With the New Year finally upon us, the Finishing Trades Institute (FTI) has begun preparing for the challenges facing the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades in our industries. On January 18, 2017, the FTI hosted the Pulse of the Industry (POI) meetings at the IUPAT International Training Center in Hanover, Maryland. This particular meeting served as a follow-up to previous POI sessions that took place at the Finishing Industries Forum in Orlando last fall. The purpose of the Pulse of the Industry initiative is to compile data regarding specific challenges in our industries and to develop a plan of action to address these challenges while expanding our market share. Participants included district council leaders, union contractors, and IUPAT staff members representing the FTI.
The Pulse of the Industry program is one of many initiatives the IUPAT has in place to help grow our organization. Our Pulse of the Industry participants will return to their home councils and begin implementing the strategies of the committee, thus continuing to forge a promising future for the IUPAT and organized labor.