MOST Celebrates 25 Years

MOST Celebrates 25 Years

Twenty-five years ago, our industry saw a need for change that focused on elevating Boilermaker performance, instilling a culture of safety and bringing added value throughout the union-Owner-Contractor relationship. From this need, a joint effort of the Brotherhood and NACBE created the Manpower, Optimization, Stabilization and Training trust fund, or MOST. (Manpower was changed to Mobilization in 1991.) MOST enabled the Boilermakers and signatory Contactors to establish a funding mechanism for program development and administration, and soon the National Tripartite Alliance began pioneering innovative approaches to safety, training, drug testing and other industry priorities.

International President Charles W. Jones introduced MOST in 1989 during the Construction Division conference in Kansas City. His dedication to increasing the skills of Boilermakers while providing value to owners and contractors was formally recognized when MOST was awarded one of the construction industry’s highest honors – the Construction Innovation Forum NOVA Award.

The collective efforts put forth through MOST have saved lives, reduced lost time and compensable injuries, improved productivity, and saved owners and contractors billions of dollars.

MOST focuses on improving the quality and skill level of Boilermakers while providing efficiencies and cost effectiveness to the industry. A recent addition to the MOST programs, the Boilermaker Delivery System, is an Internet-based application that provides hiring halls greater efficiency in managing manpower requests while allowing Boilermakers broader access to the traveler’s pool, thus increasing their opportunities for work. In addition, the system is aligned with the Joint Referral Rules to help reduce job-hopping and absenteeism. Another program in development – The Boilermaker Code – is designed “as a guidepost for all Boilermakers to perform at the highest levels in their industry,” according to International President Newton B. Jones.

As we celebrate this silver anniversary, MOST remains a pillar of excellence, standing apart as a forum to discuss and solve industry challenges, fulfill the promise of safety for Boilermakers and deliver unmatched value to our business partners.