Local 154 trainer Jim Basilone, standing, watches lodge members who attended the new leadership training courses.
Locals 154 and 83 host pilot sessions
THE NEW LEADERSHIP training program created for foremen by the tripartite alliance received high marks following two pilot sessions held in late 2006 and early 2007. Local 154 (Pittsburgh) and Local 83 (Kansas City, Mo.) hosted the training.
Unlike the previous foreman training course, which focused on technical instruction, the new program stresses people skills, administrative responsibilities, and the business aspects of construction. During past tripartite conferences, these areas were identified as being critical to effective first-line supervision. A contractor-union committee — in conjunction with industry consultant FMI Corp. — then developed the new course, and train-the-trainer sessions were held last summer to familiarize potential instructors with the concepts. The program is being administered by MOST (Mobilization, Optimization, Stabilization, and Training). The previous foreman training program had been administered by BNAP.
Each pilot session ran two days and included three instructors who worked from newly-developed course materials, organized into modules. At the first pilot session, held Dec. 12 and 13, Local 154 instructors Gerry Klimo, Don Fiorilli, and Jim Basilone presented the course to 29 Local 154 members and B&W safety superintendent Raymond Winklestine. Larry Wargo, consultant for contractor services with FirstEnergy Corp., attended as an observer.
Local 83 held its pilot program Jan. 11 and 12. Instructors included Dave Leimer, Local 83 welding instructor; John Standish, BNAP instructor; and Mike Ballard, a B&W construction manager. Twenty-two Local 83 members attended the course.
Marty Spencer, rigging instructor for the Northeast Area, who serves on the leadership training committee, monitored both the Pittsburgh and Kansas City training sessions. He said the two owner representatives who attended the event — Nelson Jordon of Mid America Energy and Jim Prothe of Kansas City Power & Light — expressed enthusiasm about what they saw and heard. “They really liked the content and the fact that we are working to meet their needs,” said Spencer. “They were very positive and appreciative of our efforts.”
Spencer said he will submit a report to the tripartite leadership training committee detailing his findings and recommendations. A full roll-out of the program is planned for sometime this year.
Participating in the Pittsburgh pilot session were Local 154 members Patrick Aymar, Faieclice Bey, Firdausi Bey, Michael Bonnar, Thomas Contrael, John Daley, Christopher Darnell, Harold “Red” Darnell, Bernard Duffy, Kevin Eisaman, Anthony Fiorino, Stephen Fiorino, David Gardner, John Gorchock Jr., Kenneth Hammer, Sye Kelly, Randy Krug, Peter McGinnis III, Charles McGrogan, Michael McPherson Jr., Ryan Milligan, Joseph Mittereder, Marc Monz, Antonio Mucci, Joseph Olmstead, Rex Pears, Michael Petraglia, John Stewart III, and Mark Williamson. B&W’s Raymond Winklestine also attended.
Participating in the Kansas City pilot session were Local 83 members James Brooks Jr., Thomas Burgess Jr., Clinton Burnside, James Crowl, Rodney Cruse, Raymond Gorham, Kristian Harmon, Glenn Haygood, Casey Jensen, Paul Lawrence, Joseph Lewandowski, Randall Mendenhall, Joseph Miller Jr., Joshua Nelson, Edward Owens, Steve Pachmayr, Chris Pruitt, Ronnie Smith, Arlin Thody, and J. Bradley White.
