Cooperation: Contractors and union labor working together
The union sheet metal industry in Indiana consists of the local and national union on one side and the union-shop employers - well, they're on the same side, too.
This high degree of cooperation over many decades has often surprised those who assume that unions and management must forever be at odds.
One key outcome of this cooperation has been top-notch training facilities, instructors and courses for union sheet metal workers.
In Indiana, the differences in training are especially pronounced. Non-union sheet metal training programs don't even come close.
"We have the facilities. We have the curriculum. We have protocols. The instructors are certified. And that is simply non-existent on the other side," says Phil Gillespie of the Sheet Metal Contractors of Indiana.
Alex Lamb, an apprentice in Fort Wayne, says he worked for a time as a non-union sheet metal worker. He came away unimpressed with his three years of non-union training, which included classes in a basement facility with part-time instructors who often arrived tired from their day's work at their regular jobs.
Lamb decided to begin his career anew by applying for a union sheet metal apprenticeship.
"This is what I know," Lamb says, "so it's what I wanted to continue doing. But I wanted to work in a more professional fashion."
Our five campuses compare favorably when stacked up against any comparable programs, including many very impressive programs offered by other Indiana trade unions.
"It just makes sense to start out your career with the best training available," says Jay Potesta, business manager for Sheet Metal Workers Local 20. "That's what the union sheet metal industry - union workers and union contractors together - offers to you: the best training, period."