Repost: City of Portland commits to build union, and use minority workers and contractors

Sep 18, 2012 

By DON McINTOSH, Associate Editor

The City of Portland is about to try out a new kind of project labor agreement on public construction contracts. The 23-page “Model Community Benefits Agreement” approved Sept. 5 mandates that on future City construction projects, unions will represent workers, and women and minority workers and contractors will have expanded opportunities. The community benefits agreement, approved in a 5-0 vote, was developed in nearly two years of meetings among unions, minority contractors, pre-apprenticeship training programs, and city officials, and will apply to projects of over $15 million.

The agreement sets goals:

• At least 18 percent of the work will be performed by minorities, and 9 percent by women, and the targets apply both to journeymen and apprentices;
• At least 20 percent of the work on contracts of over $200,000 (and subcontracts of over $100,000) will be performed by apprentices;
• At least 20 percent of the hard construction costs will go to women-owned, minority-owned and “disadvantaged” businesses, and joint ventures with minority and women-owned businesses will get a preference of up to 5 percent in bidding on contracts; and
• At least 30 percent of the workforce will be hired from areas identified by the U.S. Small Business Administration as “historically underutilized business” zones, census tracts that include downtown Portland, inner Southeast and Northeast Portland, and the Lents, and Cully neighborhoods in outer Southeast and Northeast, as well as areas of Gresham, Hillsboro and western Clark County.

To read the full article, visit nwlaborpress.org.

Video from WJLA ABC7: Women in construction: Nailing a male-dominated industry

By Autria Godfrey September 19, 2012 - 06:23 pm



Read more about this news story at www.wjla.com

Repost: Trade unions still fail to lure women leaders, study finds

There is little doubt that Frances O'Grady has made history as the first woman to be elected General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress in September 2012. A recent study from Queen Mary, University of London casts some light on the level of O'Grady's achievement in the wider union landscape.

This cross-national study found that in both the UK and the US, women still have fewer top positions in trade unions despite growth in overall female membership.

The paper, Lift as You Rise: Union Women's Leadership Talk, discusses the lack of women at union leadership level, and the management styles adopted by those women who do climb to the top.

Unlike corporate organisations, unions are generally democratic, but their leadership structures in both America and Britain are historically dominated by white men. While more women have joined unions in the last decades, the proportion of female leaders in either country remains low.

Some 130 women, including the most senior union officials from the UK and North Eastern USA, were interviewed for the study, which was carried out by Professor Geraldine Healy and Professor Gill Kirton of the School of Business and Management at Queen Mary.

Among the UK's 10 larger unions, there are now four women general secretaries; however only two unions have achieved proportionality on the National Executive.

In the US, women's representation has increased dramatically since the 1970s, but men continue to take the top and most powerful positions. In nine major US unions with significant female membership, women comprise 24 per cent of top leaders, but in none of these unions does the female proportion of leaders reflect membership rates.

Women who were interviewed often had greater expectations of their female leaders than their male leaders; typically they expected other women leaders to be less hierarchical and more supportive and encouraging of other women. Those who failed to exhibit these feminist leadership practices were often condemned by other women.

Professor Kirton explains: "Prejudice against female leaders stems from the widely held beliefs about how women ought to behave. Popular media representations of women leaders are often as either mother figures or bitches.

"When a woman shows that she is prepared to be ruthless or dictatorial or when she has an aggressive personal style, this can meet the severe disapproval of other women and was heavily criticised for failing other women."

The researchers found that in many cases American and British women union leaders did express a strong sense of accountability, not just to members generally, but specifically to other union women – they want to lift other women as they climbed.

However, certain cases were documented where women asserted their readiness to adopt the more masculine 'traditional' models of leadership because they found them "efficient and effective".

"Inequalities may have become more subtle, but in some cases, they have become more difficult to challenge," says Professor Kirton. "Women can and do lead in ways that marginalise and exclude other women, resulting in women feeling more let down that when it is men doing the excluding.

"Masculine leadership, whether exercised by men or women, is failing women, so it is the type of leadership that matters, not simply the leaders' gender."

More information: Lift as You Rise: Union Women's Leadership Talk, hum.sagepub.com/content/65/8/979.full.pdf+html

Provided by Queen Mary, University of London

Read the original article, published on September 14, 2012, at phys.org.

Job Opportunity at Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD)

TRAINING COORDINATOR - WANTO
Education, Training and Youth Services - LearningWorks

Coordinate the operation of construction-related adult training programs as well as expand and develop new skill training services. Supervise the maintenance of academic records and reporting requirements for funding sources. Supervise direct service staff. Develop, plan and manage construction skill training programs and services. Coordinate and develop curriculum, ensure that curriculum goals are met, and work with teachers on the development of schedules and lesson plans. Ensure that services are customer centered and timely. Hire, train, support and manage instructors, case managers, and other staff responsible for delivering training services. Supervise the maintenance of all intake, case management, and job placements of students. Monitor unit performance and implement changes necessary to ensure high quality service, positive customer satisfaction and desired outcome. Establish strategic partnerships with key peers in construction related organizations and employment and training organizations. Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in Human Services or a related field, and three to five years of supervisory experience with demonstrated ability to inspire, educate and lead staff required. Must have proven experience in operating adult training programs. Excellent creative and entrepreneurial talents, along with a willingness to take risks and develop new initiatives required. Must have experience in working with a diverse customer base, knowledge of Boston neighborhoods, and a familiarity with local construction businesses. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, as well as strong organizational, planning and time management skills required. Must be able to work sensitively and effectively with individuals of diverse educational, socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.

Please note: this position is part-time for 17.5 hours per week and is temporary through June 30, 2014. Continued employment is contingent upon receipt of additional funding.

Visit the ABCD website for more information and instructions on how to apply.

Career Opportunities to Become a Carpenters Apprentice

Please post this email and share with interested parties.

September 2, 2012

Opportunities to Become a Carpenters Apprentice (click here to visit our website)

New England Carpenters’ Union Apprenticeship Program is a 501(c)(3) organization that provides accepted applicants, the opportunity to learn a trade. Apprentices earn a pro-rated salary while receiving their free training to become Journeyman Carpenter with the New England Regional Council of Carpenters.

Who: Anyone age 17 or older who is a high-school graduate or has a GED. High-school seniors may apply with letters from their schools stating that they are eligible to graduate within three months (high school students should be attending informational sessions in December, January and February if they want to be eligible immediately after graduation).  Women, minorities, and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply.

How does someone apply?

·         Prospective applicants must attend an informational session. Informational sessions run approximately one hour.

·         Applications to become an apprentice are distributed at the conclusion of informational sessions.

·         Attendance for the entire informational session is mandatory. Late arrivals will be denied admission to that session.

Scheduled Informational Sessions:

Burlington, VT:
                         Local Union 1996, 5 Gregory Drive, Burlington, VT 05403

·         Saturday September 15, 2012, 8:00 AM

·         Wednesday, January 30, 2013 6:00 PM

Portland, ME: First Wednesday of January, April, July, October at 6:00 PM
                       Local Union 1996, 63 Bishop St, Portland, ME 04103

·         Wed, October 3, 2012 - 6:00 PM

·         Wed, January 2, 2013 - 6:00 PM

·         Wed, April 3, 2013 - 6:00 PM

Manchester, NH: Second Wednesday of January, April, July, October at 6:00 PM
                         Local Union 118, 146 Lowell St, Manchester, NH 03104, 2nd floor

·         Wed, October 10, 2012 - 6:00 PM

·         Wed, January 9, 2013 - 6:00 PM

·         Wed, April 10, 2013 - 6:00 PM

Boston, MA: First Monday of the month at 9:00 AM or 3:00 PM
                    Boston Carpenters Training Center, 750 Dorchester Avenue, 2nd Floor, Dorchester, MA 02125

·         Mon, 09/10/2012 - 9:00 AM or 3:00 PM – Date changed Due to Labor Day Holiday

·         Mon, 10/01/2012 - 9:00 AM or 3:00 PM

·         Mon, 11/05/2012 - 9:00 AM or 3:00 PM

·         Mon, 12/03/2012 - 9:00 AM or 3:00 PM

Millbury, MA: Third Wednesday of the month at 6:00 PM
                      New England Carpenters Training Center, 13 Holman Rd, Millbury, MA 01527

·         Wed, 09/19/2012 - 6:00 PM

·         Wed, 10/17/2012 - 6:00 PM

·         Wed, 11/28/2012 - 6:00 PM – Date changed Due to Thanksgiving Day Holiday

·         Wed, 12/19/2012 - 6:00 PM

Application fees for the carpentry apprenticeship program:

·         Effective August 1, 2012 there is a Non-Refundable Application Processing Fee that must be included with applications for apprenticeship.

·         All Applications must be accompanied by Money Order or Bank Cheque made payable to NECTF in the amount of $65.00.

·         The fee is charged to defray the cost of processing applications. It is due at the time an application is submitted. The fee is non-refundable and, therefore, will not be returned if you later decide you didn't want to apply, your application is disapproved, you do not take the required test(s) or you are not successful on the interview. Also, the fee payment cannot be transferred to another application.

What is a Carpenters’ Apprenticeship?

Apprenticeship is a training program where you earn wages while you learn to become a skilled carpenter. Apprenticeship combines classroom studies with on-the-job training supervised by a trade professional. Much like a college education, it takes several years to become fully trained in the trade that you choose. Unlike college, though, as an apprentice you’ll earn while you learn. At first, you’ll make less money than skilled workers; but as you progress, you’ll get regular raises. Once you have mastered the craft, you will receive professional wages.

Who can be a carpenter apprentice?

Any woman or man meeting the minimum requirements!  Women and minorities are strongly encouraged to apply.

Apprentices must be at least 17 years old and in good health. A physical may be required. S/he must pass a drug and alcohol test.

A high school diploma or GED is preferred. However an Applicant may provide proof of satisfactory completion of a pre-job preparatory course in Carpentry of at least six (6) months, such as United Brotherhood of Carpenters Job Corps, or other approved carpentry apprentice preparatory course. Documentable on-the-job training of six (6) months or 1500 hours experience as a carpenter would also qualify an applicant as having met the minimum educational requirements.

What are the rewards of apprenticeship training?

The rewards of apprenticeship training are the good wages and benefits you receive as a member of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBC). There are over half a million UBC members in the United States and Canada. You'll be working under the protection of a union contract for a good contractor. This means you will become eligible to have health insurance, a pension and an annuity. It pays to be the best you can be, a well-trained Union Carpenter.

Equal Opportunity:

The New England Carpenters Apprenticeship and Training Funds are committed to equal opportunity for applicants. The recruitment, selection and training of apprentices during their apprenticeship shall be without discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, creed, handicap, marital status, ancestry, sexual orientation, arrest record, conviction record, or membership in the military forces of the United States. The ATF will take affirmative action to provide equal opportunity in apprenticeship, and we will operate the apprenticeship program as required under Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 30 and all other applicable laws.

For more information, contact the Apprenticeship Office at:

New England Carpenters Training Fund - Apprenticeship Office 13 Holman Rd, Millbury, MA 01527

Phone: (508) 792-5443 or (617) 782-4314

Sign-up to receive our Apprenticeship e-Newsletter:        www.NECarpentersTraining.org/faq

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