[ En Español ]

JOHN J. FLYNN President International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers .............................

BAC members were there when terror struck this country last September, and they have been there every day since helping to find answers and rebuild. Our Local 1 Maryland/Virginia/ D.C. members rebuilt the walls of the Pentagon that were shattered by the terrorists. In just a few short months, our members replaced a gaping, burned out hole—the length of a city block—with solid stone and masonry walls.

In New York, BAC members and IMI staff have been offering their expertise to help government and building officials find out what caused the collapse of the Twin Towers, and understand why masonry and stone buildings in the vicinity withstood the destruction caused by terrorist acts. Through this work BAC members and staff are helping all of us heal. Their work reminds us that when we work together, we can overcome any obstacle. This is an important message. Today, unionized workers face challenges on many fronts. On Capitol Hill and in our state governments there are those who would like to eliminate basic protections—Social Security, Medicare, and prevailing wage laws—that provide security for millions of Americans.

Within the labor movement, the international leaders of the OPCMIA are putting their personal interests ahead of their local officers, members, the industry, and the labor movement by going after BAC contractors, trying to undercut our wages, and creating rifts in areas where BAC and the OPCMIA once peacefully co-existed.

Just as we have in past challenges, today we are being called on to support each other—Local to Local, officer to officer, and member to member—to ensure that we protect the rights of all current and future members of BAC. Remember, a challenge to our Brothers and Sisters in one area is a challenge to us all. As Union members we stand together, work together, fight together, and ultimately—rebuild together.

If you have ideas for stories or issues of concern, let us know by emailing us at askbac@bacweb.org or writing to:

International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers
Attention: Communications Department
1776 Eye Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20006