Sept 2009 Vol. 12 No. 9

Executive Officer's Forum

Looking to the Future

Bob Alvarado, Executive Officer

en Espanol >


"In City Council chambers and Sacramento hearing rooms, rank-and-file carpenters are stepping up and making a difference."

In this harsh economy, we are redoubling our efforts to win work for union contractors and put members back to work. Looking ahead, we are also working hard to secure work for the future, by helping create jobs throughout the region. This effort ranges from individual projects to the big picture.

We are getting involved in the water policy debate, as you can see from Dan Curtin’s column this month. We need sensible policy that will protect our water supply, our environment and our economy. It is a challenging topic, but critical to California’s future. We’re also tracking the debate in Washington, D.C. about water. The stimulus package was a shot in the arm, but the funding for transportation and clean water have the potential to provide a huge boost to the construction industry, and put a lot of carpenters back to work.

There are some potential projects out there that hold some promise for the coming year, and we’ll be working to help those become a reality. One example is the effort to construct Drexel University in Roseville. This private university would be built from the ground up, providing years of work for carpenters throughout the Sacramento area.

The fact is, we are scouring every piece of information we can find on construction in California. We want to know what’s coming up, where the project will be and who is proposing it. Using a variety of sources, including reports from the Construction Industry Research Board and "Dodge Reports" published by McGraw Hill, we track work using every tool available to us.

Once we identify potential projects, we reach out to make sure we know the people behind the projects. We make sure our union contractors are aware of every opportunity, and we will use every resource to promote (or sometimes protest) projects. This includes turning members out to public hearings, using our political connections and sometimes using the attorneys on environmental challenges.

HELP Make tomorrow a better day

The fact is we are fighting to create work every day. We can’t sit back and wait for the work to come to us. Your union representatives also can’t do it alone. It has been proven time and again that having the members involved has the most impact. Not just on picket lines or passing out handbills, but also in City Council chambers and Sacramento hearing rooms, rank-and-file carpenters are stepping up and making a difference.

I urge you to get involved in this effort. Whether or not you are currently working, it is in your interest to help us create more work for union carpenters throughout Northern California. If you haven’t done so already, please use the form in this issue of the paper to send us your information and join Carpenters In Action.

I don’t have to tell you times are tough. I believe, looking at the coming year, that things are looking up. With your help and support, our plans will pay off and we’ll see more carpenters working, and fewer on the out-of-work lists. I am confident that tomorrow will be a better day, because together we will work hard to make it so.

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