Plumbers and Gasfitters Local Union #12

Harry J. Brett, Business Manager / Financial Secretary-Treasurer November 2017

Important Dates - Please mark your calendars Executive Board Meeting Tuesday, November 7, 2017 @ 5pm Monthly Membership Meeting (RESCHEDULED) Thursday, November 9, 2017 @ 5pm Veterans Day Saturday, November 11, 2017 Retirees Meeting Wednesday, November 15, 2017 @10am Children’s Christmas Party Saturday, December 2, 2017-11am-3pm

Kindly remember in your prayers: Warren J. Arnault, indentured 10/27/1958 William J. Estano, indentured 8/14/1967 Robert P. Barrett, indentured 8/11/1958 Frederick J. Stevens, indentured 10/08/1951 James F. Boyle, indentured 10/14/68 Richard H. Tyler, indentured 10/22/1956 Francis X. Burke, indentured 5/11/1964

Managers Notes: Once again another election season is upon us. As you read through the update you will see the Union endorsed candidates included. I would like to take this opportunity to respectfully ask you to consider and encourage you to vote for them. The reason is simple; they are the most supportive to the Union Way, Our Way.

We have some real friends that need our help and by helping them with our votes we will have someone to help us.

One of the jobs of Your Unions leadership is to try to educate the members about the issues that affect them the most. We, as union members, enjoy benefits that most in our industry do not, health insurance, pensions, education, and good wages just to name a few, surprisingly enough, there are a lot of people out there that hate us for that.

I know that hate is a strong word, but that’s what it is; jealousy may be another. One great thing about talking to new members is when they express their disbelief that they have real benefits for the first time in their career.

I mention the new members because they may be reading a real political message from their union for the first time. I am sure that most non-union employers say nothing when it comes to politics.

As a UNION man or woman, it only makes sense to support people that support our way of life.

Your union does not tell you or force you to vote, it is a constitutional right that everyone should partake in. Your union simply wants to inform you of the issues that concern us and to identify the candidates that support us.

Today, we are a deeply divided nation, fake news vs. real news, outright hate for anyone who doesn’t share your position, it goes on and on; but the real question is, “Who is going to support the way we make a living?”

One economic issue for us that comes to mind is Project Labor Agreements. Deer Island, Big Dig, Harvard University, Wynn Casino to name a few, have and will continue to provide thousands of man hours to local 12 members. These agreements require real political will and we must continue to support those who are willing to help us to implement these agreements. (These PLA’s have been supported by members of both parties) The non-union forces hate these agreements. One reason is that they require real wages and benefits to be paid. The cost savings that is realized by them is made taking it out on the backs of the workers in the way of a lack of good wages and benefits.

This quick example is clear, I would support someone who is in favor of bringing good wages and benefits through a PLA to a community than someone who would not. Once again, as construction workers whose livelihoods and careers depend on hours worked, we must get past the distractive issues and vote for our paychecks.

I think we can all agree that as Local 12 members, we want the same, good jobs, good schools, good safe places to live and raise families, good retirements and good government. We should continue to support the candidates that have pledged to work for these values.

A quick story,

Last week, under the direction of the Organizing Department, myself along with your agents and organizers, participated in a two-day organizing blitz, visiting plumbing shops throughout our area. (Mirrored after what the UA has been doing across the country). As a matter of fact, we visited in excess of fifty companies.

During one of the days, I received a call from a rather agitated non-union contractor that was visited by a pair of Business Agents. The agents had the flyer that was to be given to the owner of the company.

Well he didn’t like the visit by the agents, although they were very professional, so he railed to me that we were trying to “steal” “his” workers, but not one minute into the conversation he got to what he really hated us about and said “We are the organization that tells its members how to vote!” I quickly corrected him and then ended the conversation.

The point of this story is that while the union seemed to have endorsed and recommended they vote for a candidate he hated, and in reality all we do is try to educate the membership about the candidate that would support us and our way of life. I.e. Jobs, wages, benefits, etc. I will never apologize for that.

We are all Local 12 members first and we should all remember the four founding principles of the United Association: Benevolence, Education, Fraternity and Protection.

Please get out and vote!

Local 12 Training Center: For a full list of Local 12s training programs please visit www.plumbersandgasfitterslocal12.org and click on the training tab.

Retirees Club Meeting: The Retirees Club will meet on Wednesday, November 15, 2017 at 10AM at 1240 Ave., . The speaker will be Janice Fahey of the Consumer Advocacy & Response Division of the Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General. The topic of discussion will be identity theft, scams and data breaches. All retirees are welcome to attend.

2018 Dues increase: The United Association voted on a $2.00 a month per capita increase for 2018. All dues will be increased by $2.00 as of 1/1/2018. Per Local 12 By-Laws, Article XIV, Section J: Any increase in the per capita tax by the United Association shall automatically increase the Local Union dues by the same amount.

Children’s Christmas Party: Local 12s Annual Children’s Christmas Party will be held, Saturday December 2, 2017 from 11am-3pm. We look forward to seeing all the families as we anticipate Santa’s annual visit to Local 12. Invitations will be going out soon. www.plumberslocal12.org November 2017

Other Local 12 Greater Boston Labor Council Endorsed Candidates Municipal Election Endorsements 2017 2017 Boston Cambridge Martin J. Walsh for Craig Kelly for City Council Sumbul Siddiqui for City Council Annissa Essaibi George for City Council At-Large Sean Tierney for City Council Michael Flaherty for City Council At-Large Tim Toomey for City Council Ayanna Pressley for City Council At-Large for City Council At-Large Framingham for City Council District 3 John Stefanini for Mayor Tim McCarthy for City Council District 5 Cheryl Tully Stoll for City Council At-Large for City Council District 7 Lynn Cambridge Tom McGee for Mayor Richard Harding for City Council

Denise Simmons for City Council Newton Alanna Mallon for City Council Scott Lennon for Mayor Marc McGovern for City Council

Paul Toner for City Council Quincy Jeffrey Santos for City Council Ann Mahoney for City Council At-Large

Fred Fantini for School Committee Noel DiBona for City Council At-Large Al Shaughnessy for Ward 6 Councilor Chelsea Roy Avellaneda for City Council At-Large Revere Calvin Brown for City Council Ward 8 Steve Morabito for City Council

Malden John Powers for City Council Steve Winslow for City Council At-Large Nichole Mossalam for School Committee Ward 7 Somerville MaryAnne Heuston for City Council Medford Mark Niedergan for City Council Stephanie Muccini Burke for Mayor

Adam Knight for City Council Weymouth Fred Happle for City Council Newton Nicole Castillo for City Council Ward 1 At-Large

Scott Lennon for Mayor

Revere John Correggio for City Council At-Large Dimple Rana for City Council At-Large

Ira Novoselsky for City Council Ward 2 Eric Lampedecchio for City Council Ward 5

Somerville Dennis Sullivan for Alderman At-Large Matthew McLaughlin for Alderman Ward 1 Bob McWatters for Alderman Ward 3 Jesse Clingan for Alderman Ward 4

Payton Corbett for Mayor