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Brick Masons

THE JOB

Bricklaying is an ancient craft.  Egyptian BRICK MASONS helped build the
pyramids.  Today, bricklaying is considered as much an art as a craft.

Brick Masons work with solid bricks, hollow concrete blocks, structural
tiles, natural and artificial stone, and prefabricated masonry panels.
Using these materials and mortar, Brick Masons build walls, partitions,
arches, fireplaces, chimneys, and other structures.  In heavily
industrialized areas of California, such as the San Francisco Bay Area and
various parts of Southern California, some Brick Masons install and repair
firebrick linings in industrial kilns and furnaces.

This trade requires extreme care from the planning to the finishing stage.
To begin a project, Brick Masons must study the blueprint design and
specifications.  They determine the proper layout by placing the bricks in
"dry course," without mortar.  The supervisor or an experienced Brick Mason
does the layout by first building the corners at each end of the structure,
using a plumb rule (mason's level) to insure proper alignment, and then
stretching a nylon line from corner to corner.  Guided by the line and
corners, Brick Masons lay masonry units in straight, level courses or layers
using mortar.  If a brick is too large for a space, they may break it with
their hammer or mark it for cutting on a power saw.  If two or more layers
of brick are set, Brick Masons must arrange bricks in a pattern in which
vertical joints do not overlap.  Mixing and spreading mortar is a basic
bricklaying task that must be completely mastered.  Brick Masons use mostly
hand tools, such as trowels, jointers, hammers, rules, chisels, squares and
mallets.  

Journey-level Brick Masons can tackle any kind of masonry work.  Ordinarily
they work in small groups directed by a supervisor and assisted by hod
carriers or apprentices who set up scaffolds, carry materials and mix mortar.

Most masonry construction in California must be reinforced to resist stress
(especially in earthquake-prone areas) and to carry architectural weight
loads.  To do this, bricklayers insert steel bars between two vertical walls
of bricks or through the open cores of hollow blocks.  They then pour cement
into the space between the walls to securely bond the masonry units to the
reinforcing steel.

Occasionally, panels composed of masonry units are pre-assembled at a
factory and installed at the job site by bricklayers.  On multi-story
buildings, where large, heavy prefabricated panels must be raised by cranes
and bolted or welded to a steel or cement framework, bricklayers work with
iron-workers and other construction workers.  Bricklayers position and align
panels and may assist with welding, if they are suitably trained and
certified.

It is estimated that 25 percent of bricklayers, especially those who also
have stonemasonry skills, are self-employed.  Many of the self-employed
specialize in contracting for small jobs such as walls, patios, walks, and
fireplaces.


WORKING CONDITIONS

Many persons find bricklaying a challenging and interesting profession
because of its diversity and outdoor location.  Bricklaying is physically
demanding, involving prolonged standing and stooping to lift heavy materials.
Brick Masons work on high ladders or scaffolds in confined areas.  They are
subject to injuries from falling objects; however, protective clothing and
standard safety precautions prevent many of these hazards.  Workers
customarily provide their own hand tools and work clothing.  The employer
provides ladders, scaffolding, wheelbarrows, and heavy equipment, such as
mixers for mortar.

Brick Masons rarely work steadily.  During rainy, cold weather, there is
little construction work.  During the remainder of the year, jobs may be
plentiful, but of short duration.  Also, because the work is often seasonal,
it requires careful planning to live through periods of unemployment.
Workers frequently move from one project or employer to another and are
subject to periods of unemployment between jobs.  As a result, Brick Masons
may be forced to relocate periodically in order to secure employment.  Well-
trained Brick Masons can find work in all parts of the country.

Many bricklayers in the construction industry belong to the International
Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftsmen of America (AFL-CIO).


EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK

The following information is from the California Projections of Employment
published by the Labor Market Information Division.

Estimated  number of workers in 1993            4,650
Estimated number of workers in 2005             6,800
Projected Growth 1993-2005                        46%
Estimated openings due to separations by 2005   1,140

(These figures do not include self-employment or openings due to turnover.) 

Good growth prospects seem in store for Brick Masons. Well-trained Brick
Masons will have the best chance of obtaining employment.  

Most Brick Masons work in the construction industry.  A few are employed in
the metal products manufacturing industry and install and repair industrial
kilns and furnaces.


WAGES, HOURS, AND FRINGE BENEFITS

Nonunion wages usually start between the minimum wage and $10.00 per hour.
Experienced workers can earn up to $25.00 or more, per hour.  Union scale
wages for journey-level workers range between $20.00 and $38.00 per hour
depending on the geographical area.  Fringe benefits include vacation,
retirement, and health and welfare coverage.  The regular workweek is 35 to
40 hours, Monday through Friday.  Pay is higher for overtime, night shifts,
and for unusually hazardous work.  Apprentices start at 40 percent of the
journey-level rate and receive periodic increases during their three- to
four-year training program.

While metropolitan areas are largely union, smaller communities have a
number of non-union Brick Masons.  Construction activity is sensitive to
cyclical changes in the economy.  Therefore, annual earnings for bricklayers
working in construction are lower than what the comparatively high hourly
wage rates would imply.  Income can vary from year to year.


ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS AND TRAINING

Brick Masons must be physically fit and possess accurate eye-hand
coordination.  Many Brick Masons get their skills informally by working as
helpers or hod carriers and by observing and learning from experienced
workers.  Others learn their skills through apprenticeship programs, which
generally provide the most thorough training.  Apprentices must be at least
18 years old, and have a high school diploma or pass the G.E.D. Test.
Apprenticeship programs combine three to four years of on-the-job training
with related classroom instruction.  Apprentice training is supervised, and
candidates are selected by Joint Apprenticeship Committees (JAC) in each
local area.  Upon successful completion of the program, apprentices achieve
full journey-level status. 

Some Brick Masons attend community college classes to gain the welding
skills occasionally necessary on multi-story buildings where prefabricated
panels are used.


ADVANCEMENT

Successful completion of the training program is necessary to become a
qualified Brick Mason.  Experienced Brick Masons can advance to supervisory
positions.  Some union contracts require a supervisor if three or more
workers are employed on the job.

With additional training, some Brick Masons become estimators, whose job is
to look at building plans, obtain quotations on masonry material, and
prepare and submit bids.  Many others establish their own contracting
business.


FINDING THE JOB

Persons interested in the bricklaying trade can find employment through
local unions, the Employment Development Department, Trade Journals, or
friends or relatives working in the trade.

ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION

California Department of Industrial Relations
Division of Apprenticeship Standards
2424 Arden Way, Suite 160
Sacramento, CA 95825
(916) 263-2877
http://www.dir.ca.gov/das/das.html

Bricklayer Institute of America
11490 Commerce Park Drive
Reston, VA 20191-1525
(703) 620-0010

International Union of Bricklayers and 
  Allied Craftsmen
815 15th Street N.W.
Washington D.C. 20005
(202) 783-3788
http://www.bacweb.org/

RELATED OCCUPATIONAL GUIDES

Welders and Cutters                              No.  84
Tile Setters                                     No. 103
Metal Workers, Fabrication and Structural
  (Field and Shop Ironworkers)                   No. 112
Cement Masons                                    No. 181
Plasterers and Stucco Masons                     No. 249

OCCUPATIONAL CODE  REFERENCES

DOT (Dictionary of Occupational Titles, 4th Ed., 1991)
  Bricklayer (const.)                        861.381-018
  Bricklayer Apprentice (const.)             861.381-022
  Bricklayer, Firebrick and Refractory Tile  861.381-026
  Stone Mason (const.)                       861.381-038

OES (Occupational Employment Statistics) System
  Brick Masons                                    873020

Source: State of California, Employment Development Department,
        Labor Market Information Division, Information Services Group,
        (916) 262-2162.