Executive Officer's Forum
Turning the corner
Bob Alvarado, Executive Officer
en Espanol >
 2012 can be the year we turn the corner, but we can't rely on others - we've got to do it on our own behalf. Happy New Year! Certainly, after the last few years we deserve some happiness. Some of the employment figures coming out of Washington DC indicate that what we've been seeing in the hiring halls is happening all over: new jobs are being created, and work is picking up. Still, this recovery is fragile, and we need to do all we can to see that the economy continues to grow.
A recent court decision about the Governor's budget may seem to be moving in the wrong direction. The court upheld the elimination of local redevelopment agencies. The fact is, however, that in some communities less than 10 percent of redevelopment money went to actual construction jobs. In far too many cases, the money went instead to staff salaries and other things it wasn't intended for in an effort to balance local government budgets.
We will be working to bring back the good things in redevelopment that actually create projects like affordable housing. A problem that keeps cropping up is that all too often, affordable housing developers want to go to the "dark side." In the name of cutting costs, they would destroy our living standards. We need to help find the right balance; we will help our friends, but oppose those who would make life harder for working men and women.
We continue to see signs that 2012 will be a better year for the construction industry. One recent item of note is the effort to build a second campus for the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The search has been narrowed to three potential sites, and we have good relations with all the players, so we look forward to good jobs coming from this project. This will involve a brand-new campus from the ground up, and they are hoping to start construction this year.
BUILDING H2O INFRASTRUCTURE = JOBS
As Dan Curtin points out in his column this month, voters face a decision about water. Water is the lifeblood of California, and we need to be active on this issue. There is construction money in the proposed bond measure, and combined with other sources it could create significant jobs for carpenters. As we have in other areas like schools and transportation, we will strongly support investing in infrastructure.
Speaking of transportation, in my role as a member of the California Transportation Commission, I am pushing hard for improvements along the Highway 99 corridor. Thanks to previous voter support, there is a billion dollars to fund this project, and it must start in 2012. We just have to prod the bureaucrats a bit more, and we'll get going!
As you can see, we're scratching and clawing for work. But here's the thing: we can't do it without your help. This is the year to get involved: attend your union meetings, volunteer for local union activities, join Carpenters In Action, and help get the word out to fellow members as we work on political campaigns later this year. Don't know where to begin? Check our newly revamped website, or connect with us through Facebook, email or text messaging. Whatever you do, get involved. I truly believe 2012 can be the year we turn the corner, but we can't rely on others—we've got to do it on our own behalf.
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