How much longer will Carpenters be denied their right to directly elect the officers who run their union?
It’s hard to say. The DOL’s appeal may not drag on very long since the appeals court has decided on the issues once before. If we prevail there, then the DOL will have to order an election in New England (it may have to do so right away if its motion for a stay is rejected). But at that point, the UBC itself will have a chance to appeal. This is where we believe you can have an impact. Based on the response to this case, reflected in daily phone calls and email inquiries, as well as your reports from the field, it is very clear that rank-and-file Carpenters overwhelmingly support direct elections of regional council officers. (In fact, it is difficult to find anyone, other than UBC attorneys, who has gone on record defending the current setup). But is this deep support for direct elections being organized to put pressure on top UBC officials as effectively as it could be? We think there is room for improvement. Some of you have proposed a national committee/network for direct elections
