IKORCC Partners with Porter County Schools to Launch State Earn and Learn Pre-Apprenticeship Programs

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On August 24th, the Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters alongside officials from the Indiana Office of Work-Based Learning and Apprenticeship (OWBLA), IKORCC signatory contractors, school officials, and community stakeholders formally recognized Porter County Career Center (PCCC), Portage High School, and Chesterton High School’s respective carpentry programs as newly certified State Earn and Learn (SEAL) Programs.

Porter County Career and Technical Center – signatory contractor partner – Tonn & Blank Const. representative Megan Wheeler

State Earn and Learn (SEAL) Program

The SEAL Program is now one of Indiana’s state-level pre-apprenticeship programs. SEAL is designed to deliver a work-and-learn experience for pre-apprentices along with both the skills and certifications that will make them more valuable to potential employers.

IKORCC SEAL programs are aligned to the Indiana Career and Technical Educations Next Level Program of Study. By utilizing the Carpenters Career Connections curriculum, students will also be earning an IKORCC Carpentry Level 1 Apprentice Certification that satisfies Indiana Graduation Pathway’s postsecondary readiness requirement.

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Carpenters Build Community at Indiana State Fair

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Nearly a dozen carpenters spent Saturday building something a little different than usual. Instead of constructing buildings – they volunteered to build community and relationships at the Indiana State Fair.

Saturday, August 7th was Carpenters Day at the Indiana State Fair. Volunteers spent the day building keepsake toolboxes with families, recruiting new members and forming community partnerships.

When visitors came to the fair, the first thing they saw was giant banners that said “Welcome to Carpenters Day”. Fair staff wore “We’re Hiring” buttons directing them to our career application. All day long, radio ads for the Carpenters played over the loud speaker and our ads were on the back cover of the State Fair program. The sky ride also had recruitment advertising on the back of the cars.

Volunteers for the IKORCC were phenomenal. They set up four tents, showcased a new “Now Hiring” truck and had a large presence on the busiest corner of the fair. Volunteers handed out recruitment materials and built over 600 toolboxes. You couldn’t walk anywhere at the fair and not see the IKORCC and UBC logo in the hands of kids and adults. Hammy the mascot also made a few appearances!

In addition to building toolboxes, volunteers also sold raffle tickets for a playhouse with proceeds benefiting Carpenters Caring. Carpenters Caring is a non-profit that raises money for IKORCC members in need. This year’s playhouse was built by our partners at Central Nine Career Center. Students in the construction trades class completed the project. Special thanks to these students and their instructor Frank Wormann for their help.

Volunteers raised nearly $600 for Carpenters Caring thanks to raffle ticket sales and plan to continue selling raffle tickets until the drawing in late October.

To view all photos from the event, click here:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/1esmj3cmm1qx369/AACQNHUnN78hqSh48noCKFaya?dl=0

To view a Facebook live video of the event, click here;
https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=675898710474761&ref=watch_permalink

 

EST Todd Pancake Updates Members on COVID-19 & Vaccines

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Read EST Pancake’s signed letter to IKORCC members here:
EST Pancake on COVID Vaccines

Brothers and Sisters,

For the last 140 years, safety has been the solid foundation on which the United Brotherhood of Carpenters was built. On a jobsite our members know the importance of safety. Whether it’s our hardhats, safety glasses, or harnesses, we know that in order to keep ourselves, our brothers, and our jobsite safe that we must take every precaution to do so.

The Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters has risen to every challenge COVID-19 has thrown our way. From ensuring apprentice & instructor safety at our training centers, ramping up PPE on jobsites, and even building large-scale temporary hospitals, IKORCC members have proven to be essential and continue to provide a skilled workforce in tough times.

Although the world has adjusted to the “new normal,” the coronavirus is still ever-changing and evolving. As the number of contractors and end user’s safety requirements increase, we as a council must be ready to face a new challenge. The coronavirus vaccine is on its way to having full approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by September 2021.

Now with more than 331 million doses administered in U.S, the vaccine has proven safe and effective against symptomatic infections, decreasing hospitalizations and death. More than 99% percent of Americans who have died from COVID-19 were unvaccinated. The science is clear – the vaccine saves lives.

As President McCarron said, “All of our jobsites have safety requirements – hard hats, specific PPE, or background checks. This is no different. This is a safety requirement so that all of us can work together and go home safe at the end of the day.”

We strongly encourage you to get educated on the COVID-19 vaccine, and ask your doctor questions. The choice is up to you. But, please understand that every day more of our end users are requiring a vaccinated work place.

It’s time we all step up to the challenge and continue to protect ourselves, our families, our community, and the future of the IKORCC by getting vaccinated against the novel coronavirus.

Below you’ll find useful information about the COVID-19 vaccine and where you can get yours.

https://www.vaccines.gov/?gclid=CjwKCAjw9aiIBhA1EiwAJ_GTSvPrq_fnpv3_1F-BdTXxVvHJ7P_BCWgeXlfs6KTKAR5IQRFlbYMirhoC9D0QAvD_BwE

Fraternally,

M. Todd Pancake

Executive-Secretary Treasurer

Mass Timber Project Celebrates with Topping Out

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A symbol of achievement and dedication – this topping out signifies much more than just the final beam.

Wednesday, July 28th, 2021, the Indiana Kentucky Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters sponsored a topping out ceremony for the Intro Cleveland project.  The event was held to celebrate the feat of this historic project across from the West Side Market in Cleveland, OH.

Intro Cleveland will be a mixed-use building with apartments, an event center, and retail space.  The building is nine stories high and completely framed with mass timber.  Over 2,000 pieces of timber, cut and shipped from Binderholtz in Austria, will make this building temporarily hold the title of the tallest mass timber building in the United States.  Around 50% of the timber will remain visible in the building as it is filled with tenants, a reminder of the sustainability of the project. The wood began to arrive in the Port of Cleveland in December 2020 and the final piece was installed by IKORCC Union Carpenters on July 1, 2021.

IKORCC Executive Secretary-Treasurer Todd Pancake spoke at the ceremony about the hard work members have put into this project. Read more

Bobby Miller Wins Don Sherry Achievement Award

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Few people have left the impact on the Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters as Don Sherry did. Don Sherry tragically passed away in 2017. His

Don Sherry Award winner Bobby Miller and IKORCC EST Todd Pancake.

list of accomplishments is vast, and his impact on our union is unprecedented.

Don Sherry passionately served the Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters for nearly 20 years as a business representative and Director of Organizing. He was the President of Carpenters Local 175 and a dedicated advocate for worker’s rights and unions. Colleagues said his dedication to this organization was second to none.

To honor his legacy, the IKORCC gives the Don Sherry Achievement Award annually.

To honor Don’s service and dedication, each year since his passing the IKORCC has given The Don Sherry Achievement Award. The award recognizes a rank and file member who has gone above and beyond in their service on the job site, with contractors, in MAC meetings (Member Action Committee), and in their community. In addition to giving an award in his honor, IKORCC delegates raise money each year during their annual conference and donate the proceeds to the Diabetes Foundation in Don Sherry’s honor.

Recipients of the Don Sherry Achievement Award include:

2018 – Glenn Downs, Local 599
2019 – Raymond Poer, Local 599
2020 – Cory Hudson, Local 285
2021 – Bobby Miller, Local 357

The Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters is proud to name Bobby Miller of Local 357 as the 2021 Don Sherry Achievement Award winner. Bobby is a retired 23-year member with a passion for the union and volunteering. He served 17 of those years as an officer to the local, serving as a trustee, financial Secretary and as a delegate to the regional council. He also worked as a part-time instructor in Newburgh, Indiana.

After retirement Bobby did not slow down. He’s serving as a project manager for the Paducah-McCracken County Habitat for Humanity, where he has helped build two homes. Another is scheduled for next year.

“This award is presented to Bobby Miller in recognition of his work going above and beyond the call of duty. The award honors his outstanding achievements in the workplace, exceptional contributions to the community and outstanding service to the IKORCC,” said Todd Pancake, Executive Secretary-Treasurer for the IKORCC.

“One of the greatest rewards to Bobby is mentoring numerous trade school programs on the job site and giving them the unique opportunity to perform work at an actual construction site. Bobby enjoys this, as he is able to spread the word about a career in the trades and the benefits a union job provides,” said IKORCC Business Representative Chad Helm.

To see a video of Bobby’s nomination & acceptance click here.

IKORCC Cookout Lifts Community Spirits

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The Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenter’s I.D.E.A. (Inclusion. Diversity. Equity. Awareness.) Committee faced a challenge. Local community members in Dayton, Ohio were looking for a way to get more involved and wanted to take action to improve their neighborhood. Unifying the Community On Thursday, June 24th, 2021 the I.D.E.A. Committee joined together over 111 members of […]

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Congrats to our 2021 Scholarship Winners

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Congratulations to our 2021 Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters Scholarship Program recipients!  40 students received a $1,000 scholarship toward tuition, room, and board, or books to a trade school or college.

Twenty recipients earned scholarships based upon their high school grade point average and SAT or ACT scores. Another twenty were selected randomly.

Recipients were sons, daughters, and dependent children of members of the Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights. Parents or guardians must be members in good standing of the IKORCC for at least one year. The son, daughter, or dependent child must be a high school graduating senior or be attending a college, university or trade school as a full-time student.

Congratulations to the following 2021 IKORCC Scholarship recipients:

Madison Alderman
Brycen Allen
Tyler Bakker
Mehandi K Basra
Madelynn Boyd
Kaylee Brown
Chloe Colvin
Aleea Cooley
Alexandra Coreas
Jordynn Dusek
Ty Eaker
Delaney Fox
Logan Fugett
Sophia Fugiett
Kendel George
Noah Hensley
Lauren Hermiller
Mariah Hosted
Detric Hovan
Cory Jarus
Trenton Johnson
Remington Jordan
Kylie Kuhn
Cameron Larson
Owen Leiferman
Carter Liotta
Gabriela Marbach
Ella Mariast
Noah Marshall
Cara Mullen
Emily Ortiz
Skyler Ramsey
Nina Scaparotti
Kurt Siefert
Maria Smith
Heather Stacey
Jessica Stanke
Jonah Vance
Erika Wilkinson

Masterbrand Cabinets Job Fair – Evansville, IN

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Tax Fraud Days of Action 2021

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The Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters joined UBC members across the United States and Canada to raise awareness for construction industry tax fraud. Check out highlights from IKORCC Tax Fraud Days of Action events in Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio.

Indiana Tax Fraud Day of Action Event

The Tax Fraud Day of Action event in Indianapolis was a tremendous success. Business representatives and members of the IKORCC Executive Board spent a few hours educating lawmakers on tax fraud, with a special emphasis on solutions to tax fraud. Of the 150 elected officials invited, 62 lawmakers, both republican and democrat, visited the event and learned more about construction industry tax fraud. Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett also attended the event.

The Indiana event was held at the Indiana State House atrium. To drive attendance to the event, IKORCC reps handed out tax fraud toolbox/lunchboxes packed with concrete solutions to fight tax fraud. The theme of the giveaway was, “You already have all the tools you need to fight tax fraud”. The toolboxes were a big driver to our event.

The solutions inside included: enforcing existing laws, creating a tax fraud task force, sharing information amongst government agencies and responsible bidder ordinances or RBOs.

In addition to the in-person event, the IKORCC created a new website, endtaxfraud.com. The website focuses on the actual solutions to tax fraud and what lawmakers and the public can do to help.

 

Kentucky Tax Fraud Day of Action Events

We held a two day Tax Fraud Awareness event in Louisville, Kentucky this year. On the first day, we visited a dorm under construction at the University of Louisville, with predominantly union subcontractors. We educated members of all crafts about Tax Fraud and how important it is to get involved politically with elected officials to help eliminate this illegal business model. It was an extremely successful event. We also educated and built relationships with company management teams.

On the second day, we took our messaging to a non-union led job site in Louisville. We used this as an opportunity to educate owners, workers and management teams while also gathering info on Labor Brokers, potential future members, and accurate counts of employees being paid cash or with a 1099. This gave us a new angle on how to fight tax fraud.

Ohio Tax Fraud Day of Action Event

Tax Fraud Days of Action in Columbus was a successful day of educating legislators and the public on why tax fraud is a danger to everyone. Legislators from both sides of the aisle and even some who we didn’t have a previous relationship with us, showed up to learn more about tax fraud. Legislators loved the tax fraud lunchboxes and were excited to talk about upcoming projects in their areas and what our organization has going on.

All IKORCC Representatives onsite had legislators from their area represented in the turnout.

Check out a video interview with Democrat House Minority Leader Emilia Sykes about tax fraud.

Here is another video with Republican House Representative Jay Edwards

Former Industrial Representative and UBC instructor Steve Griffith also stopped by and gave us an interview.

New Solar Training Energizes IKORCC Partners

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The renewable energy industry is expanding at an incredibly rapid pace. In fact, industry analysts believe that solar power generators, alone, will produce most of the energy needed around the world within 50 years.

To stay competitive in the industry, the Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters has embraced this new industry – expanding our capabilities with superior training. Today, we were proud to show off this training to representatives from Pepper Construction.

IKORCC Executive Secretary-Treasurer Todd Pancake and Training Director Jerry Burke joined Matt McGriff, Wallace Turner and representatives from Pepper Construction for a solar meeting and observation of a solar class in session.

Today, hundreds of IKORCC carpenters and millwrights are working on solar farms all over Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio. To learn more about our IKORCC solar training click here.