Our Struggle Continues.........
As early as 1724, Carpenter Unions have been helping workers with such
things as regulated number of hours in a work day. Initially, the work day started with
eleven hours each day up to the present standard of eight hours. Even back then, there was
assistance to unemployed members, and death benefits paid to the families of deceased
members. These early members fought long and hard to make life better for the worker of
today.
Today we fight against work jurisdiction takeovers, neglected issues of Health and Safety, and Government challenges to reduce benefits for the unemployed. We have established cost of living increases, fought against low wages, long work hours, unsafe and unsanitary working conditions, lockouts, and many other situations that were so common in the past. The results of these struggles are shown in the gains we, as a union, have made. Our members now earn paid vacations, hospitalization and medical benefits, over time pay, pension plans, and other benefits that today put Carpenters in the forefront of not only trades people, but the working class in general. Carpentry is no longer looked at as an institution of uneducated and unskilled workers, and this is due mainly to our constant efforts to train new members, and upgrade our Journeymen. The importance of Carpentry today can be easily seen in the number of Carpentry and Remodeling shows on television, the number of Carpentry classes at Community colleges, and the emphasis put on Construction by Building Supply Companies.
But what is also apparent is the way that Carpentry has become an every man's trade. Whether to repair their homes, build new ones or simply to understand the trade better, people have found interest in Carpentry. We as Carpenters need to realize not only the worth in today's society of the Carpentry trade, but our worth as individuals in this trade. We are the ones who are already trained in this trade. We have the experience and the knowledge to bring Carpentry even more to the forefront of the Construction Industry. Therefore, it is us, the union members, who need to protect this trade and educate the public that we are already here as the necessary experts in the field.
If we do not continue our struggle, we will find the benefits we have gained, slowly and surely being eroded away. The respect that goes with working in wood will be lost. It is the responsibility of all members to safeguard against this erosion. We take Pride, not only in ourselves, but in our work. As a carpenter, we represent trade history at its best.
