Preamble
Solidarity and brotherhood have always been at the core of what makes the unionized skilled trades in America so strong.
As construction unions, we understand we have to have a working relationship with our contractors and we have to work together to make them profitable. Otherwise, they will not bid work, hire our members, or stay in business. The only way the union construction industry can grow is through cooperation and partnership.
Sadly, the concepts of partnership, solidarity and brotherhood are being systematically eroded by the actions of Doug McCarron and his leadership team at the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBC).
The UBC has gone from a reputable labor organization, which dutifully represented its rank and file members, and was a mainstay of the Building and Construction Trades Department, to a rogue association with values and ideals more in sync with the worst elements of corporate America. All at the expense of its own membership and the union construction industry at large.
The UBC leadership has implemented a destructive strategy to pit worker against worker. For over ten years now, from coast to coast and everywhere in-between, the UBC, under the leadership of Doug McCarron, has been raiding the work of other building and construction trades crafts.
And if this wasn’t bad enough, the UBC has even gone so far as to sign “wall-to-wall” agreements throughout the country that claim the jurisdiction of all crafts for its own, and by appearing before governmental bodies and agencies to testify against project labor agreements.
The UBC’s actions have forced many other craft unions to spend millions of dollars of their membership’s hard-earned dues to fight off the UBC’s destructive and counter-productive actions.
Under McCarron’s leadership, his own membership has seen its collective democratic rights trampled upon, as local unions across the nation are being disbanded and folded into large autocratic “regional councils” whose leaders are appointed by, and serve at the pleasure of, President McCarron.
Additionally, Local Union welfare, annuity, and pension funds have been devastated, and members’ costs have doubled and tripled. Today, there are full-time working Carpenters who struggle to receive health care benefits for themselves or their families.
Unless the leadership of the UBC receives a LOUD and CLEAR message from UBC rank and file members and local leaders…these destructive practices will increase and become the new reality all across America.
In these difficult economic times, where unions are under attack all across America, and where a “race to the bottom” approach is becoming the new norm, the last thing we need is for Carpenters to be fighting other Carpenters…or for Carpenters to be fighting other trades for work.
The time has come to put a stop to this madness.
Petition:
I STAND FOR SOLIDARITY, BROTHERHOOD AND DEMOCRACY IN THE UNION CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY!
I stand againstthe UBC’s raiding of other craft unions’ work.
I stand against the removal of local union and individual democratic rights within the organizational structure of the UBC.
I urge respect for the jurisdiction of other craft unions.
I advocate for the allocation of UBC resources to organize the great multitude of un-organized carpenters across America, rather than using those resources to steal the work of other unions.
I call upon the leadership of the UBC to work in harmony and cooperation with owners, contractors and our fellow building trades unions to collectively grow market share for the union construction industry; to respect the jurisdiction of other craft unions; and to protect and enforce democratic rights for UBClocal unions and individual members.
204 subscribers have signed this petition.
