Local 30 Training Center

Due to the limitations of Phase 2 we will not have a Union Meeting this Wed June 10th.

The Billings Gazette doesn’t seem interested in having a story on Montanas being replaced by out of state workers, maybe we can spread the word! Please share.

HARD TIMES FOR THE LOCAL BUILDING TRADES
AND THEN!
For the past 15 years or so the Local Building Trades Unions have been fortunate in that a large group of members have been able to watch our Brothers and Sisters that built the 4 coal fired plants at Colstrip and updated/maintained the 3 Oil Refineries here in Yellowstone County start to enjoy their retirement.
The Local Building Trades represent the Boilermakers, Bricklayers, Carpenters, Cement Masons, Electricians, Heat Frost Insulators, Ironworkers, Laborers, Operating Engineers, Painters, Plumbers and Pipefitters, Roofers, Sheetmetal Workers and Sprinklerfitters. During the last 15 years, our members worked on major Industrial Projects, outages and updates in Colstrip, as well as major expansions and maintenance in the Oil Refineries in our territory. These projects made it possible to mentor and train the next generation of new skilled craftsman and boost the high-quality manpower of our workforce and in turn that workforce has filled the positions of our retiring membership. Our members experienced full time employment and took pride in completing many capital and maintenance projects.
In the summer of 2019 we could see very few Industrial Projects planned for the upcoming year and by December of 2019 there was approximately 30% unemployment in our Industrial work. In March of 2020 the numbers for unemployment for our Industrial workers was at 50%, then the Covid-19 out-break occurred and our unemployment percentages climbed to 80% in a few weeks, this decline in work has regrettably made for some difficult times for working Montanans.
AND THEN APRIL 30, 2020
Worley Industrial Service the maintenance contractor at Exxon/Mobil at the Billings, MT refinery was given notice that they would be replaced by an out-of-state contractor. The Local Building Trades Unions at that time had local Boilermakers, Crane Operators and Pipefitters working for Worley and the majority of them had been employed there for the last 10 to 15 years. These members reported for work on the morning of April 30, 2020 and were told to wait in the gathering area for their final check and let go, no notice, just a check and notice that their gate card would be shut off.
We have been unsuccessful in getting a response as to the exact reasons why Exxon/Mobil Refinery decided they didn’t need a skilled Montana workforce any longer. My speculation is an attempt to reduce costs, however, any attempt to reduce costs by bringing in an unskilled workforce from out-of-state and taking jobs away from Montanans by paying less money and possibly offering no benefits can make the numbers look like you are saving Exxon money. The Local Building Trades Union would like to see a copy of the new contractor’s employee/New-Hire hand book, my guess it reads like a lot of other groups that tell the new hires they should check the availability of public health care for their dependents and in this case the CHIP program comes to mind. Saying that, I would think the Montana tax payers are saving Exxon/Mobil the monetary difference and not the Contractor.
Exxon/Mobil does a good job in their efforts of outreach to this community with charities, however, with the change of attitude towards our workforce it will be difficult to pull up to the pump with an Exxon sign over head.

Henry Cellmer
President
Southeastern Montana Building Construction Trade Council

UA welding certification will be available May 11 - May 14 starting at 4:30.

C-stop refresher at the hall next Friday, May 15th at 5 pm. The next time this class will be offered is in 6 months.

GP McManus Covid-19 update to the membership 3-26-2020 GP McManus gives the United Association an update on the Covid-19 crisis. 3-26-2020