Johnny Baca, Director of Marketing, Organizing, Recruiting and Employment Work Fund Initiatives
After decades of declining membership, the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers is reversing course with renewed growth, stronger training programs and a push for fully staffed projects, according to Johnny Baca, Director of Marketing, Organizing, Recruiting and Employment Work Fund Initiatives.
“It’s not easy to create something new,” Baca said. “It’s much easier to protect what we have. It’s much easier to be complacent. The Boilermakers are breaking the status quo. The Boilermakers are growing for the first time in 20 years.”
Baca pointed to lessons drawn from a World War II-era OSS sabotage manual, which outlined how stalling ideas and promoting inaction damaged efficiency. Too often, he said, legacy organizations fall into similar patterns.
“If you’re not doing anything to promote new growth, you’re dying.”
The union is tackling that risk by setting measurable goals, tracking progress and focusing on recruitment. “Boilermakers are monitoring everything we do,” Baca said. “Recruiting is being tracked. Projects are tracked to make sure we have fully staffed projects. We are tracking our training, to make sure we’re on track.”
Those efforts are already showing results. The Boilermakers have added 1,000 new members this year, increasing man-hours by 5 million. Eleven digital ad campaigns have run since the beginning of the year, and 20 people on now staff dedicated to the union’s growth and fueling gains.
Baca said the union is positioning itself to meet industry demand, with a national welder shortage projected to top 300,000 by 2028, requiring 82,500 new welders every year to meet that demand. Apprenticeship enrollment is growing, and outreach is targeting both new workers and nonunion welders already in the field.
“We’re seeing a change,” Baca said.
A recent news story detailed how California teens are ditching office jobs and making $100,000 before they turn 21.
“They want jobs where they can retire someday. They want jobs that won’t be replaced by AI. The trades are being seen as the right way to go.”
Industry partners have emphasized the importance of staffing and training, and Baca said the Boilermakers are committed to delivering. “We want to make sure we’re hearing from our industry partners. We want to get jobs done on time and on schedule.”
Baca stressed that growth is not a one-time achievement but a culture of continuous improvement built on MOST programs, bootcamps and enhanced readiness.
“This is just the start. What’s the next great idea? Anybody here could have an idea to grow our organization,” he said.
Looking ahead, the union has set a bold vision: multiplying its current membership tenfold.
“Playing it safe is one of the riskiest things to do,” Baca said. “The Boilermakers are the skilled workforce of America’s future.”