MCAA Regional Report, Region D

Words: Lynn VasquezIllinois - Vacant
Indiana - Dan Kwiatkowski
Wisconsin - Anna Weickhardt

Workforce Development

Industry and Union has a call for Apprentices. Union will enforce a ratio of 1-5 but in this difficult times it is tough to ask a contractor to take one. Our DCTC (District Council Training Center), is the Bricklayer Apprenticeship School for the area. IUBAC still uses the facility for nationwide training sessions and more are scheduled. There website is www.bac2school.org. A labor management group called CISCO (www.cisco.org) has picked up the slack visiting trade schools and making presentations whenever needed. There will be 18 Apprentices started in the school in February of 2017. The timing, will have them out by spring and construction season.

The IUBAC has searched out and promoted other areas of construction that Bricklayers and their Union is claiming. It is a new category you may look at the International Masonry Institute is titled it “NEW WORK OPPORTUNITIES” (www.imiweb.org).

Chicago remains thrilled with the DCTC and the quality of the instruction awarded our Union Bricklayers. There will be a class starting and the school is able to train.

Our recent assumption that “of the bricklayers who left for other work many will jump back in for the $44+ an hour plus benefits.” That does not seem to be the case. It is rather alarming…. We were pretty confident they can be lured back into the industry with the Wages and Benefits but that is not the case. Restoration Contractors (which many of our contractors have morphed into doing this work now) have had consistent hours but the Non-Union element has taken leaps and bounds in this arena as well.

MCA of Greater Chicago — members want any dollars spent on Workforce Development programs for and by the MCAA to be documented and shared with all the MCAA members to make sure that all members of the MCAA are receiving the benefit of their efforts and dollars $$. We have all the confidence in the national and trust we can all make masonry attractive for young people across the country. We also understand we can do much more together than we can apart.

Economic Climate

Bricklayer hours reported monthly (report shows annual totals)

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
2064.44 2348.70 1952.09 1537.56 1056.76 1035.83 1183.79 1137.75 JAN
1974.97 1951.77 1332.84 1111.80 1062.1 754.67 951.7 1243.29 FEB
2066.28 1443.67 973.20 1267.94 967.38 709.96 1088.09 1417.71 MAR
2175.40 1354.54 1384.97 921.01 1194.99 946.03 1433.9 1639.87 APR
2559.95 1628.06 1311.49 1123.75 1422.14 1444.94 1484.5 1842.05 MAY
2370.71 1836.63 1459.18 1433.32 1552.25 1645.13 1653.96 1647.08 JUN
1828.66 1683.89 1133.58 1479.88 1943.28 1537.74 1835.28 2108.46 JUL
2616.24 1857.53 2316.78 1908.58 1413.13 2269.65 1750 2193 AUG
2628.25 1756.00 2281.51 1901.73 1627.95 1939.08 1904.52 1899.26 SEP
2606.00 2036.10 1797.42 1782.75 1681.02 1665.88 1930.5 1884.73 OCT
2405.03 1866.89 1833.30 1877.51 1438.97 1907.99 1507.91 0 NOV
2475.95 2067.54 1071.69 1426.39 1036.01 1355.71 1521.11 0 DEC
27771.88 21831.32 18848.044 17772.22 16395.98 17212.61 18245.26 15875.45
These figure are based on Safety Money ($0.01) per hour ie 2009 = 2.77 Million hours

A list of Union Bricklayer hours worked and reported for each month in the past 8+ years. Hours worked have declined considerably from the 2003’s “banner” year (6 million Hours). It is even worse than this example shows because during 2004 through today in these hours Plasters and Marble Setters (estimated at 450 workers) have been added due to the merger of the “trowel trades”. Restoration of commercial buildings continues to be a market some have found some work. Many of our contractors have jumped into that market to keep guys working and to stay alive. The Bricklayers Union merged with Tuckpointers in regards to training and working together in the future. This should be a very positive merger and contractors are encouraging the sharing of information. New Masonry has picked up and hours have increased but we (a Union Mason Contractor Association) are feeling the pinch of our 3 biggest “enemies — Competing Products, Non-Union and “Quasi” Union Mason Contractors.

Membership Growth & Chapter Activities

Not much different to report: Membership is stagnant in the greater Chicago chapter. —We continue to lose more members due to failures.We have had some surprising former members completely leaving the industry and most likely for good. Unfunded Liability issues restrict these contractors from alternative construction contracting. “Supporting Members” have been very active and generous, allowing the chapter’s social activities to continue but they are not growing for now. We have added 2 new members for 2016….sad but that’s it!

OSHA & Safety

Locally the MCA of Greater Chicago continues to support the Chicagoland Construction Safety Council (CCSC). Our donations and (1 cent) contributions from the CBA, the Laborers, Bricklayers and Operating Engineers along with others should give the CCSC the needed funds to operate. But with hours down everyone is suffering. Search the web @ www.buildsafe.org they can help you too!

SILICA — we rely heavily on the MCAA to guide us through these turbulent time. Keep up the fight we will have a fund raiser for the MC-PAC which is money in the right place….Now we have a chance to pass positive legislation and block “bad” legislation. Employers can expect to see OSHA continue its aggressive enforcement including an increase in penalties. OSHA is continuing to place employers in the Severe Violators Enforcement Program (SVEP) when they are found to disregard safety and health, and issued repeat or willful violations. Other items we can expect are increased enforcement in programs such as violence in the workplace, Whistleblower Protection Program, recordkeeping and fall protection — now SILICA issues have returned.

Lobby Efforts

MCA of Greater Chicago is very pleased with the efforts put forth by MCAA It remains a bright spot, one of many that keep Chicago is enthused with the MCAA. MCA of Greater Chicago will make an effort to increase our MC-PAC involvement — WE BELIEVE in the MCAA. Jeff and MCAA’s efforts continue to show our chapter why we should support the MCAA. We are too small to fight this alone a strong national organization and grass roots are the only way we can effect change. Local and National policy has been affective. The willingness of our MCAA to help in all aspects has made it easy to stay involved. Concrete Masonry Units “Check off Program” and Pension Reform are our largest issues. Go MCAA Legislative Committee!

Wisconsin

The construction of apartment buildings and residential housing continues to increase as well the rise of masonry included in these projects. For example, the masonry selections for Commercial projects are focused on the quality of the materials and a lot less of a concern with the budget. The amount of masonry and the mixed use of different materials (brick/block/stone) has substantially increased in the last year.

Shortage of manpower (lack of quality workers) continues to be a concern throughout the state.

Natural stone has been progressively more popular compared to manufactured stone - likely a direct result of consumer confidence.

The architects and general contractors are using masonry as a part of the creative building/home design instead of drawing it on the plan and having to include it because of requirements. Based on the projects that we’re seeing in Southern WI, the perception and overall attitude towards masonry has really started to transform. Aside from more masonry being used or a more expensive brick/stone selection this doesn’t necessarily always mean a better long-term value but the “investment” type of thinking almost is. It’s the appeal for historic masonry and old aged tumbled brick.

It’s as if all of the masonry on old buildings suddenly had an impact on our industry and has literally become a new trend overnight - the more tumbled and beat-up and the messier white colored mortar, the better.

Masonry has been around for a very long time - it just took people awhile to appreciate it.
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