Brothers and Sisters,
The last month has been difficult for everyone, including our union family. We see so many of your making sacrifices both at home and at work to protect the health and safety of your families and the communities in which we live, and we understand the strain that may cause. That is why the District Council continues to provide our members with financial relief, including the early disbursal of vacation checks and the modification of the annuity plan, which provides members access to funds without penalties.
Today, we have even more good news. To further assist our members who have been laid-off as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the NYC District Council Carpenters and the Board of Directors of the Carpenter Contractor Alliance of Metropolitan New York passed a relief measure that absorbs second quarter dues for ALL active members in good standing as of April 1, 2020. Those members who have already paid their dues in advance will also receive a credit for three (3) months of union dues.
This is no small feat given the size of our membership. This is a significant expenditure, but our members are always our number one priority and we want to put forth every effort to make sure no member is at-risk for suspension and loss of benefits because of the hardship caused by this pandemic. This resolution also ensures that our signatory contractors will have the best and highest-skilled workforce available once work is back to full capacity. My sincere thanks to my fellow Committee members for their commitment to our hardworking membership.
We hope that this additional support helps you to rest a little easier, focus on family a little bit more, and have even greater faith. Once again – Thank you for everything you do. Your union stands with you. We wish you a good Passover and a happy Easter. May you and your loved ones stay safe and healthy.
In Solidarity,
Joseph Geiger
Executive Secretary-Treasurer
To read the original letter, please click here.