Masonry Magazine April 1983 Page. 16
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
and has done outstanding work in producing the "Masonry Showcase" to be held in conjunction with the 1983 MCAA Conference, and in working with manufacturers on several other projects of great value. The Committee is developing, in conjunction with Bill Kelly of Signode Corp., a manual on effective material handling and job practices.
Chairman Don Grant's Safety Committee maintains a program of monitoring developments at the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and is working on specific safety problems in the industry.
MCAA has three other standing committees, Insurance, Membership and Finance, Chaired by Dick Harris, Bill Dentinger and Mickey Soloff, respectively all of which continue to perform excellent and vital work in the service of the Association's members.
Over the past dozen years, one of the most significant developments in our industry has been the establishment and growth of joint labor/management programs. These programs have enabled our Association to work with the Bricklayers International Union on a broader basis and at a higher level than ever before, and to extend the effects of its activities throughout the industry.
Joint Labor/Management Programs
Four joint labor/management programs are now conducted under the auspices of the International Masonry Institute.
IMI's Labor/Management Relations Program scored impressive successes with its "disputes settlement plan" in 1982. A total of 278 collective bargaining agreements involving the Bricklayers' Union and mason contractors as well as other management groups expired last year, but the number of work stoppages amounted only to 20-and most of these occurred in areas where there was multi-craft bargaining.
Not only did the number of stoppages decline, but the average length of stoppages was also reduced. The disputes settlement mechanism of the plan was directly involved in only two of the stoppages, but there was indirect involvement in a number of others, and it is not too much to say that the existence of the program was a moderating influence throughout 1982 when average wage-benefits increases negotiated between mason contractors and the Bricklayers' Union amounted to 4.6 percent.
A major development last year was the decision of the Laborers International Union of North America to participate in the "disputes settlement program." The three-party arrangements for implementing the program in 1983 are now in place, and the involvement of the Laborers' Union this year will be a positive factor.
The outlook for the "disputes settlement program" in 1983 is a busy one. Because most of the agreements which expired last year were renegotiated for only one year, there will be an abnormally large number of expirations in 1983-probably in excess of 335.
The Labor/Management Relations Program has now begun establishing a second program-a program designed to develop on-the-job procedures that may be used to increase worker satisfaction and thus improve productivity.
IMI Expands Training Modules
In 1982 IMI's Apprenticeship and Training Program continued to expand its library of training modules. Three new ones were produced Pavers in Cement Mortar, Pre-Assembled Panels and The Trowel Trades: Crafts That Build Nations and through them the program has begun to address not only the needs of the apprentice, but also those of the journeyman, employer and industry.
Last year, even though the U.S. Government had a smaller role in job training programs, through the Apprenticeship and Training Program, the masonry industry continued its 12-year involvement with training disadvantaged youths through the Job Corps, operating 49 programs at 38 Job Corps or Civilian Conservation Centers.
In the new year, Apprenticeship and Training will develop more training modules, but the most ambitious 1983 effort will be the continued study and development of a training approach that will utilize national and regional training centers. Such training centers will enable IMI to better meet future and changing needs of the industry through more intensive, current and standardized pre-job apprentice, journeyman, foreman and managerial training and education.
IMI's Research and Development Program is a new program with a small funding base that must be expanded in order to enable the program to fulfill its objective of meeting the specific R&D needs of mason contractors and craftsmen. The program nevertheless made a good start last year with limited funds. It enabled IMI to participate in the work of the International Building Council and to take advantage of research being done in other countries. It made contributions to an important research project on the bonding properties of masonry units and mortar, and to two significant market research projects.
The Program's Advisory Board, made up of MCAA and BAC representatives, has now developed a set of R&D priorities to guide its work in 1983. One of the priority areas which will receive attention from the program this year will be research into the barriers to the mobility of craftsmen.
IMI's Market Development Program in 1982 conducted a vigorous and intensive national advertising campaign despite reductions in funding due to poor market conditions. The Program also continued its effective work in fields such as architect-engineer student and professional training, passive solar energy, computerized design aids and promotion of the advantages of the "Masonry Pro" union mason contractor and craftsman.
In 1983, the Market Development Program again will conduct a national advertising program, and extend its developmental work in professional education, passive solar design, and computerized design aids. The Program will produce a new film, and will create marketing aids for the use of local/regional masonry groups.
New International Masonry Center
An important new venture for IMI was the launching last year of a program to establish an International Masonry Center to serve as both a physical and symbolic "heart" for the U.S. and Canadian masonry industry. Under the program, IMI will utilize the historic Brice House in Annapolis, Maryland, which when restored will serve as a meeting facility, masonry library, museum and scholarly facility. The IMI Board of Trustees has actively participated in development of an ownership/restoration/financing plan for the Brice House.
It is anticipated that restoration work on Brice House will begin in the near future, with occupancy of a substantial portion of the house occurring by the end of the year.
In addition to Brice House, the International Masonry Center ultimately will include a National Training Center, referred to earlier, and a National Research Center.
Another vital MCAA/BAC joint program is the International Pension Fund, chaired by Joe Szabo. IPF continues to grow. At the beginning of the year, a total of 352 U.S. and Canadian local unions participated in the Fund. Participating locals represented a total of 106,000 BAC members. The Fund is financially sound, and its significance as a means of stabilizing masonry's skilled manpower supply would be difficult to over-estimate.
In 1983 MCAA participated wholeheartedly in the work of two industry-wide groups, the Masonry Industry Committee and the Masonry Research Foundation. Both of these organizations are making contributions to the industry, and MCAA expects to support their work in 1983.
Looking Ahead
This very brief recital of only the highlights of the important work being undertaken by our Association should make it clear to every member that MCAA is vital to the future of all progressive mason contractors.