA partnership and the Hall of Fame’s commitment to making inclusion a priority in these new phases of construction.

(Left) Michael Crawford, Hall of Fame Resort stands with Kevin Ennis, Senior Business Representative (Right)Labor leaders and other government officials were present for the signing as well.  City Councilman Jason Scaglione was excited to see people working and bring ‘vacation spending’ back to the region.  Fellow councilmember John Mariol was also invested in the importance of the PLA bringing good, union, middle-class jobs back to Canton.

This next stage of construction on the Hall of Fame Village means ongoing work for the carpenters in the area.  Senior Business Representative Kevin Ennis says, “continued work at the Hall of Fame has meant a lot of man-hours for our members”.  Ennis also said the Council has signed several new minority contractors thanks to the partnerships at the project with continuous requests for manpower on separate jobs.  “This [PLA] means steady work for our members for at least another two years if not more.”