The International Executive Board of the United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers has approved a “Professional Code of Conduct and Standards of Mutual Responsibility.” It was introduced to local unions on January 1, 2007, and the International Union is encouraging its local unions to make it part of their Constitution and By-laws.

“The Code of Conduct is our union’s program to promote jobsite excellence and customer satisfaction,” said International President Kinsey M. Robinson. “It is our intent to have the Code of Conduct encourage our members to perform the highest quality work and quantity of work, maximize their skills and abilities, exercise safe and productive work practices, eliminate those practices that reduce our contractors’ profit margins, and treat our signatory contractors as our partners in business.”

The Roofers join with the IBEW, United Association, Asbestos Workers, the Painters and other building trades unions in adopting a program designed to assist their signatory contractors in becoming more competitive in the unionized construction industry.

The International Union, its affiliated Local Unions and District Councils strive to achieve the highest ethical conduct from all officers and executive board members. It is particularly important for individuals who hold management and membership governance positions of trust and confidence to fulfill the mission and goals of the organization.

To achieve the highest standards of conduct, each officer and executive board member is required to comport themselves in accordance with this Statement of Personal and Professional Standards of Conduct upon election and each successive election thereafter.

All officers and executive board members are required and expected to exercise the highest ethical standards of conduct and practice fundamental honesty at all times. In support of the Union’s standard of high ethical conduct, each officer and executive board member
WILL NOT:

• Deceive, defraud or mislead other officers, staff members, managers, supervisors, trustees, members or those with whom the Union has business or other relationships;
• Misrepresent the Union in any negotiations, dealings, contracts or agreements;
• Divulge or release any information of a proprietary nature relating to the Union’s plans, mission, databases or operations without appropriate approval of the executive board;
• Violate the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959, as amended (LMRDA) and its accompanying regulations;
• Accept anything of value from industry employers;
• Withhold their best efforts to perform their duties to acceptable standards;
• Engage in unethical business practices of any type;
• Use Union property or financial resources for personal benefit unless authorized by the executive board and properly reported as additional compensation to the recipient;
• Use the services of Union personnel for personal benefit;

All officers and executive board members of the Union shall timely file all required reporting forms with the U.S. Department of Labor. Infractions of this Statement of Personal and Professional Standards of Conduct are to be reported directly to the principal officer or president, who shall, in his or her determination, bring the infraction to the full executive board, who shall determine the appropriate action to take.

The Constitution and By-Laws is the governing document of the Union, providing a roadmap to a better quality of life for union members and their families.

The purpose of the union is to create and maintain a more harmonious and amicable relationship with one another and for the mutual benefit of all within the roofing and waterproofing trade; to increase, nourish and sustain the prestige and dignity of all affiliated local unions, at the same time guaranteeing local and individual autonomy; to broaden the scope of usefulness and extend the field of employment of each and every individual member; to protect and improve the economic conditions and quality of life of members and all working people, their families and their communities; to confederate as far as practicable our somewhat rather spasmodic individual efforts into one continuous collective undertaking for the upbuilding and improvement of the Union and its members.

This Constitution and By-Laws as amended has deftly guided the actions of generations of unionized roofers and waterproofers since 1903.