Local union chapters use Labor Day to inform, recruit at the New York State Fair

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Labor union chapters across central New York gathered at the New York State Fair Monday to celebrate Labor Day and engage with community members.

Chapter members hosted information booths to connect with locals and inform them of their missions and opportunities. With recent investments in infrastructure and the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, union representatives said they’re working to increase recruitment and awareness of opportunities in the Syracuse area.

Jim Mason, president and business manager of United Brotherhood of Carpenters Local #277, said his chapter hoped to spread information about the union’s apprenticeship program. He said the union saw numbers drop because of the pandemic, and now, it’s trying to rebuild.

“I would say we probably had about 300 people in our local chapter retire last year, just because COVID happened and they decided it was the right time for them, so we’re trying to replace them and grow our unit because we’ve got so much work coming in here,” Mason said.

Mason also said the UBC is seeing a significant influx of opportunities and demand with the new Micron semiconductor manufacturing plant coming to nearby Clay.

“Just at Micron, we’re gonna be doing all the cleanroom builds, which is where all the chips are actually manufactured,” Mason said. “We’ll be there right from the start of the project, right until the end of the project.”

Daren Gulliver, a member of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local #2 chapter, said the new Micron facility will impact all building trades as a whole and hopes the plant will boost membership and opportunities for his union.

Although the pandemic affected union membership numbers and job opportunities, he said his chapter has seen more applications recently.

“We’ve brought new members in, so I think we’re on the uptick,” Gulliver said. “We’ve just got to keep up the exposure, that’s what it’s all about, exposure and initiative, and just making people aware that there’s other opportunities outside of your traditional career paths.”

Gulliver and Mason said both of their chapters offer apprenticeship programs to train new workers in three to four years. Both men attended the labor rally at the fair Monday morning and highlighted the sense of solidarity.

Timothy Benoit, who works as a machinist and is currently in an apprenticeship position at N.E.T. & Die, Inc., said working at the state fair was impactful in spreading knowledge about the industry and job opportunities within it. Benoit said a machinery demonstration at their table was attracting fairgoers to learn more about the industry.

“It is amazing the amount of people that come up and ask questions, and learn a bit about it,” Benoit said. “That’s that little spark of hope that we hope to…turn into some sort of growth and interest in this field.”

While Benoit is not in a union, they said they’re aware of unions for machinists, and they appreciate and support union workers. Benoit said the Micron plant will increase demand for machinists, who can be difficult to supply because of worker shortages.

Benoit said they’ve seen a recent increased presence of women in the machinery field, which has traditionally been male-dominated. Mason said his UBC chapter has 40 women out of its total of 1,700 members. Women are eligible for paid maternity leave on top of state disability pay for pregnancy and normal health insurance coverage, he said.

With many benefits already under their belt, Mason said the next fight for the union will be increasing wages to keep up with inflation and the rising cost of living.

Mason and Gulliver, who both attended Monday morning’s rally, said marching with other union chapters instilled a sense of unity in them. Mason called the experience “invigorating.”

“You see the power of so many trades together as one, which you don’t see all the time on the job site,” Mason said.

Gulliver said the rally was an opportunity to emphasize the impact of all unions on Labor Day.

“Solidarity between all the unions coming together as one voice for the people really, not just our industry but all the industries as a whole, increases workers benefits and workers rights,” Gulliver said.

Assistant News Editor Dominic Chiappone contributed reporting to this article.