All posts tagged apprenticeship

Cincinnati leaders attempting to stall Responsible Bidder ordinance implementation

Following an early January Ohio Appeals Court ruling that cleared the way for Cincinnati to enforce its disputed Responsible Bidder ordinance, the city administration is now attempting to stall its implementation.

The ordinance requires contractors on certain public construction projects to have graduated at least one employee from a registered apprenticeship program every year for the last five years. This ordinance is to be implemented in conjunction with a local hire program as well. The Responsible Bidder ordinance essentially requires contractors to supply a union workforce for Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) projects over $400,000. Contracts under $400,000 are exempt from the ordinance in order to allow smaller businesses to bid on these projects.

By creating the ordinance, the city understood that a registered apprenticeship program produces a construction worker who, regardless of race or gender, works efficiently and can help save time and money on the jobsite. Continue reading →

Appeals Court overturns ruling; Paves way for Cincinnati Responsible Bidder Ordinance

A court ruling has cleared the way for the city of Cincinnati to enforce its Responsible Bidder ordinance.

In early January, the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the ruling of a lower court, paving the way for the city to require contractors to have graduated at least one employee from a registered apprenticeship program every year for the last five years.

Allied Construction Industries, a not-for-profit construction trades group for non-union contractors, sued the city, saying the ordinance was a way to ensure only union signatory contractors could successfully bid on contracts. Continue reading →

Bill will Aid High School Apprenticeship Recruitment

Sheet Metal Workers Local 24 stands to benefit from a bill recently passed in the Ohio House.

House members voted unanimously to approve House Bill 98, the Ohio High School Career Opportunity Act, which gives equal opportunity for representatives from colleges and universities, the armed forces, skilled trades, businesses and charitable organizations to present information on future career and post-graduate opportunities to high school students.

HB 98 now moves to the Senate for possible committee hearings and floor vote. If passed by the Senate, it will become law and give the building trades more access to public schools to expose students to careers in the building trades. Continue reading →

City of Columbus Signs Historic Community Benefits Agreement with Building Trades

The City of Columbus and the Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council signed a historic Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) to  partner together to ensure the work to construct Columbus Fire Station No. 35 is performed by the area’s building trades.

The CBA also requires the C/COBCTC to host apprenticeship-recruitment fairs and to contribute 5 cents per hour worked on the project, to be deposited into a scholarship fund for apprenticeship programs.

“This agreement includes many firsts for our city, all built on my commitment to expanding Columbus’ success to every person in every neighborhood,” said Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther. “This agreement offers the City and its residents many benefits.”

Continue reading →

SMW 24 Participates in Construction Career Fair

Our Columbus JATC represented Sheet Metal Workers Local 24 at a construction career fair in Columbus.

The Jan. 26 career fair was an opportunity for Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades affiliated unions, such as Sheet Metal Workers Local 24, to reach out directly to potential apprentice candidates.

Continue reading →

High School Students Visit SMW 24 Dayton JATC

Area high school students got an upclose look at what it takes to be a member of Sheet Metal Workers Local 24.

As part of National Apprenticeship Week, students from the Upper Valley Career Center visited the Dayton JATC to learn about the work Local 24 members perform, the training members receive and about the money they can earn working in this trade.

Continue reading →

Local 24 Recruits Veterans at Job Fair

In late July, the Columbus/Central Ohio Building & Construction Trades Council hosted a career fair for veterans. The fair aimed to educate attendees about the numerous career opportunities with the trades in Central Ohio. Representatives from various local building trades apprenticeship programs attended and eagerly shared information about their crafts, including Sheet Metal Workers Local 24.

The building trades are particularly interested in recruiting veterans, because of the great skills learned while serving our country. The program Helmets to Hardhats (H2H), which is aimed at veteran recruitment and retention, helps to achieve this goal through a grant that provides veterans entering an apprenticeship program the necessary supplies/tools, work boots and stipend to guarantee achievement. Continue reading →

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