President of the Ironworkers Great Lakes District Council, Greg Christy, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to talk about the council and their efforts to recruit and develop new members through their apprenticeship programs.
The Ironworkers Great Lakes District Council is made up of eight Iron Worker Local Unions. These Locals cover the lower peninsula of Michigan, Northern Ohio, Western Pennsylvania and Northern West Virginia. The major projects coming to the area from the Bipartisan Infrastructure and CHIPS bills are creating a need for new members. With an extremely busy work outlook over the next 10 years, Christy is excited about what the Council will be able to do for all their members.
There are currently 13 scheduled megaprojects in the region. This abundance of work puts the Locals in a unique position. Not only will they be able to provide current members with stable work, but also they will be able to provide an abundance of work for apprentices. Each Local is responsible for their own apprenticeship program. With the Ironworkers maternity leave benefits and the building trades childcare programs, Christy is optimistic they’ll reach the growth in membership required to staff all of these projects.
While recruiting efforts have been difficult for the Council in recent years, things are slowly changing. The trades have become a viable alternative to attending college. Unlike college, which puts you in debt, joining an apprenticeship program will pay you to learn a trade. Not only are efforts focused on apprentices, but the Council has six dedicated organizers actively recruiting non-union contractors, in order to provide their workers with a better work environment and benefits, Christy said.
To learn more about the Ironworkers Great Lakes District Council, visit IWdistrictcouncil.com.