Union Carpenters Support Senator Sherrod Brown at Rally

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Columbus, OH – Carpenters and millwrights from across Ohio joined together in a representation of strength to get out the vote for this year’s election.

Saturday, October 18th, hundreds of UBC members entered the Columbus JATC Training Center to hear about the importance of this election and reelecting United States Senator from Ohio, Sherrod Brown.

Special guests included Central Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters Executive Secretary-Treasurer Matt McGriff, CMRCC’s Political Director Jason Clark, Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo, Ohio Supreme Court Justice Michael Donnelly, and CMRCC member from Local 2 Steve Sprague, United Brotherhood of Carpenters (UBC) General President Chief of Staff Anthony Peña, General Executive Secretary-Treasurer Mark McGriff, Midwestern District Vice President Mike Kwiatkowski, UBC General President Douglas McCarron, and United States Senator Sherrod Brown.

The crowd cheered on as McCarron spoke of the work Brown has accomplished in the Senate for unions.

“Senator Brown led the fight that successfully restored over one hundred thousand pensions to workers there in Ohio,” UBC General President McCarron told the room. “There’s no better friend for the Carpenters Union, the working people, and this country than Senator Sherrod Brown.” Read more

It’s In Our Hands – 2024 Endorsements

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As we approach the 2024 elections, it’s crucial to spotlight candidates who stand with us on Carpenter issues. Central Midwest Carpenters’ Business Representatives have engaged with legislators and candidates across the council to ensure they understand the key issues that affect our members. As we consider who to endorse, we are paying attention to how they vote, what they support, and will they have our backs – not what their political party is.

Below, we proudly present our endorsed candidates for Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio—leaders who are committed to advocating for our community and supporting policies that enhance the livelihoods of all carpenters. We are a strong force when we vote together, it’s in our hands!

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2025 CMRCC Scholarship Applications Open

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Applications are now open for the annual Central Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters (CMRCC) scholarship program. CMRCC believes in accessible and affordable higher education, whether it’s choosing a union trade school or taking college courses. Each year, the regional council opens forty $1,000 scholarships. Scholarships will be awarded in 2025 to eligible member’s dependent children. Twenty of the scholarships are awarded based on scholastics, and twenty others via a random drawing.

The Central Midwest Carpenters scholastic scholarships are awarded based on 60% high school grade point average and 40% on SAT or ACT scores. Twenty scholarships will be selected by random drawing. Read more

2024 Don Sherry Achievement Award Announced

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At the heart of the Central Midwest Carpenters lies every single one of our members. The sense of community that binds us has been cultivated through training, working, and fighting for workers’ rights together. The spirit of this community is perpetuated by individuals who promote inclusivity and leave their mark on the organization and the people around them. Each year, we honor a union member who shares these values, and few people have exemplified this more than Don Sherry.

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2024 Scholarship Winners

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We’re thrilled to announce the recipients of the 2024 Central Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters Scholarship Program! Forty students have been awarded a $1,000 scholarship each, which can be utilized towards tuition, room and board, or books for their chosen trade school or college.

Similar to previous years, twenty recipients were selected based on their exceptional high school grade point average and SAT or ACT scores. Additionally, another twenty recipients were chosen through a random selection process.

These deserving recipients are the sons, daughters, and dependent children of members belonging to the Central Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights.

Without further ado, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to the following individuals for being awarded the 2024 CMRCC Scholarships:

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Celebrating Ohio’s 2024 Apprenticeship Graduates

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COLUMBUS, OH — In the heartland of America, where hard work and craftsmanship are deeply rooted in tradition, the Central Midwest Carpenters Union recently celebrated the graduation of a cohort of skilled apprentices in Ohio. On February 17th, 2024, 355 members celebrated their achievement with friends, coworkers, and family.

The event included a presentation of camo-colored hardhats to the graduating apprentices that entered through the Helmets to Hardhats veteran and active service program. The attendees heard from speakers including Ohio Carpenters’ Joint Apprenticeship and Training Program’s Director of Education Dan Sustin, State Senator Michael Rulli, graduate speaker Austin Clipping, and Central Midwest Carpenters Executive Secretary-Treasurer Matt McGriff.

The graduation ceremony was not just a culmination but a new beginning. The apprenticeship program prepares members not only for their job but for a lifelong career as mentors. Journeymen and women are mentors to the next generation of apprentices, a big responsibility for the future of our organization. Read more

Exciting Announcement

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Introducing the Central Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters

We are thrilled to share an exciting announcement that marks a significant milestone in our organization’s journey—a change that reflects our growth, unity, and commitment to better serve our members and communities. Today, we proudly unveil our new identity as the Central Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters.

Formerly known as the Indiana Kentucky Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters, this name change symbolizes a broader vision and a more inclusive approach to our regional representation. The decision to rebrand comes after careful consideration of our organization’s strengths, pursuit of progress, and the desire to better reflect the diverse and dynamic communities we serve.

Why Central Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters?

In 2005, the Indiana Regional Council merged with the Kentucky Council to become the IKRCC. In 2011, Ohio was added to the fold, introducing IKORCC. Today, the only things changing with this new identity are our name and look.

Our goal continues to be to support the thousands of UBC members in our states in their careers through growing market share, strong community relationships, and innovative training. Our new brand provides a stronger foundation to market ourselves, our members, and build a concrete presence in Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio. Together, we are stronger as one; we are the Central Midwest Carpenters.

What’s Next?

As we embark on this exciting journey as the Central Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters, we are grateful for the continued support of our members, partners, and communities. Together, we will build a future that honors our rich history while embracing the endless possibilities that lie ahead.

Stay tuned for upcoming events, initiatives, and programs that highlight our renewed commitment to the members of our region. We are confident that this change will strengthen our organization and bring about positive transformations for everyone involved.

Here’s to a bright and promising future as the Central Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters!

 

2023 Open House Season

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The Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters Open House season is officially complete. We had record-breaking attendance at nearly every training center – and shattered our total attendance records. Through September and October, we saw over 7,800 high schoolers, community leaders, and more in our training centers in Warsaw, Merrillville, Louisville, Greenwood, Newburgh, Terre Haute, Grayson, Richfield, Columbus, Monroe, and Rossford. Read more

2023 Ohio Graduation

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In February, we celebrated 863 graduates from 2020, 2021, and 2022: with over 400 walking across the stage for the Ohio Carpenters Joint Apprenticeship and Training Program’s graduation ceremony.
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Setting the Pace in Energy

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2023: IKORCC is about to hit one million work hours in the renewable industry with over 500,000 coming from solar. Solar farms are becoming more popular here in our Midwest states Read more