The Department of Ornamental, Architectural & Miscellaneous Metal is responsible for providing information, and coordinating special services and unique training. Many faces of the ironworking trade come under the umbrella of the Ornamental and Architectural Department. The two most prominent are curtain wall and related items, and the installation of detention equipment and all component parts.
The Department works on a day-to-day basis with regional and national contractors throughout North America. The Department contacts prospective contractors who bid on various projects and, once a bid is accepted, ensures that the local membership has the appropriate skills and training necessary to complete the job.
If, for example, a local area plans to build a structure requiring complex ornamental ironwork there will be need for an ornamental ironworking contractor. Because of the specialized installation needs of this type of structure, there may not be a contractor in the area who has the background to bid on the job. This is where the Department of Ornamental, Architectural & Miscellaneous Metal provides its essential services.
The Department will consult a list of nationwide signatory contractors and will then contact the contractors who have experience with the required type of job, informing them of the opportunity to submit a bid. Once bids have been made, and one is accepted, the Department will coordinate with both the contractor and local union to determine whether the ironworking membership in the area has the appropriate experience for the job. If it is learned that the workforce is in need of additional training, the Department provides the necessary job-specific classroom and hands-on training courses. This ensures that there will be enough qualified union workers to fulfill the contractor’s requirements. The training also serves as an enhancement of the local ironworker’s skills, which may help the workers to gain additional work opportunities in the future.
The Department also handles all jurisdictional disputes from start to finish at no cost to the contractor.
