Inside the Carpenters’ Fight for Control of Their Union
A union co-founded by a socialist has become a bastion of conservatism, but a reform movement is brewing within its ranks.
At 5:30 am on a Monday in July, union carpenters began gathering outside Grand Central Station. A passing Teamster stopped to express solidarity and drop off some energy drinks. A middle-aged man stood a few feet away, observing the scene. A few of the workers wondered aloud if he was there to surveil them, perhaps on behalf of the contractors, or the union leadership. The atmosphere was tense and expectant—if enough carpenters showed up, the gathering could turn into a wildcat strike.
The impetus for the early-morning assembly was dissent over the New York City District Council of Carpenters’ collective-bargaining agreement
with the Association of the Wall-Ceiling and Carpentry Industries. The
CBA had been accepted unanimously by the newly elected 100-person
District Council delegate assembly days earlier.
Before new delegates were elected, the carpenters had been
without a contract for two years. A slate of new leaders—which included
more business managers, supers, and foremen than rank-and-file
carpenters—swept the recent delegate elections, but the contract they
accepted left some members unhappy enough to consider an unauthorized
work stoppage.
The terms of the agreement became available to carpenters just a
few days before the contract was formally agreed upon. Members cannot
vote directly on contracts, and while Joseph Geiger, executive
secretary-treasurer of the NYC District Council of Carpenters, told The Nation
that leadership invited rank-and-file members to two meetings with
contractors and the negotiation team to gain input on the contract, and
that the delegates are expected to update members at monthly local union
meetings, several members describe the contract’s details as having
been “leaked” to members days before being voted on by delegates
The contract included significant reductions in pension
contributions, along with a so-called two-tier provision. “Two-tier”
refers to an arrangement where workers are compensated differently for
identical work, usually based on seniority. It is a long-standing scourge of unions for its effect in dividing membership and eroding wages and benefit standards.
The controversial collective-bargaining agreement
also formalized a new category of worker. Previously, there were two
categories: apprentices and journeypersons. The new contract included
apprentices, journeypersons, and “certified journeypersons.” Under the
old standard, once a worker accumulated 5,200 hours on the job, they
would graduate to journeyperson status, receiving the full, higher rate.
Now, a “journeyperson” will receive a B-rate. “It’s more than a $33
decrease per hour from the certified [journeyperson] rate, around $10
less out of the wage and $23 out of the benefits, which is just insane,”
says Laura Gabby, a journeyperson who has been in the union since 2012.
Only upon working 10,000 hours, a number that will take a worker
several years to reach, will a journeyperson graduate to certified
journeyperson under the terms of the agreement. Additionally, the
contract includes changes to job-site ratios that workers fear may lead
certified journeypersons to be asked to either work at the lesser rate
or stay home. These concessions spurred the opposition, which emerged
most dramatically at the mid-July rally...
The reduction in Pension contributions is key, because that will lead to an increase in the underfunded status of the Pension, which is what McCarron and his team want because if they push the fund into the “Red” zone then they can make the changes that they want under new law they supported, the Pension Reform Act. McCarron sees Pensions as an anchor around the UBC’s neck, that make the Carpenters uncompetitive. So he wants to get rid of Pension funds altogether so we’ll be on par with the non union carpenter. Which if that’s the case why the fuck are we paying dues???? Hey PHILADELPHIA this is your future!! This is what Ed was fighting against and that’s why they got rid of him!! We’re next...... Dear retirees have you applied for a job at Walmart yet??? If you haven’t you better get the fuck in line because your pension payment is going to get significantly reduced real soon!! Think not, then read the post again about NY and the reduction in benefit payments!! Because part of that reduction is your Pension payments!!! Do the math, less contributions = a reduction in your pension payment, your not safe!!! Your as fucked, if not more so, than we are, because at least we can keep working. Whose gonna hire you???
ReplyDeleteI fully support the reorganization of the union .
ReplyDeleteHowever .The author of this piece clearly is naive, ignorant, or biased .
PJ McGuire indeed was a socialist .
Founding an organization based on a socialist model .Thats where any similarity ended .
These carpenters who think the green new deal is GOOD for them are lost children in the woods .
Im not going to espouse politics or affiliation or ideology ..spare me your responses... This is purely fact and outcomes that are incontrevertible , and has occurred in EVERY union globally in which the countries sovereign form of government is socialist .
Lets start with England .
( where mcguire took the model from)
England had the most powerful unions in the world at one point .
The strongest trade unions supplying the largest trading exchanges the world had ever seen .
What changed that?
Socialism .
For the casual observer like nunes and all carpenters who believe in socialism ... Heres the deal .
Not opinion .This is an economic and political fact .
When 2 socialist entities are vying for control , one of them being the government complex and the other being a labor union.... The government always wins that contest and the union is dismantled or weakened so severely that you are happy for the crumbs you will be lucky to get .
Every time .Every country .Around the globe .Always .
I fully support the reorganization of the union .
ReplyDeleteHowever .The author of this piece clearly is naive, ignorant, or biased .
PJ McGuire indeed was a socialist .
Founding an organization based on a socialist model .Thats where any similarity ended .
These carpenters who think the green new deal is GOOD for them are lost children in the woods .
Im not going to espouse politics or affiliation or ideology ..spare me your responses... This is purely fact and outcomes that are incontrevertible , and has occurred in EVERY union globally in which the countries sovereign form of government is socialist .
Lets start with England .
( where mcguire took the model from)
England had the most powerful unions in the world at one point .
The strongest trade unions supplying the largest trading exchanges the world had ever seen .
What changed that?
Socialism .
For the casual observer like nunes and all carpenters who believe in socialism ... Heres the deal .
Not opinion .This is an economic and political fact .
When 2 socialist entities are vying for control , one of them being the government complex and the other being a labor union.... The government always wins that contest and the union is dismantled or weakened so severely that you are happy for the crumbs you will be lucky to get .
Every time .Every country .Around the globe .Always .
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteFirst do me a favor and lay off the f...I asked you numerous times... Second the Act you are thinking of is the Multi Employer Pension Reform Act put on the books by FRAUD and was not "supported" by McCarron it was "written and financed" by McCarron and his UNION cronies at the NCCMP/UNIONS.McCarron dies not want to do away with pensions because its one of the few reasons that entice unsuspecting morons to join the UBC.He wants to change them, and has already started to do so,to performance based composite plans. Why do you think bought and paid for Donald Norcross put his name on the NCCMP/UNIONS written Grow Act.Performance based means every time he loots our Pension fund he can cut your Pension check without asking anybody thus circumventing the law
ReplyDeleteNow I will repost this for you minus the f I asked you to lay off. Now I am telling you.Last time.
The reduction in Pension contributions is key, because that will lead to an increase in the underfunded status of the Pension, which is what McCarron and his team want because if they push the fund into the “Red” zone then they can make the changes that they want under new law they supported, the Pension Reform Act. McCarron sees Pensions as an anchor around the UBC’s neck, that make the Carpenters uncompetitive. So he wants to get rid of Pension funds altogether so we’ll be on par with the non union carpenter. Which if that’s the case why are we paying dues???? Hey PHILADELPHIA this is your future!! This is what Ed was fighting against and that’s why they got rid of him!! We’re next...... Dear retirees have you applied for a job at Walmart yet??? If you haven’t you better get in line because your pension payment is going to get significantly reduced real soon!! Think not, then read the post again about NY and the reduction in benefit payments!! Because part of that reduction is your Pension payments!!! Do the math, less contributions = a reduction in your pension payment, your not safe!!! Your as screwed, if not more so, than we are, because at least we can keep working. Whose gonna hire you???
You are pretty much dead on my friend .
DeleteOf course minus the " f" s
I missed the directive to lay-off the use of the F word. Thanks for the edits.
ReplyDeleteSorry maybe it was another poster. I am not offended by the word but others seem to be. As you can see my vocabulary is not a result of Muffy and Biffs boarding school. In my case you just cannot polish a turd but certain words are offensive to some. So if I cannot use them either can you.
ReplyDeleteWatch carefully in the coming months ..phila vicinity pension funding dropping and new jersey fund is rising .( geee .Wonder how) as soon as phila drops enough the jersey fund will absorb us.
ReplyDeleteThus transfering control and funds ..once that occurs... Its over ..its a shell game .
We lose .
The other writer pointed out correctly " why pay dues"
We are paying for our own demise .
Cut the dues funding .( there are ways) and you begin to strangle the beast ... Forcing a series of illegal and stupid moves that CANT go unchallenged by the fed govt .
It’s time to go to court and sue for the right to choose to pay dues, and file a RICO suit. Don’t wait for it to be too late because by then it will be......
ReplyDeleteCan I get a Hacker report? Who is he throwing under the bus now? Can’t wait to see😎
ReplyDeleteHacker update .
DeleteYes .Yes he and Hand did throw someone under the bus .Very much so .
We are everywhere .
Should we name the guy ? Ya know the one they ( hand , hocker ) threw under the bus. Not that hes anything but another pos jersey lackey?
DeleteWe are everywhere .
You can learn a lot about someone when they are given s chance do the right thing and then they pass......
ReplyDelete