Construction Employers Association
90 years young and still growing
CEA offers a wealth of advantages to members, from education and safety
initiatives to arbitration and cost-savings. And some of it is just
plain enjoyment.
The Construction Employers Assn. serves its members and the entire community
with labor relations, safety and educational services
"Construction is an industry that changes everyday and it's a hazardous
industry that should be made as safe as possible," says John Porada,
executive vice president of the Construction Employers Assn. (CEA). "That
is essentially the reason why we're here." Porada says, We put out
fireswhen one of our member companies encounters a problem out there,
we find a solution.We do what we can to make our members' jobs easier and
more profitable."
In 1916, the organization was known as the Building Trades Employers
Assn. and was founded on the belief that to deal effectively with those
who represented their employees, an organization consisting of only those
who employ construction labor was necessary. Ninety years later, CEA is
still synonymous with union-based construction labor relations in Cleveland,
representing 15 architectural trades in northeast Ohio.
CEA's officers include John Arsena, president of Acme Arsena Co., Inc.,
Tony Panzica, first vice president of Panzica Construction Co., Charles
Izzo, second vice president of Infinity Construction Co., Gary Knopf, secretary
of Stevens Painton Corp., Vince Piscitello, treasurer of VIP, and Stanley
Roediger, Jr., past president of Roediger Construction Inc.
CEA is an umbrella group comprised of 114 contractor members and 39 affiliate
members, including banks, investment managers, equipment companies, and
other non-contractor companies that serve the industry. Additionally, the
association. services more than 500 contractors with its Construction Industry
Service Program (CISP). These additional 500 contribute through collective
bargaining agreements and CEA provides them with a variety of services.
Local organizations
The fourteen local contractor associations under the CEA umbrella include
AGC of Ohio, Cleveland Division; Carpenter Contractors Assn.; Concrete Contractors
Assn.; Deep Foundation Contractors Assn.; Glazing Contractors Assn.; Greater
Cleveland Roofing Contractors Assn.; Interior Systems Contractors Assn.;
Mason Contractors Assn.; Millwright Employers Assn; North Central Ohio Council
of Employers of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers; Residential Carpenter
Contractors Assn.; SMACNA of North Central Ohio; Steel and Iron Contractors
Assn. and Tile-Marble-Terrazzo Contractors Assn.
Party like you're 90
Some 345 members and guests attended the organization's annual clambake
and 90th Anniversary Celebration at Landerhaven on September 29, 2006. During
the reception, guests were able to view the beautiful CEA and 90th ice sculpture,
enjoy an assortment of appetizers including shrimp on skewers and bacon
wrapped water chestnuts, little neck clams and delicious filet mignon and
chicken marsala, plus indulging in a variety of drinks at the Martini Bar.
Everyone appeared to have an enjoyable time during the reception.
Guests were entertained with dinner music by the "Shout" band
and exposed to two large screens that illustrated not only the 19 CEA presidents
from 1916 to the present but an ensemble of individual pictures of CEA and
CISP events and social functions. The band "Shout" did its "Legends
of Soul" performance with members and guests listening and dancing
to the music. John Arsena, CEA's newly elected president, presented Stanley
Roediger, Jr. with a clock plaque for his four years of dedicated service
as CEA president. Prizes were randomly awarded throughout the evening, and
there were some very happy winners.
Labor relations
The association is non-profit, and it has three primary areas of focus:
1) labor relations; 2) safety training and certification; and 3) educational
programs. Labor relations are an integral part of CEA's services. With years
of experience, the association's staff and active members deal with contract
negotiations, disputes and administration of collective bargaining agreements.
If a grievance occurs in a contract and goes to arbitration, three management
and three union representatives sit down and discuss the grievance and come
to a conclusion. It will be final and binding, whatever the decision. In
case of a stalemate, the grievance will be settled by an independent arbitrator.
Negotiations should be a win-win situation between the unions and the contractorthat
is the goal of CEA.
The CEA training center has a capacity of 100 and serves as a hub of
activity throughout the year and home base for much of the association's
safety training as well as numerous educational programs.
Safety training
After labor relations, the second largest focus of CEA is safety. It
has three safety professionals, two full-time and one consultant, that work
with the organization's members and contractors. The association's partnership
with OSHA offers significant benefits as well. CEA offers programs including
the 10-hour, 30-hour and OSHA 500. It is one of the few organizations in
the state that can actually conduct the OSHA 500, a point of pride. OSHA
training is in many collective bargaining agreements; tradesmen are required
to take the 10- or 30-hour course. When OSHA comes on the jobsite, the first
thing it asks the employer is: "Are your people safety-trained?"
Its goal is not only to have zero accidents on the worksite, but to provide
well-trained workers in safety to comply with OSHA standards.
CEA also offers substance abuse classes. Its industry fund pays for the
annual and random drug testing as an important part of what it does. The
substance abuse program has drug-tested 46,557 construction-related workers
at a cost of $1.9 million. Much of this cost was paid by CISP contributions
by signatory employers. Mobile Medical Corporation is its third party administrator.
Also, CEA supports passage of House Bill 80, a drug-free workplace bill
for state funded projects.
Education
In addition to safety training, CEA offers a variety of educational programs,
from technical instruction courses, blueprint reading and estimating, and
construction management to seminars on current issues and trends, like lean
construction, prevailing wage and mechanic's liens. Regularly scheduled
symposiums and classes on a wide range of business management subjects provide
further value to members.
Members can also participate in its group discount program with Gates
McDonald, but a new approach to reduce CEA members' costs is now available.
Members who wish to participate can obtain a professional analysis of its
company's workers' compensation program at a discounted rate. Today, contractors
must be proactive in managing workers' compensation costs.
CISP's Scholarship Program was implemented in 1991. To date, $46,000
has been given to children of contributors who are enrolled in a construction-related
qualifying course of study.
Along with the Ohio Contractors Assn., CEA sponsors the "Annual
Constructor for a Day" Program. This program provides an opportunity
for college students majoring in construction to see firsthand practical
applications in their field of learning by spending an entire day touring
local job sites and facilities. Contractors, owners, company officers, management
personnel, estimators, project managers and superintendents spend their
day or a portion of their day with these students to keep our workers of
the future here in Northeast Ohio.
Supplementing the three main focus areas, CEA offers members a mix of
additional benefits: marketing members to prospective clients, providing
wage rate information, working on legislative issues, supplying legal services
and more. CEA membership is available to union contractors that are signatory
to at least one union contract.
A funding source
CEA's services to the construction community extend beyond just its members
and CISP contributors. It appoints the management trustees to the union
fringe benefit funds and apprenticeship programs. Recently, the union pension
funds loaned more money for residential housing and apartment buildings
and condos in downtown Cleveland than the banks. For instance, the Wyndham
Cleveland Hotel would never have been built without the union pension fund,
which loaned $5 million to make it a reality.
This kind of set-up is not uncommon, but a lot of people aren't aware
of it, especially some owners and developers. They should be informed, because
it is another source of financing for their projects. The stipulation, of
course, is that the job must be 100% union.
CEA has published a Classified Membership Directory with the National
Electrical Contractors Assn. (NECA), Mechanical & Plumbing Industry
Council (MAPIC), Northern Ohio Painting & Taping Contractors, SMACNA/Cleveland
and SMACNA Vermilion. This directory has been mailed to architects, engineers,
elected officials, developers, school boards, out-of-state general contractors,
construction managers and others. Weekly requests are received for this
directory that provides a complete listing of quality, reputable, union
contractor members with no advertisements.
Members join the Construction Employers Assn. because "they know
it is good for business." Those interested in learning more about
Construction Employers Assn. should call John Porada, executive vice president,
at 216-398-9860, e-mail at jporada@ceacisp.org or visit www.ceacisp.org.
BXM
