SSMMA tours Council of Carpenters facility

In an ongoing effort to build a rapport with union officials following passage of the Prevailing Wage Amendment to Cook County’s tax incentive program, SSMMA toured the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters facility in Elk Grove Village on June 27 to see one of the largest training facilities in the United States. The Apprentice and Training Program there is highly advanced and includes energy efficiency training. During the tour, participants learned how the apprenticeship training program works, how applicants access and enter the program, and how the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters support local economic development initiatives. One issue that surfaced during the tour is the need for a highly skilled workforce and the lack of accessibility for south suburban residents to participate in the training. Discussion included whether a similar facility built in the south suburban region could offer area residents a pathway to careers and businesses the ability to comply with apprentice requirements of Cook County’s new Prevailing Wage Ordinance.

In March of this year, the Cook County Board approved Ordinance 18-1604 which now requires the recipient of any new property tax incentive granted after September 1, 2018 to pay prevailing wage for any project undertaken; contractors also must be enrolled in a Department of Labor recognized apprenticeship program to be eligible to perform work. More photos are here.