Winners of BAC Silica Artwork Campaign Announced

JOURNAL: ISSUE 2 - 2014

1st Place Oil Painting Silent Killer Renata Bruza, Local 1 WV

2nd Place Song War Against Silica Dust Mark Ferland, Local 1 AB

In December 2013, the International Union initiated a union-wide “Stop Silica from Killing Again” campaign to raise awareness of the deadly consequences of silica exposure on the jobsite and gain support for final adoption of OSHA’s proposed silica standard. When asked to portray the dangers of silica in an artistic statement, submissions poured in over the next three months from U.S. and Canadian members and their families.

Through paintings, drawings, videos, music, poems and photographs, members shared their talent and vivid personal expressions about the hazards posed to construction workers by silica exposure, especially BAC members.

“Securing a standard that limits silica dust on our jobsites is among the most important issue for our members, bar none,” BAC President Boland said. “The success of this campaign proves without a doubt that we’ve got a lot of artistic talent out there, and there is no more compelling voice to raise awareness about the ravages of silica than the workers and families who are affected most.”

A total of $10,000 was awarded to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners. Cynthia Sorenson, the wife of Local 1 Minnesota/North Dakota member Allen Sorenson, received $2,000 for her poem, titled “The Trade, Our Trust.” Brother Marc Ferland of Local 1 Alberta was awarded $3,000 for his music video/song, “War Against Silica Dust.” An original oil painting titled “Silent Killer” by Sister Renata Bruza of Local 1 West Virginia garnered the campaign’s top prize of $5,000.

Many of the submissions were exhibited at the BAC Executive Council’s winter meeting, at which President Boland announced the winners on March 10th.

Please visit BAC’s website, www.bacweb.org, to view the winning entries and a sampling of other submissions.Under Training, Education, and Safety, select “Safety” then “Silica Exposure”.

Stop Silica from Killing Again

~ "THE TRADE", OUR TRUST ~

3rd Place

Poem
The TRADE, Our Trust

Cynthia Sorenson,
wife of Allen Sorenson of Local 1 MN/ND

Chose the "Trade" for the benefits;
Seen it for it's Art and Elements
Didn't know it when we were young,
Strong and stubborn, the work seemed fun.
Hardhat, workboots, gloves n goggles;
Hammer, trigs, lineblocks, toggles.
Here's a trowel, lay some mud;
Don't be slow, we need you bud.
Brick on Brick, our times in motion;
Stone on stone, with such devotion.
To the line we must lay;

hope to tarry another day.
Heavy are the stone and marble;
Bricks a breeze, the layers garble.
Climbing scaffold like some monkeys,
All for money, like some junkies.
Eight hours worked, then pull the pin;
Head on home, then back again.
One day off or maybe two;
It's unemployment that makes us blue.
With another on the way,
It's back to work, there's bills to pay.
Raising a family doing this work;
Can't complain or, be a jerk.
Paid our dues in time and money;
Worked hard all day; Too tired honey…
Trudgin' round the unflat ground;
Our hurtin' knees don't make a sound.
We need the Nsaids all the time;
The Trade= Our health, for a dime.
But we traded so much more than time;
We traded Life and Limb for lyme.
Getting older, getting wiser;
Turning colder, turning miser.
Coughing up some dirt and dust;
Toward a pension, it's our Trust.
For all the beauty we have built,
our health has left us with some guilt.
Now all the complainin' that we do,
we love this work we look forward to.
Built Strong and built to Last;
Are built by men, as in the past.
Then out of the dust, walks a mason in mask;
But can it deliver him from This Task?

So, When you gaze upon the Great Basilica,
Remember, lives End from breathing SILICA.