Mar 2009 Vol. 12 No. 3

Executive Officer's Forum

Time to get involved

Bob Alvarado, Executive Officer

en Espanol >


"These are tough times, and they won’t get better for a while. But we’re going to do what carpenters do every day: we’re going to show up, get busy, and get the job done."

This recession is a long way from over, but February brought some welcome news in the form of government actions that may lay the groundwork for recovery later this year. The federal government passed President Obama’s stimulus package, and the state legislature ended three months of gridlock and adopted a budget. Both of these actions will help create construction jobs, and begin to put our members back to work.

The federal stimulus package includes billions of dollars for investment in infrastructure. The focus was on projects that are ready to start and will put people to work right away. A significant chunk of that money will come to Northern California, and several large projects that would have been delayed will now get started.

After months of delay, we finally have a state budget. They were a week away from running out of cash. That would have meant closing down all construction projects and laying off more carpenters. The real problem is that without a budget, the state couldn’t sell infrastructure bonds. Now is the time when we need to fund those infrastructure projects and put people to work.

That’s why we got involved in the budget process, lobbying legislators to get to work, so we could get back to work. Working with the Laborers and Operating Engineers through the California Alliance for Jobs, we held protests at the offices of the four legislative leaders, demanding action on the budget. We had plans for a massive rally in Sacramento, but it was called off when the budget was finally passed.

The fact is, pretty much everyone hates this budget. But without a budget, the state was about to go out of business. Passage of the budget means we can now get access to much needed construction dollars. Our support and advocacy was why carpenters were invited to stand behind the Governor when he signed the budget.

We got involved, and we made a difference. The choices were clear: stand on the sideline, and see even more of our brothers and sisters laid off, or get involved, get the job done, and see carpenters go back to work as these infrastructure projects get underway. Dozens of rank-and-file members answered the call, and their voices were heard.

Now it’s up to us to stay involved, to make sure the money isn’t wasted, and that it is spent quickly on projects that will create good jobs for carpenters and other construction workers. Members are volunteering to attend meetings, and make sure our interests are defended.

It is up to us to get involved, and make sure that non-union contractors don’t use this recession as an excuse to steal work from signatory contractors and beat down our standards. Hundreds of members have joined Carpenters in Action, and they are being heard on the streets all over Northern California.

These are tough times, and they won’t get better for a while. But we’re going to do what carpenters do every day: we’re going to show up, get busy, and get the job done. That’s true whether we’re building a bridge, lobbying a politician, or defending our wages and benefits from the non-union forces trying to take advantage of this recession to destroy our hard-won gains.

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