All posts tagged Sheet Metal Workers Local 24

Rick Perdue elected President of Lima Building Trades

Sheet Metal Workers Local 24 Dayton District Business Representative Rick Perdue was recently elected as the new President of the Lima Building Trades.

Perdue, who served as the Vice President, replaced Mike Knisley, who retired in the summer after the Ohio State Building and Construction Trades Council Executive Board unanimously voted him as their next Secretary-Treasurer. Knisley served in this unpaid leadership role for 11 years in addition to also being the Business Manager of UA Local 776 for 14 years. Continue reading →

EPA asbestos rule change could hurt Sheet Metal Workers

Sheet Metal Workers and members of other building trades may be endangered by a new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rule that appears to loosen the restrictions on the use of asbestos.

The proposed change would mean those seeking to use asbestos in the manufacturing of products would be required to notify the EPA at least 90 days before importing, processing or using the substance in manufacturing. The EPA would then review each request on a case-by-case basis. Continue reading →

Local 24 Members Presented 70-Year Pins

Two Sheet Metal Local 24 members were presented with their 70-year pins.

In the South Point region, Business Rep. Jeff Rowe presented a 70-year pin to Brother Vernon Martin.

This was a special event for both Rowe and Martin (pictured above).

Rowe said it was first time he has presented a member with a 70-year award. Continue reading →

Locals 24 and 33 work together to keep West Virginia HVAC Licensing Law

Sheet Metal Workers Locals 24 and 33, with help from a SMART lobbyist and the Affiliated Construction Trades (ACT) West Virginia, defeated an attempt by state legislators to repeal HVAC licensing requirements in the state.

After two years of working with legislators, SMW Locals 24, 33 and 100 won a key victory in 2015, as the state enacted a law to require state licensing for all workers who perform work on HVAC/Fire Dampers in West Virginia. Continue reading →

Second-Year Apprentices Complete COMET Training

Second-year Sheet Metal Workers Local 24 apprentices recently completed COMET training to help them better understand the role organizing plays in helping grow our union.

Construction Organizing Membership Education Training (COMET) was created in the mid-90s by what was then known as the Building and Construction Trades Department (BCTD), now called North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU). The BCTD noticed an alarming trend as the number of building trades unions and affiliated members were both in rapid decline. Continue reading →

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 →

Cincinnati Training Coordinator Gary Shinkle Retires

Gary Shinkle, who spent the last 18 years as Cincinnati Training Coordinator, has officially retired.

Following a staff meeting and lunch on Nov. 1, Business Manager Rodney French, with help from the Local 24 staff, presented Brother Shinkle with a proclamation from Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley. 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 →

 Members and Contractors donate supplies to Hurricane Irma Relief Efforts

Hurricane Irma left its mark in mid-September, leaving a trail of death and destruction through Florida and parts of the southeast.

On the morning of Sept. 10, Irma hit the Florida Keys about 20 miles north of Key West as a category 4 Hurricane with sustained winds of 130 mph.

Several hours later, Irma came ashore on the mainland over Naples, as it made its way north through Florida.

The hurricane ravaged the Sunshine state, leaving cities under water, and according to multiple media reports, 60 percent of homes across Florida were left without power. Continue reading →