<p>Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 562 recently held a program that union leaders hope will begin a continuing dialogue with contractors and buyers of construction. On Oct. 14 the union, in cooperation with the St. Council of Construction Consumers,&nbsp; the Mechanical Contractors Association of Eastern Missouri, and the Plumbing Industry Council, held the inaugural "Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 562 Tripartite Conference". <br /><br />"Basically for years we've worked for the owners but never had a relationship with them.," John O'Mara, assistant business manager of Local 562 said.&nbsp; "So we've tried to open the door where we could have a back-and-forth about what the owners are looking for from our members."<br /><img alt="Local 562" class="image-left" height="212" src="/images/uploads/Local-562.jpg" style="float: left;" width="266" /><br />O'Mara said the St. Louis program mirrors a tripartite conference that was held at the national level by the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters. <br /><br />The program covered presentations on training, welding certification, drug testing, manpower needs and other issues, followed by roundtable discussions&nbsp; during&nbsp; which owners and contractors presented specific issues to the union representatives. <br /><br />Approximately 70 people attended the presentation.&nbsp; Major construction consumer firms&nbsp; attending included Ameren, Anheuser-Busch, BJC,&nbsp; The City of St. Louis and St. Louis&nbsp; Airport Authority, Covidien, Northstar,&nbsp; Prairie State, SSM,&nbsp; and Washington U. School of Medicine.</p>