BAC: Building the Future
The International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftsmen (BAC) is one of the oldest unions in America today. Today, this union represents some of the most skilled trowel trades craft workers across the United States and Canada including bricklayers, stone and marble masons, cement masons, plasterers, tilesetters, terrazzo and mosaic workers, and pointers/ cleaners/ caulkers. According to the BAC homepage, this union is considered to be one well-established organization: "With over a century of protecting the rights of our workers, BAC is the oldest continuous union in North America."
Having been around as long as the union has, it is no surprise that a vast majority of the organization's time and resources are dedicated to preparation for the future. In 2000, BAC implemented the Millennium Morning Project (MMP). The project is really an organized mission to identify the issues, events and developments that will shape the unionized industry in the years ahead. The Committee is comprised of the existing Executive Council of the BAC. This council is made of up all the regions and crafts within the union infrastructure; therefore, it is in excellent shape to decide future plans of the union.
The goals of the MMP are simple. First, the Committee is responsible for identifying the internal and external factors that will shape the masonry industry in the future. Secondly, they should develop a system for encompassing members and union leaders most affected with the processes of decision making. Lastly, the Committee is to assess the current condition of the union and upon examination, decide how to go about expanding membership and influence. This method has been used since MMP's inception, and is constantly being re-worked for maximum effectiveness.
To read more about BAC and the Millennium Morning Project, visit their homepage. To find a union near you, please use the Unions.org Premier Union Local Search Engine (PULSE). |
