Success and Support

By Ryan Colon

Happy New Year, Brothers and Sisters! I hope you enjoyed the holidays with your families. I want to get right into it because this upcoming year is going to be a battle. We will need to stay unified and fight for everything we know we deserve. Between the current administration attacking our families and eliminating job opportunities, and desperate attempts from carpenters and non-union labor to steal our work, we must claw back every hour we’ve fought so hard for.

District Council 35 is leaving no stone unturned. We are performing job sweeps alongside our Organizing Department, looking for violations and identifying jobs where we can launch campaigns. Every effort is focused on securing hours for our members. 

A Year of Significance

This past year brought significant improvements: our CBA, benefits package, and market share have all grown, creating new work opportunities. New steward language in the CBA has allowed us to place more stewards on projects. These stewards are identifying opportunities, whether through word of mouth, uncovering contractors not using apprentices, or spotting other openings, and putting in the work for both the union and our members. Great job to all our stewards!

On the benefits side, we just achieved a well-deserved $20 accrual rate increase. Many members were excited to submit their papers after hearing the news. Our market share continues to grow across the jurisdiction, and although projects aren’t starting as fast as we’d like, work is on the way. We remain optimistic that our members will navigate these challenges successfully.

Chase the Work

During slow times, it’s easy to become complacent, relying on unemployment or side work. But it’s critical to keep track of your hours for benefits and communicate with your rep if you’re willing to travel for work. Opportunities are available throughout Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine. Keep in mind, traveling doesn’t always mean hotel stays – it may be a two-hour drive for zone pay. The contractor may even offer higher wages because of those benefits. It’s much harder to find hours in a pinch — especially when many members are short on hours late in the qualifying period. By making one simple call to your rep and letting them know you’re available, you could secure hours at the exact moment you need them to maintain health insurance or benefits. We will be looking for members to chase the work and fill those voids. Keeping your information up to date allows us to work efficiently to match members to openings quickly.

If you’re hesitant about rates, consider this: skipping a zone pay job to save money could leave you facing significant out-of-pocket medical expenses. If you are the primary insurance provider for your family, you need to pay for physicals, dental checkups and, God forbid, a spur-of-the-moment emergency visit. The money you think you’re saving by not working at that Zone 5 rate will now be spent on uninsured medical costs. Just look at your explanation of benefits paperwork, which is sent from the Funds office. Staying proactive protects your income and your family.

Presidents Roundtable

Our Presidents Roundtable continues to be a tremendous resource. Meeting every three months, these leaders are eager to learn, collaborate, and move their Locals, and the Union, forward. This group has already improved communication, streamlined bylaws, and helped with special call mailers. Thank you to each President for your dedication.

Meetings for 2026 are tentatively scheduled from 4:30–5:30 PM before Delegates meetings in February, May, August, and November.

DC35 Events

This past year saw many successful events, including STAR, the Doherty Memorial Golf Tournament, and our first-ever General Membership Meeting.

• STAR: Beautiful weather, great prizes, and fantastic people made it a memorable day for all. Congratulations to all winners!
• Doherty Memorial Golf Tournament: The largest turnout ever, thanks to our generous sponsors. Special recognition to our scholarship winners.
• General Membership Meeting: While General President Jimmy Williams Jr. couldn’t attend, our own General Vice President Paul Canning delivered inspiring words on unionism and unity.

Events like these don’t happen by accident. A big thank you to Erin McCabe, Stacey Norton, Yudalys Escobar, Emily Corso, and Heather Palmacci’s team at the Funds Office – you make these events possible!

Each One Teach One

I’ll finish with this: on job sites, we must look out for each other, especially our apprentices. Regardless of age, they are still new to the trade and need mentoring. I challenge each one of you to take an apprentice under your wing: teach them the whole trade, what is right and  wrong, and how to be productive members of the union. Encourage them to attend meetings, take classes and show up on time. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the guidance of journey-level members who invested in me. We need to continue that tradition. Remember: we are one union, one family, with one fight.