Building Trades Employers’ Association (BTEA) Boston已重新命名为东北的BTEAin a move that expands the more than century-old organization to serve all six New England states, Pennsylvania and portions of upstate New York.

新利18备用Enr新英格兰与BTEA执行董事Thomas J. Gunning谈到了这一举动。他的职业生涯始于特纳建筑和乔治·马科姆（George Macomber）建设的工会工人。Gunning在1985年加入BTEA BOSTON担任工业和政府事务总监时，应用了数十年的动手经验和独特的劳动管理观点。他在1992年担任执行董事的职务。

除了担任多个建筑行业的养老金，年金，健康和福利基金的主席和联合主席外，Gunning还活跃于管理培训和学徒资金，其使命是将数百名合格的候选人带入建筑行业。

This interview was edited and condensed in places.

How much has membership in BTEA Northeast grown in the past year?

BTEA Northeast has approximately 225 members this year, compared to just south of 220 a year ago. Our membership has been extremely stable over the years. If we lost a member, it was because of consolidation or the company went out of business during COVID.

What labor trends are reflected in this growing membership?

We have grown partly because we were a tremendous resource for providing information firms needed since the rules for contractors differ from state to state. I have an internal memo to my whole staff that states that if we don't have the answer, we will get it. We’ve lived with that motto for years.

您最近的品牌重塑将如何影响东北地区建筑物的交易？

We are one of the largest union construction contractor associations in the Northeast, so we bring many resources to the table. We have experience that benefits both the labor and management side of the business. The majority of what we do is in labor relations assisting with collective bargaining contracts. We have the respect from the building trades we work with, which takes years to develop. We’re proud of the Gunning name association that has evolved from this work - “we tell it like it is, we’re not afraid to say no, and I think the union respects us for that.” (The late Thomas S. Gunning, father of the current executive director, had served as BTEA executive director for 40 years until 1992 and his grandson, also Thomas S., currently is BTEA Northeast director of labor relations.)

How is your organization helping to strengthen partnerships between labor and management?

在任何关系中，沟通都是关键，我们已经确定了这一点，这使我们占上风。我们还举办许多劳动管理会议。有时合同谈判存在紧张关系。您将桌子施加压力，谈论未来。什么工作？我们在哪些领域处于弱点？我们在哪个领域？然后我们将其带到桌子上。我们还与五个国家协会及其立法团队和董事有隶属关系，这使我们占上风。

告诉我你apprenticeship programs and the level of demand for those programs?

As a union, because of solid benefits and solid wages we’re not overly burdensome with apprenticeship candidates. We have established some pre-apprenticeship programs that give the contractor or employer a way to see if they have the individual qualities to be on the job site every day at seven o’clock and work eight hours. It also gives the individual the opportunity to say “Is the sheet metal industry for me?” We train them ASAP. We don’t want anyone going on a drive unless they have the basic OSHA 10- hour construction training or OSHA 30-hour training online.

The apprenticeship programs are more in demand with those looking to the higher paying trades such as a mechanical pipe fitter, plumber, sheet metal worker or electricians, rather than individuals that come from the local communities who see the price decks. We can’t get a qualified laborer today. People look at a laborer and say I’m not doing that. I remember the days of working with a graduate from Brown University who was a laborer. At the lunch trailer, he was the only one who would be reading the Wall Street Journal. He was an incredible worker who said he needed to work physically.

您进入未来的最大挑战是什么？

竞赛。业主正在改变他们的态度。一切都与美元和美分有关，而不是工作质量，提高中产阶级的工资或确保我们有好处。我们需要做更多的住宅协议，以便能够立足并扩展到其他领域。我认为这个组织将能够在我们前进时提供帮助。