Strong Economy and Jobs

Charles Fogell
Contract Administrator/ Business Representative 617-592-2221

We continue to ride the economic wave here in the Northeast. Boston has continued to pave the way for our economy within the jurisdiction of our District Council. As fall gets into full swing, members are enjoying great work opportunities in the crafts represented by our District Council.

Good job opportunities are the key ingredient for our success as a union. Good jobs are not just driven by the economy; it is the hard work from your leadership team together with our active membership. Education and training are key elements to our success. Members who keep their skills honed, through continuing education and training, allow us to capture work opportunities when they arise. Recently, I attended the Eastern States Apprenticeship Conference and it was very enlightening to see how advanced our programs are here at the District Council.

I am pleased that many of our construction members participated in the allocation voting for this year’s increases under the Painting and Glazing Industries Agreement. The special call meetings that were held in March and April were well run by our local union leaders. The members have spoken and the allocations are in place for the 2019 increases that take place July 1 and January 1.

Mayor Carpenter of Brockton with Business Representative Chuck Fogell and Council Executive Board Member Paul Hadzipanajotis.

I have continued to participate in the discussions and the work assignments that are being performed at the Canal 3 Project. So far, we are on time and under budget on that project. More importantly, the safety record for the project continues to be excellent, a credit to the involvement of our members across crafts. The 250-foot stack is being barged in and JW Egan Painting is on-site performing the coatings operation. There will be additional work coming on the project as well.

Protecting our work is another key element to our success here at our District Council. For the past few months, I have worked with business representative Vern Gaylor at the MGM Casino in Springfield to resolve conflicts with the carpenters, electricians and ironworkers over the installation of signs. Recently, we had a disagreement over work assignments at the Exelon Power Station in Medway, Massachusetts. Working with organizer Jorge Rivera, we met with all interested parties over the operation of compressors. Our preparation and Rivera’s knowledge helped us come to a positive resolution, maintaining our work and the assignment. These are a few examples of the day-to-day management of our work and upcoming assignments that the leadership team handles. If you see something, say something.

Education seminar: The Opioid Epidemic and the Use of Narcan.

I have continued to be active in the communities we represent. In Brockton, the Building Trades met with Mayor Carpenter to discuss programs being offered by our unions. He addressed our delegation about his visions for the City of Brockton. The mayor also spoke about several projects in the pipeline and the new parking garage to relieve some of the parking problems in the heart of the city.

Since my last message to the membership I have spent a great deal of time bargaining new agreements. I am working on agreements covering college grounds workers, painters, and sign and display workers throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Recently completed agreements include area silkscreen and specialty advertising agreements.

I am pleased to report that we have broadened our contractor base in the sign industry. Divine Sign of Everett has signed up with DC35 and we look forward to working with them.

Business Representative Chuck Fogell with Paul Cook of Divine Sign.

The great work by your labor trustees has netted a pension improvement that is second to none! Improvements are not possible without the commitment of our membership working under the DC35 program. Strong hours, respectable returns and continued funding are key. The entire Board of Trustees, both labor and management, worked hard to be able to make an improvement that impacts so many.

Beginning stages of construction and stack erection at Sandwich Power Plant.