Q1 – Central Region Director Update
Central Region members and contractors alike have been busy within the power-gen and automotive industries.
Q1- Western Region Director Update
The Western Region of the SSMRC kicked off the first quarter of 2023 with a bang. Right after the holidays, work has been non-stop and it doesn’t appear to be slowing down at all.
SSMRC President and Nuclear Representative set to retire after nearly 45 years of service to the brotherhood
SSMRC President and Nuclear Representative, David Bonds is retiring after nearly 45 years of service to the brotherhood.
Carpenters’ Helping Hands provides grant for Local 1192 member, who lost his home to a house fire
A brotherhood is often described as a relationship or bond that is so tight it can never be broken. It’s made up of a group of people that have each other’s backs no matter what, especially during a time of need.
New SSMRC delegate initiated at March meeting
A new SSMRC delegate was sworn in at the March staff and delegate meeting in Fort Worth, Texas.
SSMRC part of UBC Southern District Committee working to ensure our members benefit from historic federal investments in infrastructure, technology, clean-energy projects
The SSMRC is part of a committee that is working to make sure union members – and particularly our millwrights – gain substantial job opportunities through programs that will funnel billions of dollars into infrastructure, technology, and clean-energy projects during the next decade.
March Member Spotlight – Ethan Neville
From a young age, Local 1000 member Ethan Neville, knew he was destined to work in the construction industry. Growing up, Neville kept himself busy working on cars and finding ways to expand his knowledge of the construction industry. After graduating high school, he used his knowledge to begin working as a heavy machinery rigger, traveling the country before making the courageous decision to become a union millwright. While learning the millwright way of things has posed some challenges for Neville, he has adjusted well and excelling quickly in his career.
Tennessee bill would limit ways to form a union
A bill in the Tennessee Legislature would micro-manage how votes for union representation are conducted at private businesses. The bill would make a secret-ballot election the only option for forming a union for employees who work for an employer who has received economic incentives from the state of Tennessee.
Arkansas House passes bill paving way for child-labor exploitation, lower overall wages
The Arkansas House of Representatives approved a bill Feb. 22 that would eliminate work permits that require children under 16 to provide proof of age, job and work-schedule descriptions, and parental consent to the state Labor Department. The Arkansas Senate is expected to consider a companion bill next week.
New training center dovetails with North Carolina brewery-to-pet-food-factory conversion, supplying contractors with skilled labor
The launch of a $450-million project to turn a brewery in North Carolina into a pet-food factory lined up perfectly with the opening of a union training center in that state, providing hands-on learning for newly recruited SSMRC millwrights and a skilled labor force for contractors working at the site.
February Member Spotlight – Zoey Illingworth
Most children often look up to their parents and tend to grow up and be like them. That was no different for Local 1421’s Zoey Illingworth. After watching her father growing up, she wanted to follow in her father’s footsteps and carry on the legacy he has created working as a union millwright.
Western Region Work Update – February 2023
March and April work is already on the books for the Western Region. Power Gen industry work is picking up with multiple projects kicking off through the end of February and the first week of March. The Gulf Coast market has been full speed ahead with one Petro Chem project after another. Conveyor and Manufacturing work […]
Nuclear Work Update – February 2023
This is one of the busiest outage seasons for the nuclear industry in recent history. We have added several “new to nuclear” millwrights and are in need of experience nuclear hands. There are still open positions at Turkey Point and ANO for this season. We are looking for millwrights that have been badged within the […]
Eastern Region Work Update – February 2023
The Eastern Region is picking up work exponentially. Please remember to get on the out of work list as soon as you are available for work. We currently have opportunities at the following projects. Local 1000: Multiple outages with APM and Siemens with many working opportunities available. For more information, contact Cliff Tucker at (813) […]
Central Region Work Update – February 2023
This year will be busy, and millwrights will be in high demand for the Automotive and Power Generation industries across our footprint. Recruitment has been in full swing, and we are looking to add new members to our team. New members in the Central Region are needed as more working opportunities present themselves. If you […]
Auto Focus summit to address key issues in automotive industry, propose solutions
The Southern States Automotive Contractors Association, a group the SSMRC was instrumental in creating, is hosting the Auto Focus 2023 summit March 1-2 at our Charlotte, North Carolina, training facility. The event is aimed at confronting – and finding solutions to – challenges in the automotive industry.
Labor Department: Childcare costs crippling working-class families, barring access to trade careers
Childcare expenses account for 8% to 19% of family income per child and present barriers to employment for many parents, according to a new, county-level database of childcare prices the U.S. Labor Department released in January.
Lending a helping hand – Local 1192 raises money for family in need
Being a millwright is more than just a career, it’s a brotherhood. It’s stepping up and rallying behind one of your own in a time of need. On Sept. 24 while working a job in Flint, Michigan, Local 1192 member, Josh “Teddy” Mims suffered a medical emergency and has been in the hospital for nearly […]
State of the Union Address emphasizes unions, working people
Political leaders are paying attention to union and worker issues. During the 2023 State of the Union Address, the president talked about unions, the creation of jobs with fair wages and benefits, and investing in the middle class. If you missed it, check out these highlights.
Contractors, educators, elected officials invited to training center open house in Charlotte, North Carolina
The Southern States Millwright Regional Council and Millwright Local Union 1263 invite contractors, educators, and elected officials to attend an open house at the Charlotte, North Carolina, training center on Thursday, Feb. 23, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.