Mechanical Insulators LMCT Executive Director Pete Ielmini kicked off his first appearance of 2025 on the America’s Work Force Union Podcast by discussing member recruitment efforts and the Construction Working Minds Summit.
Ielmini began his conversation with AWF host Ed “Flash” Ferenc discussing recruitment and how Local Unions aren’t receiving the high number of applicants they used to in the 80s and 90s.
The Insulators Union is increasing its outreach through social media and going to schools to talk to students about joining an insulator-registered apprenticeship program and the benefits of joining a union.
“Not many people understand what the process is,” Ielmini said. “And we’re trying all different ways to be able to increase the applicants.”
Ielmini emphasized that now is a better time than ever to join a trade that offers a good salary with benefits.
Ferenc then asked Ielmini how many jobs will still be needed in the near future and if an apprentice who starts their apprenticeship training now will still be in high demand when they turn out as a journeyman in four years.
Ielmini said one of the many benefits of working in the union construction industry is the ability to travel to work on projects and there will be big projects to work on for the foreseeable future.
“There is always going to be a demand for construction labor,” Ielmini said.
As an example, during the COVID shutdown five years ago, Ielmini said construction remained the same and the trades kept working.
Construction Working Minds Summit
The conversation switched to mental health, and Ielmini said he will be traveling to Dallas next month to attend the Construction Working Minds Summit where he will sit on a panel to talk about the Insulators Member Assistance Program.
Ielmini is hopeful the summit will allow him to spread more information about the Insulators MAP and its webpage to help members of the Insulators Union who may be battling with suicidal thoughts or addiction.
“People are dying in the construction field five times more than they are of construction accidents,” Ielmini said.
Ielmini expressed his concern that suicide is ranked in the top 10 causes of death in the United States and said another concern about mental health stems from substance abuse, whether it be alcohol or drugs.
Ielmini said he didn’t know much about mental health when he attended the first CWM Summit three years ago but left educated and eager to break the stigma that surrounds mental health in the union construction industry.
“There’s a tremendous barrier where people feel something is wrong with them if they need help, and we’re trying to break those stigmas about it because nothing is wrong with them,” Ielmini said.
Listen to Ielmini and Ferenc talk more about union recruitment efforts and the Construction Working Minds Summit: here.