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Organizing from the
top down
“It’s all about the education,” says John Stack, United Association Local
12’s new Organizer. While the assumption might be that he’s referring to the
information he provides to non-union plumbers as part of his efforts to
enlist them into the Local, Stack is actually talking about the info he
makes available to plumbing and mechanical contracting company owners. It’s
not that he doesn’t meet with non-affiliated plumbers; it’s that Stack
focuses more of his time on the management side of the labor-management
relationship, because those efforts have the potential to reap bigger
dividends for all parties: the local, its members, the contractors, and the
industry at large. It’s what Stack calls his “top-down organizing approach.” |
Stack, who was appointed to the new position last September by Local 12
Business Manager Kevin Cotter, has met with about 25 contractors so far. He
says that there is some apprehension, a lot of misinformation, and a fair
amount of pre-conceived notions about the Union among the owners. In a few
cases, the foregone conclusions prevent him from even getting in the door.
But when he is able to sit down and talk, Stack says that he’s often able to
break down barriers and communicate the Local’s powerful messages.
Negotiations are ongoing among several contractors. To date, six new
companies have signed on with Local 12 as a result of Stack’s efforts.
Among the points he emphasizes when he meets with contractors are the
Local’s comprehensive training program and the high caliber of the workforce
to which they would have immediate access. “The ready pool of highly skilled
workers is key,” Stack says. “We have a saying about how we ‘do it right the
first time.’ That means a lot to owners—and their clients.”
Stack also touts the Local’s benefits program. Pensions, annuities, and,
especially, health care, are critical issues for all employers and employees
these days. With Local 12 and contractor representatives jointly managing
the benefits program, that takes the burden off of the contractor.
Like father, like son
Stack knows first-hand what a fair wage and a solid benefits program can
mean to a family. His father, John Stack, Sr., was a Local 12 plumber. “I
grew up with it,” he says. “I know what it means to have health insurance.”
Now that his father is retired, Stack is able to see the real-world benefits
of a pension and annuity in action.
Stack himself started his apprenticeship with Local 12 in 1989. He worked
for many contractors as a Journeyman Plumber. From the start, Stack got
involved with the Union and served on a number of its committees.
While he says the hours are longer and the work is quite different, Stack is
enjoying his new position and the difference he’s able to make as a result
of his efforts. He adds that organizing is really a team effort and that he
works closely with Local 12’s business agents.
“The Union can compete, if given the opportunity. We just want a fair
chance,” he says. “We want a level playing field. That’s what keeps
everything competitive...and keeps everybody working.”
Next page:
New
England’s largest plumbing job is a wrap
Complete Spring, 2004
newsletter (pdf file)
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