The Eastern Region of the SSMRC has been focused on recruitment as well as growing opportunities in the automotive and food-and-beverage markets.
Our new, 25,000-square-foot training center in Charlotte, North Carolina, is up and running and is helping us grow our member density in the Carolinas. Please email me at lbrown@ssmrc4070.org if you would like to tour the new center. I would be happy to set that up. This center houses state-of-the-art welding booths, dual robot cells, a conveyor prop for training on floor conveyor and power and free monorail systems, and props for teaching layout and alignment. Our JATC has been extremely busy screening and interviewing new candidates to grow the availability of great millwrights. We have welcomed several new industry partners and are working with them to capture market share that previously was non-union.
I have attended several meetings with the Southeastern Construction Owners and Users Roundtable (SCOAR) to promote our industry partners and our millwrights’ capabilities. If you are interested in attending a meeting as our guest, please let me know.
We are well above our target points when it comes to achieving our industry goals for this year. We look to continue growth in the automotive and food-and-beverage industries as well as maintain our other industry averages.
We recently welcomed Robert Strickland as a new business agent for Local 1263, taking the reins from Mike Hamilton, who retired Oct. 1. Robert has hit the ground running and is doing a great job.
In 2022 we will be holding more labor-management meetings to better understand the needs of our industry partners, build relationships, and grow our markets.
There will also be a Millwright Leadership Conference held Jan. 24-26 at our International Training Center in Las Vegas. If you are interested in attending, please contact me at lbrown@ssmrc4070.org and I will be happy to assist you with reservations.