Feature Story

Crafts Demonstrate in Orange County for the Right to Organize
On Jan. 8, Building Trades unions demonstrated in the City of Brea in support of the right of union representatives to access a private construction job which is allowed by the California law. The Supreme Court has upheld this right several times.


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Tradeshow and Sign Craft Local 831 – E3 Expo, LA Convention Center

090624_30s.jpgWeek after week, the skilled tradeshow workers from Local 831 transform the barren halls of Southern California’s convention centers into a hi-tech city of flashing lights, elaborate structures, and sometimes even waterfalls for the region’s vast tradeshow industry. Then, days later, they return to tear down the exhibits and prepare for the next show.

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Plumber's Local Union 78

From the Executive-Secretary

An Open Letter to all Elected Officials

ImageUnemployment is the problem!

For months now, all of you, as elected Representatives of the People, have been dealing with business bankruptcies, budget shortfalls and covering your behinds because the depression/recession that has hit the United States, your own state and businesses. We understand that you are concerned with ways to stop the economic slide that would balance your budgets and hopefully limit any employees being laid off who provide service to the public. However, you have it all wrong.

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Five Building Trades Organizers Attacked Print E-mail
Robbie Hunter
Ironworkers Local 433 President Robbie Hunter addresses a "Stop the Violence" rally of over 600 Building Trades and other union members in downtown Los Angeles Mar. 17. Hunter, along with four other organizers, was attacked by non-union contractors while picketing a jobsite.

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Civil Rights Lawsuit Filed Against Non-Union Contractors for Assault 

by Roy San Filippo
Staff Writer

A civil rights lawsuit was filed on Monday, Mar. 17, against several contractors and multiple unnamed defendants after five union organizers were brutally assaulted a few days earlier while engaged in a lawful picket at a construction site in downtown Los Angeles.

The lawsuit filed against contractors Hirex, Golden Gate Steel and its owner, and the unnamed defendants seeks unspecified damages for violations of California Civil Code section 51, assault, battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

More than 15 workers from the jobsite, some of whom were wielding iron rebar and 2x4's, violently attacked the five organizers. As a result, Robbie Hunter, President of Ironworkers Local 433, was hospitalized after suffering multiple injuries including a fractured cheek bone and split lip. He was punched in the face, struck in the back of the head with a club, and kicked in the face and body by the defendants.

 The violent assault against these union organizers is not only reprehensible, it is also a violation of their civil rights," said Ellyn Moscowitz, attorney for the plaintiffs. "These men were attacked because of their position as union organizers; that makes this a hate crime in the state of California. Employers who engage in these crimes can expect that the full weight of the legal system will be brought to bear on them."
In response, over 600 Building Trades and other union members and their allies turned out for a "Stop the Violence" rally the following Monday at the jobsite where the union organizers were attacked.

We are here to send a message to all of the non-union contractors in Los Angeles that we will not tolerate violence against union organizers or any other member of the Building Trades who are out here fighting for decent wages for construction workers," said Richard Slawson, Executive-Secretary of the LA/OC Building and Construction Trades Council. "We are prepared to use every legal means at our disposal to protect the rights of workers. These non-union contractors may use these violent tactics from 100 years ago, but we won't stand for it."
In addition to the injuries sustained by Hunter, IBEW organizer Larry Henderson was struck by a 2 x4, fracturing his arm. Ironworkers Local 433 organizer Rene Angeles was hit in the face with a 2x4 and suffered bruises. IBEW 11 Political Director Kevin Norton and IBEW 11 organizer Tommy Faavae also suffered bruises.

Craft union and BCTC representatives subsequently met with LA City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo to express their concern that charges have not yet been filed for the assault. They urged the city to conduct a public hearing on the issue.

 The assault against these organizers is part of pervasive system of abuse in the non-union construction market said Mike Gutierrez, Organizing Director of IUPAT District Council 36. "Non-union construction workers downtown are routinely victimized by unscrupulous contractors in LA's underground economy. They work in unsafe conditions and are not being paid area standard wages and benefits. Some are not being paid at all."

Hunter said that if contractors such as these are allowed to flourish, contractors who abide by the laws and pay workers fair wages and benefits will be put out of business. "They're going to have to do it right, just like everyone else," he said of the non-union contracors. "There's an honest way to make a buck and using slave labor is not the way to do it."

District Council 36, Ironworkers Local 433, Ironworkers Local 416, Sprinklerfitters Local 709, and IBEW Local 11 are also taking another tact to fight these unscrupulous contractors – they are challenging the underground economy in the courts. They recently filed suit against several contractors and subcontractors and one of LA's largest developers, Gilmore and Associates. The suit alleges that the developers, contractors, subcontractors and labor finders named in the suit "have conspired to engage in an underground economy of paying cash, employing undocumented workers and violating prevailing wage laws to unfairly compete against law-abiding developers, owners, general contractors, and sub-contractors."

Craft union members have also been working closely with Board of Equalization member Judy Chu to launch an investigation into the underground economy in downtown Los Angeles.

 
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Trades Headlines

Plan could clear way for O.C.'s tallest skyscraper

The mayor of Santa Ana is trying to engineer a behind-the-scenes deal that would clear the way for the long-stagnant One Broadway Plaza skyscraper project to break ground.

Mayor Miguel Pulido announced that he was working on the deal during his State of the City speech Wednesday. If it works, he said, One Broadway Plaza – planned to be the tallest building in Orange County – could get off the ground "in the very near future."

 

Crystal Signs Agreement and Partners up With Union Trades Department AFL-CIO

LOS ANGELES, CA -- Crystal Properties Holding, Inc. signed a Construction Project Labor Agreement (PLA) for the future ROCKFORD RIVER DISTRICT DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION program in Rockford, Illinois with the Craft Local Unions Affiliated with the Building & Construction Trades Department AFL-CIO. 

Union President and Business Representative and Organizer, Brad Long, and International Union of North America Business Manger, Tom DalSanto of Local #32 - A.F.L. / C.I.O., stated, "The union trades are exited to be involved with Crystal Properties Holdings, Inc." 

 

Jack Henning, California Labor Federation Executive Secretary- Emeritus, 1915-2009

San Francisco, June 4 — Longtime California labor leader Jack Henning died today at his home in San Francisco. He served as executive secretary-treasurer of the California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO for 26 years before his retirement in 1996.

"Jack was a lion of a man and a great labor leader,” said California Labor Federation Executive Secretary-Treasurer Art Pulaski. “His vision and his magnificent oratory inspired several generations of union activists.”

 

LA city workers protest against layoffs

Hundreds of city workers, along with family members and supporters, demonstrated outside the City Hall in Los Angeles June 9th in protest against layoffs.

The demonstration was designed to push the City Council to abandon a plan "to impose massive pay cuts through furloughs," organizers said.

The demonstrators, most of them members of the Coalition of L.A. City Unions, urged the City Council "to abandon a short-sighted plan that would devastate city services and impose massive pay cuts through furloughs," a coalition statement said.

 

Biden says state's high-speed rail project is primed for recovery funding

California may get a significant share of the $8 billion set aside for rail projects, the vice president says. A planned high-speed corridor would link L.A. to San Francisco in under 3 hours.

Though California is in the throes of a budget crisis, Vice President Joe Biden said Wednesday that the state's high-speed rail project is well-positioned to compete for a significant share of the $8 billion that the Obama administration set aside in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for rail lines.

 

Construction resumes on Providence Holy Cross expansion

Construction on the $181 million expansion at Providence Holy Cross resumed this week, six months after the project was halted for an environmental study. Despite the delay, the four-story, 136-bed wing is still slated to open in 2010, and is expected to employ 240 workers.

Hospital officials say the facility at 15031 Rinaldi St., will be the first "green" hospital building in California. It will include a new Women's Pavilion, a neonatal intensive-care unit, observation rooms for emergency patients, a gastrointestinal lab, more surgical and critical care beds and a 100-seat chapel.

 

Hill International Awarded Contract by LADWP to Advise On Renewable Energy Projects

Hill International (NYSE:HIL), the global leader in managing construction risk, announced today that it has been awarded a three-year contract from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) to provide owner's representative consulting services for various transmission and renewable energy projects.

 

Jerry Brown Keynote Speaker at Building Trades Luncheon April 2

California Attorney General Jerry Brown spoke to nearly 100 Building Trades members and officers and supporters about the state of California at the Building Trades News’ bi-annual networking luncheon April 2, 2009 held at the Staples Center. Special thanks to AEG for co-hosting the luncheon. Click here for photos of the event.

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