IUOE Local 150
IUOE Local 150
MOE Benefit Funds
MOE Benefit Funds
Apprenticeship and Skill Improvement Program
Apprenticeship and Skill Improvement Program
Contractor Portal
Contractor Portal
My150
My150

Brothers and Sisters, over the last few weeks, I’ve had the opportunity to see on multiple occasions our hall in Countryside packed with new members from every district. Hundreds of men and women coming together on evenings and weekends to learn about the benefits of being in this union, and even more importantly, to understand how they can contribute to our ongoing success as good union members.

I told them, and share the same with you as a reminder, at the end of the day, it makes no difference whether you got to Local 150 through a permit, apprenticeship, or organizing. We’re all going to the same place – to become full members of this union. So whether you’ve been a member for 30 plus years, or are just getting started, you need to have each other’s backs.

The responsibility of being a member of a union that never shies away from taking on a good fight, means we have to be able to back up our word. We, as the union, have to be able to get the project, but you, as members, need to ensure the work we do is impeccable. This requires every member to be skilled, and not just do the job, but take pride in your work. We must consistently remind ourselves that nothing is given to us. Everything within our jurisdiction has been fought for and earned.

I’ve been with the union for nearly 45 years. My father was an operator, and so everything I have in my life is because of Local 150. It is no accident that our union has solidified its dominance in the construction industry. We have the men and women in our history to thank for their willingness to join in battle together for 95 years.

The fight isn’t just in the past. I was hired 30 years ago as an organizer. At the time, we had a third of the members we do today, and membership was going down. In the early 1980s, all over the country, unions were taking a beating. A strong union isn’t a given. Through hard work and organizing, we went from 9,000 members to today nearly 24,000.

Local 150 is the most powerful hoisting and portable local in the United States. When the press talks about us, they use words like “influential” and “powerful” and “politically connected.” They’ve described us this way for decades. It’s something for which we are proud.

But what does it take to stay strong?

It takes organizing, bringing in the new members, and going out and organizing the unorganized. This is what I have done since Bill Dugan signed me as the first organizer in 1987, and what I have continued to do since taking office as President-Business Manager in 2008. We have never let up on organizing. Bringing in 100 men and women here, and then another 50 here, every number counts. It’s all to strengthen the movement.

Every industry we represent, like shops, pipeline, railroads, road builders and more, we aim for 100 percent union, so until we get there, our work continues. Once a group is organized, the battle continues for contracts with good wages and benefits, to ensure employers are fair, and to not back down to politicians looking to take away our work. Beyond your job, you as members can help. We need all our men and women to be organizers by carding everyone in the field, and when you do find someone who isn’t union, convince them they need to join.

Our power is in our numbers. Some trades don’t want to bring a lot of people in because when it’s slow, the out-of-work list will be too big, but that approach is also the reason some unions are struggling to survive. We believe that if you are working at our craft in our industry, you must be in our union. This is the difference, Local 150 realizes that in order for our union to be here for years to come, we must always do more. Our mentality is “You’re never strong enough, and you’re never big enough.” The wages, benefits, and safe workplace happen because we make it happen.

Whether it’s politicians introducing new bills, or corporations undermining our workforce, as a union, they will continue to come at us, and so we come out of our corner and fight each day. Yet, that struggle can lead to great things. It can give rise to a labor movement. This union inspires others to do what we do: organize and fight.

In February, we launched a campaign with commercials through our Fight Back Fund in response to the Governor’s appointees to the ICC shutting down the natural gas line Safety Modernization Program in Chicago. Their actions not only wiped out 1,000 union jobs, but also subjected residents and business owners to the unnecessary danger of old, leaky gas infrastructure.

For the past few years, the replacement of gas, electrical and water utilities in the City of Chicago has been one of the largest sources of employment for Local 150 members. The political attacks on natural gas in Chicago and across Illinois, despite the fact that 80 percent of Illinoisans rely on natural gas to heat their homes, required us to confront the Governor and ICC by taking action.

We have always been a part of the plan for a gradual transition to clean energy. Local 150 has been a strong supporter of renewable energy including wind, solar, and geothermal. Yet, there are true costs and risks associated with decarbonizing without a plan. We need to ensure the public knows the actual cost of moving all-electric before the grid can handle it and share the reality that natural gas will be used for decades still. Most importantly, we are letting our leaders know that we won’t stand for bureaucratic overreach resulting in the loss of work for our members. I will be sure to keep you updated on our progress of the campaign.

Remember, it is because we are not afraid to make our voice heard, we get a seat at the table. This seat is essential to ensuring we have ongoing work for our members.

Get ready for a great work season. Look out for one another, and if you have an opportunity to take an apprentice under your wing, please do. With such a good year ahead of us, let’s work together to ensure that we can all succeed together.

United We Stand, Divided We Fall.