36200 Schoolcraft Rd.
Livonia, Michigan 48150
(313) 341-7661

Posted: 5-3-10

 

In a March 2010 ruling, the National Labor Relations Board defined solicitation rules to be implemented at Pipefitter Local 636 when working with member contractors of the Mechanical Contractors Association of Detroit. Contractors who are not members of the Association are not affected by this ruling.

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Member employers have the right to solicit unemployed pipefitters by name. In their Notice to Employees, the NLRB states, “We (Local 636) will advise members in writing that we will no longer give effect to any rule prohibiting our members from soliciting work from Association contactors without our consent, and prohibiting Association members from requesting specific individuals to be referred for employment.” Also stated, “We (Local 636) will not deny the requests of the employer members of the Mechanical Contractors Association of Detroit (the Association) for specific individuals to be referred for employment.”

 

This ruling applies to all journeymen pipefitters, apprentices, pre-apprentices, mechanical equipment servicemen (MES), mechanical equipment tradesmen (MET), and metal tradesmen (MT) employed by employer-members of the Mechanical Contractors Association of Detroit.

 

Recommendations for Solicitation Implementation

 

1.) To ensure that your prospective member is unemployed and available to work, make contact with him and ask if he would like to come to work for you. It’s probably a good idea to assure the member that you will request him fro m the Union and that he can expect to be contacted by the Union to be dispatched to your job

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2.) It is better to fax rather than call the Union with your request for manpower by name. The fax provides a written record, minimizes the chance for misunderstanding and if copied to me, allows me to help resolve any misunderstandings with minimal participation by you.

 

3.) If your request is not answered satisfactorily, contact Chris Freeman by e-mail explaining the situation and we will take it from there.

 

Please note that the Association continues to consider the Union’s Out of Work List a valuable tool. This list tracks skill and certifications so that when we do not have someone specifically in mind we can use that list to hire.

 

One clear benefit of this ruling is that now employers who call for a specific employee will be perceived as the true employer, establishing a good employer/employee relationship early. This will satisfy the customer’s demand for quality and productivity.