OnOctober15and16,theUnitedBrotherhoodofCarpenters(UBC)convenedaHearingonthe
EmergencySupervisionoftheNewYorkCityandVicinityDistrictCouncilofCarpenters.Overthecourse
oftwodays,about500membersoftheDistrictCouncilattendedthehearingtolistentotheirBrothers
andSisters’’thoughtsandconcernsontheEmergencySupervision.

DistrictCouncilmembersprovidedagreatdealofinformationtoconsiderintheirtestimony.There
weremanycommonthemesinthetestimonyincludingthefollowing:

x Therewasagenerallackofunderstandingaboutwhatthehearingwassupposedtoaccomplishand
whoappointedtheHearingCommitteemembers.
o TheHearingCommitteewasappointedbyUBCGeneralPresidentDouglasMcCarrontotake
testimonyandmakearecommendationastowhetherornotInternationalsupervisionover
theDistrictCouncilshouldbecontinued.

x Also,therewasconfusionastowhoisleadingtheDistrictCouncilduringtheEmergencySupervision
andhowlongtheSupervisionwillcontinue.
o FrankSpencer,EasternDistrictVicePresident,wasappointedbyGeneralPresidentDouglas
McCarrontosupervisetheDistrictCouncilduringtheEmergencySupervision.The
Supervisionwilllastforaminimumof18Ͳmonths.

x ThemajorityoftestimonygivenfocusedonthedayͲtoͲdaybusinessoftheUnion.Ofparticular
concernwastheOutofWorkList.Whilemanymembersprovidedrecommendationsonhowto
bestmanageitinthefuture,therewasagreatdealofconfusionandconcernaboutthelist.
o TheOWLListrulesandskillshavebeenprintedinTheCarpentermagazineandontheJob
ReferralsectionofthissitetohelpclarifyanyoutstandingconfusionregardingtheOWL.

x ManymembersprovidedtestimonyonconcernsabouthistoricalcorruptionintheDistrictCouncil,
withseveralofferingspecificexamplestosupporttheirpointsofview.TheDistrictCouncil
understandstheseconcernsandisnotwaitingtotakeaction.Wehavealreadybegunmaking
operationalchanges:
o DrugtestinghasbeenundertakenwithallCouncil(andTrustFund)employeeswith
disciplinaryaction(terminationorsuspension)takenagainstemployeesbasedontheresults
ofthattesting.Goingforward,randomdrugtestswillbecomethenormintheoperationsof
thisCouncil.
o IndependentbackgroundchecksonallCouncil(andTrustFund)employeesandshop
stewardsarebeingconductedandwewilltakeappropriateactionuptoandincluding
suspensionorterminationbasedontheresultsofthosechecks.This,too,willbecome
standardoperatingprocedureforallnewhires.

Inaddition,weareputtingadditionalmeasuresintoplacetoraisethestandardsbarfortheCouncil,
including:
o Changesintheroleofbusinessagentsandrotatingthemquarterly
o Sweepstodeterminecontractcomplianceonjobsites
o AuditsofallLocalUnionsintheDistrictCouncil
o Enhancedaccountingandfiscalmanagement
o HeightenedeffortsbytheantiͲcorruptionforcewithintheCouncil

x ManymembersspoketotheneedtogrowprideintheUnionasawaytopreventcorruption.
OthersofferedsuggestionsonhowtomovetheUnionintothefuture(i.e.““green””buildingtraining).
o TheNYCDistrictCouncilofCarpenterswillcontinuetotrainandeducateourmembershipto
ensurethatyourUnionhasthemosttalentedandskilledtradesmaninthecity.

x Withholdingsonvacationchecksand‘‘bluecard’’wasafrequenttopicofdiscussion.
o Whetherornotamembersignsthevacationfundauthorizationcard(alsoknownasthe
bluecard)doesNOTaffectyoureceivingyourvacationcheckUNLESS,however,youhave
beenfoundguilty,inaccordancewiththeprovisionsoftheUBCconstitution,ofhaving
committedanyoffenseandpenaltyasnotedinSection51oftheUBCConstitution,or
applicablebylawsorworkrules,suchasworkingforcash,workingonunreportedjobs,OWL
violationsand/or‘‘obligation’’violations,andpenaltieshavebeenimposed.

x MembersspokebothonbehalfoftheEmergencySupervisionandsomeopposedtothesupervision
tocontinuebeyondtheinitial18Ͳmonthperiod.
o TheDistrictCouncilwillusethefindingsfromthesehearingstoenactchangesthatensure
werebuildCounciloperationsandmaintainfullyeffective,honestandstraightforward
operationsinthefuture.

Wewillcontinuetocommunicateinformationabouttheemergencysupervisiontoyouona
regularbasis.WearecommittedtoaDistrictCouncilthatactsinthebestinterestsofthe
membersandreflectsthevaluesofhonestyandfairplaythatarethehallmarksofour
organization.