May 2010 Vol. 13 No. 5

Executive Officer's Forum

Time to get involved

Bob Alvarado, Executive Officer

en Espanol >


"Register. Vote. Join the CIA. The job you create could be your own."

This month, we’re publishing our recommendations for the June election. I want to take a minute and review what we refer to as Carpenter Politics. We base our suggestions on where the candidates stand on the issues that are important to us as carpenters: wages, benefits and jobs, jobs, jobs. It is your vote, and you need to cast it as you see fit. I hope, however, that if these issues are important to you, you will take our input seriously.

In addition to the statewide candidates listed in this issue, there are many important local races and ballot measures this June. I urge you to watch for recommendations from your local union, or to check in with the Local in the area where you live for a complete list of local races. These elections are especially important in this economy.

One impact of the deep recession is the divide between public and private work. In normal times, 70 percent of our work is in the private sector. Now, however, as a result of the crippled economy, private investment has slowed dramatically, and in some sectors ceased altogether. As a result, our work has swung in the opposite direction, and today 70–75 percent of projects are in the public works.

Local politicians—city councils, county supervisors and school boards—make decisions about projects worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Supporting these projects, and making sure our contractors are bidding on a level playing field, is critical to putting members back to work. As you may have read in recent months, many members are stepping up and getting involved in these efforts, and it has a tremendous positive impact. Join the CIA—the job you create could be your own.

In addition, we are finally starting to see federal stimulus jobs. The first round of the so-called shovel-ready funding went mostly to paving and grading projects—the “easy stuff” to get started quickly. Those projects are mostly done, and now the big jobs are mobilizing, and we’ll see some work. Projects like the Fourth Bore of the Caldecott Tunnel, and the Doyle Drive approach to the Golden Gate Bridge take a while to ramp up, but these and other big projects around Northern California are now ramping up.

Positive Signs

We are still suffering through a long downturn, with far too many members out of work. We’re not out of the woods by a long shot, but there are some positive signs. Through a combination of improving weather, CIA efforts to get projects moving and the big stimulus projects, work is starting to pick up.

I want to add my personal endorsement to the recommendations made by our Executive Committee. I urge you to join me in voting for Jerry Brown for governor of California. While we have not agreed on every issue, I firmly believe that Jerry gets our issues, and will do the right thing for the carpenters. His combination of experience, intelligence and independence is what we, and our state, need right now.

Regardless of how you decide to vote, I hope you will take seriously this call to action. Individually and collectively, our actions have an impact. Now is the time to step up and get involved: Register, vote, and join the CIA.

Back to Current Issue | Top of Page