Protect Industry Standards, Protect Our Jobs

The Air Conditioning Contractors Association (ACCA) recently launched a full-bore campaign to attack the 3-1 apprenticeship ratio at the Massachusetts State Licensing Board.

ACCA's goal is to weaken the high standards our trade has fought for in Massachusetts. Don't be fooled by their claims, all they care about is the bottom dollar and they will fight for an industry that is dominated by cheap labor and low quality workmanship.

ACCA contractors have never run an apprenticeship program in Massachusetts that was in anyway comparable to the programs the SMWIA runs here in Massachusetts. Because they know they can't compete in terms of the value of their programs, they want to change the law to make it easier for them by bringing down the standards working people in our state have fought for and deserve.

Join us in telling the Massachusetts Division of Apprenticeship the true motives behind ACCA's attack on our local sheet metal industry.

Tell me more

Talking Points

ACCA currently has 31 registered apprenticeship programs with only 39 apprentices registered with the state vs 263 enrolled in our SMWIA-SMACNA administered programs.

From 1997 to 2007 only 294 apprentices enrolled in the apprenticeship programs administered by ACCA contractors in Massachusetts.

Those programs only had a 22% completion rate during this 10 year period. Overall, only 55 non-union apprentices completed their apprenticeship vs 495 from union-sponsored programs.

Union programs enrolled 78% of all registered apprentices between 1997-2007 while producing 495 journeymen. The contractors looking to deteriorate the industry by changing apprenticeship ratios only produced a total of 55 during that time frame.

ACCA contractors claim they perform 80% of the work in the Massachusetts sheet metal industry but only perform 22% of the training.

Subject:

Dear [ Decision Maker ],

(Edit Letter Below)

ACCA, an out of state organization headquartered in Virginia has launched an attack on the workplace standards that Massachusetts workers and end users have come to deserve and expect.

Contractors aligned with this organization administer 31 registered apprenticeship programs with only 39 apprentices registered with the state.  At the same time, there are 263 apprentices who many more contractors rely on through our SMWIA-SMACNA joint labor management programs.

Recent studies find that from 1997 to 2007, ACCA-related programs only had a 22% completion rate. That means only a grand total of 55 non-union apprentices completed their apprenticeship during this period vs 495 from union-sponsored programs.

In fact, union apprenticeship programs have enrolled 78% of all registered apprentices.

Obviously, the stronger union programs have not only contibuted more to local massachusetts communities by have helped lift industry standards to the highest in America.  Working people in Massachusetts cannot afford to go backwards due to the incompetency of a small segment of the sheet metal industry.

Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]

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Mr. Stephen Nemmers (if you live in Massachusetts)

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