Welcome to Our New Members by Ray Pickup

Local 1044 Glaziers and Glassworkers is quickly closing in on the coveted 1,000 members local.

It’s been a hectic year for both the Organizing and Servicing departments. We have been putting in a great effort to recruit top talent from all over the non-union sector and continue to build our ranks with qualified and competent workers. The Apprenticeship Department has also seen an all-time high for total apprentices, particularly first-year apprentices coming into the glazing program. Please take the time to show our apprentices OUR way of being craftsmen. They will be the future of our council.

We must continue our diligent work to build our ranks, but it also puts our competition in a tough space. The non-union contractors are having a hard time competitively bidding on projects, as their workforces have either been stripped or moved onto other non-union companies paying higher wages. The high tide raises all ships, and the efforts of our entire team are not only helping our members but also non-union alike. The more pressure our team creates, the easier it is for them to demand higher wages from non-union owners. Our work raises industry standards.

As you read this newsletter, I’m sure you have worked or interacted with some of our new members. Please welcome them with open arms as they will only make our union stronger. By making our council stronger, our benefits will see added contributors that will make it easier to negotiate future benefit improvements. Strength in numbers sounds like a cliché, but it rings true. Our bargaining efforts for increased wages and benefits becomes easier with a stronger, diverse, trained and qualified workforce.

Last year was a banner year for District Council 35. Our hours worked across all of our locals have been increasing year over year. New construction and rehabilitation work continue to soar throughout our area. Larger scale projects are starting to gear down at the end of 2018, but similarly, significantly large projects will begin in early 2019. As an extremely busy 2018 wraps up, 2019 will just as promising.

I would like to extend my wishes for Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year to all of the members and family of our beloved District Council 35.