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Demand calls for second MOST project management class Sixteen Boilermakers completed a second session of MOST’s project management class offered in early August in Kansas City, Missouri. The MOST trustees met earlier in the year and agreed demand for the training warranted adding a second class each year going forward. The second 2026 class filled quickly. Pictured from the August class are: Front row: Derek Patin, MOST training rep; Smitty Minton, MOST representative; Jacob Sabel, L-647 (Minneapolis, Minnesota); Ryan Burns, L-40 (Elizabethtown, Kentucky); George Kennedy, L-374 (Hobart, Indiana); Josh Halsted, L-69 (Little Rock, Arkansas); Kenneth Steinert, L-169 (Detroit); James Keith and Adam Felty, L-105 (Chillicothe, Ohio); Michael Kirk, L-13 (Philadelphia) and Skipper Branscum, Instructor. Back row: Mark Garrett, MOST Administrator; Michael Suplizio, Instructor; Richard Ilarraza and Dillon Griffen, L-92 (Los Angeles); Warren Ortenblad, L-647; Nicholas Neu, L-374; Josh Henneman, L-85 (Toledo, Ohio); Christopher Warren, L-363 (East St. Louis, Illinois); Cory Linderman and John Neale, L-83 (Kansas City, Missouri) and Gerry Klimo, Instructor. — Oct 27
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Turning personal challenges into advocacy Don Slater from Local 359 (Vancouver, British Columbia) has dedicated himself to serving his community and advocating for people with disabilities across Alberta. That commitment has earned him national and provincial recognition, including the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers and the King Charles III Coronation Medal in 2025, as well as the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal in 2022. Slater began his Boilermaker career in 1993 after completing BCIT’s Entry Level Boilermaker program and earning his Welding Pressure B certificate. Inspired by his brother Dave, he entered a trade that would become an important part of his life. Early in his career, Slater suffered injuries in a car accident while returning home from a job. As his pain worsened, he was eventually forced to retire on disability. Though his disability is not visible, he lives with chronic pain and understands firsthand how easily invisible disabilities can be dismissed. That experience has fueled his determination to ensure the voices of those with disabilities are heard. He began his service through acts of kindness for others with disabilities—finding an air-conditioning unit and helping with electrical and plumbing problems. This service eventually grew into a broader commitment to advocacy. Slater now speaks publicly, meets with politicians and writes opinion pieces for newspapers across Alberta. He has also run for MLA in Edmonton’s 2023 provincial election and a 2025 by-election. Today, he continues to represent the disability community at public events and serves on the board of Albertans with Disabilities Without Poverty. For Slater, volunteering is about more than lending a hand. It is about recognizing the dignity and worth of every person, especially those who may be society’s most vulnerable. “Volunteering is one of the quiet ways we remind ourselves that a human life has value beyond what it can produce or give back,” he said. “To protect the vulnerable is to recognize that the measure of a society is not how it treats the powerful, but how gently it holds those who have been given the least strength to protect themselves.” — Oct 20
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IVP-Northeast John Fultz embodied strength, conviction, integrity The International Brotherhood of Boilermakers will long remember International Vice President – Northeast John Fultz for his dedicated service to the Northeast Section and the union as a whole. Fultz passed away unexpectedly Aug. 13. He will be remembered as unshakable in his convictions and focused sharply on what mattered: the Boilermakers union and his work with the Boilermakers National Funds. Fultz began building a lifetime career with the Boilermakers immediately after graduating from high school in Oswego, New York. Starting at age 18 as an apprentice with Local 175 (now Local 5, Zone 175), Fultz graduated as a journeyman in 1978 and worked as a field construction Boilermaker until 1997, when he was elected Business Manager/Secretary-Treasurer of his local. Over his 53-year Boilermaker career, Fultz was well respected, earning him appointments through the ranks from International Rep to Assistant Director—and then Executive Director—of Construction Sector Operations and Assistant Director of Administrative Affairs. As AD-CSO, Fultz was a vocal advocate for nuclear energy and championed the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant (Plant Vogtle) in eastern Georgia. In 2017, the International Executive Council elected him to serve as IVP-Northeast upon the retirement of IVP David Haggerty. Fultz was reelected to five-year terms as IVP by each subsequent Consolidated Convention delegate body, most recently in July 2026. Consultant Mike Bray, former owner of the contracting firm Shelby Mechanical and past president of MCI/Hake, remembered when he first met Fultz. Bray was in desperate need of an immediate Boilermaker workforce for a trash to steam project. Fultz, as BM-ST of L-5/Zone 175, met that need. That first encounter started a lifelong friendship between the two men. “We became close,” Bray said. “I would run things by him, and he would do the same with me. He was a great man.” The two went on to serve on several boards supporting the union such as MOST, Common Arc, Annuity and BNAP to name a few. “He was extremely conscientious and extremely loyal,” Bray said. “John did the right thing every time. He had an impeccable reputation and a charisma about him like no other. They broke the mold when they made him. He was one of a kind. When he passed, it left a great void.” In addition to his duties as Northeast International Vice President, Fultz served on the boards of the Boilermakers National Health and Welfare Fund for 24 years and the Boilermaker-Blacksmith National Pension Trust for 10 years, as well as serving for 14 years as a representative on the Joint Committee on the Administration for the National Funds. He was instrumental in transitioning the Boilermakers National Funds to where it is today. “Lots of people care, but John cared and got involved, which is not something everyone can say they did. And that was just him. In work and play and in everything he did, he went all out all the time and didn’t do anything halfway,” said Mario Rodriguez, BNF’s Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer. He was courageous, unafraid to raise questions and challenge the status quo. After wrongdoing was discovered to have been committed by former International President Newton Jones, it was Fultz who filed the Article 17 charges which ultimately led to Jones being stripped of membership and ousted from office. “Brother Fultz leaves a legacy of dedicated service to the members of our union, and he was a friend to all who knew him,” said International President Timothy Simmons. “John Fultz was a man of integrity and character, and he loved our union. He was a true Boilermaker.” As much as Fultz dedicated his time to his work and Boilermaker-related activities, his first love was his family—his wife, Carol Fultz, and his children and grandchildren. His greatest days were when his entire family gathered at his home during the July Fourth holiday, according to the tribute his children wrote. He loved watching his grandchildren catch frogs from the pond, laugh and play, and ride the four-wheelers. He enjoyed being ‘Papa’ to his grandchildren. As an avid outdoorsman, who loved working on his property, Fultz enjoyed hunting and fishing and was a long-time participant in the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance Kansas City sporting clays fundraising shoot. In recent years, he’d became a personal champion of USA’s Boilermakers Get Youth Outdoors. In all he did, Fultz had an eye to the future and encouraged everyone around him to do the same. It’s a gift imprinted upon all who knew him. “John wasn’t afraid of change, and he instilled that in us,” said Christine King, BNF Managing Director and Director of Retirement Plans. “We’re always trying to look forward. John encouraged that. He wanted us to do that. He would want us to do that now.” Visit John's obituary page. — Oct 20
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Workers win union vote at Alta Material Handling Employees at Alta Material Handling voted Oct. 15 to join the Boilermakers union, capping an organizing campaign that took just over a month. Director of Organizing Carlos Brooks, Director of Manufacturing, Blacksmiths, Forgers, Metal Workers Don Brown, IR Tim Tolley and Organizer Mike Hancock led the campaign, which will bring the company’s entire workforce under a union contract. The Lewiston, Maine-based dealer sells and rents forklifts and provides parts, repair services and warehouse solutions. Workers include forklift mechanics, shop technicians and road technicians. Brooks stressed the importance of empowering workers to build support among their coworkers. “At some point, we’re not running the campaign. If I can empower the workers, they’ll be able to reach the people they see every day more than I can,” he said. “Workers feel comfortable. They know them. We don’t have to spend a lot of money and resources to have a victory.” — Oct 19
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Delegates debate, adopt amendments to Boilermakers constitution Throughout the week, delegates considered 236 resolutions to amend articles to the Boilermakers constitution. Several resolutions prompted lively and respectful debate among delegates, resulting in over two dozen changes to the constitution. Among the proposed amendments that passed, the Law Committee and the International President submitted several changes limiting the sole authority of the president, instead assigning those decisions to the entire International Executive Council. In addition to original proposed amendments brought forth through the Law Committee, the bulk of them were submitted to Headquarters before Convention convened. A proposed amendment requiring International Reps to be elected rather than appointed faced opposition, as did a resolution that would have required International Vice Presidents to be elected by the regions they serve. Supporters argued that members should have the right to elect the IVP responsible for their jurisdiction. Opponents countered that the International Executive Council addresses matters affecting the entire Brotherhood, regardless of jurisdiction. They also warned that the proposal could enable the largest locals to consistently elect an IVP from their own ranks and ultimately weaken the unity and solidarity of the union. Following are summaries of amendments to the Boilermaker Constitution that were adopted by the delegates. · Amendment to Article 2.10.3: This article determines per diem for Convention committees and now requires approval of the International Executive Council in addition to the International President. · Amendment to Article 2.13: This amendment moves the election of officers from eighth order of Convention business to fifth order of Convention business. · Article 4.6 and 4.6.1: This amendment states that no delegates who are age 70 ½ or older shall be eligible to be nominated or elected to an International Officer position. · Article 4.6.2: This amendment deletes the article in its entirety. It eliminates severance pay for International Officers upon retirement or death while in office. · Article 4.7.2: This amendment states no International Officer, appointed International Representative or employee of the International shall receive compensation from Bank of Labor for service on its Board of Directors. · Article 5.2.3: Delegates approved a new amendment to the IBB Constitution, which states: “All International travel designated for union business, outside the United States and Canada, must be pre-approved by the Executive Council.” · Article 5.3: This amendment shifts authority from the International President to the Executive Council to make changes concerning District or Local Lodge trade or work jurisdiction, and their geographical jurisdiction. · Article 5.4.1: This amendment removes sole authority of the International President to consolidate lodges and gives that authority to the International Executive Council. · Article 5.6: The amendment ends the requirement to automatically disband lodges that have fewer than 35 members. · Article 5.8: The amendment increases required International Executive Council meetings from semi-annually to quarterly and allows for additional meetings to be called by a majority of the Executive Council. · Article 6: This amendment changes a portion of the article to read: “There shall be an International Board of Trustees consisting of the International Executive Council and the International Secretary-Treasurer, hereinafter called ‘Board of Trustees’.” Before adoption, the Board of Trustees only consisted of the President, Secretary-Treasurer and one other IEC member. The new amendment requires the Board of Trustees to consist of the entire IEC and the International Secretary-Treasurer. · Article 6.6 and 6.7: These amendments delete both articles related to the Board of Trustees in their entirety. Article 6.6 covers Term of Office and Filling Vacancies, and 6.7 covers Termination of Responsibility. · Article 7.3: This amendment freezes the salary of the International President for the duration of the Constitution, unless amended at a future Consolidated Convention of the Brotherhood. Therefore, in accordance with Articles 8.2 and 9.4, the salaries of the International Vice Presidents and the International Secretary-Treasurer are adjusted and frozen as well. · Article 7.4: This amendment increases the per diem for International Reps from $75 to $125 a day. · Article 9.4: This amendment removes the sole authority of the International President over the International Secretary-Treasurer and gives supervisory authority to the International Executive Council instead. · Article 12.2.1: The amendment updates the per capita tax rate to reflect the change from $34.95 to its current rate of $38.95. · Article 12.2.2: The amendment allows the International Executive Council to reduce or waive all annual per capita adjustments when circumstances warrant. · Article 12.2.3.: This amendment allows the International Executive Council to waive all or part of the contingency increase when circumstances warrant. · Amendment to Article 16.2: This amendment covers strike benefits. It increases the strike benefit from $325 to $375 effective August 1, 2026, for each member in good standing. · Amendment to add subsection to Article 17.1: The amendment covers disciplinary procedures, trials and appeals. Add the additional subsection 17.1.21: “Sexual harassment of any union member or officer.” · Amendment to Article 21.3.2: The amendment on Industrial Sector Operations Division Dues updates dues to the current rate moving from $6 to $6.50, effective January 1, 2026. · Amendment adds a new division to the Industrial Sector: “Within the Industrial Sector Operations there shall be a Manufacturing, Blacksmith, Forgers, Stove and Metal Workers Division comprised solely of those members who have an employment relationship with the manufacturing industry in the United States and Canada.” · Amendment to move the current 21.6.2 to 21.7. Amend to: “Manufacturing, Blacksmith, Forgers, and Metal Workers division dues shall be equal to the monthly ISO assessment dues, as stated in Article 21.3.2. The Lodge shall transmit to the International Secretary-Treasurer a monthly Per Capita Tax plus the Division dues set forth above.” · Amendment to Article 28.2: This article updates dues to the current rate for Construction Sector members changing from $50.85 to $54.85. · Amendment to Article 31.1.2: This amends the automatic acceptance of an application for transfer of membership. Add to Line 11: “There shall be no deviation from the foregoing requirements without prior approval of the International President.” · Amendment to Article 33: This article concerns salary adjustments of International Reps and staff. Article 33 is deleted in its entirety and replaced with: “Effective August 1, 2026, and on each August 1 thereafter, International Representatives and staff shall receive a wage increase of not more than five percent (5%) unless the Executive Council determines the overall condition of the Brotherhood consolidated funds do not warrant same. In that situation the Executive Council may approve a lesser amount as it deems appropriate.” This amendment caps the pay increase at 5% and gives the International Executive Council the authority to approve a lesser amount as it deems necessary. For more about the 35th Consolidated Convention visit: convention.boilermakers.org — Oct 16