Pete Ielmini, Executive Director of the Mechanical Insulators Labor Management Cooperative Trust (LMCT), joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the Insulators Member Assistance Program (IMAP) and how it will help members of the International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers. He also discussed why mechanical insulation can help address many of the environmental issues around the world and then provided an update on the Federal Mechanical Insulation Act (FMIA).
Suicide prevention month will begin Sept. 1, and Ielmini discussed how IMAP was created and its purpose. He referenced the July 24 conversation on AWF with Rich Jones from Youturn Health that described the IMAP and how Youturn and another company, Perspectives, are assisting union Insulators to get the assistance they need. Ielmini discussed the impact IMAP has had in bringing mental health awareness to members of the Insulators Union. While he admits it will take some time to get around the stigma of mental health conversations in the trades, he hopes the IMAP will make a difference for the Insulators Union.
According to Ielmini, proper mechanical insulation is a cost-effective and practical solution for ways to help address environmental issues, but the allure of expensive, shiny new projects often overshadow it. He said the issue with energy loss is complex, but not all solutions to fix it need to be as difficult. As more people become aware of the importance of insulation, Ielmini hopes there is a chance to collectively address environmental concerns.
Finally, Ielmini provided an update to the FMIA, also known as House Resolution-4663. He is hopeful that when the U.S. House of Representatives returns to session, they will introduce the bill as suspended. By introducing the bill this way, all debate is limited to 40 minutes and no amendments are allowed. Finally, by “suspending the rules” only two-thirds of the Representatives present and voting are needed to pass the bill, leaving Ielmini hopeful the bill could be passed before the November election.
Listen to the show above to hear more from Ielmini.
America’s Work Force is the only daily labor podcast in the US and has been on the air since 1993, supplying listeners with useful, relevant input into their daily lives through fact-finding features, in-depth interviews, informative news segments and practical consumer reports. America’s Work Force is committed to providing an accessible venue in which America's workers and their families can hear discussion on important, relevant topics such as employment, healthcare, legislative action, labor-management relations, corporate practices, finances, local and national politics, consumer reports and labor issues.
America’s Work Force Union Podcast is brought to you in part by our sponsors: AFL-CIO, American Federation of Government Employees, American Federation of Musicians Local 4, Alliance for American Manufacturing, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes-IBT, Boyd Watterson, Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, Communication Workers of America, Mechanical Insulators Labor Management Cooperative Trust, International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Local 50, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Crafts, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 6, Ironworkers Great Lakes District Council, Melwood, The Labor Citizen newspaper, Laborers International Union of North America, The National Labor Office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield, North Coast Area Labor Federation, Ohio Federation of Teachers, United Labor Agency, United Steelworkers.
