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

Common Goals
April - May - June 2005

For several months, we've been rebuilding our website to make it more useful for current members, as well as those interested in learning more about a career in the masonry trades with BAC. As part of this process, we've been converting past editions of the Journal to an electronic format that will eventually be accessible through the website. This exercise has served as a useful reminder of how diverse each generation of members has been, the sacrifices they made to earn the wages, benefits, and respect today's members enjoy, and how each new immigrant group made, and continues to make, important contributions to our Union.

In the early part of the 20th century, many of the articles in the Journal were printed in German and Italian so that these new members and their families could stay informed about the Union. By the time these first generation German and Italian Americans passed control of the Union to their children and grandchildren the need to publish our Journal in more than one language fell off. Today, however, our country is welcoming another group of immigrants who, like the first waves of immigrants who shaped our Union, will play an important role in keeping our Union and trades strong and independent. To help them stay informed, selected articles in the Journal are printed in Spanish, and our website includes a larger selection of materials in Spanish and French. Although our membership is made up of people from many different ethnic and religious backgrounds, we all share a common desire to provide a better standard of living for our children, our grandchildren and ourselves.

• Every member wants to work on a job where his or her skills are respected and to earn a wage commensurate with their skill.

• Every member wants to be able to take care of themselves and their loved ones if ill or disabled.

• And every member wants to be able to retire free of financial worries and before their body is worn out by the physical demands of our crafts.

When you do your union-best on a job, you're sending a message to the contractor and owner that building with BAC is the only way to build.

This issue of the Journal contains information and articles to bring you up to speed on activities we have underway to meet each of these needs. On the next several pages, you'll learn about ways the International Masonry Institute (IMI) and our Locals are capturing new work for members. You'll get the facts on the Bush Administration's efforts to dismantle Social Security and learn more about the crisis with the Medicare system, which is getting little attention. You'll also find out how your fellow members feel about the Union and the issues, and what many of them are up to when not on the job.

A common thread through this issue, as well as past issues dating back more than 100 years, is that our Union is only as good and strong as each member. As your elected leaders, those of us on the Executive Board and the Executive Council are committed to:

• Ensuring that labor laws intended to protect wages and working conditions are strengthened and enforced;

• Working with local, state and federal agencies to ensure that programs intended to protect our members and their families during illness, disability and retirement do not become the victims of pro-business, anti-worker ideologues; and

• Actively identifying and pursuing new work opportunities for our members.

But we can’t do it without you. Every one of you plays an important role in this Union. When you do your union-best on a job, you’re sending a message to the contractor and owner that building with BAC is the only way to build. When we stand united before our elected leaders we remind them they are accountable to us – not Wall Street. And when you take the time to stay informed about our Union by reading the Journal, visiting our website (www.bacweb.org), attending Local meetings, and talking positively about the Union on and off the job you are helping to guarantee that our crafts, our Union , and your future will be secure.

As we enter the busy summer months, do your part to remind your co-workers, other trades, and those future members who are currently working non-union, that unions – our Union – gave them the 8-hour workday, weekends, health care, pensions, decent wages and all of the other laws and programs that benefit workers and their families.

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