Winter 2025

Our next membership meeting will take place on April 18, 2025. This meeting will be at The United Trades Building located at 119 S. Front Street, Marquette, MI. 49885.

Congratulations to Grant Genaw on winning our local apprenticeship competition. By winning, Grant will now represent our local at the Great Lakes Area competition in Indiana this Summer. If you see Grant, please congratulate him and encourage him on his upcoming event. We are all very proud of him. Way to go!

Spring is just around the corner, and so are many of our annual events. With our annual golf outing and picnics in all four areas, there are plenty of opportunities to volunteer and attend these events. We need more of our younger members to get involved if we are to continue our rich tradition of Brotherhood at these family fun events.

Local 169 is celebrating its 130th anniversary this year! Founded in 1895, our local has survived through good times and bad. For all those who came before us, and all those with the courage and loyalty to stay true to our great Brotherhood, I offer my sincere gratitude and congratulations. Pick up our new 130th anniversary stickers at the Union Hall or at our next scheduled union meeting.

Local 169 is happy to invite members to “Union Day” at Comerica Park. Unions across Michigan will be attending this game on Saturday, April 26th at 1:00 pm. Your local has tickets in section 138 for the Tigers vs the Orioles on this date. If you are interested in attending, please contact Jamie Ratliff. The first ticket is free to members in good standing. Additional tickets may be available for $50.00 which is discounted from the $62.00 face value. Members will be given priority over those purchasing additional tickets. Call to reserve your ticket, make your additional ticket request, and if extra tickets are available, you will be informed. Please take advantage of this opportunity to attend this union event with your Brothers & Sisters.

Get ready to celebrate Local 169’s 130th anniversary! Our annual dinner dance will be held on June 28th at the Atheneum in downtown Detroit. This event is always a great time. The event will begin at 6:00 pm and end at 12:00. With an open bar, live music, and great food, this is an easy decision. Complimentary beer steins and shot glasses will be available for members to enjoy a “boilermaker” and take home at the end of the night. 130 years is a huge milestone for our organization, I hope you will ALL take advantage of this opportunity to show your Boilermaker Pride and celebrate this historic accomplishment. Rooms are available at the discounted rate of $239.00 with valet parking available at a discounted rate of $20.00. Use the word Boilermaker for the discount when making your reservation. Please send a $50.00 check to reserve your spot at this event. Significant others are welcome to attend. Your check will be returned upon arrival. This is necessary to establish a proper head count for food and beverage totals.

With our current full employment and a large group of new apprentices, I encourage every member to make safety your number one priority. The busy workload looks like it will continue throughout the year so please make every effort to safeguard yourself and your Brothers and Sisters on the job.

In an effort to assist our Brotherhood, the Executive Council of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers has voted to waive the increase in monthly dues for the second year in a row. Current Union dues for 2024 are $55.85 and will remain $55.85 for the 2025 calendar year in accordance with the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers Constitution. The Union Hall accepts Visa, Mastercard, and Discover. Payments can be made both at the Union Hall and over the phone.

We are scheduling an MSHA class for the upcoming Tilden Mine work. Any member that requires this training should contact Area 4 Business Agent Jim Calouette or contact the Union Hall to be added to the list. You will be informed of the time and location of the training once the class is filled.

OSHA 10 and OSHA 30 safety training can now be taken online. Please visit our website – www.boilermakerslocal169.com- for more information.

Any member interested in taking the Great Lakes Safety for Corteva please contact Area 3 Business Agent, Mike Card at 989-662-6491.

Any members interested in EPRI Rigging, which is required for working in the Nuclear Plants. Please contact Tony Herrera at 616-296-9131, or Jamie Ratliff at 313-584-8520. Your name will be added to the list. Once we have a full class, you will be notified when and where to attend. Per your International, any member with EPRI training will not be required to have Rigging 1 through 4 for placement on the BDS.

Retirees: Retiree luncheons

 Area 1 Retiree luncheon is on the first Wednesday of every month at 11:00 am at the White Rhino Sports Bar located at 4328 Oakwood, Melvindale, Michigan 48122.

 Area 2 Retirees hold luncheons on the first Thursday of every month at 11am at Whitlow’s Forerunner Restaurant located at 4610 Airline Rd, Muskegon MI. All retirees and members from all areas are welcome to attend.

 Area 3 Retirees luncheon is the 3rd Wednesday of the month. The next lunch will be March 19 at 11AM at The Boulevard Lounge, the address is 316 S. Saginaw Road, Midland, Midland, Mi. 48640. All retirees and members from all areas are welcome to attend.

 Area 4 Retirees’ lunches are on the first Tuesday of the month at 11am in Rapid River at Jacks Restaurant 7898 S. Main Street, Rapid River, MI. Area 4 retirees also meet in Marquette on the second Tuesday of the month at 11am at Crossroads Bar on the corner of County Rd 553 and County Road 480.

Hoodies have arrived in all sizes at the Union Hall. The cost is $45.00. Payments can be made with cash or a check. If you live outside of the area and would like to order one, please call the hall. Additional shipping charges will be added. Baseball caps are also available. Varsity jackets are available by special order. Please contact the Union Hall for details.

The upcoming MSHA training schedule is available at www.boilermakerslocal169 or on our Facebook page.

The cost of your T.W.I.C. card is reimbursable from the M.O.R.E. Fund. Contact the Union Hall for reimbursement.

Any member needing the services of a Notary Public can do so at no charge at the Boilermakers Local 169 Union Hall.  Please call ahead to ensure availability.
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Any current apprentice that is eligible to utilize their G.I. Bill should contact their branch of service regarding this benefit. Your apprenticeship training qualifies for reimbursement under the terms of the G.I. Bill. I advise all apprentices who qualify to take advantage of this well-deserved benefit.