Heat & Frost Insulators & Allied Workers

Local Union #50Columbus/Dayton, Ohio

947 Goodale Blvd., Room 131 Columbus, Ohio 43212

office: 614-221-7177fax: 614-221-8669

January 25, 2013

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I wanted to take this opportunity to write to you about the State of Our Local Union and the labor movement as a whole.

2012 was one of the best years on record for Local #50. While we did not surpass the 367,000 man hours worked in 2011, we will eclipse 330,000 man hours worked for 2012. The back-to-back years of “good” work was welcome after 2009, a year in which we worked a total of 197,467 hours. By far, the lowest total of yearly man hours worked in Local 50’s history (see chart included).

Local 50 had a total of 243 insulators referred to work in our territory in 2012. What does the increase in referrals and man hours mean for you, the member? It means our local funds are doing well. It also gives us the ability to continue to actively market our industry and our local to create work opportunities for the membership now and in the future. In August of 2011, Local 50 put on an additional full time organizer to assist in the organizing efforts of the local, direct market to customers and facilities, and also to help in continuing to grow the “firestop” market. Since the appointment, our funds have increased by $250, 466.06 and we are $178,192.69 over our six month reserve. I know the membership may think that all the Organizers do is “organize” or all the Business Manager does is referrals – the day to day business of the local requires so much more. The biggest benefit of adding Dan Poteet on full-time along with myself and Scott Emrich is it has allowed all of us to pitch in to help the local whenever and where ever we are needed – be it the apprenticeship, training (OSHA, lift, firestop, asbestos), direct marketing (visiting customers, contractors and facilities), enforcement of contracts and agreements on jobs, and lobbying. We worked 21,000 man hours in 2012 performing firestop and are projected to double that amount in 2013 with 30% of our membership trained to do firestopping. Superior and KC Firestop continue to aggressively perform and bid firestop work and two other contractors are being solicited by mechanical contractors to go after this work as well.

With the looming attack of Right to Work (Michigan and Indiana are now Right to Work states) and with our geographical location, it is not only our responsibility but our duty to educate our state and local government officials on workers’ rights and the importance of a strong and healthy middle class. Besides the lobbying efforts that many of us in the Building Trades do, I felt it was necessary for Local #50 to establish a Political Action Committee Fund. Currently 98 active members contribute $0.05 per hour worked toward this PAC Fund. The money derived from the PAC Fund will not only assist our local membership by giving us a seat at the table of Democracy but will also help steer the conversation among our elected officials to ensure that workers’ rights and labor unions everywhere are receiving their proper representation in government. If you are not an active member of the PAC Fund, I strongly suggest you join. Dan, Scott and myself will continue to lobby at the Ohio statehouse and keep the membership informed about issues effecting labor.

We have also set up a non-union worker and contractor database to better track the open shop workforce in our territory. This database allows us to follow up on jobs and projects that the non-union is getting and the customers they are working with or subbing the work under. Through this database we also send out a monthly non-union newsletter to help us better educate the open shop workforce about prevailing wage, workers rights, union membership and any local or national political activities that could be adversely affecting their paycheck.

With increased work load comes increased man hours which leads to increased strength at the bargaining table. In 2012, we renegotiated our collective bargaining agreement.On July 1, 2012 the mechanics of Local 50 received a $1.59 raise in Zone 1 and a $1.92 raise in Zone 2 with $1.00 going on the check. The mechanics will also receive a $0.75 raise on March 1, 2013. We also were able to bargain for significant increases for the apprentices. Since January 31, 2008 mechanics wages in Zone 1 have increased by 21% and mechanics wages in Zone 2 have increased by 26.1%. The ultimate goal would be to get one rate for the entire territory and we are working closer to that. I included a wage card in the last newsletter with our wages and fringes and important contact information.

Of course, one of the best tools we have to fight the non-union is provided by you, the members, and that is the “Local #50 Market Recovery Program” which is funded by our dues. I have revamped this program to be more financially efficient. In the past, if a contractor was bidding a job for 1000 hours and needed $5 per hour to be competitive, then that contractor received $5000. Since 2007, when a contractor needs money to be competitive on a job, that contractor is only paid for hours worked. For example, if a contractor was bidding that same job for 1000 hours and needed $5 per hour to be competitive that contractor only gets paid for hours worked, not hours bid. Now, the Local and the contractor have a vested interest in seeing this project come in on time and under bid. On jobs started or completed since January 1, 2011, the local has worked 52,804 hours under this program.

Market recovery money is also used to fund our marketing website, ohioinsulators.com. Potential applicants can now go online and apply to be a member by taking the online test and filling out the online application. There is also a “blog” on the site which highlights jobs being done in the territory and work being performed by members. If any member would like their job added to the blog on our site, simply text or e-mail me pictures and I can have it added. I encourage every member to go to the Local 50 member website insulators50.org and the marketing website ohioinsualtors.com.

I just wanted to take time to briefly update the membership of the Local and I hope to see all of you at future union meetings.

Yours In Brotherhood,

Dorsey Hager, Jr.

Business Manager

Local#50