Shortage of plumbers—what shortage?

Massachusetts, and the Boston area in particular, has one of the highest rates of unfilled construction jobs in the country. As they try to staff up to meet surging demand amid a red-hot construction market, many contractors are singing the blues. But not GBPCA contractors that work with Plumbers Local 12.

“We don’t have a shortage of workers,” says Harry Brett, business manager for Local 12. According to a famous movie line, if you build it, they will come. The union finds that if it offers decent wages and benefits, a steady stream of people will come to Local 12—and they will help build any project, large or small, for GBPCA contractors. “We have plenty of applicants for our apprentice program,” Brett adds. “They know that they are applying for a lifelong, prosperous career, not just a job.”

Read more about how GBPCA contractors are able to staff projects using Local 12 plumbers.

GBPCA contractors and Local 12 plumbers on Merrimack Valley recovery front line

People typically take plumbing and heating systems for granted—until something goes wrong. Then they realize the critical roles that plumbers and gasfitters play.

Things went horribly wrong in Lawrence, Andover, and North Andover on September 13 when a natural gas disaster caused explosions and fires throughout the communities. One person was killed, two dozen people were injured, and many properties sustained damage. About 8,400 Columbia Gas customers had their service shut off, and, in the weeks that have followed, have had to cope with the loss of heat and hot water as well as the use of their gas-fueled appliances. An army of Local 12 plumbers representing many Greater Boston Plumbing Contractor Association members has been playing a critical role in the recovery effort.

Read more the important work that GBPCA contractors and Local 12 plumbers did in the Merrimack Valley.

Hugh Kelleher’s Harvard-to-plumbing pipeline

After 34 years in the industry, the last 20 of which he served as the executive director of the Greater Boston Plumbing Contractors Association (previously known as the PHCC of Greater Boston), Hugh Kelleher retired at the end of 2017. The Pipeline sat down with him to learn how and why he chose to become a plumber in his early 30s, to find out what he was doing before then, and to ask him to reflect on his journey.

Kelleher's story, which includes attending Phillips Academy Andover and Harvard University and a stint as press secretary and speechwriter for Congressman Jim Shannon is fascinating. Read more about the curious path that led Kelleher to the plumbing trade.

New England's tallest residential tower take shape

At 61 stories and 742 feet, One Dalton in the Back Bay will be the third tallest building in Boston. Now under construction, it will house the city's second Four Seasons hotel as well as private residences. It is scheduled to be finished in spring 2019.

GBPCA contractor E.M. Duggan is installing 161,000 feet of plumbing—that's over 30 miles of pipe winding its way through the tower. Bob Jones, Duggan's general foreman, is overseeing the crew.

The massive building is being constructed on a postage stamp-sized lot, so the project poses logistical challenges. The highly efficient project is a model of "lean construction." Read more about One Dalton in The Pipeline.

Medical Gas: A Matter of Life and Death

“When they put the mask on you before you go under for surgery, it would be comforting to know that the medical gas system had been properly installed. I would sure want to know that a trained, certified plumber did the work.”

That's what my colleague, Local 12 Business Manager Harry Brett, said recently in an article, "Medical Gas: A Matter of Life and Death," published in "The Pipeline," a newsletter for the Eastern Massachusetts Plumbing Industry. It's something to which we can all relate.

And yet, because of a lapse in the Commonwealth’s laws, there are no regulations that govern the installation of medical gas piping systems in Massachusetts. A bill currently before the state legislature would establish regulations and bring medical gas piping systems under the control of the Massachusetts Board of Examiners of Plumbers and Gasfitters. The board would set standards to ensure that licensed, trained plumbers would perform the critical work.

Read more about this important issue.

Protecting Consumers and Licensees

There is a classic poster from the 1930s that proclaims, “The Plumber Protects the Health of the Nation.” As Wayne Thomas sees it, the role of the Mass. Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gas Fitters is to protect Massachusetts’ consumers from all things related to plumbing. Among other important considerations, the health and safety of the Commonwealth’s citizens are at stake.

But, its executive director says, the Board also provides protection for licensees. It monitors unlicensed practice, for example. It’s a delicate balancing act. The Board stands at the juncture between the public and the plumbers who keep the water flowing in the state.

The Massachusetts Plumbing Code serves as the Board’s platform on which it balances. Its regulations and state laws light the way for licensees and provide a uniform path for compliance. The code helps insure the safety and integrity of the state’s plumbing infrastructure all the way to the consumers who rely on it. The Board spends a lot of time focused on the code — especially lately as it is in the middle of a major overhaul, the first in 11 years.

Read more about the Massachusetts Plumbing Board and its executive director in The Pipeline, the newsletter about the Eastern Massachusetts plumbing industry.

Helping to Make Housing Affordable

Riding a wave of robust growth, the Boston area has an urgent need for additional housing — particularly affordable housing. In the city of Boston alone, Mayor Martin J. Walsh has called for building 53,000 more units, including subsidized moderate- and low-income housing, by 2030. The Greater Boston Plumbing Contractors Association (GBPCA) and Local 12 want to be part of the solution.

To fill the need, developers are building many mid-rise wood frame apartment buildings throughout the region. AvalonBay, for example, is developing a 400-unit project in Quincy. It includes five buildings, each five stories tall, with studio as well as one- and two-bedroom apartments for rent. Thanks to the creation of a new residential division, Local 12 plumbers are on the job at Avalon Quincy working for GBPCA contractor, Patriot Plumbing.

They are making a strong first impression. Read the full article in The Pipeline, the newsletter about the Eastern Massachusetts plumbing industry.