This is a follow up to a post that highlighted the challenges that Tradesman and the ABC alliance will bring to the unionized construction markets.
The Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) signed a staffing agreement with Tradesman International in the spring of 2014. Tradesman has over 100 offices in the United States providing temporary construction workers to non-union companies and now to the anti-union construction group known as the ABC. Tradesman International was born in the early 1990’s to supply workers to non-union companies in response to the highly successful Building Trades drive to place union workers into companies that were challenging the unionized markets of the Building Trades.
Tradesman International is putting our members out of work and this must be challenged!
Field organizing programs are not new; field organizers were the life blood of our Founding Fathers! This lawful action of placing our Brothers and Sisters at temporary agencies and unorganized companies will meet this new challenge. Put another way, the “DANIEL” formula gives the Building and Construction Trades the upper hand when it comes to taking control of our future. We owe it to our membership. We must take the time to get our members eligible to vote in NLRB construction elections at non-union companies and now temporary agencies. If you have not heard of the Daniel Formula do your research or Google it and you will be surprised at just how powerful this unique construction law can be.
Go to Craigslist for your area, choose the skilled trades selection (probably under the Jobs heading) and chances are you will find that Tradesman is in your jurisdiction. We must defend ourselves against this major problem, and Labor Rising can help!
US President Theodore Roosevelt’s policy was to “speak softly and carry a big stick.”
Labor Rising’s plan is just that! We must band together as workers and take an active role in regaining our MONOPOLY of the very best Construction Workers in North America.
Chris M. Hollfelder
Organizer
SMART 46
Lead Instructor
Labor Rising
“The exercise of intelligent forethought and of decisive action sufficiently far in advance of any likely crisis.” ~ Theodore Roosevelt
