 Building Trades Join LA County Federation of Labor in Town Hall Meeting with Labor Secretary Hilda Solis
By Roy San Filippo
Staff Writer
Several U.S. military veterans testified at a Town Hall meeting on Good Jobs at Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles on April 24 to bring attention the many issues veterans face when trying to re-enter the workforce.
The event was organized by the Veterans Committee of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, the town hall was attended by over 700 veterans, community members and elected leaders including U.S. Secretary of Labor, Hilda Solis, Speaker of the California State Assembly, Karen Bass and L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas.
“We’re not asking to become millionaires. We are not asking for a free lunch. I just want the opportunity to serve my country and the chance to live the American Dream I fought so hard to preserve,” said Marine Corp Veteran Jordan Eash.
Veterans shared their stories—heart wrenching at times—that underscored the need for the country to take strong action to ensure that veterans returning home from service in our nation’s military can come home to good middle class jobs.
“I’m clearly disabled, but there has to be a way, an option for me to be able to go back to my same employer and do some type of work that is equivalent in pay and benefits to what I had before I left for war,” said Army Sergeant Major Jesse Acosta, an Iraqi War Veteran who lost his eyesight when he was hit by a bomb. “Let me be clear. I am under no illusion, nor are the thousands of disabled veterans that come home from Iraq. We understand that in most cases, we can’t go back to the same jobs we had before. But something needs to be done to ensure that we too have a place in the workforce when we come home from war - a place with a good middle class job.”
It is fitting that this event took place in Los Angeles. Southern California has the highest concentration of veterans in the country and the estimated 18,000 homeless veterans in LA County alone, underscores the vulnerability of veterans to the current economic crisis.
“It’s truly a shame when Veterans who fought to preserve our freedom, who fought to preserve our right to the American Dream, can’t reach what they fought so to hard to preserve as members of our armed forces,” said Maria Elena Durazo, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO. “There is no greater causality than that. We should be ashamed if we think we can sit back and continue to let it happen.”
“I was fortunate that I never had to serve in combat, but like many of my brothers and sisters here today, the difficulty for me began when I returned to civilian life. When I tried finding a job I found that, like many veterans the skills we learned in the military did not translate into the general workforce or more specifically that they don’t understand how much we have to offer,” said Navy Veteran Carolyn Consoli.
Helmets to Hard Hats
One of the successful veteran’s program discussed at the Town Hall was the Helmets to Hard Hats program. Helmets to Hardhats is a national program that connects National Guard, Reserve and transitioning active-duty military members with quality career training and employment opportunities within the construction industry.
“In 2002 and 2003 the AFL-CIO’s Building Trades Department and its 15 international unions partnered with the veteran’s organization to create the Helmets to Hardhats program,” said Richard Slawson, Executive Secretary of the LA/OC Building Trades Council. “It has been an unparalleled success in placing veterans into careers in the building and construction trades,”
Slawson said. Slawson He California alone, there were 267 veterans entered the construction trades and are working on careers in the construction industry. “Our internationals have gone farther. They have included in Project Labor Agreements that the trades negotiate on large projects, a mandate that Helmets to Hardhats be a part of the hiring program for any contractor utilized on the projects,” Slawson added in his testimony. Nationally, Helmets to Hardhats placed 1,500 veterans into the construction trades in 2007 and 1,700 in 2008, according to Dan Lazzano, Helmets to Hardhats National Field Coordinator.
Slawson said that the building trades will play a large role in the country’s economic recovery through investment in the nation’s infrastructure, providing an opportunity for expanded opportunities for careers in craft unions building highways, bridges, water and electrical systems an schools and hospitals.
Carlos “Chico” Rubio, US Army Veteran.
“I can tell you from Los Angeles and Orange Counties where every trade participates in the Helmets to Hardhats program we will do our utmost to work with veteran’s groups, Helmets to Hardhats and the Department of Labor to see that that happens in this economic turnaround,” Slawson said.
Veterans Speak Out
Several veterans testified before the Town Hall and detailed their hardships in finding good middle class jobs after the completion of their military service. Some felt has if they were being punished for their service, others faced obstacles because of combat injuries and others had to overcome struggled with hostile management as they fought to form unions in their workplaces.
Jordan Eash, Marine Corp veteran told his story of his struggle to retain his job after returning from active duty in Iraq.
“After serving three tours in Iraq as a field wireman, I find myself fighting for a fourth time, this time for a good job back home,” Eash said.
Jesse Acosta, US Army
After serving two tours in Iraq, Eash received an honorable discharge from the Marine Corp and used the GI Bill and received a certificate in fiber optics. He was able to use that education and training to get a three-year contract with AT&T with the possibility of being hired on as a permanent employee at the end of the contract, Eash said.
“After a year and a half into the contract with AT&T I was recalled to the military to fight again for this country. I was recalled for a year and when I returned the company said they were not going to hire me back on and that they could do nothing for me,” Eash testified. The time that Eash served in Iraq was counted against his three-year contract which expired the day before he testified leaving Eash unemployed. “I don’t think I should be punished for serving my country,” he said.
CA Board of Equalization Member, Judy Chu
US Army Veteran Rubio detailed the unfair working conditions that workers in the Rite-Aid distribution warehouse in Lancaster had to endure which included forced overtime, favoritism by management for their friends, “temporary” workers being kept on for almost a year so the company wouldn’t have to pay them the benefits of a permanent employee among other unfair practices.
“When Rite-Aid found out we wanted to join a union, all hell broke loose and they cam down on us even harder—it was like a battle without weapons.” Rubio said the management identified the union supporters and targeted them for harassment. “They kept a close eye on us and disciplined us for anything they could find so they would have an excuse to fire us,” Rubio said. “It got so ridiculous that one of the female managers walked into the men’s restroom and accused one of my co-workers of texting while in the bathroom stall.”
Rubio compared the process that workers at the Rite-Aid warehouse have to go through—with the intimidation and harassment by management through the NLRB election process—to the ease with which he was able to join the military. “I remember how simple it was to join the Army. All it took was my signature,” Rubio said. “I support the Employee Free Choice Act which will allow workers to join a union either through a signature on a card or by a secret ballot election.”
Ironworkers Local 416 showed up in force to support our Veterans
L-R Bob Smith, Political Director, Painters and Allied Trades, District Council 36, Mark Gerth, DC 36, Hilda Solis, Kevin Bass, DC 36.
Richard Slawson, Executive Secretary of the LA/OC Building Trades Council (right) testifies at the Town Hall with Dan Lazzano Helmets to Hardhats National Field Coordinator and Marine Corp Veteran.
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