Pete Ielmini, Executive Director of the Mechanical Insulators Labor Management Cooperative Trust, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast and discussed a program designed to help Insulator Local Unions and their signatory contractors capture work in the firestop market.
Ielmini explained the need to revive the LMCT’s Firestop Market Recovery Program, which encourages Local Union leadership and signatory contractors to work together to either recapture lost work or gain new work in the firestop and smoke seal industry.
The most recent LMCT Firestop Market Recovery Program took place in Boston in early March. Ielmini believes the program will ultimately prove beneficial to the Local and its contractors as they seek to take back work from other unions and the non-union sector that rightfully belongs to the Insulators Union and their signatory contractors.
He also spoke about the need to develop a program to help current Insulator Union members start their own contracting business. Ielmini believes such a program would help prospective business owners learn key information such as where to secure work, how to obtain and use bank loans, and more.
Lastly, he gave his thoughts about the nationwide shortage of construction workers. The Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act is creating lots of work, and unions need to be prepared to fulfill the workload, he said.
Listen to the entire episode to learn more about these topics.