In a message dated 98-02-27 08:16:27 EST, [log in to unmask] writes:

> E-mail all unions, not that it would make any difference.

Jim,

I'm not looking for a battle, or broken legs. There is some upcomming PTN
business and I wanted to get out my biases on the union/non-union topic for
discussion.

The activity with the Teamsters and the restoration contractors may have been
one reason Local 66 folded back into the International Bricklayers. The
Teamsters were talking bigger memberships than Local 66 could handle. I know
more about this than I need to know.

It occured to me after starting this thread that my primary focus is on Local
66... they started as waterproofers and then moved into cutting & repointing,
then to lintel waterproofng, and morphed into general masonry restoration. I'm
neglecting the carpenters... like, where in NYC do they use wood? I'm also
neglecting the coppersmiths & slate roofers. Also, the stonesetters &
derrickmen (one union to set the stone, one union to lift it). Each trade
union has a slightly different history, but they are all conditioned by the
historic availability of plentiful work. Stop building new buildings and the
unions are forced to react - which is a weakness. The difficulties of
relationships between union/non-union overwhelm the traditional sense of
commaraderie that historic preservationists tend to feel towards things like
"reading the building." Union leans more toward, "I'm reading my pay check." I
say this knowing full well that there are some really fine craftspeople in the
unions, many of which I have learned from and respect.

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