| Founded | 2011 (as Indiana Kentucky Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters; renamed 2024) |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Greenwood, Indiana |
| Location | |
| Members | 37,000 |
Executive Secretary-Treasurer | Mike Kwiatkowski |
| Affiliations | United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America |
| Website | www |
The Central Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters (CMRCC) is a labor union that represents carpenters and related workers in Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio. [1] It helps workers get fair pay, safe jobs, and good training. [2] The union covers trades like carpentry, millwright work, floor laying, and pile driving. [3] It is part of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America. [4]
The CMRCC started as the Indiana Kentucky Regional Council of Carpenters in 2005 when Indiana and Kentucky groups joined. [5] In 2011, Ohio locals added to make the Indiana Kentucky Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters (IKORCC). [2] In 2024, it changed to CMRCC to show its wide area and attract more members. [6] The union has grown its training spaces, like opening a new center in Merrillville, Indiana, in 2018. [7] It has faced legal issues, like members charged with theft from its welfare fund in 2016. [8] [9]
The CMRCC has 36 local groups across Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio. [2] It has about 37,000 members total, with 16,000 in Ohio. [2] Members work in carpentry, millwrights, floor covering, pile driving, and cabinet making. [3] Dues fund training and benefits like health care and pensions. [1] Many new members are under 34 years old. [1] The union has training centers in places like Columbus, Toledo, Richfield, and Cincinnati in Ohio, and Merrillville in Indiana. [4] [7] The training fund has about 1,714 participants and $20 million in assets. [5]
The CMRCC runs a four-year apprenticeship program with classroom and on-the-job learning. [1] Apprentices go to training one week every quarter at centers like Richfield, Ohio, or Merrillville, Indiana. [4] [10] They take classes at places like Ivy Tech and get a free associate degree. [1] Training covers tools, blueprints, welding, and new tech like solar panels. [3] To join, people pass math and drug tests and need a contractor sponsor. [4] Apprentices start at $16 to $19 an hour and get raises every six months. [2] The program has a 70 percent finish rate and works with over 200 schools. [11] It partners for pre-apprenticeships and accepts veterans and older workers. [12] Training costs $2,500 per student a year but is free. [4] It includes safety classes like fall prevention. [13]
CMRCC members build projects like factories, hospitals, bridges, and schools. [1] Journeymen earn $33 to $41 an hour plus benefits. [2] The union helps communities, like building playhouses for charity. [14] It has picketed over subcontractor issues. [15] The union runs events to recruit from schools. [3] It has dealt with bargaining disputes. [16]
The CMRCC supports worker rights like pay and safety. [6] It backs candidates from both parties. [6] In 2024, it endorsed Mike Braun for Indiana governor and put its political director on his team. [6]