Mar 2009 Vol. 12 No. 3

Carpenters and Pile Drivers make a difference

Once again, members of the UBC stepped up to fight for what’s right.

Members of Local 34, organizers and volunteers from Carpenters in Action joined Laborers and Operating Engineers at a mass picket at the Capitol, demanding action on the budget.

We asked you to contact your legislators to demand action on the budget—and thanks to everyone who did. Some members took it a step further. In Sacramento, Fresno and L.A., UBC members took to the streets to protest the lack of action on the budget.

Carpenters and Pile Drivers joined Laborers and Operating Engineers on picket lines at all the legislative leaders’ offices, calling for an immediate resolution to the budget stalemate. In recognition of the role Carpenters played, members of the UBC were invited to the Governor’s office to take part in the ceremony when he signed the budget.
Passing the budget was an important step in restoring California’s financial stability. While voters have approved billions of dollars in infrastructure bonds, the state can’t sell bonds without convincing buyers that the debt will be paid. Further delay would have meant shutting down all state infrastructure work, but passing the budget won’t immediately open the tap.

That’s why President Obama’s economic stimulus package is so important. Nearly $50 billion of that package is for transportation, and almost 10 percent of that money will come to California.

Of course, lots of people have proposed ideas about how to spend all this money, but this is for one-time infrastructure spending. That kind of investment creates jobs, and when the work is done, the public owns a valuable asset—a new transit terminal or a rebuilt, safe bridge.

Once again carpenters stepped up and got the job done. The first time was at a Metropolitan Transportation Commission meeting, deciding how to allocate about $500 million in transportation dollars. Mo Dorche’ from Local 713 and Brothers James Malveaux and Dan Cope of Local 22 spoke to the commission about the urgent need to put this money to work creating jobs. The San Francisco Chronicle quoted Brother Malveaux: “I may not get a job out of this, but somebody will, and that will put money on the street.”

Governor Schwarzenegger shares a laugh with California Conference of Carpenters Director Daniel Curtin (right) and UBC members (in orange shirts).

A few days later, Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher held a town meeting with Will Kempton, the Director of Caltrans, California’s transportation agency. Jose Guardado, Local 180, talked about the challenges of having a baby on the way in these times. The last speaker was Turlie Lewis, Local 152, a veteran who joined the union through the Helmets to Hardhats program, and hopes to start his apprenticeship soon. He received a standing ovation from the crowd of 200 for his service to our country.

Congresswoman Tauscher assured both members that she would be sure the money was spent quickly, on projects that will create construction jobs. Director Kempton spoke about the partnership between Caltrans and the carpenters union in workforce training.

In all these cases, union members made the difference, standing up for steps that will help us get our economy back on track, and all our brothers and sisters back to work.

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