May 2010 Vol. 13 No. 5

Building the Valley: Local carpenters make good

The Livingston High project.

Carpenters who live in Merced County are the hard-working and happy beneficiaries of an agreement with the Merced County School District that aims to keep a good chunk of change in the community.

After extensive discussion between the Carpenters Union and the school district, the district proposed a “locals-first” approach to new projects in the county. The way it works is that for any school district project, local employers will hire local workers, and build with locally purchased materials from local suppliers.

In plain language, “50 percent of the workers on this project have to come from Merced County,” says Chris Pedroza, field representative for Local 152 Manteca. “It’s getting to be a big thing in the Central Valley these days.”

Opinski Superintendent Nick Gutierrez points out the new gymnasium at Livingston High School.

In a county with one of the highest rates of unemployment in the nation—more than 20 percent—this agreement is great news. The Carpenters Union is pursuing similar discussions with other counties in the region.

The agreement is also good news for Merced-based general contractor Greg Opinski Construction, which currently has three projects in the county. A relatively new union signatory, Opinski Construc-tion has three school district projects, totaling about $17 million, at Livingston High School, Golden Valley High in Merced and Buhach High in Atwater.

The first phase of the $12 million Livingston High project, which began in November 2009, includes a new 30,000-square-foot, two-story classroom building and a new 20,000-square-foot gymnasium. Future phases under discussion include putting up another classroom building and a concession area.

Doug Highfill, Local 152 Manteca, says he’s happy to be working after a long slow period. “Every day pounding nails is a good thing,” he says. He’s been on several high school projects for Opinski- at Livingston, Golden Valley in Merced and Buhach High in Atwater.

Richard Howard, Local 152 Manteca, says he likes this project. “It’s something new everyday—plus, it’s close to home.” Howard lives in Atwater, just a 15-minute commute from the jobsite.

Steven Cox is a member of Local 152 Manteca.

About eight carpenters are employed at Livingston High, while work is wrapping up at Golden Valley where Opinski put in a new Olympic-size swimming pool, a $1.75 million project.

Carpenter Foreman JJ Johnson, Local 152 Manteca, has 23 years in the union. He says this crew is well organized and knowledgable. “They know what it takes,” he says, “to frame a two-story commercial building.”

Carpenter foreman JJ Johnson said the Livingston crew is “very organized and well informed. They know what it takes to frame a two-story commercial building. And Opinksi is a great employer,” he adds.

Johnson, who’s been in the union 23 years, agrees with others on the crew who acknowledge it’s really good to have a job. “But I feel sorry for a lot of guys who still aren’t working,” he says. “We’re looking forward to more work, to jobs picking up—especially out here in the valley.”

For now, the sun is shining, there’s no rain in the forecast for the rest of the week, and everybody’s glad to be swinging a hammer.

“We’re all thrilled that there’s work here,” says Don Hughes, field representative for Local 152 Manteca, “and that the money is staying here.”

Third-year apprentice Garrett Granado, Local 152 Manteca, has been with Opinski for two months, and on this project for a couple of weeks. “I’m glad we’re finally going to get in a full week of work without rain,” he says.

Shane Swenson, Local 152 Manteca, has been a carpenter for 35 years, and on this project since framing started on March 17.

Alex Gonzales, Local 152 Manteca, nails in freeze blocking in the new classroom building at Livingston High.

The job site. 

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