June 2010 Vol. 13 No. 6

Executive Officer's Forum

On to the next round

Bob Alvarado, Executive Officer

en Espanol >


"Make no mistake about it: this fall, we’ll be fighting to defend the 8-hour day and prevailing wages."

The June election is finally over, and the Carpenters had a good night. I want to thank all the members who have joined the CIA, and made a difference in races all around the Council. We won some key victories that will put Carpenters to work, and put friends of the Carpenters in elected office. Still, we face a big fight in November. From the governor’s office to the US Senate to local representatives, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

Let’s contrast the candidates at the top of the ticket. Jerry Brown has a long record of supporting workers rights. As Attorney General over the last 4 years, Brown has aggressively moved against contractors who cheat their workers and steal their wages. Meg Whitman, on the other hand, is a corporate CEO who was the keynote speaker at a conference of the anti-union Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). (For more on the ABC, read the article on page 1.) In the Senate race, Barbara Boxer is a passionate fighter for working people, and has helped California get stimulus money that is putting carpenters to work today. Carly Fiorna is another corporate CEO who sent 30,000 American jobs to India before she lost her job and took a $28 million severance package!

Make no mistake about it: this fall, we’ll be fighting to defend some basic protections we have long taken for granted, like the 8-hour day, and prevailing wages for Carpenters and all construction workers.

There is no doubt about it, we continue to face a really rough economy. I am fielding a couple of calls a day from members who are in a tough spot, faced with losing their home and much of what they have worked for. Unfortunately, the uptick we expected in June looks like it won’t hit until September or October, so the recession will continue to cause a lot of hardship.

That’s why we are so focused on trying to create good jobs through supporting Project Labor Agreements, and supporting bond measures that will put carpenters to work. Because of the type of work that is coming up—like bridges, schools and hospitals—I urge you to take a look at the training programs we offer. In these lean times, do a self-assessment on your skills and how they match up with the market, and then take advantage of the free classes to improve your chances of going to work.

Meanwhile, some employers are trying to take advantage of tough times. The Operating Engineers and Laborers are in contract negotiations this year. On the table is a $5 rollback of wages, and a freeze in the third year. I believe it is unconscionable to use the excuse of hard times to take more money out of workers’ pockets. Employers should take advantage of our partnership to create work for all, rather than foster a climate of ill will. We won’t forget which employer associations choose to treat our brothers and sisters this way.

The way discussions are going at the moment, we need to be prepared for targeted work stoppages. Particularly with the Laborers, who are signed to many of the same employers, it could be a primary picket, instead of a “two-gate” system.

In other words, this could be a long hot summer.

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