When a contractor signs with the Laborers Local 133 they get Dependable, skilled workers that you can count on.
When a contractor signs a union agreement, they gain access to a pool of qualified workers. No more want ads, walk-ups or questionable referrals for someone's brother or cousin. A call to the hall will get you experienced, highly skilled, well trained laborers when you need them.
The Laborers Union also offers skills upgrade, safety and certification courses to members. With facilities in Hoppington, MA the industry programs in demand are available and conveniently scheduled. Becoming a union contractor also means having the ability to offer company employees industry-leading benefit programs, such as health care, a pension plan and a guaranteed annuity, at an affordable price. Union agents and organizers also talk to contractors directly about the benefits of an agreement with the Laborers Union for both their business and their workers.
Though there is often reluctance to the idea of being a union contractor on behalf of an owner, as they are given more information, contractors decide it is a good business decision for their company.
Talking to contractors means more than convincing them to sign an agreement, it is a chance to show contractors that the union can be a valuable partner. If our union contractors are not successful, union laborers lose out.
PREVAILING WAGE ECONOMIC BENEFITS ~ The Union provides a state certified training facility (Apprenticeship Program). All apprentices are indentured by the Commonwealth of Mass and their rates are therefore recognized as legitimate on prevailing wage projects. That means that instead of paying the posted journeyperson’s rate for every worker on a project, the contractor would have the ability to utilize apprentices on those projects at a recognized lesser rate which equates to the ability to realize savings on labor and to bid those projects accordingly. This allows the contractor to be more competitive in the bidding process that yields more contract awards.
BID ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS ~ It is in all of our best interest to insure your success. The Union has in place programs that can assist signatory contractors to be competitive on specific projects. There is flexibility, in certain situations, to allow journeyperson/apprentice ratios to be adjusted to aid in an overall reduction in labor costs that would allow the contractor to be more competitive. Project targeting can be used in certain circumstances to aid the contractor in procuring contract awards. Various approaches can be used for this purpose. Market recovery funding can also be utilized to attain the same goals. Union Laborers are pro active always seeking out work for our contractors.
Q & A
Q. If I were to become a signatory Union contractor, would I be able to retain
my current work force or would the Union insist on providing me with employees
of their choosing? A . Any employer who decides to become a Union contractor would retain their current
employees for as long as they desire. Those employees would become members
of the Union and would enjoy all of the benefits that the existing members
have. If that employer determines that there is a need for additional employees,
there are certified and trained craftsmen/women available from the Union. Conversely,
if the employer needs to downsize the number of people they employ, then they
can send them to the Union for referral to other employment.
Q. How much control would the Union exert in the way I run by business if I were
to become signatory?
A. None! The function of the Union is to refer craftsmen/women to the contractor
when they request them. The Union has absolutely no control in how a contractor
runs his or her business, nor does it want any. The collective bargaining agreement
between the contractor and the Union is a tool to protect the rights of both
the worker and the employer with regard to terms and conditions of employment.
Q. How can I remain successful and profitable when I will have to pay the higher
Union wage and benefits to my employees?
A. It is true that in most cases a newly signed contractor will experience higher
labor costs than before. The fact is Union craftsmen/women are well trained
and more productive. The quality of work will be much better than was experienced
before. These facts equate to becoming more competitive in the marketplace
and more profitability. The Union also has programs in place that aid the contractor
in securing awards and helping them achieve success.
Q.
As a signatory Union contractor, what do I have to pay the Union?
A. Signatory contractors pay nothing to the Union! As a Union contractor, your
responsibilities are to pay the wages and benefits in effect in the collective
bargaining agreement for your employees. Your employees, who are Union members,
will be required to pay dues to the Union, not you.
Q.
Do I have to get the permission of the Union to work overtime and does the
Union tell me who I have to put on overtime work?
A.
No, as a signatory contractor, you make those decisions the way you want. The
Union does not interfere with your management rights.
