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Executive Officer's ForumJobs, jobs, jobsBob Alvarado, Executive Officer "You can make a difference, but only if you get involved." “Health care reform is a big deal,” Vice-President Joe Biden said last month. It is, in fact, a historic accomplishment. The bill is big, and complicated, but it advances the cause of health care for all, which we have supported for a long time. Many things that all workers now take for granted came about through the support of, and the standard set by, the labor movement. We will be watching closely to be sure we understand the effect on our Health and Welfare Fund, and some of that has yet to be resolved. In the final days before the vote, there were some key changes that improved the bill greatly from our view, including recognizing union plans as unique, and providing more enforcement against underground contractors trying to skirt the law. As a result of these changes, the UBC endorsed the health care bill in the House of Representatives. I personally called a couple of congressmen who had not committed. In the end, they both voted for this historic legislation. LET'S GET BACK TO WORKMeanwhile, we continue to focus on jobs, jobs, jobs, trying to put members back to work as quickly as possible. Some of the programs started by the Obama Administration are having an impact. First of all, as detailed in an article on page 1 of this issue, programs like San Francisco’s Jobs Now, Alameda’s AC Hire and Fresno’s 80/20 provide incentives for our contractors to hire local residents. In addition. it appears that the California high-speed rail project will get $400 million in funds from the stimulus bill, which will expand the TransBay terminal in San Francisco, putting lots of carpenters to work. We are also working to support innovative efforts to encourage private investment in construction. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has proposed a plan to defer fees imposed on construction projects until they are ready for occupancy. This will reduce up-front costs, and should spur development. Members of the CIA have already attended two rallies in San Francisco in support. In early April, the California Transportation Commission will consider a proposal to finance part of the Doyle Drive approach to the Golden Gate Bridge through a public-private partnership. This plan, if approved, will fully fund the Doyle Drive retrofit, and free up nearly $200 million for other infrastructure projects. This June will see nearly $1 billion in school construction bonds on the ballot, with over $700 million already covered by Project Labor Agreements. All of these efforts are aimed at jobs—putting carpenters back to work. What else do they have in common? Politics. Every single day, elected and appointed government officials make decisions that affect our jobs, our wages and benefits, and our working conditions. That’s why we need to be involved. Carpenter politics is about focusing our political efforts on the issues that matter to us as union carpenters. I’ll talk more about this next month, when we evaluate candidates based on where they stand on our issues. You can make a difference, but only if you get involved. One way to do that is to join the Carpenters in Action. Another way is to help elect candidates who will be supportive when the CIA shows up at their meetings. In order to do that, you need to be registered to vote. It doesn’t cost any money, and it only takes a few minutes, but the impact of all of us together can be huge. |
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