|
|
| Upcoming Events |
| Drips from the Faucet |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| TOP CATEGORIES |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Links |
| Contact Us |
 |
Pasadena Schools Vote for Fiscally Smart PLA wit | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Building Trades cheered as the Pasadena School Board voted unanimously in favor of entering negotiations on a Project Labor Agreement. The deal, which passed 7-0 on Oct. 25, will recognize the LA/OC Building Trades Council as the exclusive bargaining group for workers employed under the Pasadena Unified School Districts $350 million Measure TT schools bond. The PLA contract will be ready within the next four to six weeks.
Jesse Ayala, business development manager for Sheet Metal Local 105 said the plan will create employment opportunities for members who live in the Pasadena area and are out of work. This will ensure local people employment, and without a Project Labor Agreement, local residents arent ensured jobs.
The deal, which the school officials strongly support, will encourage local hiring from areas of Pasadena, Altadena and Sierra Madre for all school construction projects.
School board member Ramon Miramontes, who has been a strong proponent of such agreements from the start, said a PLA is the best value for the taxpayer. This is long in coming, he said. This is very pragmatic, common-sense, fiscally smart program that we should have started from day one.
The work, funded by Measure TT, a school improvement bond approved by voters in November 2008, will include repairs or upgrades at all PUSD schools. The bond measure had strong support, passing with 74.5 percent of the vote.
Board members would also require unions to recruit apprentices from the area and launch a pre-apprenticeship program for high school students.
Students Can Learn About Trades: School board member Tom Selinske said the vote was a clear indication that the board wants to work with the trade unions to support local hiring. A Project Labor Agreement will bring great awareness to our students to the careers that the trades offer, he said. This is a huge plus, and we need to continue to expand on this to educate our students about the opportunities they have post-graduation.
In the agreement with LAUSD, nearly half of all workers on current construction projects live within district boundaries, and many of those workers first entered the Building Trades through apprenticeship opportunities created by the agreement.
Bud Darling, instructor for the Pre-Apprenticeship Program at Pasadena City College, said Project Labor Agreements changes peoples lives. These are hardworking citizens that are looking for an opportunity to succeed, a way to advance themselves, he said of a group of former students, now union employees, who were in attendance. They know their trade, they are people that deserve a chance.
Tom Gutierrez, business representative for Heat & Frost Local 5, a Vietnam veteran, said he is most proud of Helmets to Hard Hats, a program that ensures apprenticeship placement for those returning from war. These are people who are coming back from a war zone, he said. These are young people who now instead of knocking down cities and fighting for their lives, will be building cities.
New Laws to Benefit Building Trades
" AB 514: Clarifies that prevailing wage is applicable to the hauling of refuse from a public works site to an outside disposal location in order to provide truck drivers with a fair wage for their work. " AB 551: Increases the penalties levied against contractors who willfully and routinely cheat workers from their fair wage. " AB 1330: Empowers students, parents and school districts with the option of substituting one current graduation requirement with a career technical vocational course that provides an academically rigorous and hands-on technical skills class. " AB 1344: Adds public accountability to the charter conversion process by requiring two public hearings, each separated by 30 days, and a 21-day period after the second hearing before a vote by the governing body to place the charter proposal on the ballot. " SB 56: Requires a building and construction trades apprenticeship program to be audited when it falls below acceptable standards, and new and expanding programs to provide employer commitments, demonstrate suitable facilities for training and provide updates to apprentices on their progress toward graduation. " SB 136: Requires prevailing wage on all state-funded energy efficiency and renewable energy projects on public property/facilities. " SB 454: Requires utility energy efficiency rebates to be provided only if work complies with applicable permitting and contractor licensing requirements. " AB 436: Provides a dedicated source of funds for all state prevailing wage enforcement paid for by fees on bond-funded projects, and provides an exemption from the fees for projects covered by a Project Labor Agreement. " AB 554: Requires Workforce Investment Act funded training in apprenticeable occupations to be formally connected with state-approved apprenticeship programs. " SB 734: Requires local WIBs to spend at least 30 percent of their WIA funds on workforce training to ensure effective, longer-term training and supportive services. " SB 922: Prohibits local government bans on Project Labor Agreements, establishes taxpayer protections for municipal PLAs and restricts state construction funds for charter cities with PLA bans. " SB 292: Designates L.A. stadium project a Leadership Project subject to strict environmental standards with an expedited review process, creating thousands of new construction jobs.
Building Trades Score Legislative Victories
The Building Trades saw a highly successful state legislative session end with Gov. Jerry Brown signing laws that will improve the lives and working conditions for many in the construction industry in California.
This was a good legislative year for working people in California, said Bob Balgenorth, President of the State Building and Construction Trades Council. The priorities of government have changed. Gov. Brown, Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg and Assembly Speaker John Perez have made improving the quality of lives of working Californians the highest priority.
Building Trades members and leaders from Los Angeles and Orange County spent several weeks in Sacramento making their case for many bills, working together with the state council.
Steinberg and Perez sponsored SB 922 which essentially levels the playing field for Project Labor Agreements by disallowing bans on PLAs. SB 922 simply ensures all governing bodies can consider utilizing a Project Labor Agreement if it saves taxpayer funds, Steinberg said. The law is in response to the efforts of some anti-unionists to encourage cities and counties to ban all PLAs.
Imposing a blanket ban on PLAs would be an abuse of taxpayer funds, Steinberg added, especially during tough economic times when all options should be on the table. It makes no sense to tie the hands of local agencies when PLAs help ensure a project is completed on time and on budget.
Among the other passed measures are several that protect apprentices. Legislative Director of the SBCTC, Cesar Diaz, said new rules will establish more pro-active apprentice auditing, and employers will have to demonstrate certain efficiencies. Apprentices have been abused by contractors, said Diaz, referring to some employers who will hire workers at the low end of the pay scale and then fire them just before they are about to move up. This latest legislation will help curb that abuse.
Next Focus Is High-Speed Rail: One of the most popular of the bills that passed was SB 292, which will expedite the construction of a new football stadium in Los Angeles while still maintaining environmental standards. State Sen. Alex Padilla (D-San Fernando Valley) sponsored the bill.
Padilla agrees the Building Trades fared well this time. We came out better than expected, he said. Looking forward, he recognizes there will still be a few challenges. We are not out of the woods yet. Next year will focus on voter-approved initiatives like the high-speed rail and the question becomes, How do we move the money and get people jobs?
After enduring many years of frustration with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger at the helm, the Building Trades are finally moving forward with a governing body that is on their side. Balgenorth says the victories are a result of the united efforts of the State Building Trades, local building trades councils, their affiliates, workers, local officials and state legislators who worked tirelessly together throughout the process. We accomplish great things when we work together.
LA Unions Win $350 Million PLA for Long Beach Cour
In a bid to meet increased demand amid economic uncertainty, Californias judicial authority is testing a public-private development model, starting with a new Los Angeles Superior Courthouse, built under a Project Labor Agreement with the Building Trades. The 545,000 square-foot Gov. George Deukmejian Courthouse in Long Beach will replace an ailing structure with 31 new courtrooms and administration offices, as well as extra retail and Los Angeles County lease space.
For the $350 million project, which broke ground earlier this year, the LA/OC Building Trades Council negotiated the PLA directly with the developer, Clark Construction. Clark has recognized PLAs as an efficient business model, assuring the projects schedule, said Robbie Hunter, Executive-Secretary of the Council.
Ruben Magaña, Business Manager of Plumbers Local 494 in Long Beach, reported the first three hires had just been sent out at the start of November. Another estimated 10 to 15 pipe fitters and welders and another 30 plumbers should eventually be added, he said. Its going to help get our guys back to work so they can start building up their benefits that theyve been missing for the last few months, Magaña said. Were excited to be a part of it.
Lobbying City Council Pays Off: Magaña and other reps attended Long Beach City Council meetings to support the project, and note that the unique nature of the project also helped get it off the ground. Under a Performance-Based Infrastructure (PBI) model, Californias Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) is contracting Clark to build, operate and maintain the new structure, with payments to the developer dependent on performance. Developers expect to finish the project in fall 2013.
The AOC reports the Long Beach court building is among Californias trial courts most in need of replacement. The development is the first social infrastructure project in the country built with PBI contracting.
This is a landmark project with Clark Construction and for the U.S., said Jim McLamb, a senior vice president with the construction company. The rest of our country has their eyes on this project to see how it will evolve.
Dave Fritchel, business representative for Plasterers Local 200, said the Long Beach City Council has been staunchly supportive of union labor through the negotiating process. Theyve been incredibly supportive of the Building Trades, way over the call of duty. I think theyre one of the best cities to work with, Fritchel said.
The job itself is special because the signatory contractor is on the job, said Ray Calderon, business agent for Sprinkler Fitters Local 709. That puts our guys to work.
Chinatown Apartment Project Moves Forward
The City Council approved the allocation of $23 million in tax-exempt bonds for the Chinatown Metro Apartments. Sonny Astani Plans Scaled Back Apartment Complex
The developer says he is moving forward next year with a scaled-back version of an apartment complex long planned for Eighth Street and Grand Avenue. Hollywood gazes into the future and sees skyscrape
City Council is weighing new zoning guidelines that would allow bigger, taller buildings. U.S. stands by California bullet train project des
The Obama administration vowed that it would not back down from its support of California's bullet train project. CONVENTION NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS
Special Meeting Announcement
Please schedule to attend the February 9th membership Meeting, held at 7:00 PM at the Building Trades Council, 1626 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026; we will be having Nominations for California State Pipe Trades Convention.
The Election for the California State Pipe Trades Delegates will be held at the General Membership Meeting at 7:00 PM at the Building Trades Council, 1626 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026, on March 8th, 2012. In the event of a tie vote, on March 22th, 2012 there will be special call meeting at 5:00pm at Building Trades Council.
California State Pipe Trades 2012 Scholarship
Once again the State Pipe Trades Scholarship is out. Click on the link below for the application and rules. |
© 2012 UA78 Plumbing Union 78