WASHINGTON — Ever notice how some co-workers, or politicians, or athletes, you hear the least from are the most impressive, because they’re focused on doing their jobs? So it is, too, in the world of labor. Take, for instance, the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers.

When I met BAC’s president, John J. Flynn, a number of years ago, what most impressed me was that I left with a book titled, “Bricklayers’ Century of Craftsmanship” – published in 1955. The book made clear the craftsman’s pride in the trade, and it also showed something else — a deep interest in the union’s past and traditions.

Congressman Ike Skelton tells anyone who will listen that to understand the present and glimpse the future, one has to study the past. The book, by the union’s president at the time, suggests that this is a union that does. The active mentoring program in the union, with the aim of training future leaders, also reflects a commitment to the future, even at a tough time for labor.

There’s a strong local angle to the union as well — Flynn is a St. Louisan, and several other local residents play key roles in the union’s affairs.