It's National Apprenticeship Week. A time to reflect on the contributions by union members across the country that have built apprenticehsip programs into what they are today. A time to appreciate all of the journey level workers that provide the much needed on the job training required to continue our craft into the future. Finally, a time to thank the staff at our Western Washington Masonry Trades programs that provide the classroom instruction, certifications, and administration needed to progress our apprentices through Washington State's registered system.

Masonry and Steel. Architects and engineers will tell you that if you want a commercial building to last, you will build it with masonry and steel. The timber industry is spending millions of dollars lobbying for incentives and preferrential treatment to commercial buildings that will take a risk and use cross-laminated timber (CLT) for their structural designs. 

**This page has been updated from the original to include the results of the election at the bottom

On June 12, 2020 the Election Committee counted the initial vote and nominations for sending delgates to the IU Convention later this year. The Management Committee's recommendation of sending 8 delegates and 0 alternates to the convention passed with 62% voting YES and 38% voting NO. The nominees are as follows: