In accordance with its collective bargaining agreement with the Laborers’ Union and IECA’s corporate By-laws, an environmental remediation business becomes a member contractor of IECA by employing individuals who are members of the Laborers’ Union and by making contributions to an Industry Education Fund provided for in the bargained Agreement with the Laborers. That membership ceases either by the contractor’s resignation or a cessation for one year of the employment of individuals represented by the Laborers and the obligation to contribute to the IECA Industry Education Fund. (Please see the links to IECA’s Agreement with the Laborers’ Union and to its By-laws.)
The benefits to a business of membership in IECA are many, some of which are:
- Representation as a group in periodically negotiating the area (nine counties around Chicago) labor contract with the Laborers’ Union.
- Advice regarding the administration of the area labor contract, and representation of contractors in the event disputes arise between the contractor and the Laborers.
- Regulatory compliance consultation and assistance, including limited representation of contractors with governmental regulatory agencies in the event of conflicts.
- Consultation with regulatory agencies on behalf of the environmental remediation industry in the drafting of laws and regulations, and regarding the constructive and enlightened enforcement of regulations.
- Working jointly with the Laborers’-Employers Cooperation and Education Trust (LECET), and with the Mechanical Contractors Association, the providing of educational training and licensing programs for member contractors’ personnel, including participation in the Apprentice Program of the Laborers’ Union.
- Legal consultation with IECA’s attorneys on a limited basis regarding industry-wide legal issues.
- General promotion of the businesses of IECA’s member contractors in the highly competitive environmental remediation industry.
- Enhancement of the work opportunities available to environmental remediation employees of member businesses that are represented by the Laborers’ Union.