PROJECT 2000: A Status Report

In February 2001, the BAC Executive Council “broke ground” on the Union’s latest, comprehensive planning initiative, the Millennium Morning Project. To better understand the task ahead, Council members joined BAC President John J. Flynn in reviewing specific Project 2000 recommendations and the actions taken during the past 15 years.

Project 2000’s Roots

The origins of Project 2000 can be traced to the early 1980s, a time when the Union and the construction economy were reeling from:

• a devastating recession;
• high unemployment;
• high inflation; and
• a membership decline of 20,000 between 1980 and 1983.

To ensure the Union’s survival, the IU Executive Board established the Project 2000 Committee to come up with ways to address these threats to BAC’s very survival.

The Committee, which was made up of a cross-section of 30-plus Local Union officers from the U.S. and Canada, presented its “blueprint” for the Union’s future as a report to the 1985 BAC Convention, where it was adopted in its entirety.

The Committee’s recommendations led to the restructuring of the Union at the International and Local levels in order to provide better representation to members, and improve the Union’s capacity to respond to changes in the industry. Since 1985, the IU has:

• Restructured the BAC Executive Council to include regionally elected officers as Regional Vice Presidents, appointed Craft Vice Presidents and At-Large members, and IU Regional Directors.
• Established a regional structure in coordination with employer groups. BAC now has ten regions and Regional Councils, with the Regional Councils serving as a conduit for information between the governing bodies of the International Union and the members. IMI Regional and Area Program Boards are now a forum for ongoing discussions between labor and management.
• Restructured on the Local Union level. In 1985 there were 571 Locals. By the end of 2000 there were 183. Roughly 77% of the members are in Locals restructured through mergers or the creation of Administrative District Councils.

In addition, the Project 2000 Committee also issued a series of recommendations to promote and strengthen the unionized masonry industry. Toward that end, IMI assigned architects, engineers, and masonry experts to promote the industry through numerous educational and technical programs, and developed toll free hot-lines, Masonry Camp, a website, project tracking software, new publications, and Contractor College.

The Committee’s recommendations also led to greater emphasis on organizing and member retention, and the IU took steps to strengthen collective bargaining and related activities.

These actions allowed BAC to reach the year 2000 intact, as an independent Union representing masonry craftworkers.

This is an early step in an ongoing effort to present articles and background information in the Journal to help members stay informed about the Millennium Morning Project, as it develops.