Categories
Month: August 2019
Colleagues,
I have received a reach-out from the former Director of Research for UUP, Dr. Tom Kriger, who is presently Director of Research at the North American Building Trades national office. He is seeking our help as the trades deal with ominous signs of impending attacks on their excellent, union-sponsored apprenticeship programs. The details are as follows.
The apprenticeship programs, which are the lifeblood of the unionized construction industry, are under attack from the Trump Administration. The Department of Labor is implementing something called “Industry Recognized Apprenticeship Programs,” (IRAP) which are apprenticeship-light type programs. In these programs, the Department of Labor will allow private industry groups to approve their own apprenticeship programs with few standards, little oversight and very light reporting requirements. The interesting aspect of this is that any corporation in US can set up an identical training program RIGHT NOW with similar requirements, but without these new regulatory changes they wouldn’t be able to use the name APPRENTICESHIP and call these trainees apprentices.
Unions have managed to keep these low road training programs out of construction so far; the Building Trades’ President Sean McGarvey reached an agreement with former Secretary of Labor Acosta to keep IRAP’s out of construction. However, our colleagues in the trades are concerned that the Director of OMB, Mick Mulvaney, and the other strongly anti-union figures in the Administration will move against them and their apprenticeship programs when the final rules come out. At present, we are in the final weeks of a public comment period on the proposed IRAP regulations, which ends on August 25th.
The anti-union forces in construction, led by the Associated Builders and Contractors, are behind this. It’s all about getting more cheap labor in the construction industry and having the federal government (i.e., the taxpayers) pay for the training. In the proposed regulations, IRAP’s would not have to pay progressive wages – only minimum wage, along with minimal safety, equal opportunity, and disclosure requirements.
This is where YOU come in. Please use the link below and submit a comment to the DOL requesting that the construction industry IRAP exemption be made permanent in the final rule. It’s easy to do; it took me barely 5 minutes! And please distribute to friends and family.
As we seek to build stronger relationships with coalition partners, we need to be there for our colleagues in the private sector unions. This is a chance to help. Please take a couple minutes to use the link and provide the Department of Labor with a strong statement of solidarity with our colleagues.
https://www.saveconstructionapprenticeships.org/#/34/
In Solidarity,
Fred
Categories
Labor Day Parade Sign-Up
Dear Colleagues:
UUP will once again participate in Labor Day parades across the state. Join us as we march proudly alongside our colleagues in labor showing off our solidarity and union pride.
Parades are being held in Albany, Buffalo, Massena, Syracuse and New York City. Please visit https://uuphost.org/myuup/Registration/ADVOCACY/ParadeReg.php to find your nearest event and to register for the parade. Please urge your colleagues, your families and your friends to join us!
Special note to Chapter Presidents: Kindly share this invitation as widely as possible at your chapter – we want all of your members engaged! Please bring your chapter banner to show off your union spirit.
Please contact Rob Trimarchi (rtrimarc@uupmail.org/800-342-4206) with any questions about this year’s parades.
In Solidarity,
Fred