Why the union election at Amazon is such a big deal
The Amazon election could signal the growth of labor unions in general, after decades of decline, if legislation such as the PRO Act were to become law.
American Rescue Plan to provide relief payments to individuals and assist businesses, schools, etc.
A $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill called the American Rescue Plan became law on March 11.
Charlotte, North Carolina, training center is open for business
The new Charlotte training center sets the stage for state-of-the-art training and new industry partnerships.
SSMRC helps apprentices attend training in Houston
The SSMRC recently paid off a $1.3 million mortgage on the Houston training center in exchange for the center setting up a travel fund for apprentices living more than 75 miles from the center.
SSMRC appoints Thomas Brown to lead Local 1421 in north Texas
The SSMRC has selected Thomas Brown as business agent for Local 1421, which covers north Texas, including the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area.
Construction begins on $5 million millwright training center in Arkansas
Ground was broken March 8 for a $5 million, 35,000-square-foot millwright and carpenter training center in Russellville, Arkansas.
Local 1554 fighting right-to-work bill
Local 1554 is partnering with other building and construction trades and the AFL-CIO to combat a bill in the Tennessee General Assembly that would add Tennessee’s right-to-work law to the state constitution.
Thank you to the women of the SSMRC
In recognition of International Women’s Day, Women’s History Month, and Women in Construction Week, we would like to thank all the sisters of the SSMRC for their contributions to our union.
U.S. Labor Department to expand union apprenticeships
To strengthen registered apprenticeship programs (union apprenticeship programs are “registered”), the U.S. Labor Department announced last month it has halted the duplicative non-union apprenticeship system.
Rickey Moore tapped to lead the Mid-South Training Program
Rickey Moore has been named executive director of the Mid-South Carpenters Regional Council Training Trust Fund.
Get to know the PRO Act
The Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act would strengthen federal laws that protect workers’ rights to join unions. Learn more through a fact sheet.
Member Spotlight: Esther Freeman
Esther Freeman has always had a penchant for the mechanical. She enjoyed working on cars growing up. But her welding career started with art.
OSHA issues stronger COVID-19 worker-protection guidelines
OSHA has issued stronger worker-protection guidelines to help employers and employees reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Limetree Bay refinery resumes operations
Congratulations and thank you to the SSMRC members who helped the Limetree Bay refinery in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, resume operations.
Expansion of Vogtle nuclear power plant nears completion
Thank you to the SSMRC members who have helped build Units 3 and 4 at Georgia Power’s Plant Vogtle in Waynesboro, Georgia.
Classes to begin at new Charlotte, North Carolina, training center this month
Classes are scheduled to begin this month at the new training center in Charlotte, North Carolina. Members who live in the Carolinas will no longer have to travel to Georgia for training.
Union history set to be made in Alabama
Workers in Bessemer, Alabama, could form the first union at an Amazon warehouse in the United States. The location for this potential “first” has been called surprising due to anti-union sentiment in the region.
Check with your state health department to learn when you are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine
While the COVID-19 vaccination program is a federal initiative, each state determines who is eligible to receive the vaccine and when.
COVID-19 cases declining, but remain at high levels; precautions still needed
COVID-19 cases in the United States have dropped nearly 30 percent in the past two weeks, but public health officials say more contagious variants of the virus and relaxed precautions could lead to a resurgence.
Siemens thanks craft labor partners, including millwrights, in new video
Siemens Energy has released a video recognizing the importance of union millwrights to the success of its customers in the electric-power-generation industry.