CHICAGO REGIONAL COUNCIL OF CARPENTERS WINTER 2020 THE CARPENTERS FORUM A Message from Executive Secretary-Treasurer Gary Perinar Fighting Tax Fraud and Wage Theft Last year, the Chicago contractors often choose shady closely with the offices of the Regional Council of Carpenters subcontractors or labor brokers to Attorney General and the Illinois implemented a department to hide themselves from the liability Department of Labor. Our Tax combat Tax Fraud and Wage Theft. of wage theft, but under state laws Fraud Department will continue to Every year in the United States they still can be held liable. Wage provide documentation that clearly billions of dollars in tax revenue is Theft gives cheating contractors demonstrates the fraudulent lost due to the fraudulent actions a huge advantage when it comes activities of targeted companies to of deceitful employers. to bidding projects both state and local government against honest signatory agencies. We all pay our fair share The loss of tax revenue contractors. What this of taxes supporting good schools negatively effects every means is fewer jobs for our children, or community one of us. The purpose for both our members services including police and fire, of this department is: and our law-abiding as well as Social Security signatory contractors. I and Medicare benefits. But we 1. To make sure our would like to emphasize will NOT let cheating companies members are paid the that the vast majority pollute our market by taking jobs proper wages and of our signatory away from our members and benefits according to contractors are paying law-abiding contractors. We their contract. their employees properly, but in will NOT allow these cheating order to maintain and increase our companies to pad their wallets at 2. To level the playing field for market share, we must address and the expense of our hard-working our signatory contractors to clean up the corruption that is so members by failing to pay competitively bid projects. rampant within our industry. them the collectively bargained 3. To help communities receive the agreement amount. Remember this correct amount of appropriated tax In August 2019, Illinois Governor type of cheating is no accident and dollars to increase future growth, J.B. Pritzker signed legislation the intent to cheat our members new projects and public services. creating the Worker’s Protection is calculated and premeditated. Unit Task Force within the Illinois We need our entire membership What is Tax Fraud and how does it Attorney General’s office. This on board and to report these impact construction workers? Tax unit affords the Attorney General’s types of criminal activities to their Fraud and Wage Theft happens office the authority to investigate local unions so our Tax Fraud when employees are not paid and file suit against violators of the Department can take action against the wages that they have earned. Prevailing Wage Act, Minimum these corrupt companies. Another form is not being paid Wage Law, Labor Services Act, the legally mandated overtime and Wage Payment and Collection Construction Industry Tax Fraud premium for hours worked in Act. The new Worker’s Protection Days of Action April 14-18, 2020 excess of the 40-hour work week. Unit Task Force will be working The Regional Council will be Wage Theft is often accompanied in conjunction with the Illinois organizing activities for these by tax and insurance fraud, Department of Labor to identify days to highlight this crisis. To which are crimes that hurt the and take the necessary actions participate in our efforts, please construction industry. We know against payment violations and call 630-920-8552 or email: that Wage Theft does not happen unfair labor practices. [email protected]. accidentally - it’s intentional and it’s the business model of corrupt The Regional Council’s Tax Visit www.StopTaxFraud.net to companies. Those unethical Fraud Department also works learn more. 2 THE CARPENTERS FORUM t WINTER 2020 CHICAGO REGIONAL COUNCIL OF CARPENTERS THE CARPENWINTER 2020TERS FORUM CONTENTS CHICAGO REGIONAL COUNCIL OF CARPENTERS DEPARTMENTS A Message from Executive Secretary-Treasurer Gary Perinar 2 A Message from WINTER 2020 THE CARPENTERS FORUM President Jeffrey Isaacson 4 Southern Region 6 Western Region 7 Getting Organized 11 Keep It Safe 12 Political Action 16 Carpenter Training Center 20 Carpenters and the Law 23 Your Money 25 Your Benefits 26 Renewable Energy 28 Insurance Pointers 29 FEATURES 2 Fighting Tax Fraud and Wage Theft Steppenwolf Theatre 1642 N. Halsted 4 The Importance of Training and Development Chicago, IL 16 VOTE To Protect Your Rights The Carpenters Forum Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters 20 Training School Instructors: A Career Passion United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America 26 Mental Health Awareness 12 E. Erie St. Chicago, IL 60611-2796 Phone: 312-787-3076 Fax: 312-951-1540 A publication for members of the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters (CRCC). Executive Secretary-Treasurer: Gary Perinar Address changes or death notices should be reported to the appropriate local union, not the CRCC or The Carpenters Forum. President: Jeffrey Isaacson Vice President: Keith Jutkins Like us on Facebook.com/CRCCCarpenters Follow us on Twitter @CRCCarpenters Forum Designer: Susan Anderson Crccarpenters www.CarpentersUnion.org WINTER 2020 t THE CARPENTERS FORUM 3 A Message from President Jeffrey Isaacson The Importance of Training and Development The Chicago Regional Council first trade to endorse his campaign Safety and Apprenticeship – The of Carpenters stresses the and said he will always remember Safety Department presentation importance of basic skill training our commitment to him. discussed the issues that were for apprentices and skill- encountered in 2019 and what to advancement training Next, Colonel Steven look for while on the sites in 2020. for journeymen. We Sattinger and Brian Each session was broken up into want you to be the best Heinold, Chief of groups of six. The department you can be. We also Operations Division created a Kahoot quiz to not only want our leadership to from the U.S. Army test the knowledge of safety with be the best it can be in Corps of Engineers’ our business representatives but to the labor industry. Rock Island District, train them in the areas where we provided an update on could improve their knowledge. Last month, the leaders Illinois Waterway. The In providing this information we of the Chicago Regional Rock Island District expect that our representatives Council of Carpenters operates and maintains will share what they learned with met to learn from the second longest our stewards and members while one another and enhance their nine-foot navigation channel in the visiting the sites. leadership skills. Corps of Engineers. The four areas where the Safety We were honored to have Illinois Our final speaker was Professor Department saw the most Governor J.B. Pritzker address the Robert Bruno, Director of Labor challenges in 2019, were in order: leadership on his accomplishments Studies Program at the University complacency, unreported incidents in his first year in office for of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. or injuries, electrical issues, and working families and how the An enthusiastic labor supporter, fall protection. It was encouraging Legislature is working in a Professor Bruno’s presentation to see fall protection was not the bipartisan manner on major issues was on comparative data and first issue as in other years past, especially the Infrastructure Bill — how this relates to the Carpenters which directly relates to the trades Union and moving forward into and more work. He again thanked the future. continued on following page the Carpenters Union for being the 4 THE CARPENTERS FORUM t WINTER 2020 continued from previous page legal framework and best practices the disaster this is to our economy. in order to resolve a labor dispute. however, some of that was in the The attorneys presented an outline The Marketing Department complacency category as well. Stay of the dispute but used interaction delivered a powerful presentation focused in 2020! with business representatives that included the 2020 Built to Last© and organizers to clarify the rules television series with schedule The Apprenticeship presentation and emphasize the importance of updates. Now in its seventh season supplied information and contacts teamwork. on ABC7 Chicago, the program for each training center for the has been nominated for its third new organizers and business Marketing and Tax Fraud – Emmy Award. The presentation representatives. This presentation began with the also included the Carpenters Tax Fraud Department providing involvement in the evolving Illinois Handouts were provided on the a recapitulation of what transpired solar market. The CRCC’s strong new Skill Advancement Classes in 2019. They explained how they focus and strategies for building with an explanation for each class. were focused on companies who solar industry partnerships will This information was from the pay members (or the non-union) support our contractors, members, UBC International Training Center with cash, checks without any tax and the economic sustainability and the classes being offered withholdings, misclassification of of the local communities in our which included: Collaborative employees by IRS form 1099, and CRCC jurisdiction. Leadership, Foreman Training, piecework. They also emphasized Superintendent Career Training, the need for witnesses to prove our Organizing – This presentation UBC Journeymen Leadership and cases. The presentation described took an aggressive approach to old the 212 Journeymen Next Level what stage each of our cases are tactics. We tackled banners and Leaders Program. The handout presently at with five (5) of them handbill design. We upped our also included a program overview, being assigned to a conciliator at game and worked on extremely on who is eligible and who to the Illinois Department of Labor. aggressive handbill and banners contact as well as a schedule for geared toward end users.