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Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett Talks Tax Fraud at Indiana Statehouse

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Lawmakers, contractors, and construction workers in Indianapolis are preparing for Days of Action events to bring attention to the growing problem of tax fraud in the construction industry.

Over 100 Indiana lawmakers, contractors & construction workers will gather at the Indiana Statehouse on Monday, April 15th, 2019 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the north atrium to shine a spotlight on the corrupt practices of illegitimate contractors who steal billions of dollars from our communities – money that should be spent on education, public safety and infrastructure. Tax fraud is just one aspect of the illegal business practices plaguing the industry, along with wage theft, independent contractor misclassification, and workers’ compensation insurance fraud.

Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett will share his thoughts on tax fraud in Indianapolis and how it hurts the city. Mayor Hogsett addresses the crowd at 12:15 p.m. “It’s tax fraud, because it’s the taxes that you and I pay that are being manipulated,” said Joe Hogsett, Mayor of Indianapolis. “From neighborhood-based programs to major initiatives, to the public/private partnerships that drive our city forward – all of these things are only possible when everyone pays their fair share.”

The Construction Industry Partnership will be joined by the Indiana Kentucky Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters, state & local lawmakers and some of the state’s most prominent business owners in the fight to crack down on these destructive and illegal business practices.

The fraud comes when workers are paid off the books by shady subcontractors and labor brokers, who are hired by contractors to underbid law-abiding businesses. Fraud happens on all types of projects, including taxpayer-funded projects—which means we all lose.  Rampant cheating in the construction industry makes it difficult to repair roads

Construction industry tax fraud and related crimes and violations are happening every day on large-scale projects, costing Hoosier communities an estimated $405 million dollars statewide in lost federal and state taxes.

Recovering unpaid tax dollars in Indiana could pay for:

  • 8,741 state troopers
  • 7,937 teachers
  • 325 miles of resurfaced highways
  • 783 small business loans

The April 15th rally in Indianapolis is part of the nationwide Construction Industry Tax Fraud Days of Action by the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America to raise awareness and generate action against tax fraud and related crimes.

About the Construction Industry Partnership:

Representing the carpenters union and over 700 contractors throughout the state of Indiana, the Construction Industry Partnership is dedicated to create a lasting and positive impact on the construction industry. By acting as one unit, the CIP can advocate for change at a political level, demand high standards are enforced and recruit top talent throughout the state.

First-Year Apprentices Learn Tricks of the Trade

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Last weekend we invited first-year carpenter apprentices in central Indiana to an apprentice appreciation breakfast. IKORCC senior representative Steve Hoyt says it’s the first of many events planned around Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio aimed at retaining and mentoring apprentices throughout their training.

“First, we want the apprentices to learn as much as they can & try to get as many tips as they can to be successful in the carpenters union. The other is for our staff to help mentor these individuals,” Hoyt says.

Representatives from Pepper Construction, Gibson-Lewis and Mr. David’s Flooring answered questions & gave tips on succeeding as an apprentice.

“We’re looking for the standouts, those are the kind of people we like to hire and we like to keep on,” says Wes Simpson with Mr. David’s Flooring.

In addition to a great breakfast, carpenter apprentices say they learned a lot of valuable information that will help them succeed with the carpenters.

“The most important thing is to always show up on time for everything, whether it’s your schooling or work,” says first-year carpenter apprentice Christopher Hudson.

“Basically keep a positive attitude, show up for work and do what you got to do to succeed,” said first-year apprentice Antoine Havvard

First-year carpenter apprentice Justin Eastman added, “The most important thing I learned today is how much support we have here and how many outlets we have to avoid a catastrophe with our apprenticeship. These people are here to help us, they have no ulterior motives, they don’t want to make our lives complicated, they just want to help. We aren’t here to make friends, but at the end of the day, we are brothers. Whatever you need help with reach out and make that phone call.”

Click here to learn more about our apprenticeship and how you can start building your future.

Carpenters Give Community Scholarships to NW Indiana Schools

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Because of their great work in the community, three elementary schools received extra funding through an award from the Indiana Kentucky Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters. Seven years ago the IKORCC began partnering with local elementary schools to promote community involvement and giving back to their hometowns.

The partnership with the Carpenters Union incentivizes elementary students to be involved in their communities by offering an award of $500 dollars to one school in each of the participating counties. Each quarter the schools enter into a drawing based on their project in hopes to win the award and recognition of their community project! The Kids Caring for the Community Initiative has grown to be a highlight at many elementary schools within Lake, Porter and LaPorte Counties.

This week Carpenters Union Representatives, along with Sara Gutierrez, Principal of George Earle Elementary, presented this quarter’s awards. The winning schools include Westville Elementary, Homer Iddings Elementary and Porter Lakes Elementary School.

Homer Iddings Elementary School dedicated their community project to collect resources for their local Humane Society. The students brought in paper towels to donate to the center. Principal Teri Crussen says, “The Kids caring for the Community initiative brings the students at Iddings Elementary School great pride. The students love to bring a smile to someone else through the various community projects. We often get thank you cards from the organizations who have been helped through the projects and we share those with the students and families. Showing kindness to others is always a good thing and the students love having the opportunities to offer assistance and support the community organizations”.

Westville Elementary School is no rookie to community involvement. The school has been recognized in the past for their impact in the community and because of that, raised enough money to build a STEM classroom at their school. The STEM classroom gives students the opportunity to practice creativity, problem solving and life skills. The school received the $500 award this quarter because of an afterschool program called Girls on the Run. The students participated, raised money and made a meaningful contribution back to their community.

Carpenters Help Open New Veteran’s Museum

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Thanks to local carpenters, the doors are now open at the new Veteran’s Museum at the Tri-Town Safety Village in Schererville, Indiana. 

The museum houses a wide array of war artifacts and pays tribute to veterans. The museum will be a learning center where visitors can learn about the many sacrifices made by veterans. Additionally, the museum will provide each visitor with an in-depth look at how soldiers lived during wartime. The objective is to promote patriotism, unity, and to leave each visitor with a lasting appreciation towards veterans and the sacrifices they’ve made.

This would not be possible without the help of the IKORCC and the local Training Center. As part of their classes, apprentices framed and helped side the building. Many journeymen and retiree volunteers also lent a hand.

The Military Order of the Purple Heart has agreed to house their removable memorial wall inside the Veteran’s Museum for all visitors to see. The Military Order of the Purple Heart wall contains the names and pictures of everyone who has received the Purple Heart Medal. The memorial pays tribute to all military personnel who have received the Purple Heart Medal.

The Indiana Kentucky Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters has a history of helping the Safety Village and has taken part in building more than four structures. The next opening will be a Fire Museum.

Pictured are Representative Jim Slagle, Curator and main donator of artifacts Tom Clark, Doctor of the Safety Village Bill Jarvis and Member volunteer John Mosca.

Not pictured but who gave countless hours are retirees Tom Dorsey and Swede Carlson. Thanks to all our members who helped make the possible.

Educating Indiana Counselors at ISC Fall Conference

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The IKORCC is making a difference as a sponsor for the Indiana School Counselor Fall Conference. The conference was held in Indianapolis, Indiana with nearly 600 attendees from around the state of Indiana eager to learn about opportunities for their students. Attendees of the

conference were represented as public school counselors of all levels, academy recruiters and graduation pathway coordinators. Our goal in sponsoring the event was to make new connections with key contributors to a student’s continued education.

Our time at the conference was full of genuine conversations educating attendees on the opportunities within the IKORCC. During on of the breakout sessions, we had the privilege to meet April Sanchez a School Counselor from Zionsville West Middle School. April was just one of many attendees that thanked us for being part of the event and was thrilled to see the Union Trades being represented at the conference.

“It is essential that my students learn about fulfilling, high-paying career opportunities that do not require a 4-year degree. Many of our fastest growing jobs are in fields that do not require a bachelor’s degree, but do require industry-specific skill sets. The trades offer students a unique opportunity in that they offer education and employable skills through their Apprenticeship Programs. It is important that our trades be represented at ISCA because kids deserve choice. Many counselors may not feel comfortable discussing the trades because they are not overly familiar with Apprenticeship Programs. Therefore, outreach needs to continue in order to educate the educators who have direct contact with our next generation of skilled labor force.”

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            – April Sanchez, ZWMS School Couselor

We look forward to the many more opportunities recruiting from local high schools and building relationships with schools administrators. It is our mission to educate our community to build a stronger Union for the future. If you were an attendee of the conference and would like to visit a local training center please contact Marcos Martinez at info@ikorcc.com

IKORCC Partners with American Heart Association

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The Indiana Kentucky Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters supported an evening of giving and education on the effects of heart health in the construction industry. The IKORCC was the presenting sponsor at the American Heart Association Hard Hats with Heart networking event. We value this partnership because our members face many of the health risks related to cardiovascular diseases on a daily basis. May it be the level of stress they face on a jobsite or the lack of healthy eating options in the surrounding areas, they are all risk factors of cardiovascular diseases. As we move forward in our efforts to keep our members heart healthy, we will be implementing a wellness program that will focus on how to live a healthier life. We will educate members on many topics such as how to maintain blood suagr levels, eating better and reducing blood pressure, to maintaining a healthy weight and stop smoking.

The American Heart Association launched Hard Hats with Heart two years ago in order to focus on heart health within the construction industry. According to the American Heart Association, direct and indirect costs of cardiovascular diseases and stroke total more than $316.6 billion. That includes health expenditures and lost productivity. In order to improve the overall heart health of our membership we must educate ourselves on the risks we may face in our day-to-day activities. The risk factors for construction workers vary from smoking, the lack of a well-rounded diet and high blood pressure, to diabetes and high cholesterol. The widespread presence of heart disease in construction is slightly higher than all other industries. This research comes as a surprise because on average construction workers tend to be younger and they experience physical demands daily. We are flooded with statistics of the risks factors we face as workers in the construction industry. As we are educated on these risks, it is our job to make a change in our own lives so we won’t become another statistic.

Hard Hats with Heart is here to provide companies in the construction-related field with free resources and tools that can help improve the health of their employees. We are working as a team to build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. We look forward to the many lives that will be changed because of the education and resources they will acquire through Hard Hats with Heart.

Indianapolis Carpenters Bring Smiles to Ronald McDonald House

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Nicholas & Olivia – they’re just two of the reasons Indianapolis carpenters volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House of Indianapolis last week. Carpenters helped patients and families take a much-needed break from the hospital to build keepsake toolboxes. It’s a simple thing that makes a big difference to families.

The Indianapolis event is one of many “Carpenters Caring for Kids” events at area Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio Ronald McDonald Houses. It’s just one of the ways our carpenters, millwrights and floorcoverers are building their communities.

10-year old Nicholas and his mom traveled all the way from Chicago to Riley Hospital for an appointment with his neurologist. His mom is excited about the recent progress he’s made in learning to walk, the neurologist in Indianapolis really helped with that. With her other children hours away and a limited income, the ability to stay at the Indianapolis Ronald McDonald House is crucial to Nicholas’ continued progression. There she can stay for free, have a nice meal with her son and on days when the carpenters are around, she gets to see Nicholas smile while doing something he loves.

Watch the video below to see just how much this event meant to her and other families staying at the Indianapolis Ronald McDonald House.

Sparking Careers in Skilled Trades with Junior Achievement

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Indiana Carpenters & Floorcoverers are sparking careers in skilled trades at the Junior Achievement Job Spark event in Indianapolis. Over 4,000 students visited the event where they learned about various career paths, including those in building trades.

The Indiana Kentucky Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters booth was full of interested students all day. Students took part in a floorcovering challenge & at the end of the day, we named the challenge winner. Groups received blueprints and 24 carpet squares, with the goal of being the fastest, most accurate group.

See all the excitement below or by clicking here.

IKORCC Member Saves Police Officer’s Life

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IKORCC and Local 599 member Patrick Baum risked his life today to save a police officer and helped apprehend a person wanted for multiple attempted child abductions in Hammond. The Hammond Police Department held a special ceremony and presented Patrick with a bravery award for his heroic actions.

Officers say Patrick risked his personal safety to assist an officer in need while he was trying to secure a dangerous individual believed to be involved in multiple child abductions. Patrick’s actions that day helped to avoid a potential tragedy. The suspect who was arrested and charged with 5 criminal counts including Attempted Criminal Confinement and Resisting Law Enforcement is in custody.

A statement from The Hammond, Indiana Police Department stated:
On June 1 at approximately 2:30 pm, Hammond Police responded to the 2900 block of 165th street in reference to an attempted child abduction. A 15-year-old female reported that she was grabbed by a black male in a vehicle. The female stated that she was able to quickly pull away from the male and ran. Witnesses on scene gave police a detailed description of the vehicle he was driving and the license plate. A few minutes later, a 10-year-old female reported that a male matching the same description tried to lure her into his vehicle in the 6400 block of New Hampshire.

Hammond Police Officer Daniel Sangkaratana was actively patrolling the area in search of the suspect when he located the vehicle with matching license plates from Illinois. Officer Sangkaratana advised that he located the suspect inside his vehicle. Officer Sangkaratana performed a traffic stop of the vehicle and the suspect immediately exited his vehicle and began to walk around with a blank stare. Officer Sangkaratana gave the suspect orders that were ignored. The suspect went back into his vehicle and began to reach under the driver’s seat of the vehicle.

Fearing that the suspect was reaching for a weapon, Officer Sangkaratana ran up the suspect and grabbed his arm attempting to stop the suspect from grabbing a weapon. The suspect spun around and began to fight with the officer. The suspect began to grab Officer Sangkaratana’s vest and gun belt. The suspect pushed the officer into the street and continued to struggle.

At this time, a local Hammond resident, Patrick Baum, was driving by and observed what was happening. He stopped his vehicle and exited. Mr. Baum ran up to the suspect fighting with Officer Sangkaratana and tackled him to the ground. Mr. Baum assisted Officer Sangkaratana in holding the suspect on the ground until fellow officers arrived and the officers were able to secure the suspect in the police vehicle.

Mr. Baum was presented with an award for bravery today. The Hammond Police Department would like to thank Mr. Patrick Baum for his selfless and brave actions that afternoon. He risked his personal safety to assist an officer in need while he was trying to secure a dangerous individual believed to be involved in multiple child abductions. Mr. Baum’s actions that day helped to avoid a potential tragedy. The suspect who was arrested and charged with 5 criminal counts including Attempted Criminal Confinement and Resisting Law Enforcement is in custody.

Carpenters Help Indiana Organization Save Lives

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44 – that’s the number of lives Indiana Youth Services’ Making Good Decisions initiative has helped save since its inception. It’s an organization that’s making a difference to so many young people, which is why the Indiana Kentucky Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters was happy to sponsor their “The Blind Pig Speakeasy” fundraiser this week.

“The carpenters have always believed in helping our members better their lives, in this regard our missions are very much aligned. This organization is helping save lives, it’s a great cause for us to support,” says Tim Thieme of the IKORCC.

Their mission is simple, Making Good Decisions helps educate young people about the dangers of underage drinking to help prevent alcohol-related deaths. The organization led the charge to pass Indiana’s Lifeline Law, which gives immunity from certain alcohol-related offenses to minors who call to report a medical emergency or crime.

It’s a cause that is deeply personal to the organization’s founders Norm and Dawn Finbloom. Their son Brett passed out after a night of heavy drinking at a friend’s house. When his heart stopped beating and friends realized he was in real trouble, they didn’t call paramedics immediately for fear of getting in trouble. Unfortunately, that choice and delay in getting help led to Brett’s death.

Vowing to save other families from a similar tragedy, The Finbloom’s worked hard to pass the Lifeline Law and say, “Now Brett is everyone’s lifeline.”

Making Good Decisions has recently partnered with Indiana’s Text-to-911 services to increase public awareness about the ability to TEXT-to-911 in an emergency. The purpose is to encourage young people to contact 911 for help when they find themselves or a friend in an emergency.

Learn more about the Indiana Kentucky Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters or our community projects.