CONTRACTORS/ORGANIZING

It's not a big secret. There are many advantages to becoming a contractor organized by Operating Engineers Local 324.

A unionized workforce enables construction contractors to qualify to bid for major projects, such as automotive and industrial jobs, as well as massive public infrastructure renovation and development contracts.

A collective bargaining agreement, negotiated in good faith, establishes a framework that sustains and advances your workforce. It provides for apprenticeship and journeyman training, supplying you with a skilled, dedicated, productive, and safety oriented workforce. Health care and pension benefits are defined and funded. Job classifications are clearly identified with exact wage rates.

As you compete for contracts calling for prevailing wage, your labor costs will be the same as your competitors, freeing you to focus on the areas of your expertise in determining a winning bid. Your proven ability to manage the work won't be undercut by a competitor who tries to slice costs by trying to pay his workers an unfair, substandard wages and benefits.

Collective bargaining agreements establish clear-cut mechanisms for dealing with worker concerns on the job. When problems or misunderstandings arise, management and labor have established ways to work them out before they escalate.

Like many construction unions, Operating Engineers Local 324 is very aware of the economics of our industry's marketplace. We want to work as a team with our unionized contractors, developing the training and education programs they need at our Operating Engineers Local 324 Howell Education Center, as well as solving problems and promoting the industry through our Labor-Management-Education Committee.