Masonry Magazine April 1995 Page. 8
FROM THE PRESIDENT
By L. C. PARDUE, JR.
President, Mason Contractors Association of America
The Call for A New Beginning
THE PAST YEAR has been undoubtedly, the most turbulent year in the Mason Contractors Association of America's history. And yet it has to rate as one of the most progressive years as well, full of accomplishment, growth and expanding influence in the masonry industry.
Turbulent is the word that can also describe this past year in Washington. For the first time in forty years, there will be a change in leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives. Voters across the country sent a resounding message that business as usual will not be tolerated. The voters have overwhelmingly called for a "New Beginning" and have given the reins of power in the U.S. Congress to the Republican Party.
Hopefully, gone are the days of higher taxes, deficit spending, increased regulatory burdens on small business and greater losses of our personal freedoms to run our lives and businesses the way we wish.
Perhaps now we will see the days of a common sense government, fair government regulations, less government intervention into our lives, a balanced budget amendment, a line item veto, an OSHA which is a partner in operating a safe jobsite and not an adversary, and a government that listens to the small businessman. A government that's a willing partner in expanding our abilities to hire more people and actually make the dreaded six letter word... Profit.
MCAA's turbulent year has also fostered a "New Beginning." Our two year legal battle over control of the Bricklayers International Pension Fund has resulted in the International Union taking over the Pension Fund and the handcuffs being taken off of the MCAA. God help the working man. The divorce is final.
We will now set forth on a "New Beginning" to service the interests of the entire masonry industry. We have neglected our open shop counterpart far too long. MCAA must act in the best interest of all mason contractors, our employees and the entire masonry industry. We must fight for common sense government regulations to aid our contractors in employing more people, building a larger market share and making a profit. MCAA must help encourage apprenticeship programs across the nation, union and non-union alike, to train more masons so our industry can expand. We will work more closely with the Laborers' International Union whose leadership is encouraging a pro-partnership attitude toward contractors and is working to make their members the most highly trained workforce in the construction industry.
It's refreshing to work with the Laborers' International Union which is working toward the future by constantly training and promoting the capability of their members to ensure that they and their families prosper.
It has been suggested that MCAA has become anti-union. MCAA is neither pro-union or pro-openshop. We choose rather to seek what's in the best interest of the entire industry. To that end, we seek close, positive relationships with those groups which also seek to advance the masonry industry. MCAA stands ready to work even more closely with the leaders of LIUNA to insure a bright future for all of us.
During the past year, a year of a "New Beginning" for MCAA, we have accomplished many of the goals that we have established for our association. Not only have we accomplished many of our goals, we have set our sights on even greater accomplishments for MCAA and our industry for the future.
During this past year, our services to the mason contractor have been expanded. Our safety program has been implemented by many of our membership. The safety hotline has solved many of our members' safety problems and hopefully has avoided thousands of dollars in potential OSHA fines. Our joint effort with the Laborers' AGC in developing the Forklift Safety video has resulted in one of the hottest selling programs to our membership.
Our magazine has been transformed into a highly professional publication for the mason contractor. We launched the first International Masonry Awards Competition with resounding success. We experienced net growth in our membership and have already Continued on Page 26