Local Lodge 154

The Local 154 (Pittsburgh) Retirees Club held its first annual chili cook-off during the group’s February meeting. Competing for the top honor were, left to right, Bill Karas, Ralph Polite, winner Don Halbedl, Bill Cornelius, and George Felsing.

Week-long class held in KC

FIFTEEN MEMBERS FROM eight Boilermaker lodges attended the MOST project management class held in Kansas City, Mo., January 12-17.

MOST stands for Mobilization, Optimization, Stabilization, and Training. Created in 1989 as a joint labor-management trust fund operated by the Boilermakers union and the National Association of Construction Boilermaker Employers (NACBE), MOST administers 17 programs to ensure the highest standards of excellence in the Boilermaker craft.

Thousands rally against EPA coal rules on Capitol Hill

Events determine finalists for national title

THE U.S. NATIONAL Apprenticeship Competition marks the highest level of skills and knowledge testing for Boilermaker graduate apprentices. But before the finale, contestants are selected at the local lodge level to compete in their geographic areas.

In 2013, 37 graduate apprentices reached their area competitions, from which eight were selected by judges to enter the nationals.

National award is first for an H2H contestant

CHRISTOPHER OPALEWSKI, a member of Local 169 (Detroit), became the first military veteran indentured through the Helmets to Hardhats program to be named the top U.S. Boilermaker graduate apprentice, following a four-day competition at L-169’s training center in Allen Park, Mich., Sept. 22-25. The 26th annual competition was held under the auspices of the Boilermakers National Apprenticeship Program (BNAP), with L-169 serving as the host lodge.

Twenty-seven Boilermaker dependents earn awards totaling $54,000

THE BOILERMAKERS’ International Executive Council scholarship committee announced the winners of its 2013 scholarship program this past April. The committee awarded $54,000 to 27 recipients, with $42,000 being allocated to U.S. applicants and $12,000 to Canadian applicants.

THERE IS SUCH a feeling of pride of membership in this union for what is arguably one of the best occupations a craftsmen can have.

I think of all the firsts our leadership brought to the membership, the MOST programs [are the best]. We were, I think, one of the first unions to realize we had to sell our product to those customers who had the option to choose to use union or nonunion labor. We had to show them that we had, in our union labor, a superior product. Over the years, we have mostly done that.

WITH TWO FIRST Energy coal-fired plants in western Pennsylvania slated for closure in October, Local 154 (Pittsburgh) hosted a rally outside the union hall to make the public aware of the financial impact...

Week-long class held in Kansas City

TWENTY MEMBERS REPRESENTING 12 Boilermaker lodges met in Kansas City, Mo., July 14-19 to attend a project management training class sponsored by MOST, the Boilermakers’ Mobilization, Optimization, Stabilization, and Training Fund.

The class was established by MOST, the Boilermakers International union, and the National Tripartite Committee to teach Boilermakers how to manage projects in a business-like manner, make decisions that positively impact project goals, and provide an overall benefit to the owner, contractor, and union.

Funds support pro-worker candidates, member education

TOP DONORS TO CAF and LEF in 2012 received recognition during the 45th annual Legislative Education Action (LEAP) conference in Washington, D.C., May 5-9. The awards went to vice-presidential sections, individual lodges, and individual members.