News
News
News
Maura Healey, Our Next Governor!
Jorge Rivera, Director of Organizing As an attorney general, Maura Healey has been a champion for all workers. She has been a partner when we need help standing up to the big bully corporations [...]
Announcing the FTI-NE Website Launch!
IUPAT DC 35 is proud to announce the Finishing Trades Institute of New England’s website launch! Now, all your course registration, apprenticeship and continuing education program needs are [...]
PENSION BENEFIT IMPROVEMENT BY DEBORAH COTTER
The Board of Trustees of the Painters & Allied Trades D.C. 35 Pension Fund is pleased to announce an increase in the pension accrual rate effective July 1, 2020. These improvements are [...]
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: BRYAN O’SULLIVAN, ORGANIZER & PRESIDENT, IUPAT DC 35
Bryan O’Sullivan’s time with District Council 35 started in 1979, when his father called up the stairs to him: “You’re going into the glaziers union.” Back then, Bryan didn’t even know what a [...]
STILL BOOMING ALONG BY JOSEPH ITRI
Here are some of the upcoming projects in the Boston area: Back Bay South End Gateway A transformational air rights development in Back Bay that will be constructed above the existing Back Bay [...]
ORGANIZING OUR INDUSTRY BY JORGE RIVERA
I would like to begin by congratulating our very own Bryan O’Sullivan on his well-deserved retirement. I have learned a lot from your cool, level-headed approach to all situations and all of our [...]
LOOKING FORWARD BY ERIC REDDING
Looking back at 2020, last year put unheard of challenges in our path, yet our District Council and the Training Department continued a steady forward progression. COVID–19 set us back in a way [...]
HELPING OUR AREA SCHOOLS BY MICHAEL LAFFERTY
As a result of the ongoing pandemic, the District Council 35 members in Boston and Quincy have been working extra hours sanitizing and wiping down all the common area in the schools, restocking [...]
PROJECTS IN BOSTON AND BEYOND BY BILL LEGRAND
Sisters and Brothers, I hope the delivery of this newsletter finds you and your family doing well. Projects and jobs continue despite the challenges of COVID-19. Safety and health guidelines are [...]
A SENSE OF NORMALCY BY RAY PICKUP
This past year has challenged each of us personally, in our homes and on the job sites. It has not been easy by any stretch of the imagination, but we can finally see the path that leads us out [...]
BRIGHTER DAYS ARE AHEAD BY JOE GUARINO
It’s important not to let our guard down. We must continue safety measures like wearing masks, social distancing and washing your hands until the majority of our state’s population is [...]
KEEPING OUR MEMBERS SAFE AND INVOLVED BY CHARLES FOGELL
Since my last message to our members, we have all encountered many changes in our lifestyle and the way we go about normal business in a working environment. Since we have been gripped by this [...]
SPRING BRINGS NEW PROJECTS TO OUR MEMBERS BY TONY HERNANDEZ
As reported on the previous newsletter, due to COVID-19 restrictions, some of the aforementioned projects had been stopped in December and are now getting back to work in mid-March to early [...]
WHEN THERE’S A GOOD FIGHT TO BE HAD, GET IN IT! BY CHRIS BRENNAN
On the north side of Boston, DC 35 has been fighting the good fight for our members and their families, creating work opportunities for our members where we can and exposing greedy contractors [...]
ES UN NUEVO DÍA BY JEFF SULLIVAN
Ha sido un año duro para todos. Acabamos de marcar el aniversario de un año desde que la pandemia de COVID-19 arrasó en nuestras ciudades, pueblos y comunidades. Nos trastocó a cada uno de [...]
IT’S A NEW DAY BY JEFF SULLIVAN
It has been a tough year for all of us. We have just hit the one-year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic which has ravaged through our cities, towns, and communities. It has touched each of us [...]
MAKE HAY WHILE THE SUN SHINES BY WAYNE MURPHY
Good luck is not lucky; it is a combination of preparation and opportunity. District Council 35 does the small stuff, every day, to seize an opportunity when the time arrives. The Government [...]
RESETTING THE SCALES OF WORKER POWER BY ROGER BRUNELLE
“Right to Work” – for less – was filed in New Hampshire, as expected, in the State Senate, as S.B. 61. The New Hampshire Building Trades was ready and prepared to launch their campaign against [...]
IUPAT DC 35 Congratulates Marty Walsh on his Confirmation as U.S. Labor Secretary Under President Joe Biden’s Administration
IUPAT DC 35 Congratulates Marty Walsh on his Confirmation as U.S. Labor Secretary Under President Joe Biden’s Administration Boston — IUPAT District Council 35 congratulates Martin J. Walsh on [...]
Do Your Best Today by Jeff Sullivan
The world has certainly changed since the last District Council 35 newsletter. Just before we were ready to go to print with the spring edition, COVID-19 hit, and since then all of us have been [...]
Hoy, Haz Tu Mejor Esfuerzo by BMST Jeff Sullivan
Es cierto que el mundo ha cambiado desde la ultima edición de nuestra revista del Concilio del Distrito #35. Justo antes de estar listos para distribuir nuestra edición de primavera, comenzó el [...]
Our Members Are Essential, Not Expendable by Paul Canning
With the unprecedented times we are now living in, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 continues to climb around the country. However, here in the Northeast, we luckily seem to be seeing a [...]
Building Relationships In The Community Creates Work Hours For Our Members by Joe Guarino
Local work hours continue to be strong for our District Council crafts. Our staff works day and night to try to increase work opportunities for our members by attending local community public [...]
We’re Building A Strong Union by Charles Fogell
A quick look back at the start of 2020 tells a story of accomplishment here at District Council 35. Many of our members have and continue to work on large projects since the start of the new [...]
Announcing My Retirement by Wayne Cummings
In 2004, I started teaching both commercial and industrial classes for the FTI. Two years later, I came on full time and was asked to develop an industrial/bridge painting program. Luckily, the [...]
You Are The Union by Bill Legrand
The most important asset in this union is YOU, never forget that. I hope this newsletter finds you and your family well. Every one of us has been impacted by this terrible pandemic, but to ensure [...]
Working To Keep You Safe by Chris Brennan
With the COVID outbreak upon us, along restrictions not seen in over 100 years, all of our members must adhere to strict protocol when working so we can all get back home safely to our families [...]
We Are Second To None by Joseph Itri
My dad, who had just turned 93, passed away in February. Between the hospital stay, rehab, and hospice, my brothers and sisters and I were never really sure how his bills would be paid and by [...]
We’re Building New England by Tony Hernandez
Infrastructure work is considered by the federal government essential work at bridge, water treatment plants, MBTA stations and garages, military and naval facilities. We had members working [...]
What Does Being Union Mean To You? — By Ray Pickup
My earliest memory I can remember is my family talking about the “UNION” — a monolithic entity that everyone in my South Boston neighborhood seemed to be involved in. I knew my family members [...]
Updates In Western Massachusetts And Announcing My Retirement by Vern Gaylor
Worcester inserted a Community Betterment Agreement into the new ballpark, which means all contractors must meet the requirements for Worcester’s residents, women, minorities and veterans. The [...]
Organizing Our Industry by Jorge Rivera
District Council 35 is proud to welcome South Side Tees, and owner, Sean Conroy, as our contractor partner. South Side Tees is our newest full-service screen print company with DC 35. The [...]
We Have To Be All In by Wayne Murphy
2020 has seen continued attacks on working families, but hope remains. The deck is stacked against us, but if history is instructive, organized labor won’t fold. It will brace for the fights [...]
Restart by Roger Brunelle
2020 began full of new possibilities and DC 35 hit the ground running with a number of things on the agenda. In January, we completed the filming of the third party certification video commercial [...]
We’re Back To Work by Michael Lafferty
Since the second week of March, Boston and Quincy schools closed their buildings to students due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since that time, the members in Boston and Quincy have deep cleaned and [...]
Finishing Trades Institute Of New England Challenges by Eric Redding
COVID-19 Saying 2020 did not get off to a good start is a bit of an understatement; COVID-19 hit us hard, but, as usual, DC 35 and your training department hit back. First, we had to postpone all [...]
Member Spotlight: Paul Sullivan, Vice President, IUPAT DC 35
Most young apprentices or journeymen don’t give a lot of thought to what’s going to happen 35 or 40 years down the road. Understandably, most live in the present and are focused on doing their [...]
Fund Office Changes by Debbie Cotter
It is with a mixture of joy and sorrow that the Board of Trustees of the Painters & Allied Trades DC 35 Benefit Funds announces the retirement of William McDevitt. Mr. McDevitt has served [...]
BM/ST Jeff Sullivan’s statement on the current climate unfolding in the wake of events in Minnesota surrounding the death of George Floyd
Today, BM/ST Jeff Sullivan issued the following statement on the current climate unfolding in the wake of events in Minnesota surrounding the death of George Floyd. #BlackLivesMatter Recent [...]
Shutdown of Boston Construction Sites
As you may have heard, Mayor Marty Walsh announced today that all Boston construction sites will be shut down starting tomorrow, Tuesday, March 17. This is in response to the coronavirus pandemic [...]
Op-ed in Medford Transcript: Local partnerships are vital for Medford’s development by Jeff Sullivan
Partnerships between labor unions and local communities are quintessential to development. As a leading building trades union in the region, Painters Union District Council 35 is committed to the [...]
Quincy Sun: Local Painters Union Repaints YMCA’s Germantown Neighborhood Center
In the holiday spirit, members of Painters Union District Council 35 donated their time, supplies, and skills to repaint the South Shore YMCA’s Germantown Neighborhood Center, a key community [...]
Dorchester Reporter: Unions to help Madison Park students create and maintain their own business
It was all business at Madison Park Technical Vocational High School last month when union representatives from District Council 35 and The Paint and Glass Association of New England joined with [...]
Dorchester Reporter: Unions Join Forces To Support BGCD
Painters Union District Council 35 and Painting and Glass Employers Association of New England donated $2,500 and multiple bags of toys for the children of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Dorchester [...]
Painters Union Repaints South Shore YMCA’s Germantown Neighborhood Center
In the holiday spirit, members of Painters Union District Council 35 donated their time, supplies, and skills to repaint the South Shore YMCA’s Germantown Neighborhood Center, a key community [...]
Local Painters Union and Employers Association Makes Third Annual Donation to Dorchester Boys and Girls Club
To support the outstanding work and efforts of the Dorchester Boys and Girls Club towards the community, Painters Union District Council 35 and Painting and Glass Employers Association of New [...]
Painters Union and Contractors Association Announce Hands-On Training Opportunities for Madison Park Students
IUPAT DC 35 and PFEANE/GEANE donated $10,000 at the grand opening of the Madison Park Vocational High School’s Cardinal Gift Shop. This new gift shop will provide the business and marketing [...]
Worked Up by Jeff Sullivan
The end of a calendar year is always a good time to assess accomplishments, set new short and long-term goals and determine the path forward. Our work hours for the past twelve months have been [...]
Agitados by Jeff Sullivan
El fin de un año natural es siempre un buen momento para evaluar logros, establecer metas nuevas de corto y largo plazo y determinar el camino por delante. Nuestras horas de trabajo estos últimos [...]
The Road Ahead by Paul Canning
Looking back at this year’s General Convention — the issues, initiatives, and the strategy — it would be an understatement to say that it can be a challenge to digest such an overload of [...]
Strong Economy Building Our Future by Joe Guarino
A strong economy here in the Northeast continues to drive development and growth in all the areas represented by our District Council. All crafts represented by our union have been busy over the [...]
Member Spotlight: Alex Colonna from Local 1138
“Too good to be true” – that was Alex Colonna’s first thought when her friend told her about the union life. She dreamed of earning enough to support herself and her wife, and eventually [...]
New and Upcoming Projects on Our Radar by Charles Fogell
Work opportunities for all the crafts that we represent here at our District Council have continued to be strong over the past few months. At the forefront, we will see some jobs affected by [...]
Prosperity in the Building Trades by Bill Legrand
I hope 2019 has been very fulfilling and prosperous. I can’t think of a better time to be a union member in the Building and Construction Trades. We have been experiencing numerous ground [...]
Tackling the Tough Issues by Chris Brennan
DC 35 continues to be a leader among the Building Trades when it comes to issues affecting our members. No industry has been more affected by the opioid epidemic than the construction industry. [...]
New Contractors, Big and Small by Joe Itri
Boston’s iconic One Post Office Square is getting a makeover! First completed in 1981, this massive project’s 41-story structure redesign will feature 775,000 square feet of available [...]
A Look to the North by Ray Pickup
The construction boom has been on a significant run and there seems to be no end in sight. Boston gets all the high-profile projects, but let’s take a closer look at some projects that will break [...]
Organizing into the New Year by Tony Hernandez
I am grateful; it is an honor and a privilege to work for all our members. 2019 brought more work opportunities for our members and opportunities to organize new members. Our opportunities have [...]
Staying Busy into the New Year by Vern Gaylor
The Worcester area is going to be busy for the next year or so with several upcoming projects. There are two jobs at Holy Cross College, as well as the YWCA’s renovation and addition, and the [...]
Organizing Our Industry by Justin Desmond
The District Council 35 Organizing Department would like to congratulate all members on another successful STAR rally and offer a special congrats to all the grand prize winners. Moving into the [...]
It’s Not One Day that Changes Your Life—It’s Every Day by Wayne Murphy
The Government Affairs Department continues its support of each of the other District Council Departments in realizing increases in work opportunities, job hours and improved quality of life for [...]
A Sustained Effort By All Pays Off by Roger Brunnelle
A couple of years ago, when word came down that the City of Lowell was awarded approval by the Massachusetts School Building Authority to build a $350 million high school, it was all hands on [...]
School’s Out, DC 35 is In by Michael Lafferty
With the Endicott school vacant, we will be using the school for our training program this upcoming year. The members will have the opportunity to learn how to drum sand, diamond-cut terrazzo [...]
Exciting Updates from FTI New England by Eric Redding
AGMT Certification Program One thing is certain– 2019 was a busy year. When we started it was busy and by all accounts, we’re still busy. 12 months ago, we looked across the Boston skyline and we [...]
Health News by Bill McDevitt
Prescription Provider Change: January 1, 2020 OptumRx is replacing Express Scripts as our pharmacy provider effective January 1, 2020. OptumRx will become your pharmacy provider for your retail, [...]
Patriot Ledger: When feeding city’s homeless on Thanksgiving, a little goes a long way
Two days earlier, local painters gathered on a Saturday to touch up the dining room walls at Father Bill’s Place to get it ready for tomorrow’s big meal. And while the painters were working, [...]
Labor Leader Award presented to Business Manager Jeff Sullivan for Outstanding Work Addressing Substance Use Disorder in the Construction Industry
Business Manager Jeff Sullivan was presented the Labor Leader Award by the Labor Assistance Professionals (LAP) at their annual awards event on Friday. He received this award for his unwavering [...]
We Are Here For Each Other by Jeff Sullivan
We recently held our annual retirees’ cookout. Without a doubt, it is one of my favorite events on our calendar and I look forward to it every year. It gives the staff here at District Council 35 [...]
Estamos Aquí Los Unos Por Los Otros by Jeff Sullivan
Recientemente llevamos a cabo nuestra barbacoa anual para jubilados. Es sin duda uno de mis eventos favoritos en nuestro calendario, y cada año lo anticipo con entusiasmo. Le da al personal aquí [...]
Time To Look Ahead To 2020 by Paul Canning
Even at such an early start to the 2020 presidential election, it’s clear that workers’ rights are front and center. Democratic presidential hopefuls are flocking to picket lines to support [...]
Encore Opens, Pilgrim Closes, And DC 35 Is There by Charles Fogell
Summer is here, and the work keeps rolling along with an economy that has stood strong for some time now. All the crafts represented by your District Council have seen ample work opportunities [...]
Construction Continues To Drive This Economy And It’s Great To See by Joe Guarino
Ground has broken on an iconic tower rising at One Congress Street in Government Center, the million square foot tower that will house State Street’s new corporate headquarters. The tower is the [...]
Updates On Projects In The Pipeline by Joseph Itri
Fenway Center Developers Meredith Management, Gerding Edlen, and TH Real Estate officially broke ground in late January 2018 on the five-building, 1.1 million-square-foot Fenway Center at the [...]
Friend or Fraud? It’s All In The Vote by Chris Brennan
Business and politics go hand in hand. Public work is the bread and butter of many of our contractors, and prevailing wage law protections are the only thing standing between success and failure. [...]
Polar Park’s Ceremonial Ground Breaking by Vern Gaylor
Polar Park’s Ceremonial Ground Breaking: the new home of the AAA Red Sox in Worcester. The Worcester Building Trades was not able to get a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) on the project, but we [...]
We Are All In by Ray Pickup
The last few months have been contentious in the great City of Lowell. Representative Chris Brennan, multiple building trades partners, and I educated the Lowell City Council, City Manager, and [...]
Bridging Communities by Tony Hernandez
Two major projects started in Spring of 2019! The first is a replacement of the 118-year-old N. Washington Street Bridge. J.F. White Contracting Co. is the general contractor, and Prime Coating [...]
Organizing Our Industry by Justin Desmond
District Council 35 is proud to welcome Trust One Building Co. as our newest Drywall Finish Company, and to welcome Trust One Building Co. President David Villanueva as our new partner. DC 35 [...]
These Are Our Times by Wayne Murphy
The alternate universe continues at Pennsylvania Avenue. When our current president was elected, he promised a massive infrastructure investment that would stem the tide of the country’s [...]
The Long Game Pays Off by Roger Brunelle
Over the last several years, I have written a number of articles about Union members running for office, and I have made the case that we can control our own destiny if we elect more of our own [...]
School’s Out, We’re In by Michael Lafferty
We have started training the members of Local 1952 on the installation of hardwood floors, and the repairing, replacing, and cutting of acoustic ceiling tiles. The members who are trained will be [...]
FTI New England by Eric Redding
District Council 35’s annual commencement of graduating apprentices shows enormous achievement and is one of the most exciting events of the year. In May, we witnessed 45 apprentices start the [...]
Are You Thinking About Retirement by Bill McDevitt
Did you know Age 55 is the earliest retirement age for an Early or Service age pension? Below is a brief list of the Types of Pension and applicable ages. Each type of pension may have additional [...]
FTI NE hosted its 2019 Graduation Ceremony; Added 42 highly-trained tradesmen and women to the New England construction industry
To meet the increasing demand for skilled labor in Boston and across New England, the Finishing Trades Institute of New England (FTI-NE) has trained 42 graduating apprentices with the skills and [...]
Wounded Warriors Project
IUPAT DC 35 APPRENTICES HELP BUILD NEW, ACCESSIBLE HOME FOR HANSON WOUNDED WAR VETERAN Jared Allen’s Homes for Wounded Warriors, several Massachusetts building trades unions including IUPAT DC [...]
NH Voices: Jeff Sullivan — Prevailing wage: Working families prevail
MR. REAP’S RECENT commentary on SB 271 (An Act to Require Prevailing Wages on State-Funded Public Works Projects) misses the mark and distorts the reality. Trying to turn the debate to a union [...]
Nuestro Trabajo Continúa by Jeff Sullivan
En todos los sectores, su Concejo de Distrito trabaja todos los días para aumentar las oportunidades laborales para nuestras hermanas y hermanos miembros. Nuestro Departamento de Servicios, [...]
Our Work Continues by Jeff Sullivan
Across all departments, your District Council works every day to increase work opportunities for our sister and brother members. Our Servicing, Organizing and Government Affairs Departments [...]
Mega Projects In The Making by Paul Canning
Suffolk Downs Redevelopment The HYM Investment Group, LLC announced that it has completed the purchase of Suffolk Downs, a site located adjacent to two stops on the MBTA’s Blue Line. HYM’s vision [...]
Boston Development Projects To Watch In 2019 by Joe Guarino
After several years of what is possibly the biggest building construction boom in the city’s history, Boston remarkably remains poised to keep the momentum going with several significant projects [...]
Growing Opportunities by Bill Legrand
I am very humbled to have the honor of speaking with all classes of our apprenticeship, whether you’re a brand new first year with a bunch of questions and eager to learn or a well-rounded third [...]
Towards A Stronger Economy by Charles Fogell
Our strong economy continues to be the driver for many of the projects that are underway but future projects as well. We did see a slight decrease in consumer confidence in the later stages of [...]
The Upward Trend Continues by Chris Brennan
Encore Boston Harbor is coming into the stretch run at the brand new $2.5B project. The project continues to employ roughly 200 members with still many smaller contracts yet to be awarded. Since [...]
Upcoming Worcester Construction by Vern Gaylor
The Worcester Red Sox’ new stadium should be starting construction in July or August with either Consigli Construction or Gilbane Construction as the General Contractor. The stadium will seat [...]
Woman. Mother. Mentor. Leader. Union. by Ray Pickup
Before 1978, women in the construction industry seemed like an afterthought. Women participating in the building trades were 3% nationwide. It gradually increased over the years at a snail’s [...]
New Development by Tony Hernandez
The new calendar year looks good with work opportunity throughout our jurisdiction. Tobin Bridge Viaduct Improvement in Chelsea, a $169,371,939 project was awarded to Skanska-McCourt joint [...]
Organizing Our Industry by Justin Desmond
District Council 35 is proud to welcome, Sutton Painting LLC and President Sean Sutton Local 939 member to the contractor ranks at DC 35. DC 35 is also happy to welcome Brett Pettis, owner of New [...]
Put The Work In by Wayne Murphy
The Government Affairs Department continues its work in the legislative and political arenas in support of the critical initiatives being pursued by the Council’s various departments throughout [...]
This Union Is You by Roger Brunelle
DC 35 has always been a very active union. During the political season, staff and members are known among elected officials and candidates as a union that can mobilize the membership for sign [...]
Funds Office Update by Bill McDevitt
UPDATE FUND OFFICE WHEN YOU MOVE The Fund Office in Roslindale sends out over 100,0000 pieces of mail every year. This includes your health, pension, annuity statements, medical claim payments, [...]