Finding Camaraderie in A New Brotherhood
Service to our country is a noble path, and many veterans leave the military with the skills necessary to succeed as Union Carpenters. In the Northwest, 9% of Council membership are veterans. In Portland, a dedicated network of veteran brothers and sisters meet to show support and camaraderie.
The Veterans in the Brotherhood meet monthly at the Regional Council office on Burnside every first Wednesday of the month. They build bonds and camaraderie, lend support to one another, and work toward building a stronger union. Aside from discussion on hot button union issues like bargaining and work outlook, they brainstorm ways to recruit more veterans to our union and ways to better retain those who are already members. Outreach efforts have increased at events aimed at career paths for veterans, and UBC members have played a large part.
Pacific Northwest Carpenters Institute (PNCI) enrollment numbers show that 7% of the active union carpenter apprentices are veterans. This places PNCI as one of the largest employers of veterans in the state of Oregon according to BOLI. Those participating in Veterans in the Brotherhood hope to increase the number of veterans in our trade even more.
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