Union Members

• Current and future union members access work and training opportunities on CBA projects, which pay fair wages and benefits.

• The CBA helps to standardize project labor requirements on construction projects in the region, while strengthening union and community partnerships.
• Unions represent all workers on CBA projects, and have the opportunity to educate non-union workers and firms about the benefits of working with unions.

• CBA contractors must agree to abide by the terms of union contracts, collect union dues and use union hiring halls.
• Union leaders play critical roles in CBA oversight and monitoring.
• Unions are demonstrating their importance in training and diversifying the construction industry. Because of this, more project owners and contractors will want to work with unions.

What can I do to help?

Talk to your fellow union members and community members about the CBA.

Why does the CBA help people who are not yet in the union?

• Unions have always played a critical role in raising the bar for salaries, benefits and working conditions for all workers.
• The CBA helps create opportunities for historically underserved community members and drives demand for union apprentices. These workers are future union workers.
• Disadvantaged Business Enterprises need mentoring and skilled craftspeople to grow and become union. The CBA oversight committee polices business practices and quality.
• The CBA also establishes funds and partnerships to encourage the recruitment, training and referral of union apprenticeship candidates by community partners. These new trainees do not compete with current workers, rather they are training to fill future workforce needs and union ranks. In 2010, at the height of the recession, there were 1900 new apprentices in Oregon. The demand for new workers will only rise as the economy bounces back. Unions and community need to work together to make sure the next generation of workers is ready.

For more information, please contact:

• Michael Burch, Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters
 phone: 503-320-8808     email: mburch@nwcarpenters.org

• Willy Myers,  Executive Secretary Treasurer
 email: willy@cpbctc.com

• Nate Stokes, International Union of Operating Engineers 701
 phone: 503-650-7701 ext. 223 email: nathan@iuoe701.com