february 2010

FEBRUARY 2010
President’s
Page
New Training Opportunities
Abound for Ironworkers
S
ecretary of Labor Hilda Solis recently
notified the Iron Workers International
Union of being one of the successful groups
in securing a training grant from the Department of Labor. The grant, with a total
dollar amount awarded in excess of 1.9
million dollars, will aid in wind turbine
erector training. The grant, awarded in
January 2010, will be used for funding the
training programs for ironworkers working in the emerging wind turbine industry.
There is a great deal of specialized training necessary for the ironworkers on these
new wind turbine projects. Classes for this
specialized training will be offered for our
JOSEPH HUNT
ironworkers at five existing training faciliGeneral President
ties: Local 6 (Buffalo, N.Y.), Local 27 (Salt
Lake City), Local 263 (Dallas/Fort Worth,
TX), Local 433 (Los Angeles), and Local
444 (Joliet, IL). Using one of the IMPACT
Project Tracking Systems, these locations
were identified as the areas of the country
having the greatest amount of growth in
this emerging industry and the greatest
number of wind tur“As we begin to prepare for the
bine projects proposed
new opportunities, changing the
to be built in the near
future.
way the world looks at energy,
Earlier in 2009,
the Iron Workers
our role in the energy sector of the
were also successful
when applying for and
construction industry will grow. ”
receiving a federal
grant titled “Expanding Ironworker Apprenticeship: Establishment of a HybridProgression Model.” This grant will be used
to fund a distance-learning program to be
utilized by our training facilities through
the National Training Fund. The grant will
benefit every local throughout the United
States, especially where it is difficult for our
members to be at their local union training
facility when certain classes are being offered. The program ensures our members
will have the ability to attend training sessions right from their homes, or from anywhere they can access a computer with a
webcam. Remotely from there, they can
join in on the classroom training that they
may be required to have for a particular job.
Ironworkers attending classes requiring
hands-on training, followed by a proficiency
evaluation to receive a certification card,
will still be required to be physically present
at their local’s training facility for that portion of the training. Utilizing these classes
remotely, when only the classroom training
is required, will be a step in the right direction for our members. When this training
can be done from anywhere in the country,
no matter where the actual classes are being held, it will provide many new training
opportunities for countless ironworkers. An
ironworker in Connecticut can join a class
being held at a training facility in Oregon
once this program is fully up and running.
Especially in these tough economic
times, our staffs at headquarters, both IMPACT and the National Fund, work very
hard every day with the general officers and
their staffs. They are constantly looking for
new and innovative ways to make the Iron
Workers and the contractors who hire them,
the most competitive in the industry. They
find ways to secure funds, allowing our existing training facilities to upgrade, modernize, and better prepare the Iron Workers
for future jurisdictional opportunities. We
will pursue all of these avenues.
As we begin to prepare for the new opportunities, changing the way the world
looks at energy, our role in the energy sector
of the construction industry will grow. Our
apprentices are already seeing a great number of these new technologies in the classroom. We ask our journeymen ironworkers
to take advantage of the training today and
be ready for the opportunities of tomorrow.
The theme of our upcoming Third Annual Iron Worker-IMPACT Labor Management Conference is “Challenges Are
Opportunities.” In these difficult times, I
want to challenge all of us to continue our
training, upgrade our skills, and be ready
for the opportunities that wait for us in the
years ahead.
Official Publication of the
International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers
1750 New York Ave., N.W. • Suite 400 • Washington, D.C. 20006 • (202)383-4800
www.ironworkers.org E-mail: [email protected]
INTERNATIONAL OFFICERS
JOSEPH J. HUNT
General President
Suite 400
1750 New York Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20006
Office: (202) 383-4810
Fax: (202) 638-4856
WALTER WISE
General Secretary
Suite 400
1750 New York Ave.,
Washington, DC 20006
Office: (202) 383-4820
Fax: (202) 347-2319
EDWARD C. McHUGH
General Treasurer
Suite 400
1750 New York Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20006
Office: (202) 383-4830
Fax: (202) 383-6483
GORDON STRUSS
First General Vice President
P.O. Box 319, 122 Main Street
Luck, WI 54853-0319
Office: (715) 472-4250/4251
Fax: (715) 472-4253
GEORGE E. KRATZER
Second General Vice President
Franklin Square Office Center
8401 Claude Thomas Road
Suite 55
Franklin, OH 45005
Office: (937) 746-0854
Fax: (937) 746-0873
RICHARD WARD
Third General Vice President
5964 Dayton Boulevard
Chattanooga, TN 37415
Office: (423) 870-1982
Fax: (423) 876-0774
Email: [email protected]
FRED MARR
Fourth General Vice President
1350 L’Heritage Drive
Sarnia, Ontario N7S 6H8
Canada
Office: (519) 542-1413/1414
Fax: (519) 542-3790
EDWARD J. WALSH
Fifth General Vice President
505 White Plains Rd.
Suite 200
Tarrytown, NY 10591
Office: (914) 332-4430
Fax: (914) 332-4431
Email: [email protected]
JAY HURLEY
Sixth General Vice President
191 Old Colony Ave., P.O. Box 96
S. Boston, MA 02127
Tel: (617) 268-2382
Fax: (617) 268-1394
E-mail: [email protected]
JOE STANDLEY
Seventh General Vice President
1660 San Pablo Ave., Suite C
Pinole, CA 94564
Office: (510) 724-9277
Fax: (510) 724-1345
TADAS KICIELINSKI
Eighth General Vice President
212 N. Kingshighway Blvd.,
Ste. 1025
St. Louis, MO 63108
Tel: (314) 454-6872
Fax: (314) 618-8328
E-mail: [email protected]
ERIC DEAN
Ninth General Vice President
205 West Grand Avenue, Ste. 101
White Pines Office Center
Bensenville, IL 60106
Tel: (630) 238-1003
Fax: (630) 238-1006
RONALD C. GLADNEY
General Counsel
Bartley, Goffstein, L.L.C.
4399 Laclede Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63108
Office: (314) 531-1054
Fax: (314) 531-1131
Headquarters Office:
(202) 383-4868
Headquarters Fax:
(202) 638-4856
INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENTS
Apprenticeship and Training
Tel: (202) 383-4870
Fax: (202) 347-5256
LU/DC Staff Retirement and
Shopmen’s Pension Fund
Tel: (202) 383-4874
Fax: (202) 628-6469
Computer Department
Tel: (202) 383-4886
Fax: (202) 383-4895
Magazine
Tel: (202) 383-4842
Davis-Bacon Office
Tel: (202) 834-9855
Fax: (202) 347-1496
Mailroom
Tel: (202) 383-4855
Fax: (202) 638-1038
Department of Ornamental,
Architectural & Miscellaneous
Metals (DOAMM)
Tel: (630) 238-1003
Fax: (630) 238-1006
Department of Reinforcing
Ironworkers
Tel: (866) 336-9163
Fax: (356) 736-9618
Ironworkers Political
Action League
Tel: (202) 383-4805
Fax: (202) 347-3569
Maintenance and Jurisdiction
Tel: (202) 383-4860
Fax: (202) 347-1496
Organizing
Tel: (202) 383-4851
Fax: (202) 347-1496
Safety
Tel: (202) 383-4829
Fax: (202) 383-6490
Shop Department
Tel: (202) 383-4846
Fax: (202) 783-3230
Volume 110
February 2010
Number 2
FEATURES
4
15
16
20
21
22
Local 3 Builds New Arena for Stanley Cup Champs
The Toughest Part of the Job for Ironworkers
Ironworkers Build North America
Others Look Up to Them
TAUC Names Craftperson of the Year
New York State Building Trades Organizes Rally
DEPARTMENTS
FEBRUARY 2010
9
11
14
23
24
29
30
Officer’s Forum
Departmental Reports
IMPACT
A Family Perspective
Local News
Lifetime Honorary Members
Official Monthly Record
On The Cover
With an opening planned for the
fall of 2010, the new Consol Energy
Center in Downtown Pittsburgh
reached a major milestone recently,
as roof construction for the 18,087seat arena commenced.
EDITOR: Scott Malley, 1750 New York Ave., N.W. Washington, D.C. 20006
ASSISTANT TO THE EDITOR : Nancy Folks
THE IRONWORKER
ISSN:0021163X Published monthly, except for a combined July-August issue, for $15.00 per year by the International Association of
Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers, 1750 New York Ave., N.W. Washington, D.C. 20006. Preferred periodicals
postage paid at Washington, D.C. and additional mailing offices. Printed on union-made paper. Postmasters: Send change of address to
Ironworker- 1750 New York Ave., N.W. Washington, D.C. 20006
Canada Agreement Number 40009549.
s
r
to
c
a
tr
l
a
c
a
h
t
f
i
L
m
o
Fr
n
o
C
Lo
t
i
W
ith an opening planned for the fall of 2010,
the new Consol Energy Center in Downtown Pittsburgh reached a major milestone recently, as roof construction for the 18,087 seat
arena commenced. Dravosburg, Pa.-based Century Steel Erectors was tasked with completing
steel work for the building, including erecting
the trusses, which would provide the backbone
of the roof structure, and they turned to product specialist Jim Porreca of Baltimore’s Mabey
Bridge & Shore, Inc. to provide the equipment
necessary to hold the steel beams in place
throughout the process.
The Consol Energy Center, like other indoor
arenas of its kind, relies on a complex series
of steel beams, gussets, and trusses to support
the roof’s dome structure and add stability to
the building. Ordinarily, ironworkers must be
contracted to fabricate a system to support the
beams near the roofline and allow welders to secure it to the building. This fabrication is time
consuming, and can add significantly to the total cost of a project. In this case, Century Steel
wanted an off-the-shelf solution that could be
W
4
THE IRONWORKER
FEBRUARY 2010
5
implemented quickly and hold the large
steel trusses in place during install. Their
main requirement was that any solution
had to allow the gusset plate beam to pass
through and support it, while also supporting the trusses near the roofline.
Century Steel project managers worked
with Porreca, Mabey engineers and professional engineer Dick Ryabik on an arrangement utilizing Mabey’s modular Mabey
Universal (MU) Tower system and portions of another Mabey structural support
product—the Mat 75 System. Assembled
sections of Mat 75 were placed near the top
of each tower and secured to the MU struc-
6
THE IRONWORKER
FEBRUARY 2010
7
Century Steel Erector owner Don Taylor
(in white shirt) with local dignitaries.
ture. Bracing on the inner and outer
faces of these sections were then removed, allowing the gusset beams to
pass through them. The tower continued upward with the addition of MU
Tower components, which support
up to 385 kips per leg, to support the
main truss. “It was a challenge to say
the least,” said Porreca. “Our systems
are made to support heavy loads,
but supporting the gusset beam and
truss with the same towers required
some extensive planning.”
Altogether, two, 110’ towers and
two, 120’ were constructed to support
the roof’s framework. A bridge was
also constructed between two of the
towers to provide additional support
to the gusset and workers crossing
between them. Once done, the roof
will measure 150’ tall, and is expected
to be completed in the fall of 2009.
Team Owner Mario Lemieux
talks with ironworkers at the
topping out ceremony.
8
THE IRONWORKER
OFFICER’S FORUM
Integrity
ork continues to be slow both
locally and nationally. The unemployment rate has recently topped
10.2% with many pockets of the country much worse. However, there are
faint signs of recovery. There has been
a slight surge in projects going out
for bid in recent days. The coke oven
job in Monroe is over due to begin,
The Banks project now has a General
Contractor and bid packages will soon
follow, Dater School is accepting bids
under the new P.W. and Responsible
Contractor bid requirements, the casino should be rolling by this time next
year and a rumor has surfaced that
the Kenwood Mall structural steel
“statue” may be restarted. In addition,
not even half of the Stimulus Package has been spent and next year is
an election year. Nothing looks better
on incumbents than to be cutting ribbons or standing in front of great big
checks that are creating jobs for their
constituency.
The American Heritage Dictionary defines integrity as a “steadfast
adherence to a strict moral or ethical
code.” I would say it is doing what is
right even though no one is looking
and there seems to be less and less of
that in our society these days. It can
be said that the opposite is celebrated
more and more. The television show
“Survivor” is a great example of that.
Contestants lie, connive and scheme
behind one another’s backs to win a
million bucks and tour the talk show
circuit. Time was when a handshake
was all that was needed to seal a
deal. Today you would be viewed a
naive fool to rely upon a simple word
or someone’s handshake in business
or personal matters. So many of our
W
FEBRUARY 2010
heroes, politicians and leaders have
been caught cheating, lying and stealing that, at times, it is hard to know
what to hang your hat on and who to
trust and believe in. The divorce rate
is a perfect example of this. Do you really trust your spouse with all your
heart in all matters? Few do and with
good reason. . . half of marriages end
up in divorce. Today, in many cases, it
is a business proposition. Ask Donald
Trump (who knows) and Paul McCarthy (who wishes he had known). The
Wall Street debacle is yet another example of a corporate culture of corruption and greed that lost sight of ANY
sense of integrity or decency for that
matter. One would think that shame
and guilt would prevent future Wall
Street types from continuing past
practices yet that has not occurred
and they are fighting against any proposed reform measures. It seems that
multi-million dollar bonuses, even for
abject failure, are hard to give up.
We union members sometime forget the importance of the concept of
integrity. In the past there have been
big scandals involving pension fund
monies and involvement with organized crime. Our enemies still point
these past sins out whenever they refer to us. As I have said in the past; our
customers, and the public at large, do
not remember the great things that
we accomplish and all the “atta-boys”
in the world vanish in an instant with
just one stumble. Everyday we go to
work we put our names, our reputations and our honor on the line. Our
Collective Bargaining Agreements
are contracts that bind us to our contractors. We give our word that we
will hold up our end of the deal and
insist that they hold up their end of
the deal that we both hammer out in
negotiations. Our CBA’s are the foundation of a mutually beneficial pledge
that serves as a framework to keep
both sides honest and it has worked
well for 105 years.
As union members we all take
and oath to uphold our constitution
and bylaws and not to harm another member, or see one wronged, if
we can prevent it. Your officers take
further vows and swear to carry out
their assigned duties for the benefit of the membership. From time to
time it is good to remind ourselves
of this pledge and to hold ourselves
and others accountable. Every day I
think of the 850+ members that I am
representing and the oaths I took to
look out for their best interests. This
business is not a game. Spreading
rumors, lying, gossip, stealing from
contractors and each other, falsifying
timesheets, laziness and acting the
fool (both on and off the job) harms
ALL of us and reflects poorly upon
our organization and its members.
This is a multi-million dollar business and people’s livelihoods are at
stake each and every day.
Morality, honesty, loyalty and integrity are notions that we are not
born with. . . they must be learned.
It is a noble undertaking to strive
for these ideals personally and, after
practicing these concepts in our lives,
to teach and expect it from others we
encounter. Without these ideals the
Union movement is doomed.
Lawrence E. Oberding
Business Manager
Ironworkers Local #44 (Joliet, Ill.)
9
10
THE IRONWORKER
APPRENTICESHIP DEPARTMENT REPORT
Mike White
T
his month’s article is from the National Fund’s Certified Welding Inspector Instructors. The following
list is the Certified Welding Instructor test results from
the American Welding Society, at The 25th Annual Ironworker Instructors Program, University of San Diego and
recently at the mid-west Regional Training Center, Ironworkers Local 396 Training Facility in St. Louis, Mo.
This year the Ironworkers National Training Fund’s
Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) Training Program had
one of its most successful rates of certification. The Program had 42 ironworkers take part in the CWI Preparation and 40 Hour Re-qualification courses in 2009. Thirtyfive ironworkers chose to continue with the CWI Training
Program by attending the CWI
Seminar and Exam in either
San Diego or St. Louis. After putting in 9-hour days in
the classroom and 4 to 6-hour
nights of homework and study
hall for 10 days; 21 ironworkers
received their CWI and eight
ironworkers received a CAWI.
T he i ns t r uc t or s of t he
program recognize the following ironworkers for their
achievement:
Certified Welding Inspectors:
Mike Blakeman, LU 769
Carlos Cardona, LU 197
Brian Colombo, LU 378
Bill Creegan, LU 568
Randy Gardner, LU 5
Scott Gardner, LU 33
Kevin Haas, LU 1
Jimi Hale, LU 5
Chuck Harris, LU 577
Ken Heiden, LU 63
Reis James, LU 397
Cody Jones, LU 75
Alex Landing, LU 16
Luke Pendleton, LU 24
Jason Rafter, LU 118
Doug Rupik, LU 86
Scott Salyers, LU 769
Barry Schunck, LU 16
Robert Sterling, LU 782
Dan Stinson, LU 492
Lance Tveiten, LU 512
Certified Associate Welding Inspectors:
Reggie Brantley, LU 118
Tim Holmes, LU 732
Roger Long, LU 498
Alex Ogai, LU 5
Luis Recendez, LU 433
Lamar Shafer, LU 350
Ray Vanderpool, LU 63
Mark Van Horn, LU 769
With Congratulations;
Rick Munroe, CWI Instructor, LU 15
Skip Maillett, CWI Instructor, LU 15
Joe Hunt III, CWI Instructor, LU 396
FEBRUARY 2010
11
SAFETY AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT REPORT
Frank Migliaccio
L
ast year, in the February edition of the IW Magazine, I described several fatal accidents that
occurred around the country to our
fellow brother and sister ironworkers. I would once again like to dedicate the February 2010 edition to
more of our fellow ironworkers who
lost their lives on the job in 2009.
Just as I have done in the past, I
have informed you, our members,
of the number of fatalities we have
had each year. Last year we experienced eleven fatalities in the United States, zero in Canada. Eight
of the fatalities were due to falls
from heights of 5 feet to 90 feet.
One of the fall fatalities did not require the ironworker to be tied off, and one fatality occurred
even though the ironworker was tied off. This amounts to 11
families that will never see their loved ones come through
the door again. In 2009, we experienced four fewer fatalities
than our best year, 2003, where we lost 15 ironworkers to job
related deaths. The eleven deaths that occurred in 2009 are
still unacceptable. One job related death is one too many!
Last February, the article was a great success with many
comments coming from members who read the article. Again,
there will be no names of the deceased, local union numbers,
job locations, or company names given in this article. With
that said, let’s begin.
ACCIDENT # 1
Age:
Day of the week:
Membership years:
Served an Apprenticeship:
Job task:
23
Thursday
2
No
Charging Rebar in Column
Ironworker set the column, fastened the couplers, braced
the column off with wooden 2 X 4’s, and cut the crane loose.
The ironworker climbed to the top of the column to drop in
additional verticals when the bracing broke and the column
collapsed and pinned the ironworker between the column
and deck.
ALWAYS MAKE SURE THERE IS SUFFICIENT BRACING AND
IT IS STRONG ENOUGH TO SUPPORT THE STRUCTURE.
ALSO, MAKE SURE THE BRACING IS INSPECTED BEFORE IT
IS PUT INTO USE.
ACCIDENT # 2
Age:
Day of the week:
Membership years:
Served an Apprenticeship:
Job task:
59
Tuesday
40
Yes
Welders Helper
Ironworker was working on the fourth floor assisting a
welder when the welder dropped his wire brush onto the
12
plastic covering an opening the floor below. The plastic was
acting as a heat barrier. It appeared the ironworker attempted to retrieve the wire brush from the plastic by reaching
through or stepped through the safety cable and lost his balance and fell 35 feet to the concrete below.
NEVER STEP THROUGH A FLOOR OPENING BARRIER WITHOUT FALL PROTECTION ON AND ALSO KNOW WHAT YOU
ARE STEPPING ON TO. ALL OPENING SHOULD BE COVERED
WITH PLYWOOD WITH THE WORDS OPENING, DO NOT REMOVE, IN A HIGHLY VISIBLE COLOR IF YOU SHOULD NEED
TO RETRIEVE SOMETHING FROM THE TOP OF A PLASTIC
COVER, USE A BROOM OR LONG POLE TO DRAG IT CLOSE TO
THE EDGE SO YOU CAN MAKE A SAFE RETRIEVE.
ACCIDENT # 3
Age:
Day of the week:
Membership years:
Served an Apprenticeship:
Job task:
42
Monday
3 Weeks
Probationary Member
Connecting
While receiving the next lift of iron from the ground, somehow the choker became dislodged from the hook and the load
fell striking the ironworker on the head, placing him in a coma.
He never came out of the coma and died 13 days later.
WHEN CONNECTING ANY LIFTING DEVICE TO THE HOOK
OF THE CRANE MAKE SURE THAT THE MOUSE (SAFETY
LATCH) IS PRESENT AND IN GOOD WORKING ORDER.
ACCIDENT # 4
Age:
Day of the week:
Membership years:
Served an Apprenticeship:
Job task:
41
Friday
20
Yes
Erecting Curtain Wall
The ironworker positioned a JLG Lift at the seventh floor.
He untied his fall protection and attempted to step off the lift
onto the floor. He misjudged the distance, lost his balance,
and fell 70 feet to the ground below.
ALWAYS REMAIN TIED OFF WHEN STEPPING FROM ANY
PLATFORM OR LIFT ONTO ANOTHER SURFACE. YOU MAY
WISH TO WEAR TWO LANYARDS SO WHEN YOU REACH
YOUR FINAL DESTINATION YOU CAN TIE OFF TO AN ANCHOR THAT SUPPORTS 5000 POUNDS PER PERSON BEFORE
DISCONNECTING FROM YOUR INITIAL TIE OFF POINT.
Ironworking is the most dangerous construction trade job
in the nation, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Why
take any more chances? Before you begin any job task, ask
yourself, “What must I do to perform this task in a safe manner? What checks must be performed before I start my job?
What must I watch for in my surroundings, which may cause
me or any member of my crew injury or death?”
REMEMBER—YOU ARE ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR
YOU OWN SAFETY AND HEALTH.
THE IRONWORKER
DAVIS-BACON/PREVAILING WAGE REPORT
as provided through IMPACT
Chris Burger, Wage Compliance Administrator
Up-To-Date Davis-Bacon Rates: A Local Union Priority
B
usiness managers: Are the Davis-Bacon rates
in your area up-to date with your CBA? It is
now recommended for all outside U.S. Iron Worker
locals to check their wage determinations directly
and regularly at the easy-to-use official www.wdol.
gov website.
Through the direction of the business manager,
these rates can be reviewed by any assigned local
union official or qualified secretarial employee.
The goal is to see that they are in line with the
most current CBA of the local. When a project
comes up and goes out to bid, don’t get stuck with
an old wage rate.
This should be done regularly all year, depending on when your agreement shows wage increases. Some locals even check their “WD’s” as often
as every month. After we furnish the rates to the
DOL, there can be a delay in posting them by the
DOL as well as occasional omissions and errors
when entered by the DOL.
So all you need to do is log onto the only recognized US DOL “Wage Determinations On-Line”
site, www.WDOL.gov. First, find that center section: “Davis-Bacon Act.” Then click on “Selecting
DBA WDs”—this means “Davis-Bacon Act Wage
Determinations.” The next screen you see will
have a pull-down for the state(s) that you want to
check. Enter in your state and then do the same
thing with the pull-down roster for the county you
want. You could do all counties, but you’ll usually
get too much information.
Next, you can either select “All Construction
Types” or just select either “Building,” “Heavy,”
“Highway,” or “Residential.” Click on “Search”
and you should see a bunch of WD’s listed. Be
aware that each one will include all trades, so
scroll down those many pages to the letter “I” to
find your Iron Worker wage rate.
You may find that there is a non-prevailing
“SU” rate in which case there is nothing to update. If you can’t find anything under “I”, it’s
because there was no Iron Worker classification
found in the last survey. But there are options in
these cases.
FEBRUARY 2010
If your local covers more than one state or has
several distinct regions (or even states), it is that
much more important to watch the WDOL.gov
site closely. When there is something that does
not appear with your local’s wages, please feel
free to contact me at (202) 834-9855. It will be
reviewed, and if necessary, I will directly contact the proper wage analyst for that area at the
DOL. If needed, call to get brief training on using the site.
Wage Complaints: DOL Enforcement is Back
The Wage & Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor has added many new inspectors
since October and is serious about compliance.
Credible complaints will be reviewed by this office to communicate with the DOL. So please call
me when you identify a wage and hour or trade
classification problem. I will also help you assess
the need (and process) of obtaining certified payroll records and other documents using FOIA and
state public records laws.
Keeping Good Records for Wage Surveys
The DOL is catching up on surveys, at last. By
directly participating (and not assuming contractors will be involved) locals can better protect Iron
Worker jurisdiction, union wage rates, and market share. The best thing to do is to make sure all
your projects are being recorded in proper detail
and make it a regular local union practice. If a
survey is announced and this hasn’t been done,
it’s harder, but not impossible to recapture this
information.
Some locals use the stewards weekly report,
some use health and welfare records or use computer spread sheets, or even notebooks with handwritten, detailed notes. The key is to be recording
it and to begin a base of information that will help
you each time a new survey is announced. Even if
this has not been done, you can still figure out the
best you can, what work has been done and how
to best report it on a WD-10 form. Please call for
more information.
13
IMPACT and the
National Training Fund
Land $2 Million Grant
I
“The DOL’s announcement is part of the administration’s long-term commitment to fostering both immediate economic revitalization and a clean energy future.
It’s an investment that will help American workers succeed while doing good,” said Secretary Solis. “Our outstanding award recipients were selected because their
proposed projects will connect workers to career pathways in green industries and occupations through critical, diverse partnerships.”
Training activities funded through the grant program
will be individually tailored based on occupations and skills
identified as in demand in local areas around the country.
Grant recipients are expected to work in conjunction with a diverse range of partners, including labor
organizations, employers, and workforce investment
boards. Bringing together the workforce expertise of
these groups will allow grantees to develop programs
responsive to the needs of both workers and employers, and provide participants with the support needed
to complete the training successfully. The grantees will
utilize these partnerships to design and distribute training approaches leading to portable industry credentials
and employment, including career opportunities in registered apprenticeship programs.
The grants are part of a larger Recovery Act initiative—totaling $500 million—to fund workforce development projects promoting economic growth by preparing
workers for careers in the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries.
14
THE IRONWORKER
n September of last year, The National Training Fund
(NTF), with support from Rick Sullivan of IMPACT
and the IMPACT grant-writing consultant GSP Consulting, submitted a grant application to the Department of
Labor (DOL). Nearly $100 million in green jobs training grants were slated to be authorized by the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act)
in the beginning of 2010. On January 6, the DOL announced the list of successful applicants, which included
the NTF’s grant for $1.9 million.
The grant awarded to the NTF will help fund necessary safety and skill training in the wind turbine erection
and maintenance market. Although ironworkers have
been erecting wind turbines for many years, there is a
growing need for worker certifications in several areas
including tower climbing and rescue, as well as torque
and tension training. The grant award will help equip
and train Locals 433 (Los Angeles), 444 (Joliet, Ill.), 6
(Buffalo, N.Y.), 263 (Dallas/Ft. Worth), and 27 (Salt Lake
City) training centers with the tools and equipment
needed to begin conducting wind turbine training. Two
instructors from each training center will receive trainthe-trainer training, and over two years conduct this
training and issue industry recognized third party certifications for approximately 500 ironworkers.
The DOL grants will support job-training programs
to help dislocated workers and others, including veterans, women, African Americans and Latinos, find jobs in
expanding green industries and related occupations.
The toughest
part of the job
for ironworkers
By Leslie Dyson
It’s not part of the job that
ironworkers like to talk about, but the
bridge builders in every city have
stories to tell. Because they have the
skills, equipment and the courage, they
may be first on the scene if someone
is threatening to jump off a bridge.
Cecil Damery president of the
Ironworkers Local 97, said, “We just
help out because we’re more
comfortable walking on the bridge
girders and cables.”
If they spot a potential jumper, they
will stop work and traffic. “You don’t
take chances in a life-threatening
situation.” Then they call the fire
department. Among the crew, they
decide who wants to volunteer to talk
to the person until the emergency
crew arrives.
He said the public would be amazed
at the number of people who do
threaten to end their lives in this way.
FEBRUARY 2010
On July 1, the Iron Workers’ Memorial
Bridge was closed for several hours
while police worked to convince a
distraught woman not to take her life.
They were successful.The same
scenario was played out on the Lions
Gate Bridge in October.
In the Greater Vancouver area, only
the new Golden Ears Bridge has
incorporated barriers into the design
to deter jumpers.
While the families of the victims go
through tremendous trauma, it also
has a great effect on the people who
witness a suicide, Damery said.
Counselling is now available for
ironworkers who’ve gone through the
experience.
An incident happened during the
retrofit of the Lions Gate Bridge eight
years ago, Damery recalled.There was
nine months of overnight prep work
with cars and people going by all the
time.
One cold blustery evening, he had
to assist a parachutist who got his
lines tangled when he attempted a
BASE jump off the bridge. “I threw a
rope down to him and secured him
with a safety line. He was worried
about the knots I was tying, but I told
him, ‘Don’t worry. I’ve had my
schooling and you’ve got other things
to worry about.’ I climbed down and
cut his lines and made sure he was
safe until the firefighters came and
pulled him up.” He was with the
jumper for close to an hour talking to
him and trying to reassure him.
Damery received a letter of thanks
from the Fire Superintendent of West
Vancouver.
“I don’t want to take anything away
from the work done by firefighters.
Our international union shares a
building with the international
firefighters union in Washington, D.C.
so we have a good relationship
with them. But sometimes we’re
there first.”
Reprinted from Winter 2009/B.C. & Yukon Territory Building & Construction Trades Council TRADEtalk
15
Ironworkers Build North America
Citi Center in Las Vegas
The raising
gang was a mixture of Locals 433
(Los Angeles), 118
(Sacramento),
24 (Denver), 75
(Phoenix) and 15
(Hartford, Conn.)
Florida Hospital Expansion
ORLANDO - The Florida Hospital Expansion, erected by
ironworkers from Local 808 (Orlando), is a $200 million plus
project going into it’s third year. Over 928 tons of steel have
been used so far. One of the focal points of this project features two pedestrian bridges
that were set as “one pick”
between buildings. The other focal point has to be the
ICON Tower. Dixie Southern also provided design assistance on this feature.
16
THE IRONWORKER
Ironworkers Restore Fish Passage
Portland General Electric and the
Confederated Tribes of the Warm
Springs Reservation of Oregon, coowners of the Pelton Round Butte Hydroelectric Project, will be restoring
fish passage around the Pelton and
Round Butte dams on the Deschutes
River through a one-of-a- kind solution—a 273-foot underwater tower
and fish collection station.
The new underwater tower is designed to modify currents and temperatures to mimic natural conditions
and attract migrating fish into the collection facility. These fish will be sorted, and young salmon and steelhead
will be trucked downstream below the
dams to continue their journey to the
Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean.
When they return as adults, the fish
reaching the lowest dam will be sorted and the salmon and steelhead will
be trucked above Round Butte Dam to
reach the upstream rivers to spawn.
FEBRUARY 2010
Tower dimensions
Bottom Section
70ft. tall x 60 ft. wide
1.4 million lbs.
Pipe
40 ft. diameter
135 ft. tall
600,000 lbs.
Top Section
60 ft. tall x 90 ft. wide x 150 ft. long
5 million pounds
32 concrete floats – 45,000 lbs. each
Fish Collection Facility
2 V-screens
Two 40 ft. tall x 30 ft. wide openings
550,000 lbs.
Total Weight:
7.55 million lbs.
The Iron Workers
Ironworkers of Local 29 (Portland, Ore.) in partnership with Local 14 (Spokane) started building
the Selective Water Withdrawal in
October of 2007 and were scheduled to finish by October 2009. The
two cranes you see are the Lampson 4100 on the barge and the 4100
ringer on shore. The crane operators come out of Local 701. The total
man-hours for the project are estimated at about 70,000.
17
Union Ironworkers Installing Largest
Wind Turbine in Nikiski, Alaska
Alaskan Wind Industries, a contractor for the Local 751 (Anchorage),
installed the largest 6kW proven wind
turbine in Nikiski, Alaska for a local
resident. With the new net metering in
place, this resident decided to install a
wind turbine that will produce more
than he consumes to take advantage
of all the clean energy that he can produce for his family and his neighbors
while still being compensated properly for his clean energy. The payoff
on this wind turbine on his property
will be less than 6 years without including inflation from Homer Electric Association (HEA) spikes and
other incentives. With possible rolling blackouts this winter from HEA,
this wind turbine will produce a lot
of energy and will help HEA by producing more energy that they desperately are in need of. Bill Lynch works
on the North Slope for Conoco Phillips
and knows first hand that oils are not
going to last forever and we need to
be more proactive for our communities. Bill Lynch’s home looks over the
Cook Inlet with a 360 view, including
the oil platforms off Nikiski Shores.
Bill Lynch’s family will receive a 30%
tax rebate from the federal government and other state incentives that
are coming out with the help of AKWI
grant writers on staff.
City of Nikiski
The city of Nikiski does not currently have any restrictions on neither how high of a tower you can install nor how large of a system you
are able to have installed.
The Borough Mayor is also in complete support of this new wind generator system and hopes more individuals will take this initiative. The
Kenai Peninsula Association for Renewable Energy has also encouraged
Bill Lynch and will be working closely to support him and support renewable energy throughout the communities. Homer Electric is in full support
and will be connecting the turbine
this week to the grid to start generating some enormous amounts of clean
power into their service lines.
This project and many more like
theirs have all been tested and studied to make sure the wind in their
area will support this type of wind
technology through Alaskan Wind
Industries. AKWI has spent many
hours with each homeowner & business going over technical data, wind
research, payoff schematics, FAA regulations and more to help the owner
place and install their new wind turbine. AKWI will be installing over 30
of these wind turbines in the Kenai
Peninsula in the next few months
Erik Schreier, AKWI, James Daggett
AKWI, Tal Mammo (Proven Manufacture
Representative) Picture by Taz Tally
Erik Schreier, AKWI, James Daggett
AKWI, Tal Mammo (Proven Manufacture
Representative), Liz Lynch, and Bill Lynch
Proven 6kW Owners in Nikiski. Picture by
Taz Tally
with over 60 projected by the end of
the 2009 fiscal year.
Stoney Creek Wind Turbine Project
Local 568 (Cumberland, Md.) men performed a joint
training effort on rescue and tower climbing the weekend
of July 11 at the Stoney Creek Wind Turbine project. A joint
effort of White Construction, Local 568, and the Mid Atlantic States District Council, the training was performed
on the weekend so the regular job schedule was not interrupted. On the joint training effort were Joe O’Leary, Lance
Pelletier, Dennis Spangenberg, Dion Knudsen, Michael
McDonald, Kevin Phillips, Dennis McGann, Eugene Rice,
Steven Strother, William Guthrie, Dennis Richards, Earl
Lantz, James McKenzie, Terry Pedigo, site safety manager,
White Construction and Kenny Waugh, IMPACT.
18
THE IRONWORKER
Animal Kingdom Lodge Erected
ORLANDO - Over 1,100 tons of
steel were used in the project featuring large amounts of rolled material.
Dixie Southern provided design assistance to overcome challenges faced in
utilizing rolled and radius structural
steel beams, pipe and channel to create the look of an “African Hut.” The
Animal Kingdom Lodge was erected
by ironworkers from Local 808 (Orlando, Fla.)
FEBRUARY 2010
19
OTHERS LOOK UP TO THEM
By L.M. SIXEL Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle
JULIO CORTEZ : CHRONICLE
J
oe Borders Jr. of Ironworkers Local
84 in Houston climbed the beam the
fastest during a district wide union apprentice competition on Wednesday. Kyle
George pawed the ground like a bull in
work boots, working up the strength he’d
need to shimmy up the 30-foot steel column. The clock began when he took his
foot off the ground and ended 11.47 seconds later when he rang the bell at the
top. George came in second, but coupled
with his other scores it was enough to
take home the big trophy and $250.
For decades, construction unions
have sponsored contests to anoint their
best apprentices, and earlier this week
the International Association of Bridge,
Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing
Iron Workers held its district wide com-
REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION
said Joe Borders Jr., a third-generation
ironworker from Houston who won the
column-climbing competition but placed
third overall. Like many of the competitors, he had his family with him to cheer
him on during the two-day contest.
and was recently named a journeyman,
which meant a substantial pay raise.
Ironworker apprentices start at $13.51
an hour, and journeymen earn $20.77.
Both groups receive health, retirement
and other benefits.
Practicing at home
Letting the best shine
One of the toughest skills to master
is tying wire knots correctly and quickly.
The ties hold the iron reinforcing bar in
place before concrete is poured.
George brought home an iron grid to
practice on during his off hours. Wesley
Matlock is on the road six days a week
building a casino in Oklahoma, so he lugs
his iron grid with him to motels.
Workers with that kind of skill and
dedication are the kind construction companies want on their payrolls.
The contest is also a way for the union
to identify its best and brightest, the
folks who will take on the union leadership positions and train new workers for
the future, Vargocko said.
Aldo Duron Jr. said he’d next like to
get a certified welding certificate so he
can be an instructor through his union local in New Orleans. “I’d like to move up,”
he said.
Most of the skills tested in the contest
are used every day by ironworkers—but
not the column climb. Ironworkers now
use scaffolding, ladders or boom lifts,
Vargocko said. But it’s the signature
event. This year, however, there was a
catch.
National contest regulations call for a
35-foot I-beam, but because the apprenticeship hall is across the street from
Hobby Airport, the only way the union
could build a column that tall is if it got a
permit and attached a light to the top.
So the union settled for a 30-footer.
“Workers
with that kind
of skill and
dedication
are the kind
construction
companies
want on their
payrolls.”
High Achiever: Jo Borders Jr. of Ironworkers Local 84 in Houston climbed the beam the fastest during a districtwide union apprentice competition on Wednesday. Julio Cortez Photos: Chronicle
petition in Houston. Nine apprentices—
all men this year—came from surrounding states to prove they’re the best at
welding, rod tying, knot tying, leveling,
torch burning and, of course, column
climbing. The winner will go to Seattle
next year to compete for the national
championship.
It’s serious business for the apprentices, who work full time while going to
school at night for three years. It not only
gives them bragging rights but also provides some measure of job security in a
boom-and-bust industry.
“If you make it this far, it shows,”
20
Contractors ask for apprentices who
do well in the contests by name, said Ed
Vargocko, business manager of Local 84,
which has about 200 apprentices working
and training in Houston.
Russell Jones, operations manager at
W.S. Bellows Construction Corp. in Houston, said he has already inquired where
Borders is working. “He’s not working for
us—right now,” said Jones, who is also on
the apprentice training board for the Ironworkers Joint Apprenticeship Training
Committee. “We’ll keep an eye on him.”
At the moment, Borders is working
on an expansion project at Hobby Airport
Almost There: Aaron Martin of Local 135
out of Galveston climbs a beam in 15.72
seconds. That was third best during the 2009
District Council of Texas and Mid-South States
Apprentice Competition at the Local 84/135
Apprentice Training Center on Wednesday in
Houston. Julio Cortex: Chronicle
THE IRONWORKER
GRUNO NAMED Craftperson OF THE Year
ORLANDO, Fla.
he Association of Union Constructors named Garth Gruno
Craftperson of the Year at TAUC
Leadership Conference 2009 on
May 7. Gruno is a member of Ironworker Local 25 (Detroit), and was
honored for his work with Midwest
Steel, for Barton Malow Company,
on the University of Michigan C.S.
Mott Children’s and Women’s Replacement Hospital.
TAUC President Robert W. Santillo said Gruno exemplifies the
virtues of union construction at
its best. “People like you make it
a pleasure for us to be union contractors, and give us reason to believe that the best days for union
construction are yet to come,” said
Santillo at the award ceremony.
Also recognized at the ceremony
were first runner-up Chad Naes
and second runner-up Dino Benedict.
Naes, a member of Ironworker
Local 396 (St. Louis, Mo.), was
honored for his work with MC Industrial, for ConocoPhillips Company, on the ConocoPhillips Wood
River Waste Water Treatment
Plant Expansion.
Benedict, a member of Ironworker Local 25, was honored for
his work with Midwest Steel, for
Walbridge-Barton Malow, on the
Detroit Metro Airport North Terminal Expansion.
The James J. Willis Craftperson
of the Year Award recognizes outstanding labor management cooperation and quality craftsmanship
in the construction industry.
T
Nominations are evaluated
against five criteria:
1. Schedule and Budget;
2. Productivity;
3. Cost Savings Innovation;
4. Safety and Health; and
5. Outstanding Craftsmanship
Projects must be completed in the
calendar year of the award, and nominations are forwarded to our judge’s
panel to be evaluated and ranked in
each category. This year, the members
of the Willis Award judge’s panel were:
• Alan Black, Construction
and Turnaround Services;
• Charles “Bud” Burns, J.J.
White; and,
• William Ligetti, Ironworker
Employers Association of
Western Pennsylvania.
This was the first year this award
was given out under the name of
the ‘James J. Willis Craftperson of
the Year Award.’
ABOUT TAUC
The Association of Union Constructors is the premier national
trade association representing the
21st Century union construction
industry. TAUC consists of more
than 2,500 union contractors, local
union contractor associations and
vendors in the industrial maintenance and construction field. They
demonstrate union construction is
the best option because it is safer
and more productive, and it provides a higher-quality and costcompetitive product.
Robert Santillo, Timothy Willis, Garth Gruno, Joseph Hunt, Walter Wise, Mary Jane
Willis, and Patricia Chudzik
FEBRUARY 2010
21
New York State Building
Trades Organize Rally
The New York State Building Trades organized a rally in
support of a bill regarding public works introduced in the
State Assembly. With the support of all the locals in the
22
New York State District Council, the Iron Workers had a
turnout of over 200 ironworkers in Albany. Approximately, 2,000 union construction workers attended the rally.
THE IRONWORKER
A Family Perspective
Ironworker’s Family Gives Thanks
Laurie Haley Hersh
n August 19, 2009, my brother
Liam Haley’s day started out
as routine as any other. A Local 12
ironworker on his way to work, he
stopped to get his morning coffee
and his lotto tickets, sure to be his
lucky day. Only a few hours later
he plunged 92 feet to the ground,
through a roof at a construction
site in Rensselaer.
With injuries too numerous to
mention, Liam landed on his feet,
crushing every bone as he fell like
an accordion. On the ground, his coworkers thought he was dead until one man heard a gurgling noise
escaping from Liam’s lips. He was
rushed to Albany Medical Center
where the trauma team took over;
Liam’s life was in their hands.
When I arrived at the hospital,
from the parking lot I could see
that the entrance was a yellow
blur. As I got closer, I saw that the
yellow ‘blur’ was a line of perhaps
50-75 ironworkers wearing the
yellow Local 12 Ironworker tee
shirts! They stood like centurions
in the sweltering heat waiting for
word, as if standing guard over
their comrade.
With news reporters swarming the building trying to get to
the family for a story, Ron Clapper
and his army of ironworkers were
able to keep them at bay. Ron, at
the family’s request held a press
conference with the media many
hours later. After several surgeries
in just the first few days we knew
that the doctors, medicine and science had taken Liam as far as they
could. Liam remained in a coma
and we knew that only a miracle
could bring him back to us.
O
FEBRUARY 2010
Ironworkers across the nation
hearing of his horrific accident
sent prayers from great distances.
Local 12 ironworkers set up camp
at Albany Medical Center Hospital
taking shifts. Liam remained in a
coma for weeks. During that time
an ironworker named Jeff came
and read to him and prayed with
him, convinced that Liam could
hear him. I believe he did. Danny
B., also from Local 12, was with
Liam from the moment he hit the
ground and has been there ever
since. With his family, friends, and
loved ones keeping a bedside vigil,
Liam was never alone.
Every local Laborers union
across the region, across the state,
had Liam first and foremost in
their thoughts and prayers. I have
heard many references made regarding miracles; the most convincing is the ‘power of prayer’ and
‘the will to survive’. Our miracle
is alive and well at Sunnyview
Rehabilitation Hospital awaiting
authorization from his surgeon to
‘bear weight’ so that he may learn
how to walk again.
Last month, when the surgeon
showed Liam his x-rays he said
that he’d not met a man with such
stamina, to which Liam replied,
“Then you haven’t met too many
ironworkers!” With that being
said, I need to acknowledge that I
myself never realized the dangers
an ironworker faces every single
day they go to work. I am the
daughter of an ironworker, the sister of ironworkers, and the cousin
of ironworkers. It is a Haley family
tradition and yet until Liam fell, I
never knew the danger.
Today, when I pass a construction site and I see the hard hats,
I bow my head in silent prayer for
their safety. And until my brother
fell, I also didn’t know that he had
another family. A family as loving, supportive, and protective as
his blood family, a family like no
other. . . the brotherhood of ironworkers!!
There are no words of thanks
that can ever express the gratitude Liam’s family has. I thought
and thought of how I could thank
everyone and I couldn’t find any
measure of appreciation. I will
spend the rest of my life being
grateful for everything the ironworkers have done for Liam and
his family. I wish I could name
each of you individually, but there
are just way too many of you!!! I
will never forget the daily phone
calls from Gary Simmons, his care
and concern will always be remembered. I value his friendship. The
same can be said for Ron Clapper
as well. I am honored and privileged to have met and befriended
so many of the men (and women
. . . wow) that my ironworking
brothers have been so fortunate to
know. I am so thankful that you
played such an important role in
the blueprint of Liam’s life and
as a consequence in mine as well.
You are the Unsung Heroes!!
As the New Year begins, I look
forward to a new beginning. My life
and my outlook on life has changed
dramatically since August 19, 2009.
I have learned how precious life is,
how it can change forever in the
ring of a telephone. I have learned
to take a moment to say ‘I love you’.
I have learned to smile more, listen
more and most of all I have learned
to take the time to thank God for
all of his gifts.
23
Local 155 (Fresno, Calif.) Holds Annual Pinning Ceremony
20 Year Members
25 Year Members
30 Year Members
Front row: Curt Bartlett, Kevin Huffstutler, Wayne Irwin,
Trevor Sanders, Tim Cisneros, and Jim Hill. Back row:
Ed Diaz, president, Don Savory, business manager/FST,
Michael Sterling, and Michael Lehmann, BA.
Front row: David Cash, John Hernandez, Jay Davenport, and Charles Chandler. Back row: Ed Diaz,
president, Don Savory, business manager/FST, and
Michael Lehmann, BA.
Front row: Narvie Moultrie, Henry Avina, Chip McCulloch, John White, Dennis Roth, and Michael Mullins. Back row: Ed Diaz, president, Don Savory, business manager/FST, and Michael Lehmann, BA.
35 Year Members
40 Year Members
45 Year Members
Front row: Bill Bess, Danny Gaines, and Jack Estes.
Back row: Ed Diaz, president, Don Savory, business
manager/FST, and Michael Lehmann, BA.
Front row: Verlon Tarkington, John Cathey, Richard Harris, Hector Quintana, Michael Sanders, and
Harold Levesque. Back row: Michael Lehmann, BA,
Ed Diaz, president, Wayne Maddox, Bill Larkin, and
Don Savory, business manager/FST.
Front row: Loyd Mathews, Paul Schucker, Paul Dietz, and Bruce Miller. Back row: Michael Lehmann,
BA, Don Savory, business manager/FST, and Ed
Diaz, president.
24
50 Year Members
55 and 65 Year Members
Front row: Charlie Anhorn and Ray Ables
Back row: Ed Diaz, president, Don Savory, business
manager/FST, and Michael Lehmann, BA.
Front row: Dossie Norris, 65 year member and Thirman Pugh, 55 year member. Back row: Ed Diaz,
president, Don Savory, business manager/FST, and
THE IRONWORKER
Michael Lehmann, BA.
70 Year Member Honored
Arthur “Buzz” Bickerton, Book # 166903, began his career as an ironworker on April 1, 1938 in Local Union
97 with his many family members. On July 1, 1943, Buzz transferred to Local Union 433 (Los Angeles). Shortly
after that in 1944, Buzz went into the military serving until 1945. Upon competition of his patriotic duties,
Buzz returned to Local 433. Buzz later became a good union contractor providing many jobs for union ironworkers around the world. Both of Buzz’s sons, Brain and Ross, became ironworkers with Local 433. In 1977,
Buzz retired from Local 433, but has remained involved in the business of employing ironworkers through
Bickerton Iron Workers with his sons Brian and Ross. Buzz received his 70-year pin with his son Ross behind
him from Robbie Hunter, president of Local 433.
Apprentice Graduation 2009, Pin Ceremony 2009 of Local 387 (Atlanta)
Graduating Apprentices
Pin Recipients
60 Year Member
Apprenticeship Coordinator Matthew Rivers, Jarvis
Clark, Anthony Vasquez, Luis DeLeon, Michaja
Andose, Matt Sisk, Randy Howard, Terry Brackin,
Jeremy Fisher, Weston Prewett, Kong Sendara, Instructor Sean Cody and Instructor and Vice President Robert Duffield.
Richard Cronier, Harry Goodman, Rholan Clifton, Phil Donald, Randy
Harden, Billy Bass, John Batson, Jerry Zickafoose, Billy Braswell, Freddy
Stewart, Benjamin Willis, James Lynch, Randy Lister, William Harvey, BA
Billy Watts, Kevin Lyttle, Business Manager Eddie Albritton, Russell Vincent, John Funderburk, Matt Manecke, Kenny Dunn, Grady Lockhart, Allen Alexander, Terry Miller, Dick Grey, Allen Roelkey, Willard Davis, Pete
Corbin, Clay Rogers, Steven Odom, and Mark Barker.
The 60-year service pin recipient
Harry Goodman with BM/FST
Eddie Albritton.
Local 92 (Birmingham, Ala.) Graduates Apprentices 2009
Apprentice Graduates
Apprentice of the Year
Top row: Aaron Love, Kenneth Lusher, Daniel Phillips, Lewis Brown, Steven Smith,
Thomas Mathis, Justin Worthington, Phillip Sprayberry, Hunter Cameron Bryan,
and Robert McDaniel. Bottom row: Steven Wallace, Jeremy Helms, Dewayne
White, Andrew Kafda, Taylor Braddy, Christopher Lankford, Timothy Stringer Jr.,
Joe Ramey, and Dagon Bowlen.
Top row: Bobby Rushen, president, G.R. Maintenance; R.P. Nix, FST/BM; Larry
Smith, president/BA; Randy Whisonant, president, Birmingham Steel Erectors;
and Roy Jones, committee member. Bottom row: Ed Scott, instructor; Donnie
Perry, vice president/instructor; Jeremy Helms, Apprentice of the Year 2009; John
Clement, director/consultant; Bart Maddox, instructor; and Tim Turner, instructor.
FEBRUARY 2010
25
Apprenticeship Competition
The Ironworkers District
Council of the State of
Texas and the Mid-South
held its annual district
wi d e app r en t i ce s h ip
competition in Houston.
Apprentices from nine locals in the District Council
competed - five from Texas, two from Oklahoma,
and two from Louisiana.
William Martin, Local 135, Wesley Matlock, Local 584, Wesley Lopez, Local 482, Aldo Duron Jr., Local 58, Joe Borders Jr., Local 84, who
finished 1st in the column climb and 3rd overall, Abad Aguilar, Local 263, who finished 2nd overall, and Kyle George, Local 48, who
finished 1st in the competition. Not pictured: David Gibson, Local 66 and Carlos Douglas, Local 623.
Local 808 Honors Longstanding Members at Annual Picnic
30 Year Members
35 Year Members
40 Year Members
Wes Kendrick, business manager; Harold Lacoste;
Paula Hill; Jess Severinghaus; Elton Buettner; Ronald Gallant; Ronald Jones Jr.; and Ben Schmitz,
president. Not pictured: Steve Lane, Jerry Quinn, and
Richard Wood.
26
Wes Kendrick, business manager; Michael Hale;
and Ben Schmitz, president. Not pictured: Douglas
Crews, Jeffrey Heck, Nathan Jutson, William Parsons,
Stanley Price, Karl Schneider, and Robert Whitaker.
Wes Kendrick, business manager; John Esperas;
Frank Mula; James Hawk, and Ben Schmitz, president. Not pictured: Robert Corron Jr., Vincent Bowman, James Kendrick, and William Kenny.
45 Year Members
55 Year Members
Wes Kendrick, business manager; Thomas Peake;
John Thompson Jr.; Carlton Kitchens; Thomas Northcutt; Carmen Vickers; and Ben Schmitz, president.
Not pictured: Billy Baker, James Bolton, Newsome
Corbitt, James Ellis, Ronald Kucera, William Lee, Stephen Richardson Jr., and William Womack.
Wes Kendrick, business manager; Harry Conklin, and
Ben Schmitz, president.
THE IRONWORKER
Local 392 (East St. Louis, Ill.) Apprenticeship Graduation
Apprentice Graduates
Outstanding
Apprentice
David Beard, business manager; Paul Wood; Adam Howell; Larry
Deutschmann; Jason Peebles; Kyle Granger; Craig McCalla; Adam
Kempfer; Bill Leonard, apprenticeship coordinator and president; and
Tadas Kicielinski, general vice president. Not pictured: Daron Davis
Most Improved
Tadas Kicielinski, general vice president
and David Beard, business manager,
presented Adam Kempfer the “Outstanding Apprentice” award.
Local 89 (Cedar Rapids, Iowa)
Graduates Apprentices 2008
Class of 2008 Outstanding
Apprentice
Robert Surrett, president; Mitch Entwisle, outstanding apprentice; and Dave Harris, fabricator
of the trophy.
Apprentice Instructors
Graduating Class of 2008
David Beard, business manager, presented the
“Most Improved” award to Kyle Granger.
Dan Bauer, Jack Lesko, Bob Radosevich, Jerry Solis,
and Don Koleson.
Local 395 (Hammond, Ind.) Graduating Class of 2009
Back row: Chad Johnson; Maurice Chevalier; Kieth Foor; Ryan Howell; Edgar Altieri; Russell Milton; Joshua
Seydel; Thomas Howard; Charles Hartman; Larone Madkins; and James Sutherland. Fourth row: Nicholas Bickers; Brian Shipp; Carl Trowbridge; Brian Dagenais; Michael McElroy; Brett Navarro; Damian Mitchell; Matthew
Syrovatka; Anthony Strezo; and Anthony Hernandez. Third row: Vincent Lemus, instructor; Keith Wisniewski;
James Jones; Nicholas Uzelac; Richard Weltzin; Patrick Heely; Charles Szczepanski; Stephen Zemlik; Matthew
Hanft; William Gulley; and Douglas Splitgerber, instructor. Second row: Richard Hertaus, instructor; Shayn Keeton, 2009 Outstanding Apprentice; Brian Boulware; Matthew Helsel; Adam Hoffman; Adam Splitgerber; Anthony Blaszkiewicz; Jason Mitchell; and Courtney Pramuk. First row: Ann Bowen, JATC secretary; Joe Gericke,
JATC board member; Andrew Thomas, JATC board member; Mike Summers, JATC board member/BM; William
Sopko, JATC board member/president; David Hall, JATC coordinator; and Jessica Reagor, JATC Secretary.
FEBRUARY 2010
Back row: Phil Kraft, past FST/BM and past president
of district council; Walt Peikert; Mike Kelley; Jason Juett;
Jeremy Konicek; Ted Reilly; Joe Zahorik; Jeff Urbanek;
Todd Brekke; and Gordy Struss, president, North Central States District Council. Front row: Nick Klenk; Mike
Conrad; Mitch Entwisle; and Don Knepper, FST/BM.
Phil Kraft, past FST/BM and past president of district
council; Todd Brekke, 2008 graduate and grandson of
Phil Kraft; Joe Zahorik, 2008 graduate and nephew of
the late FST/BM Charles Zahorik; and Gordy Struss,
president, North Central States District Council.
27
I am Union. I am Sportsman.
I Belong.
The Great Outdoors.
It’s deep inside your bones. Like the blood coursing through
your veins, it’s at the very core of who you are.
Whether it’s fins, fur or feathers that calls you, everything
else takes a back seat when the season opener rolls around.
You’re always ready to gear up, get out and experience the rich
rewards that only you and those who share this special bond
can understand.
At the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance we understand that
connection because our bond with each other runs as deep as
our love of the great outdoors. We are an exclusive community
of hunters and anglers who also share the brotherhood of
being proud Union members. That’s what makes the USA so
special. It is by and for Union members and it comes to you
with the generous and dedicated support of your Union.
But above all, the USA is your club. When you join the
USA, you’re helping to ensure future generations have quality
places to hunt and fish. You’re also making a commitment to
encourage friends and family to participate. More members
means bigger and better benefits, discounts and services. More
members means more USA hunting, shooting and fishing
events. More members means we have a stronger, more unified
voice to preserve our hunting and fishing heritage.
Your $25 USA Membership
Comes Loaded With Benefits:
s USA-logo Buck knife ($30 value)
s 12 chances to win in a Gun-a-Month giveaway
s 1-Year subscription to a top outdoor magazine
s Subscription to the USA newspaper,
The Union Sportsmen’s Journal
s $25 gift certificate for Beretta field gear
s Money-saving discounts on outdoor gear
s Personalized USA membership card
s Free MyTopo.com online mapping subscription
s Chances to win exceptional prizes and trips
s Access to “Members-Only” section of the
USA website
s Free membership in the TRCP
A $115 Value for just $25!
So, join us today and help spread the word about the Union
Sportsmen’s Alliance. Because as a proud member of both
your Union and the USA, you’re more than welcome.
You belong.
Join Today At www.UnionSportsmen.org
Or call us at 1-877-872-2211
28
A Hunting and Fishing Club
Exclusively for Union Members,
THE IRONWORKER
Retirees and Their Families
Monthly Report of Lifetime Honorary Members
Lifetime Honorary members are published in the magazine according to the application approval date. Members previously
classified as Old Age or Disability Pensioners that were converted to Lifetime Honorary membership effective January 1,
2007 will not be reprinted in the magazine.
NOVEMBER 2009
Local Name
3
3
3
5
8
8
8
8
9
10
10
12
17
17
17
21
22
22
24
24
25
25
25
25
33
40
40
46
55
55
BERNARD, BRUCE A
O LEARY, PATRICK
ROBERTS III, HARRY E
WALKER, BILLY J
ABRAHAM, LEE A
ARNDT, MICHAEL W
OLSON, JOHN O
ROUNDTREE, WILLIE E
PLATT, DAVID W
LONG, CHARLES W
O BANNON, GAREY M
FOOTE, ROBERT J
CROUCH, MICHAEL V
MC JUNKINS, DOUGLAS G
SEITZ, GLENN K
PILANT, WILLIAM M
HOH, TERRY L
KAYS, HARRY M
JONES, BILLY J
LEHOTAY, EDWARD
MARTOI, HARRY M
RIBBY, ROBERT A
VASILKO, DALE R
WHITEYE, TERENCE
FEE, FRANK
CHARLES, GREGORY
MINNAUGH, WILLIAM
ELLIOTT, JOHN R
BUDD, EDWARD D
DOMBROFF, JOSEPH R
55
58
60
60
60
60
63
63
79
84
84
86
92
97
103
103
112
112
135
172
201
373
377
378
378
378
378
378
384
384
WITT, JAMES P
DAVIS, CHARLES Q
CLARKE, PAUL W
ELY, WALLACE J
GRANHOLM, ERIC H
SMITH, RICHARD J
KNAPEREK, FRANK
MOUDRY, RONALD L
MC DONALD, WILLIAM H
BAKER, JOSEPH D
MC WHORTER, CLIFTON H
STEARNS, RICHARD W
MOON, DAVID W
MOORE, RUSSELL
HOUCHIN, RONALD K
SUTERS, JOHN R
REID, ALEX R
ROBERTS, FRANK H
HILLS, ROGERS
BAXTER, MICHAEL L
SULLIVAN, EDWARD
NELSON, GEORGE T
AHLBORN, JOHN R
GROGAN, STEVEN C
HENDERSON, MARK A
JACQUES, PHILLIP T
QUARLE, JEFFREY K
RIELLY, JAMES F
CHAMBERS, ROBERT L
SEALS, ALFRED
395
395
396
396
396
399
405
416
424
424
451
483
625
625
625
625
625
625
704
709
720
720
721
721
728
728
765
786
798
842
EWING, KEVIN E
FORD, HENRY N
HORN, COURTNEY D
PARRISH, DOUGLAS G
ROGERS, DONALD H
FRANKLIN, ALEXANDER
MC MAHON, ANTHONY
LACNO, MICHAEL J
BOURQUE, WILLIAM E
SYMANSKI, WALTER R
TAYLOR, CLARENCE R
JOHANNS, WILLIAM R
CUI, STEPHEN M
HAMABATA, GLENN M
HUEU III, JAMES K
KALAKAU, ALBERT N
LEE, MARVIN K
WHITE, HARVEY R
ADAMS, CHARLES R
SIMS, DEWEY F
BORUTSKI, KEVIN J
CUPELLI, RAFFAELE
BAKER, RICHARD E
BRANT, ROY
DEMERIA, KEITH
FROBISHER, GARY
BRUNET, JEAN R
RAINVILLE, LUCIEN
THOMPSON, ROBERT L
LEVESQUE, LUC L
Article Information
If you would like to have an article published in The Ironworker Magazine, please send
in any photo, along with information you would like included to:
Ironworker Magazine
1750 New York Ave., Suite 400, Washington, DC 20006 or email to: [email protected]
We will publish all photos on a first-received, first printed basis. It is not unusual for a Local News article such as Hunting and
Fishing to take several months before printing, however, since these are very popular submissions.
FEBRUARY 2010
29
OFFICIAL MONTHLY
RECORD
L.U.
No.
1
1
3
8
8
15
17
21
22
25
25
25
25
25
25
25
25
29
29
36
37
44
48
55
58
63
63
79
84
84
86
Member
Number
596626
712826
589607
773108
448170
777042
349977
830448
864655
710672
756687
807543
746816
1141164
974333
710683
341328
543589
651026
1392779
281698
602628
803825
591369
941497
797811
1311163
848630
692616
759558
412022
APPROVED DEATH CLAIMS FOR NOVEMBER 2009
Name
CHRISTIANSON, LOUIS
FISCHER, ROBERT E.
LONDON, WILLIAM G.
LECKER, ROY E.
MASHAK, PHILIP T.
PERKINS, BRIAN A.
MOORE, JAMES C.
THOMPSON, EDWARD A.
DYKES, BENNIE J.
DEVOE, FLOYD D.
GRIBBONS, DONALD H.
LA CLAIR, JOHN H.
LA POINTE, DUANE E.
MORGAN, TODD L.
OTTER, MICHAEL M.
OWENS, RICHARD G.
SPOHN, WALLACE A.
DRISKELL, THOMAS B.
KELLY, PAUL Z.
WERLEY, ROBERT W.
WATSON, LESLIE A.
MILLER, EUGENE
BROWN, JAMES H.
CLARK, BILLY C.
SCHAUBHUT, ROBERT J.
AHRENDT, ALAN E.
BROWN, JAMES G.
BAKER, RONALD M.
HANCOCK, CHARLES T.
SEALES, JAMES H.
BUSH, EDWIN W.
Claim
Number
Amount
98471
98433
98434
98436
98435
98472
98473
98474
98437
98475
98441
98440
98439
98476
98438
98477
98478
98479
98442
98480
98443
98481
98444
98445
98446
98482
98483
98484
98485
98486
98447
2,200.00
2,200.00
2,200.00
2,200.00
2,200.00
2,200.00
2,200.00
2,200.00
2,200.00
2,200.00
2,000.00
2,000.00
2,200.00
1,750.00
2,000.00
2,200.00
2,200.00
2,200.00
2,000.00
800.00
2,200.00
2,200.00
2,200.00
2,200.00
2,000.00
2,000.00
1,750.00
2,000.00
2,000.00
2,000.00
2,200.00
86
92
103
112
118
135
135
228
373
377
383
387
387
387
387
396
401
420
469
477
480
489
492
492
501
502
506
506
512
512
516
881252
466402
350558
751981
1174040
536628
665198
1107875
630142
1082165
512265
1299837
823504
1218737
750916
823563
427824
589810
699710
534922
953559
784015
583869
397265
433020
1128613
255696
728184
645064
665099
564215
COLVIN, ALLAN J.
SVETLAY, GEORGE E.
DAVIS, RICHARD
HARMS, GEORGE C.
JAY, JAMES W.
MILLSAP, BRUCE E.
WANINGER, ERNEST H.
BROWN, RUTH G.
MILLER, CLARENCE G.
TERVEER, SCOTT C.
KRAUSE, LAVERN
BOLAN, WAYNE D.
MC CULLERS, GRADY G.
SUMERLIN, ARTHUR
TROTMAN, BERNARD H.
FUNSTON, WALTER J.
DUGAN, JAMES M.
LIBER, LEWIS J.
GRAY, ERNEST M.
BOYD, MAYNARD C.
VALENTINE, ARTHUR
OBES, JAMES J.
BRYANT, JAMES B.
COLE, LOUIS H.
CLANCY, FELIX T.
KLEIN, EDWARD
DOUVIER, FRANK J.
SCHMIDT, DANIEL C.
RASMUSSEN, WALLACE E.
WENZINGER, THOMAS L.
ST SURE, ROBERT E.
98487
98488
98448
98489
98490
98450
98449
98491
98492
98493
98451
98452
98494
98454
98453
98495
98455
98496
98456
98497
98457
98498
98499
98500
98501
98502
98459
98458
98503
98504
98505
2,200.00
2,200.00
2,200.00
2,200.00
1,750.00
2,200.00
2,200.00
2,000.00
2,200.00
2,000.00
2,200.00
1,750.00
2,200.00
1,750.00
2,200.00
2,000.00
2,200.00
2,200.00
2,200.00
2,200.00
2,200.00
2,200.00
2,200.00
2,200.00
2,000.00
2,000.00
2,000.00
1,750.00
2,200.00
2,200.00
2,000.00
527
549
549
580S
623
623
624
700
711
721
721
721
721
736
745
745
759
759
771
782
786
787
848
729558
789957
1097478
521216
809078
381563
640364
985059
692838
618180
437028
1249206
1017095
1267412
1410097
508659
646977
1136813
1242718
532140
684952
722620
1199541
WINZEK, LEONARD J.
SWEENEY, MORRIS D.
YOUNG, ROCKY
SERIPIERO, GIACOMO
ARDOIN, J H.
LINN, WILLIAM A.
POWELL, EDGAR
HANES, DONALD D.
DELORMIER, JOHN
HASSLER, KURT
HOOKEY, STERLING
MARTIN, ROCKY J.
SCIULLI, GIUSEPPE
SMOKE, GARY E.
ALLEN, JONATHAN D.
TOUSSAINT, REGINALD L.
GIBSON, MARK
PETERSON, D WAYNE
CLARK, ROBERT G.
HILL, WILLIAM E.
MOORE, ALLEN
CRONE, WILLIAM E.
TUCKER, ROGER J.
98506
98507
98508
98509
98510
98460
98511
98515
98516
98517
98464
98463
98465
98466
98461
98462
98468
98467
98518
98512
98469
98513
98514
2,000.00
2,200.00
7,000.00
2,000.00
2,200.00
2,200.00
2,000.00
2,200.00
2,000.00
2,200.00
2,200.00
1,750.00
2,200.00
1,750.00
500.00
2,000.00
2,200.00
1,750.00
1,750.00
2,200.00
2,200.00
2,200.00
1,750.00
TOTAL DEATH BENEFITS PAID:..................179,550.00
DISAPPROVED DEATH CLAIMS FOR NOVEMBER 2009
424 1278390
501 1142549
798 1117667
SHEEHAN, MICHAEL F.
DURAND, GERALD
KING, JAMES H.
98519
98520
98470
IN ARREARS
SUSPENDED
SUSPENDED
“IRONWORKERS’ JOB LINE”
New Number 877- 884 - 4766
(877- 884 - IRON)
or visit www.ironworkers.org
to find out which locals need workers, type
of work, and who to contact.
30
THE IRONWORKER
Union Solidarity – A Family Tradition
Showcased During Times of Need
Hardship Grants Available from Union Plus Benefits
ver the span of three generations,
the men of the Hopkins family
have pulled up their steel-toed boots,
grabbed their gearboxes, and set off to
work as ironworkers in southern Illinois. That legacy came to an abrupt
end when the last family member to
work in the thriving industry, James
Hopkins of Local 392 in East St. Louis, IL, was forced to put his tools aside
to battle illness. Helping him to fight
pressing financial concerns was his
union – the International Association
of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental
and Reinforcing Iron Workers.
O
As a union member and a holder
of a Union Plus Credit Card, Hopkins
was eligible for Union Plus Disability Grants. The grants, which never
need to be repaid, are designed to
help cardholders who experience a
significant loss of household income
due to a recent long-term illness, or
prolonged disability. The grants are
part of a comprehensive package of
FEBRUARY 2010
safety net programs called Union
SAFE. Union SAFE is aimed at helping union members cope with financial challenges during today’s tough
economic times.
Just weeks after applying for the
grant, Hopkins received a check in
the mail for $2,000. In addition, a
$250 payment was made to his Union
Plus Credit Card. Hopkins, who has
been a member of the Iron Workers
since 1974, says the check went “a
long way financially and a long way
as an example to my children of union
brotherhood and solidarity.”
The financial support helped Hopkins pay for needed repairs to the
family vehicle, as well as cover educational costs for a daughter attending college and twins in high school.
“The Union Plus Disability Grant
offers meaningful help with no ties or
red tape,” says Hopkins.
In addition to the Union Plus Disability Grant, other assistance is available to union members participating in
the Union Plus Credit Card, Insurance,
or the Union Plus Mortgage Program.
The grants help union members cope
with the soaring cost of hospital care
and the devastating financial impact
of job loss and natural disasters. Mortgage assistance is available to Union
Plus Mortgage holders who become
unemployed, disabled, or go on strike,
make their mortgage payments.
Even if you do not participate in a
Union Plus program, help may still be
available through education grants,
free home and credit counseling and
a free medical bill negotiation service.
Visit UnionPlus.org/UnionSAFE for
more information.
Despite tackling a major health
challenge, Hopkins is grateful that
he has his home and that he is able
to make ends meet. Importantly,
he also credits the labor movement
and the Iron Workers, specifically,
for standing beside him during good
times and bad.
“The union has always looked out
for its members. I saw that as a child
and as a parent. I’m grateful to the
union for being there,” says Hopkins.
If you have been a Union Plus
Credit Card holder for at least 12
months, you may be eligible for the
Union Plus Disability Grant program. In addition, you must:
• Have opened the account prior to
onset of the illness or disability.
• Be a cardholder in good
standing.
• Experienced an illness or
disability within the last 12
months that has kept you out
of work for at least 90 days.
• Suffered a significant income loss.
• Document your circumstance
and income loss.
Union Plus Credit Card holders can apply for a grant by calling
1-877-761-5028. To apply for a credit
card, call 1-80-522-4000. Visit UnionPlus.org for information on all the
benefits, including scholarships, everyday savings, and programs to help
members buy and keep their homes.
31
1750 New York Ave., N.W.
Suite 400
Washington, D.C. 20006
Local 12 (Albany, N.Y.)
Tops Out at
Price Chopper
Corporate Headquarters Facility
Gogi Gwardschaladse, foreman; Garry Simmons, business manager; Bryan Magee; Robert Kennar;
Todd Dayton; Jason Chapman; Christopher Amedio, foreman; George Audi Sr; Christina Audi,
Christina Steel owner; George Audi Jr., Christina Steel owner; Michael Cossart; Brian Gettings; Todd
Jensen; Michael Martin; Norman Paulson; Jesse Countermine; John Bissaillon; Mark Mannarino; Eric
Brugeman; Robert Monaghan; and Robert Claus.