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July 19, 2010 Road to Recovery: Part II

Union Feeling The Pinch Too

By Joanna Smiley

Since 1999, The International Union of Painters and Allied Trainers has called Route 5 home.

That’s given its Berlin training center a window to the changing economic landscape.

Each year, the center serves over 1,500 members and teaches 100 apprentices in its 15,000-square-foot facility, according to Michael Komaromi, director of training at the school. The building has two classrooms, an upstairs computer lab and “a lot of space” for hands on work, said Komaromi.

Like many industries, Komaromi has seen a significant drop in jobs for many of his union’s members. The union has also had to cut back, which included dropping some of its part-time training instructors, Komaromi said.

“In the past year, we’ve really slowed down. What we’re trying to do is train workers on new skills, such as green training. We’re also upgrading our skills to cover different fields, so, for example, painters learn faux finishing, glazers learning green training. What we’re hoping for is, during this time that many of our members are out of work, they come in to get specialized training that will help them in the future,” he said.

Training is free to members of the union, he added. The cost for an apprentice ranges from $170-$190, plus initiation fees and $30 a month dues. Komaromi says if members are employed typically their companies pay for a portion of the membership.

“Apprentices come in from all over Connecticut. Basically, where we are is the center of the state. You can’t get more center. Since we’re centrally located, it makes it easier for everyone to get here,” he said, noting training classes are held five days a week from September through the end of April and focus heavily on health, safety and skill advancement.

Since many of the apprentices work at the same time they’re training, sessions are held at night and on Saturdays. The union also collaborates on training sessions with several construction initiatives throughout the state including Capitol Workforce Partners and New Haven Equal Opportunity. Komaromi says working across the state helps give him better insight into recruiting new apprentices into the field.

On the plus side, Komaromi says even in the down economy he continues to benefit from having the training school on Route 5 because of his close relationships with his neighbors.

“We do business frequently with Pine Loft next door. They’re our best friends. Also next door is a landscaping business that does our plowing in the winter. I guess you could say that we do a lot of business on the Berlin Turnpike,” Komaromi said.

 

Road to Recovery Part II:

Demographic Changes Bring Opportunities

Union Feeling the Pinch Too

Openings on The Rise

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