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In February, 2007, the New England Regional Council of Carpenters (NERCC) purchased the building located at 750 Dorchester Avenue in Boston. The facility was once the home of the Dirigo Spice Corporation, and at another time it was used as the laundry facility for the Archdiocese of Boston.

Upon completion, the new Carpenters Center will serve as the headquarters for the New England Regional Council of Carpenters, the Boston Carpenters Apprenticeship Program and other affiliated entities. The new headquarters will replace a suite of leased offices the union now does business out of in South Boston as well as current training facility located in Brighton


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ADD Inc. is the architecture and design firm that was hired by NERCC, and Suffolk Construction as the construction manager for the project. Suffolk was recently named the largest general contractor in Massachusetts by the Boston Business Journal and has completed a string of medium and large-scale signature projects across the country.

The design of the building will provide three floors and 70,000 sq. ft of space. The existing second story walls and roof of the building will be removed and replaced with a structure that will hold a third floor. A parking deck will also be added, level to Dorchester Avenue and with spaces underneath, allowing for 90-100 total spaces. The design of the building should qualify it for LEED Certifiable status.


View from I-93.

The first floor of the building will hold shop and training space for the Boston Carpenters Joint Apprenticeship and Training Fund. The building already has high ceilings, which makes it a good fit for the use. The JATC will also use space in the second floor for administrative offices and classrooms. The training center will be joined on the second floor by the Carpenters Vision Center, an office offering services of First Trade Union Bank and a representative of the Massachusetts Carpenters Combined Benefits Fund who will serve as a “help desk” for members. The third floor of the building will include the New England Regional Council of Carpenters, the New England Carpenters Labor Management Program, Local Union offices, and organizing offices.

The building should be ready for occupancy in early 2010.


View from Dorchester Ave.

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Cabins Built by Apprentices Dedicated to Young Soldier

Apprentices from the New England Carpenter Training Center in Millbury, MA, recently completed a project at Camp Burgess, a YMCA summer camp in Sandwich, MA. The project began last September and was finished in time for the start of summer camp. Instructor Dana Bean oversaw the training project, which gave apprentices the unique opportunity for hands-on training off site from the training center.


The YMCA hoped for many years to build new cabins, but financial concerns kept the project on hold. Using the project as a training opportunity for apprentices saved the camp an estimated $35,000 in labor costs. With plans for a complete redesign of the camp in the future, both parties hope the training center will be able to work on projects at the camp in the future.

This summer, the South Shore YMCA dedicated the six cabins to honor Dana Bean’s son Matthew, who died of injuries suffered in Iraq while serving as a member of the Army’s 10th Mountain Division.

Kerry speaks out for EFCA

Massachusetts Senator John Kerry publicly reinforced his support for the Employee Free Choice Act today in a Guest Opinion piece in the Fall River (MA) Herald News. The bill, which would make it easier for workers to organize using either card check recognition or a secret ballot election, will be the biggest labor battle in Washington in several years.

Most American say they would like to be in a union, if the opportunity were more readily available, but heavy handed campaign tactics and little enforcement against rule breaking employers during NLRB elections often keep organizing efforts from moving forward successfully.

NERCC Organizer Mike Mizzone is getting the hero treatment after saving his 81-year old neighbor from his burning home yesterday. The house was ablaze and the neighbor was passed out on the kitchen floor when Mizzone raced in and carried the man out to safety. Check out the full story, including an interview with Mike, here.

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Wednesday, 11:58 AM
From the Metro staff at The Boston Globe
Governor: Stimulus not a 'panacea' for fiscal ills
February 18, 2009 09:23 AM Email| Comments (26)| Text size – +

By John Drake, Globe Staff

Governor Deval Patrick tried to temper expectations today as he announced that Massachusetts would receive $6 billion to $9 billion over the next two years in federal stimulus money.

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Governor Deval Patrick

Patrick cut off applause during his speech this morning to the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce when he announced the figures, saying that the state still faced "difficult choices."

"This stimulus package will not be a panacea," Patrick told the audience at the Intercontinental Hotel in downtown Boston.

The federal aid package signed into law on Tuesday by President Obama will, however, help plug 20 percent of the $6.5 billion gap in the state's operating budget for two fiscal years, Patrick said. Massachusetts will also receive $1 billion for infrastructure, including $400 million for highways and $300 million for transportation. The stimulus package will also include funds for university research and $800 million for education.

The governor, however, warned people "not to get too excited," because much of the money was earmarked for specific programs.

Patrick mentioned that he plans to release his transportation reform proposal on Friday. In response, an audience member asked the governor whether he favored a toll hike or an increase in the gas tax.

Patrick turned the question back on the audience and asked for a show of hands. Nearly the entire room voted for a hike in the gas tax. Fewer than five people raised their hands in support of a toll increase.