Here is our Opportunity to Shine

There is a lot of work around now of a generally unfulfilling nature. The devastation brought by hurricane Sandy leaves New York’s construction industry in great demand. But it is not the proud work of building our city, it is restoration after the ravages left by the storm.

Still, the determination and expertise of our union contractors and their crews is a comfort to the people of New York and the outlying areas because when the chips are down people know they can trust the quality of the reconstruction. This is a showcase for us. It’s up to us, the union contractors, to show that there is a reason why our crews are working fast and first class. It is because of the high quality training and dedicated work ethic union construction offers. Here is our opportunity to shine. Let’s make sure we are heard.

A recent issue of Crain’s New York Business proclaimed “Storm repairs offer bump to recovering construction industry.” It points to the potential of steady work for an industry that has shed more than 20,000 jobs since its 132,600 peak in 2008. Unfortunately, this is a false positive. It is not steady work. What we need is for the financial gridlock that has slowed building in the city to be broken so that steady employment can recover. And now that our union contracts have been concluded, our members must find ways to compete for market share. Let’s do it.

An interesting test is now being conducted by The District Council which can have positive effects for our members. According to Review Officer Dennis Walsh, they are currently investigating a time-entering program where stewards will be able to access a site by computer with specific job numbers and passwords. Union members will be able to log in and inspect work time that has been entered for the individual. Errors can be reported quickly and disagreements can be settled. Stewards, representatives and employers are being trained. Live testing is being conducted. It sounds like a good program and should represent a faithful representation of a worker’s hours on a job. The program, while promising, still has to be reviewed before anyone can sign on to it.

I wish you all a happy, safe, and profitable holiday season. — John DeLollis

Source: Off The Wall- Fall 2012