COLLECTIVE BARGAINING BY CHARLES FOGELL

The wind can help chart a new course for an additional source of energy for New England and the United States as a whole.

Vineyard Wind has signed onto a Project Labor Agreement that will allow area trades workers to expand the horizon for future work here in Massachusetts and all the jurisdictions within the boundaries of our District Council 35.

This agreement, which was spearheaded by the Southeastern Mass Building Trades Council should provide hundreds of jobs for the trades not only as the wind farm is built over open waters, but years of maintenance work will loom for years to come. The agreement and first of its kind that relates to the depth of the project that took over two years to negotiate and complete. Our partners on the project – Avangrid Renewables and Copenhagen Infrastructure – are looking forward to conquering our goals as a community and a country that is looking for durable and productive alternatives for our energy needs. We look forward to participating in the project both offshore and onshore as we evolve into another venue for power.

Over the past several months, we have bargained for new agreements across many spectrums of the trades in which we work. You have heard me say on many occasions that it is not the most glamorous work that we do here at your District Council, but it is certainly the backbone of our Union. Each agreement, whether it is in an industrialized setting or construction-based agreement, will have differing characteristics that are vital to the operation of that plant or industry. The involvement of our Union in negotiations is strengthened by the participation of that bargaining unit. Strength in numbers substantiates our position at the bargaining table and the processes are pretty much the same regardless of the size of the bargaining unit whether it’s twenty or two thousand members strong. Your participation is crucial to our success during these discussions.

This year as your Business Representative and Contract Administrator I have worked closely with our Business Manager Jeff Sullivan. The BMST and I interact on the progress of all the agreements that I work on and in the case of our most recent Painters and Glaziers agreement we headed up the team of dedicated Representatives and Staff here at the District Council to bring home an acceptable agreement to our members. I thank Representatives Itri, Guarino, Legrand, and Brennan for being part of the team that brought together our new four-year construction agreement.

I have worked on numerous agreements over the past several months and I am pleased to report that all of our agreements have resulted in better financial and working conditions across the board. Some of the recently ratified agreements are the Painters and Glaziers, Lamar Outdoor Providence, C&W Services Gillette, Steward Health Care, Faulkner Hospital, Outfront Media Transit Advertising, Brigham and Women’s, Glassworkers Shop Agreement and the new Project Labor Agreement for Vineyard Wind.

Thank you to all our Brothers and Sisters that helped and supported our success.