The Executive Board of the New England Regional Council of Carpenters has named Thomas J. Flynn executive secretary-treasurer following the recent retirement of Mark Erlich. Flynn was sworn in to the position on March 1.

For the past five years, Flynn had been serving as the national political director for the United Brotherhood of Carpenters. For seven years previously, he was the regional political director for NERCC and the executive director of the New England Carpenters Labor-Management Program. He has held a position on the NERCC Executive Board since 2010.

“It is a tremendous honor to return to Boston to work with my brothers and sisters in New England on a full-time basis, and I am grateful to the executive board for the opportunity,” Flynn said. “Working with the UBC on a national basis for five years gave me an opportunity to learn from a wide variety of people, from carpenters and union leaders, to contractors, subcontractors and developers and of course lobbyists, candidates and elected officials.”

Flynn added, “On a national, regional and local level, the Carpenters union is well-prepared to serve the industry. We are unique in that we serve so many different roles. We are primarily representatives of our fellow union members on the job, at the negotiating table and in administration of training and benefit funds. But we have valuable, cooperative partnerships with signatory contractors, which help both the contractors and members.”

Building on a strong foundation

Flynn is a 30-year member of the Carpenters union and a native of Dorchester. He now resides in Milton with his family. One of his sons is currently a third-year apprentice carpenter.

While previously working for NERCC, Flynn was the regional manager for affiliated local unions in the Boston area. He has been a trustee for the New England Carpenters Combined Benefit Funds and apprenticeship funds.

“Mark Erlich set a very high standard for our union and has improved the lives of thousands and thousands of trades workers," Flynn said. "He helped not only members of the Carpenters union, but so many other workers in our industry who were vulnerable. Mark and I worked together for a long time and I'll always be grateful for the experience of working with and for such a talented and dedicated labor leader. I hope to be able to take the strong foundation he built and strengthen it.

“The strength of our organization is the skill and dedication of our 19,000 members. We look forward to developing new programs to actively engage them. As a union, we will work to generate more work opportunities and improve standards for all carpenters in the region. We need to work with the entire carpenter workforce and in partnership with signatory contractors or we’re not going to be able to succeed.”

The New England Regional Council of Carpenters is the regional governing body of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America and represents more than 19,000 commercial and residential carpenters, pile drivers, floor coverers, mill shop workers and industrial employees. More than 1,500 general contractors, carpentry subcontractors and shop owners are signatory to collective bargaining agreements with NERCC.

Appointments and assignments

Following his appointment, Flynn appointed Mynor Perez to fill a vacant spot the NERCC executive committee. Perez is a regional manager for specialty trades in New England, which represent floor coverers, residential wood frame carpenters, pile drivers and mill shop workers.

John Murphy was named chief of staff, a newly created position at NERCC, and will also serve as regional manager for the Boston commercial carpentry local unions.

Jack Donahue is now the director of the NERCC Market Opportunity Fund, a program that helps union contractors bid competitively in targeted markets or locations. Donahue also remains regional manager for commercial carpentry local unions in Central and Western Massachusetts.

Steve Joyce will serve as the executive director of the New England Carpenters Labor Management Program and continue as political and legislative director for the region.