Category: Plumbing Service

Your Plumbing System – Post Covid 19

After attending my fifth online conference/meeting/webinar the other day, the last one I logged on to was a Webinar provided by #IAPMO dealing with what effect would the workplace shutdowns have on vacant or close to vacant facilities. I think that this is very timely with everyone hoping that we can get back to work in near future.

I am sure that you can go to the IAPMO website to watch this informative webinar again. Representing Plumbers and Pipefitters throughout New England these workers and their contractors are aware of the dangers that lurk in stagnant water systems. Boston is a hotspot and almost most of the commercial operations have been empty for what may be now just around six weeks.image

Stagnant water systems may promote the growth of Legionella in systems that sit. Water temperatures in systems have risen due to just the ambient temperature of the building. These temperatures may now be approaching the danger zone for the growth of theses  dangerous organisms.

One of the presenters Dr. Janet Stout, an infectious disease specialist dealing with legionella, provides a very user friendly understanding of the way it grows and the potential for it in the building plumbing system. I think you are starting to get the understanding that wholesale flushing of the systems may be in order to safely reopen a building.

Tom Bigley, Director of the World Plumbing Council as well as the Director of Plumbing for the United Association, provides a really good roadmap for what really people should be thinking about in respect to this. A great point Tom made was that the general public needs to understand that Plumbing and Mechanical systems are designed for flow and use, not sitting Therefore the systems need to be moving.

Throughout New England the more densely populated areas have seen the most cases but much of the area has been part of a stay at home policy. So all property owners need to do an assessment of their plumbing and mechanical systems going forward. Larger properties may in fact have a water management plan, smaller places may not but commonsense should rule the day. IAPMO has a great tip sheet on their website that can show the way to address the concerns of reopening a system.

Across New England United Association members and their contractors are ready to assist property owners as they begin to navigate the new normal that is living with COVID-19. If you need a contractor to assist you, please visit http://nepipetrades.org/index.aspx.

0

A Little Help for the Little Ones

As Christmas 2018 closes in there are many stories of people helping out one another that you see in the media. Plumbers Local 12 has always been there to help organizations whenever we can and some are just special to us. St Mary’s Women and Infant center is one of them. The center, which has been in operation for over 20 years, helps, houses, educates, and protects women and children in their most dire times.st marys 1

There is also a soft spot with us because as the old St. Margaret’s many of the men and woman around the metro Boston area were born there and that was the first place that many of us safely slept.

Over 2018 Business Agent Barry Keady has taken volunteer members up to Cushing Ave. and rectified some plumbing issues that have lingered there for almost twenty years. Now fixed, the facility has been able to use areas for various uses that they never were able to use before. Unfortunately there never seems to be an end for the social services that need to be rendered up there.

This year Local 12 made St. Marys the sole beneficiary of our annual toy drive. Hundreds of toys have been donated by the plumbers and apprentices and as an organization located here in Dorchester we wanted help out another neighborhood organization.st marys 3

On Thursday December 13th, we were joined at the hall by Deirdre Houtmeyers and the leadership team of St. Marys as well as his Honor Mayor Martin Walsh. “It truly is our pleasure to help out these people in need, especially at Christmas” said Local 12 Business Manager Harry Brett. Mayor Walsh while speaking to the members at the union hall that day reminded everyone of the importance of always trying to help out those who are in need.

Plumbers Local 12 apprentices then loaded the Plumbers 911 van and dropped of the toys to the staff at the center. Although we do many things as well as support various causes throughout the year it is special to help an organization located so close to us that provides so much to people in need that come from all over.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year!

st marys 2

0

Plumbing is Great Industry in MA

I just left the annual Massachusetts PHCC trade show in Marlboro MA. This show continues to showcase what a great industry we have here. Plumbers and apprentices from across the state come to interact with the suppliers of basically anything that has to do with the business.

This year we, Plumbers Local 12 was the proud sponsor of the very popular code seminar put on by the Massachusetts State Plumbing Board. At least 700 people filled the conference room to exchange ideas, concerns, and to get clarification on a host of issues. Chairman Paul Kennedy did a great job answering or getting the right person to answer whatever the audience timg_2980hrew at them

The important take away is the fact that a strong license and a strong code is the key to keeping the plumbing industry here a great business not only for the license holders but the consumers as well.

Congratulations to all at the MAPHCC on another great show.

 

 

0

Plumbers Local 12 Recognizes National Apprenticeship Week

This week, November 14th through 20th 2016 is National Apprenticeship Week. At Plumbers Local 12 in Boston every week is apprenticeship week. There is no better trained plumbers in eastern Massachusetts than the ones at Local 12.

img_2744
Layout class led by Instructor Darren MacDonald

Just this week in our day school program we have first year, second year, and third year apprentices doing everything from academic classes to shop classes. Classes from Use and Care of tools, Plumbing Code as well training in the latest layout and co ordination technologies have been going on every day.

img_2741
Local 12 Instructor Gregg Peterson, teaching Use and Care of Tools

Plumbers Local 12 has almost 200 apprentices in our apprenticeship program working in shops that range in size from 2 employees to some that have in excess of 300 plumbers and apprentices. It is imperative that we supply the most highly skilled and well rounded mechanics in the industry to support our contractors.

Apprenticeship is a proven method of skills training that goes back hundreds of years. The plumbing trade is no different. Our apprentices do 1200 hours of training in our program almost double what the Massachusetts laws require for training. “All of this training pays off for us because when an apprentice does an apprenticeship here they are embarking on a journey that will require them to be the best” says Rick Carter Local 12 Training Director.

img_2742
First year apprentices brazing in the shop, led by Instructor Joe Kyne

“Plumbing is a career” says Harry Brett, Business Manager of the Boston Plumbers Union, “we do not provide jobs we provide careers and a rock solid foundation is the success to that career”. So as the nation recognizes Apprenticeship Week we at Local 12 live it every week and are committed to continue the fine tradition of Apprenticeship.

 

 

 

0

Out With The Old

DSC_4568

On May 13th Plumbers Local 12 in Boston graduated their first apprentice class in two years. These new journeyman plumbers have raised the bar for what an apprentice class should be.

After five years of attending a program that started out at night and finished as a day program they sang the praises of their training. They also represented the changes that Local 12 has been championing. There were commercial, residential, and service apprentices graduating together.

Also in this class were three apprentices that competed in national apprentice competitions. One in Connecticut, one in Ann Arbor, Michigan,and one in Hollywood, Florida. These apprentices were so inclined to participate because of their confidence in the training they received at Local 12s training facility by our instructors.

One of the most important jobs that the plumbers union has is to provide the best trained apprentices and plumbers the industry has to offer. There is nothing else like this in regard to training in Massachusetts. Now with a special attention to all wood frame construction with 12R we are training to all aspects of the residential industry. Not that we weren’t before before but we are in it to win it.

We also have our focus on service as well. All apprentices take part in service training but the ones actually doing it train with the journeyman as well. That along with quarterly in service training with the vendors of the industry puts us head and shoulders above everyone else.

The day school also brought some unsolicited comments from the class. Class President Danny Palimeri spoke about how their personal relationships changed after they went to day school. “When we started at night we were acquaintances but once we started day school we all became very close.” For me that compliment was confirmation that day school is the way to go. “We were supportive of each other to make sure that everyone was getting whatever the teachers threw at us” said Danny.

DSC_4698
Class President Danny Palimeri addresses over 200 people that attended the graduation at Venezia Restaurant in Dorchester, MA. 

Some that read this may not appreciate that trade training is that important, but when you put in five years and over eleven hundred hours of training this group of new journeymen will forever consider themselves Local 12 Class of 2016! Congratulations!

 

 

 

0

Where is the shortage of new plumbers?

As I write this blog applications to Plumbers Local 12’s apprenticeship program have just concluded. This year we have over four hundred applicants vying for approximately thirty positions. This flies in the face of what I hear is a shortage of people people entering the plumbing business in Massachusetts.

Maybe there is a difference between a job in plumbing and a career in plumbing. Local 12 has always given all applicants an interview and one thing we hear from them is that people are looking for a career. A place where they will be able to get health insurance and accrue retirement benefits during and after their career is done.

Maybe its the training that Local 12 provides apprentices as well as journeymen throughout their careers that provide them them many opportunities to work for the different contractors while maintaining the highest pay and best benefits in the industry.

Local 12 is a proud membership organization that wants its members to succeed all during their careers as plumbers. With at least sixty percent of Americans with almost no savings (according to an article in Boston Agent Magazine by Tom Ricci) these applicants have figured out that union benefits are a good thing and applying to the union training program is the way to go. No wonder over four hundred people have applied.

Plumbers Local 12 is about careers not jobs.

 

 

 

0

SERVICE,SERVICE,SERVICE

One of the most exciting things happening at Plumbers and Gasfitters Local 12 these days is the Service Division. We have partnered with our parent organization the United Association to become the Eighth city in the country to implement the Plumbers911.com program.

Local 12 is celebrating our 125th anniversary this year and in those years we have helped build and service the plumbing in the greater Boston area. What is new now is that because we are organized we have partnered with our contractors to bring our expert customer service and skills together under the PLUMBERS911Boston.com group.

Plumbers911boston.com is a group of contractors that will answer all calls that come through the website and our service area is basically anywhere in eastern Massachusetts. Our plumbers/mechanics and apprentices bring years of training and experience that provide value to residential and commercial customers alike.

All Plumbers911boston.com mechanics are drug tested, background checked, and are extremely proud to wear the Plumbers911 logo. A special point of interest is that I mentioned residential service. Many think that our organization only builds commercial projects. Not True. The members of our organization have always done residential service.

Our members train in our Boston state of the art training facility. Not just subject specific but periodic in service training as well. This is where the customer realizes the value in using a plumbers911boston.com contractor. There is almost nothing our Plumbers can’t do. Along with our service area is also the 24/7 response. Our exceptional group of contractors are committed to making sure that when you go to http://www.plumbers911boston.com you will get the best service provided by the most trained and experienced mechanics in the area.

If you have a plumbing issue there is only one place to go http://www.plumbers911boston.com

0

Start a Blog at WordPress.com.

Up ↑