NorCal Carpenter – January/February 2022

Nor Cal CARPENTER Nor Cal CARPENTER

January/February 2022

SHIRT UP!

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Nor Cal CARPENTER

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Nor Cal

CARPENTER

Jaunuary/February 2022

contents

Room to grow Page 16

Flint Builders Page 11

We built that!

Page 5

Member power, Page 6

Next generation Page 18 Executive Officer’s Report Thank you for taking action NOTE: This column is available in four languages.

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Around Northern California, Carpenters can say ‘we built that’

Build member power—join a Union Action Committee

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It’s all about member power: Contract 2023

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New Union website up and running

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Become an Organizer for Nor Cal Carpenters

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‘A little nudge’ brings a new contractor into the fold

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Political Action: It’s a New Year…just like the old year?

Not exactly.

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Congratulations to the new NCCU retirees

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A message from the new Executive Director Nor Cal Carpenters Training

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Union trucks go to lucky raffle winners

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Room to grow at the new South Bay training center

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Looking for the next generation

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Infrastructure bill a job creator in California

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Nor Cal Carpenters Training

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Your Health, Your Benefits Qualifying for Retiree Health and Welfare

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Safety Matters Winter driving made safer

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In Memoriam

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Procedures for objecting nonmembers to file with the Union Objections to The Expenditure of Dues for Purposes Not Germane to Collective Bargaining NOTE: This information is available in two languages.

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Attend meetings in 2022, earn a chance to win a truck

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Local Unions meeting schedule

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On the cover: Shirted up for the Contract 2023 campaign, Pedro Contreras, Local 405, and Domingo Santiusete-Zayas, Local 713, build a concrete pillar for a City of Livermore garage. Roebbelen Construction is the general contractor on the project.

PUBLISHED BY THE NOR CAL CARPENTERS UNION 265 Hegenberger Road, Suite 200, Oakland, CA 94621 Tel. (510) 568-4788 PRODUCTION by DSB Communications. On the web at www.norcalcarpenters.org

Nor Cal CARPENTER

Thank you for taking action

by Jay Bradshaw

Gracias por tomar acción

por Jay Bradshaw

With the ringing in of the new year we have now started negotiating the Master Agreement. I want to share our deep appreciation for the hundreds of union members who participated in the Contract 2023 workshops. The comments submitted by the membership have been reviewed by your Negotiating Committee and have given us a clear path forward, focusing on the priorities you, the membership, want addressed in the Contract. To show unity on the jobsites I encourage all of you who attended the workshops to wear your Contract Campaign t-shirts on the job and display the Contract stickers on your hardhats. Your Union staff will be distributing more shirts and stickers in the coming weeks as well. The more unity we show in the field, the more strength we will have at the table.

In another public sign of our strength and unity, you may have seen one of the large (10’x20’) Nor Cal Carpenters Union banners hanging on dozens of jobsites throughout our jurisdiction. We will continue to proudly fly our “Union Flag” on any project that we can. This sends a clear message, to the whole industry, regarding the depth of skills and hard work our membership brings to all types of construction. Without you, none of these projects can happen.

Al empezar el Nuevo año hemos iniciado las negociaciones del Convenio Maestro. Yo quiero compartir nuestro profundo agradecimiento por los cientos de miembros de la Unión quienes participaron en los talleres del contrato del 2,023.

Los comentarios presentados por la afiliación han sido revisados por el Comité de Negociaciones y nos han dado una clara trayectoria hacia adelante, enfocándonos en las prioridades que Usted, la afiliación, quiere dirigir en el contrato. Para mostrar unidad en los lugares de trabajo, yo invito a todos los que asistieron a los talleres, a llevar su camiseta de la Campaña de Contrato y mostrar la pegatina del Contrato en sus cascos. También el personal de su unión estará distribuyendo más camisetas y pegatinas en las próximas semanas. Mientras más unidad mostremos en el campo de trabajo, más fuerza tendremos en la mesa de negociaciones.

Como otra muestra pública de nuestra fuerza y unidad, Ustedes pueden haber visto uno de los carteles de los Carpinteros de NOR CAL de (10’x20’) colgando en docenas de sitios de trabajo por toda nuestra jurisdicción. Continuaremos colgando orgullosamente nuestra “Bandera de la Unión” en cualquier proyecto en que podamos. Esto envía un mensaje claro, a toda la industria, sobre la calidad de las habilidades y el gran esfuerzo que nuestra afiliación ofrece a todos los tipos de construcción. Sin Ustedes ninguno de estos proyectos se podría lograr.

ORGANIZING AND POLITICAL ACTION As always, organizing is our top priority. With the clarion call of “When We Fight as One the Fight is Won,” the Carpenters in Action (CIA) has been reenergized with Union members stepping up to assist in dozens of campaigns in every District.

In addition, we’ve had nearly 1,000 members join one or more of our new Union Action committees (full description on pages 6-9) to bring a new activism rooted in mutual support and mentorship to our diverse cross section of members. Also, to effectively reach our goals of Union Power we are actively hiring new full time Organizers (see page 10). On whatever level you want to be involved, I strongly encourage each of you to step up and join us in building Carpenter Power!

Complementary to organizing, our political program is rooted in Carpenter Issues and economics. At both the local and state level we have doubled our capacity to bring strong political initiatives forward that support smart development while ensuring Union conditions on the jobsites.

We also have a new statewide unity among Carpenters.

We are working collaboratively with the Southwest Regional Council bringing even more horsepower to the California Conference of Carpenters. Our main priorities will be focused on housing, transportation, water and energy solutions that create projects with Union conditions for all our crafts.

Brothers and Sisters, let us hear from you. Please go to your new Union website, www.norcalcarpenters.org and drop us a note, get involved and even submit an application to become a full-time Organizer.

ORGANIZACIÓN Y ACCIÓN POLÍTICA Como siempre, la organización es nuestra prioridad principal. Con el llamado de la trompeta “Cuando peleamos como una unidad, la pelea está ganada,” Los Carpinteros en acción (CIA) se han re-energizado con los miembros de la Unión quienes han intensificado la asistencia en docenas de campañas en cada distrito.

En adición a lo anterior, hemos tenido 1.000 miembros integrándose a uno o más de nuestros nuevos comités para la Acción de la Unión (descripción completa en las paginas 6-9) con el fin de traer un activismo nuevo basado en apoyo mutuo y tutorías a nuestras diversas secciones de cruce de miembros. Para alcanzar nuestros objetivos del Poder de la Unión, estamos contratando activamente a nuevos organizadores de tiempo completo (Ver página 10). En cualquier nivel en el que Usted quiera ser parte activa, yo los animo a que haga parte de cómo construir el Poder de los Carpinteros! En complemento a organizar, nuestro programa político que está basado en los problemas de los carpinteros y la economía.

A nivel local y estatal hemos doblado nuestra capacidad de traer fuertes iniciativas políticas que apoyen el desarrollo inteligente mientras se aseguren las condiciones de la Unión en los sitios de trabajo.

Nosotros, también tenemos una gran unidad entre los carpinteros en todo el estado. Estamos trabajando en colaboración con el Consejo Regional del Suroeste (Southwest Regional Council) para traer aún más caballos de fuerza a la Conferencia de Carpinteros de California. Nuestras prioridades principales estarán enfocadas en soluciones de vivienda, de transporte, de agua y de energía que creen proyectos con condiciones de Unión a todos nuestros artesanos.

Hermanos y hermanas permítannos escucharlos. Por favor, vayan a la página nueva de la Unión: www. norcalcarpenters.org y déjennos un mensaje, participen y hagan una solicitud para hacerse organizadores de tiempo completo.

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Nor Cal CARPENTER

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謝謝您參與行動 Jay Bradshaw 隨著新年的到來，我們現在已經 開始談判新的勞資總協議。我想對參 加了2023年合約工作坊培訓的數百名 工會會員表示感謝。基層會員提交的 意見和建議已得到談判委員會的考 慮，並為我們指明一個清晰的前進方向，讓我們明白 基層會員希望新合約加以關注的優先事項。為了在項 目場地展現工會的團結一致，我們鼓勵參加了工作坊 的所有人在工作中穿著新合約談判宣傳 恤衫，並在 安全帽上張貼宣傳貼紙。工會工作人員也會在接下來 的幾個星期內陸續散發更多的恤衫和貼紙。我們在工 地表現得越團結，我們在談判桌上的力量就更大。 作為工會力量和團結的另一項公開展示，您可能 在工會轄區內幾十個工地看到大幅的 (10英尺x20英 尺) 北加州木工工會旗幟。我們將繼續盡可能地在建 築工地自豪地展示我們的工會旗幟。這向整個行業發 送一個清晰的訊息，表達工會會員為各種類型的建築 項目帶來的技能和努力。沒有我們的基層會員，這些 項目都不會成功。 工會組建及政治活動 如同以往一樣，工會組建活動仍然是我們的最高 優先。在『若一致行動、行動必成功』的號召下，木 工行動小組 (CIA) 重新激起工會會員的熱情，他們紛 紛站出來參與各分區的數十項活動。此外，我們有差 不多1000名會員加入我們的一個或多個工會行動委員 會 (完整說明見第6-7頁)，向多元化的會員傳播互助 互利的參與精神。為了有效地實現工會力量目標，我 們正積極地招聘全時組織者 (見第10頁)。不管您想在 哪個級別參與，我強烈地鼓勵大家站出來，與我們一 起建立木工工會力量！與組建活動相輔相成，我們的 政治活動也是基於木工相關議題及經濟考量。在地方 和州級別，我們加倍努力，有力地促進智慧型開發以 及工會參與的政治努力。 我們也有一個全新的州範圍木工團結項目。我們 正在與西南區域理事會合作，為加州木工聯盟帶來更 多力量。我們的主要關注將是住宅、交通、水和能源 項目，為所有的工會工種創造更多的項目機會。 工會的兄弟姊妹們，我們希望聽到你們的心聲。 請到新的工會網站 www.norcalcarpenters.org， 給 我們發送訊息、參與活動、甚至提交申請表成為全時 組織者。

Спасибо за участие

Джей Брэдшоу

С наступлением нового года мы начали переговоры по заключению Генерального контракта. Я хочу выразить нашу глубокую признательность сотням членов профсоюза, принявших участие в семинарах «Контракт 2023». Комментарии, представленные членами, были рассмотрены вашим Переговорным комитетом и указали нам четкий путь вперед, сосредоточив внимание на приоритетах, которые вы, рядовые члены профсоюза, хотите урегулировать в Контракте. Чтобы продемонстрировать единство на рабочих местах, я призываю всех посетивших семинары, носить на работе футболки с символикой кампании по подписанию Контракта и размещать соответствующие стикеры на касках. Сотрудники вашего профсоюза будут распространять эти футболки и наклейки в ближайшие недели. Чем больше единства мы продемонстрируем, тем больше у нас будет возможностей за столом переговоров. Еще один публичный признак нашей силы и единства вы, возможно, видели - это один из больших (10х20 футов) баннеров Nor Cal Carpenters Union, висящих на десятках строительных площадок по всей нашей юрисдикции. Мы продолжим гордо нести наш «Профсоюзный флаг» над любым проектом, который у нас имеется. Это является четким сигналом для всей отрасли относительно широты навыков и количества упорного труда, которые наши члены вносят во все виды строительства. Без вас ни один из этих проектов не может состояться. ОРГАНИЗАЦИОННЫЕ МЕРОПРИЯТИЯ И ПОЛИТИЧЕСКИЕ ДЕЙСТВИЯ Как всегда, проведение организационных мероприятий - наш главный приоритет. С громким призывом «Когда мы сражаемся как единое целое, битва выиграна», организация «Плотники в действии» (CIA) получила новое дыхание, и члены профсоюзов активизировались, чтобы помочь в десятках кампаний в каждом округе. Кроме того, у нас появилось около 1000 членов, которые присоединились к одному или нескольким нашим новым комитетам Акций профсоюза (полное описание на страницах 6–9), чтобы привнести новый активизм, основанный на взаимной поддержке и наставничестве среди наших разнообразных слоев населения. Кроме того, для эффективного достижения целей через Силу Профсоюза (Union Power) мы активно нанимаем новых постоянных организаторов (см. страницу 10). На каком бы уровне вы ни хотели участвовать, я настоятельно рекомендую каждому из вас выступить и присоединиться к нам в создании Силы Плотников (Carpenter Power)! Помимо проведения мероприятий, наша политическая программа основана на решении проблем плотников и экономике. Как на местном уровне, так и на уровне штата мы вдвое увеличили нашу способность выдвигать сильные политические инициативы, которые поддерживают интеллектуальное развитие, обеспечивая при этом выполнение условий Профсоюза на рабочих местах. Мы также культивируем единство плотников по всему штату. Мы работаем совместно с Юго-Западным региональным советом, что позволяет нам решать больше вопросов в рамках Калифорнийской конференции плотников. Наши основные приоритеты будут сосредоточены на решениях в области жилья, транспорта, водоснабжения и энергетики, которые создают проекты с одобренными профсоюзом условиями труда во всех видах наших ремесел. Братья и сестры, позвольте нам услышать ваше мнение. Пожалуйста, зайдите на наш новый веб-сайт Профсоюза www.norcalcarpenters.org и напишите нам, привнесите своё участие и даже подайте заявку, чтобы стать постоянным организатором.

We built that!

Nor Cal CARPENTER

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s the new year begins, Carpenters are showing their union pride by hoisting these Nor Cal Carpenters Union banners on construction sites throughout Northern California.

Brooklyn Basin, Oakland

Interstate 80, Fairfield

San Francisco Muni cable car repair shop

French Camp VA hospital

Housing project, Milbrae Fremont High School

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Nor Cal CARPENTER

Build member power—join a

Our success in Contract 2023 contract negotiations depends entirely on the strength of our membership—our professional skills, our market share, our political strength and our unity. By building that strength and unity we will be able to take as much as possible from the bargaining table.

To join one of these committees, please go to our new website www.norcalcarpenters.org and click on “get involved.” This will take you directly to a list of committees, and the opportunity to send a message indicating which committee you wish to join.

Remember, in the final analysis, we will get what we’re strong enough to take!

C.I.A. Carpenters In Action Since its founding in 2008, the Carpenters in Action (CIA) program has worked alongside the Organizing Department in the daily fight for Carpenters throughout Northern California. Whether speaking at City Hall or joining everyday campaigns, members of the CIA are involved with the fight for Carpenter issues These campaigns have generated billions of dollars of new work hours for the membership and have led to the successful organizing of major contractors. Rank-and-file participation at the Local Union level has been a key element to our collective success.

Members who join their Local’s CIA are trained in all aspects of organizing.

Trainings include organizing tactics, public speaking, political involvement and legal strategies.

P.O.W.E.R. Political Outreach with Extraordinary Results Much of the fight for our collective future is determined by decisions made at the city, county, state and federal level. To build power for our membership in Nor Cal, we must not only hold our elected representatives accountable, but also push forward good legislation based on Carpenter issues.

POWER educates and enlists each member to maximize their influence in the political sphere. By backing pro Nor Cal Carpenters Union (NCCU) candidates and, just as important, developing and running our own members for office, we can make sure our voice and strength are being brought to where the power lies.

T.R.U.E. Training, Recruitment, Unity, Empowerment The NCCU recognizes and celebrates that our membership is a diverse workforce and our mission to build power for all Union members requires unity. While recognizing that progress has been made in our Union’s long struggle for equality, our industry still has vast room for improvement.

We recognize there are unique problems facing various groups, and TRUE will offer a path to continue the struggle for equal treatment, inclusion and dignity. Whether it be through mentorship, support and two-way education, we will not rest until we have achieved equal opportunities for all our Brothers and Sisters, in education, work and life.

ASK THE MEMBERS What do you want in the new contract, what’s important to you?

Jose Carbonell, Local 34 A little more money and more per diem. I was working in Marysville for four months and it was unbelievable how much the hotel cost.

Gia Beck, Local 180 I want to work with people who like building, who want to enjoy it. We need more employers to sign the contract.

Jason Wilson, Local 405 More money for those of us who have to travel far. It would be an incentive to hire local workers.

Asked at local Union Contract 2023 workshops around Northern California.

Rafael Vega, Local 217 I’ve got 27 years in, working mostly concrete, and I’m ready to change. We need to organize more employers.

Nor Cal CARPENTER

Union Action Committee Our Union was founded on the principles of mutual aid, and we believe each of us has a duty to look after our Brothers and Sisters.

F.O.C.U.S. Female Outreach Caucus Uniting Sisters

V.A.L.O.R. Veterans and Leadership Outreach

We are a caucus of committed female Carpenters and other skilled Trades Women dedicated to our Union, our crafts and the communities we live in. FOCUS will develop high levels of engagement in these areas to maximize our influence and power throughout the construction industry, building unity and taking action to secure work opportunities and respect on the jobsites.

Through high levels of training, mentorship and mutual assistance, we will work for and demand equality and dignity to ensure an equal voice and opportunity at all levels for the Sisters in the NCCU.

To join one of the Union Action Committees, go to www.norcalcarpenters.org and click “get involved.”

Angel Quiroz, Local 217 I want to be paid fairly. You know, without us, nothing happens. No one else works unless we do our job. And more emphasis on safety.

Army, Navy, Airforce, Marines and Coast Guard, you’ve watched our backs, now we’ve got yours. VALOR is a program in which our veterans are honored and supported throughout our Union, including the Helmets to Hard Hats program. VALOR is helping our military veterans embark on a new career in the construction industry as Carpenters, Pile Drivers, Millwrights, Industrial and other affiliated trades.

VALOR is mentoring, educating and training our service men and women on viable work opportunities. You’ve given so much to keep our nation safe, through VALOR we can give back to you. As our veterans receive education through one of four training facilities throughout Northern California, they can utilize the GI Bill to better their life. VALOR is committed to working with our members starting with their apprenticeship and offering ongoing support throughout their careers. VALOR is uniting our military veterans with the rest of the Nor Cal Carpenters Union family.

Ken Cheatham, Local 713 Better retirement benefits. I’ve got 33 years in. I’d like to be able to bank more hours for medical coverage.

EACH ONE REACH ONE Fluctuating work hours, high cost of living, extensive commutes and other challenges based on social pressures can leave Union members feeling vulnerable and unstable. As a result of these societal challenges, we are seeing everincreasing suicide rates, substance abuse and depression affecting construction workers like never before. Our Union was founded on the principles of mutual aid, and we believe each of us has a duty to look after our Brothers and Sisters.

The NCCU strives to build bridges for members in trouble to find the help that they need. Our Each One Reach One committee will educate, train and provide the necessary tools for each of us to provide support and help each other weather the storms of life.

Natalie Palmans, Local 405 We have it pretty good. I would just like to see our wages keep up with inflation.

We need to focus on keeping our jobs.

As a single mom, childcare is ridiculously expensive.

Victor Hernandez, Local 9144 Right now keeping my health benefits is important especially with Covid. People are off a lot longer and it’s hard for them to get the hours they need for health care.

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Nor Cal CARPENTER

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It’s all about member power

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Contract 2023

ember involvement is the watchword of the Carpenters Contract 2023 Negotiating Committee, and that was the message at 35 contract workshops, held at every Northern California local in November and December, in English and Spanish.

With the current Carpenters Master Contract expiring on July 1, 2023, negotiations for a new agreement have already begun.

The purpose of the workshops, Nor Cal Carpenters Union Executive Officer Jay Bradshaw said in a video, was to give the members “a real data-driven idea of our strength throughout the industry in Northern California,” and to discuss ways to increase that strength, so that “we can grow work opportunities,” and have a successful outcome to negotiations.

To make that happen, Bradshaw urged members to communicate their bargaining priorities to the Negotiating Committee, and to participate in one of the committees established to increase rankand-file strength.

Rank and file members of the Negotiating Committee attended each of the local Union contract workshops, where Contract 2023 shirts were distributed. “I’m just here to listen,” committee member Lloyd Reber told the Local 180 meeting.

“We will read every single one of the recommendations submitted by the members.”

Union Negotiating Committee member Mary Vanek-Deetz, Local 713, talks with members at Local 217 contract workshop.

“We will read every single one of the recommendations submitted by the members.”

—Negotiating Committee member Lloyd Reber, Local 9109

ASK THE MEMBERS What do you want in the new contract, what’s important to you?

Manny Ramirez, Local 217 Just keep the whole package. We need to keep growing our market share, and bring apprentices along as the next generation.

We need to help each other.

Rosalee Ojeda, Local 713 Good working conditions, and good pay.

We need to continue to take advantage of all the training and education that’s provided.

Musa Dunbar, Local 405 Maintain and increase our wages, a few more pennies on our vacation fund would be good.

Asked at local Union Contract 2023 workshops around Northern California.

Will Matheson, Local 701 Increase apprenticeship hours, so we are bringing along the next generation to fund our benefits, just as we paid for the people ahead of us. We need new contractors, new members.

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Nor Cal CARPENTER

Contract 2023 shirts were distributed at the local union contract workshops.

Above, members at Local 180 workshop.

Below, members shirt up at Local 217 contract workshop.

Workshops gave members ‘a real data-driven idea of our strength.’

Jose Daza Local 9144 More job opportunities, we need lots more people working. I just want fair play, fair wages, fair work opportunity.

Jody Young, Local 22 Maintain our benefits, especially retirement. There needs to be more communication about what’s actually in the contract.

‘We need to keep growing our market share, and bring apprentices along as the next generation.

We need to help each other.‘

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New Union website is up and running!

Nor Cal CARPENTER

www.norcalcarpenters.org

The new Nor Cal Carpenters Union website is now available. It’s at www.norcalcarpenters.org and it’s pretty cool.

From the home page, you can: • Find out about upcoming events • Apply to become an Organizer • Join one of the new Union Action committees.

• Get connected to the Benefit Funds website • Connect with apprenticeship and journey-level training programs • Learn more about the United Brotherhood of Carpenters …and a lot more.

Check it out!

For updated information on Covid-19 relief go to www.norcalcarpenters.org, go to “Members” and then go to “Resources.”

WE ARE HIRING! Become a Nor Cal Carpenters Union organizer Becoming an organizer is a great way to give back, to help others, to support the members, to lead, and to grow the Union to our target—a 70 percent union construction market share!

BUILD CARPENTER POWER

To apply, go to www.norcalcarpenters.org, click on “members” and then click on “application for organizing.”

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Nor Cal CARPENTER

‘A little nudge’

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brings a contractor into the fold

The Carpenters Union is developing a solid new relationship with Flint Builders. Above, Local 46 Senior Field Representative Neildon JnCharles, at left, meets with Field Superintendent Jose Romo, a member of Local 46; Flint Builders President John Stump; and Hummingbird Buildings Division General Superintendent Frank Riley.

It was close

to midnight one evening in 2018, but the Gilroy City Council was still at work. Nearly everyone had gone home, their issues handled. Only two interested parties remained in the room—a representative of Flint Builders, a non-union company seeking approval for a school project, and a Carpenter representative, opposing the permit.

Flint actually got the job, but this was the beginning of a new chapter.

“We had been thinking about signing with the Carpenters for a while,” remembers Flint President John Stump, “and when we saw the union putting pressure on the Gilroy Unified School District, it was the little nudge we needed.”

As in all cases like this, says Local 405 Field Representative Albert Martinez, “Our purpose was simply to give the voters, the parents and the students the best facility possible.

And that means building it with trained carpenters.”

Martinez was the other guy in the room that night.

At the South Valley Middle School in Gilroy, a Carpenter crew is installing modular components manufactured at Flint’s Hummingbird Division plant in Roseville. From left, Juan Antonio Tapia, Efrain Cruz Silva, Juan Reyes, Stephen Behr, Onofre Garcia and Field Superintendent Jose Romo, all members of Local 46.

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Modular units are manufactured by Flint’s new Hummingbird Buildings division in Roseville.

Bill Adams, Local 46, welding trusses for Hummingbird’s modular units. He’s been in the construction industry for 35 years.

There’s a “family atmosphere” at Flint Builders and its Hummingbird Buildings Division. At left, Daniel Tejada and his nephew Pedro Vasquez, both members of Local 46. At right, Nos Khan, Local 46, and his brother Zak Khan, prepare a window for installation.

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Nor Cal CARPENTER ‘BEST DECISION WE’VE EVER MADE’

and doors, drywall and waterproofing.

Looking back two years later, Hummingbird is constantly Stump says that signing with evolving. the Carpenters “was the best “The quality is superb. By decision we’ve ever made, and working inside, we can build we’ve never looked back.” perfectly. No leaks. Everything With the company moving in is plumb, square,” says Plant the direction of self-performing Manager Frank Riley. “This design-build and design-assist started as an experiment and it projects, “signing with the took off! We’ve started small, and Carpenters gave us access to a we’re going to grow.” Having a large pool of skilled, trained and trained workforce is critical, he qualified labor. Our upfront labor adds, which is why he has joined costs might be higher, but we the local board of the Carpenters save so much in other ways.

Training Committee for Northern “At our first meeting, we California. half-expected guys with horns, Whatever the process, both but they were great, and they Hummingbird and its parent did everything they promised,” company have continued to Stump recalls. That included maintain a company culture that political support and helping to won the Sacramento Business keep operations going despite Journal’s 2021 # 1 Best Place to Covid-19, which also meant Work award. facilitating the company’s “I’m so happy to be here,” says Stephen Behr, a seventh-period apprentice, setting the relations with other construction Nos Khan, a longtime member of bottom track on a modular unit at the South County Midunions.

Local 46. “I love the environment, dle School in Hayward. Behr recently won the company’s “We didn’t miss a day,” says I love working with the group we annual safety award.

Flint Senior Superintendent Doug have here. If we have a problem, Gammelgard. we put our heads together and work around it. It’s great to be Flint Builders opened its doors in 2013, with a big loan and part of something new!” zero revenue, Stump remembers. Today, the company employs between 50 and 60 carpenters in the field, has a backlog of projects, and anticipates revenue of $140 million in 2022.

“It’s a great company to work for,” says Field Superintendent Jose Romo, Local 46.

“Working on these design-build projects is really interesting, and the company is small enough that it feels like family.

Everyone knows who you are.”

Flint’s first all-union project is a $78 million rebuild of the South Valley Middle School in Gilroy. “It’s our first baby,” Romo says. Flint is demolishing buildings first constructed in the 1940s, and putting up 13 modular classroom buildings, a multi-purpose building, a gymnasium and an administration building.

‘By working inside, we can build perfectly. No leaks.

Everything is plumb, square.’

MOVING TO MODULAR

The modular units are manufactured by the company’s new Hummingbird division in Roseville. Working out of the weather in a controlled environment, “we can take as much as 25 percent off the schedule,” Gammelgard says. “Modular has evolved, so we’re not just building boxes, you can get pretty creative with sloping or arched ceilings, with overhangs and parapets, for example.”

Miguel Rincon, Local 180, getting ready Carpenters do nearly all of it— to cut a channel on a truss. steel fabrication, assembly, windows

Shane Tinney, Local 46, assembling a modular unit at Hummingbird.

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POLITICAL ACTION

Daniel M. Curtin, Director California Conference of Carpenters

It’s a New Year… just like the old year? Not exactly.

from the low-wage, underground economy contractors, particularly in the housing industry, has become stronger than ever.

Coming out of the 2021 holiday season, we are now almost two years into a worldwide pandemic that has caused great strains and considerable pain on our society. Our members, whose families or close friends have suffered directly from COVID, have felt the cold reality of this shape-shifting virus. The old saying “you can’t fool mother nature” is more important now than ever. We still must be cautious in how we conduct our everyday lives. “Stay safe” is no longer a requirement meant just for the workplace.

With the pain and frustration that COVID has caused, it’s important to remember that many Union Carpenters, and their families, have weathered this on-going crisis far better than many of our less fortunate neighbors. The economic dislocation caused by COVID has definitely put a hit on the construction market. But a strong union presence in the political marketplace kept the construction industry, particularly in the unionized public works sector, open for business. On the other hand, pressure on the industry

NEW CARPENTER LEADERSHIP, NORTH AND SOUTH So now… welcome to 2022. Has any of the above changed? Not really.

What has changed is a new dynamic, energetic Carpenter leadership in both the Northern California Carpenters Union and the Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters. Recent discussions by the new California leadership, your own Jay Bradshaw in the North and Pete Rodriguez in the South, is focusing on a stronger, coordinated statewide approach to both organizing and political action.

It couldn’t come at a more important time. Pressure for legislative action to address the housing affordability crisis is boiling hot. At the same time, the housing industry is the hot bed of wage theft and worker abuse. Almost 50 percent of the housing construction workforce is labeled by the federal government as Low, Very Low or Extremely Low income.

Low and stagnant wages over the last four decades have driven millions of working families out of the homeownership, wealth-building middle class and into the rental market, one paycheck away from homelessness and poverty.

At the same time, real estate speculation, with trillions of dollars of private equity funds gobbling up the devastated housing market, are fueling a growing wealth gap that makes the U.S. look more like a developing country of the super-rich lording over shameful poverty.

The housing crisis is a microcosm of what’s gone wrong in America. A united Carpenters Union is the playbook for what’s right. Trained workers, making family-suporting wages and benefits, not only build the homes that are desperately needed, they also build the middle-class that is rapidly disappearing.

IT STARTS WITH US It won’t change overnight… it has to start here… with us. The haves won’t loosen their grip without a fight. It’s time for a united Carpenters Union to retake the housing industry. It’s time to make sure our elected officials remember the workers in the scramble to rebuild our housing stock and the rest of our neglected infrastructure.

It’s always been a privilege to work for the Carpenters Union… but right now, with new leadership working together, and with a fearless energy tackling problems, we are clearly at a turning point. It couldn’t come at a better time.

Stay sharp, we’re going to need the best from everybody.

Congratulations to our recent Nor Cal Carpenter retirees!

Gary Aby, Local 102 Anthony Alarcon, Local 713 Michael Anderson, Local 180 Leonard Baio, Local 152 Robert Baldini, Local 405 Sylvester Benjamin, Local 751 Richard Bischel, Local 701 James Black, Local 751 Sam Brenes, Local 152 Sergio Bustamante, Local 217 Bradley Cartwright, Local 46 David Champion, Local 46 Alan Corridori, Local 34 Samuel Cortez, Local 152 Dennis Crapo, Local 46 Frank Da Rosa, Local 405 David Dietderich, Local 34

Kent Dolphay, Local 405 John Donham, Local 180 Neil Ferguson, Local 180 Jack Garrison, Local 751 Victor Gonzalez, Local 405 Barry Green, Local 22 Pedro Guinea, Local 22 Wolfgang Hatcher, Local 713 Eric Jackson, Local 713 Jorg Kope, Local 46 Peter Leary, Local 713 Steve Marlin, Local 2236 Orlando Martinez, Local 405 David Moore, Local 405 Ken Morris, Local 152 Ken Murphy, Local 9068 John O’Toole, Local 713

James Parkinson, Local 751 Joseph Quinn, Local 46 Santiago Sandoval, Local 152 Darrell Schnur, Local 751 Ed Slaght, Local 1109 William Spafford, Local 713 Brad Spencer, Local 405 Ralph Stoll, Local 405 Grady Swanson, Local 505 James Tackitt, Local 180 Bryan Trammell, Local 102 Timothy Treadwell, Local 217 Efren Ulloa, Local 713 John Vallelunga, Local 405 Ronald Young, Local 405

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Nor Cal CARPENTER Nor Cal Carpenters Training Administrative Office 2350 Santa Rita Road Pleasanton, CA. 94566-4190 (925) 450-1300

A Joint Labor & Management Sponsored Training Program Scott Lewis, Executive Director

A Message from the new Executive Director, Nor Cal Carpenters Training Wisconsin created the first state Registered Apprenticeship system in 1911, and in 1937, Congress enacted the National Apprenticeship Act (also known as the Fitzgerald Act). In 1939, the Shelley-Maloney Apprentice Labor Standards Act became law in California. The purpose of the law is to provide a uniform approach to training individuals in skilled occupations through formal apprenticeship training programs.

California is like no other. The NorCal Carpenters Training programs have over 5,200 registered apprentices. Including all our building trade partners, California has over 75,000 active apprentices. Our apprenticeship has gone through many changes throughout the years, but one thing remains the same, apprentices.

Our vision…

Apprenticeship is our specialized area of member services.

We are a Labor/Management training program serving Northern California. This includes our communities, counties and the community-based organizations within our part of the state.

Apprentices, other Union members and signatory contractors will get the services and attention they need and deserve. We are currently refining our programs to meet the needs of all our stake holders in the industry.

Communication and passion for training success is the foundation of our strength! This includes solidarity and compassion; when apprentices hit hard times, we take a proactive mentorship approach with an understanding ear, to do everything we can to make the apprentice successful. We are talking, demonstrating and living “Training” in 2022. In the short time

our new executive staff transitioned into office, we have already made building relationships to prioritize training at all levels our number one priority. Journey-level classes are on the schedule again and soon will be in full swing. In addition to the training facilities, this instruction is being provided at local union halls, contractor offices jobsite and online.

We are heading toward new endeavors together. Training apprentices and all Union members will remain our focus. Each one of us working together builds more strength to effectively serve those we are charged with training. We are fortunate to have been provided the skills, knowledge and professionalism from previous administrations, which we will continue to utilize and improve. In collaboration with our industry partners, many positive changes have been made in a short time, giving us a foundation to build upon. Engagement with the Union, signatory contractors, apprentices and other Union members is increasing at every level. The friendship we will foster in these areas will improve our mission and raise our visibility to heights like never before. We are recognized as the leader in our industry because of all of you. If only these few words could truly express our feelings and love for apprenticeship. Yet there are no words that can be written for a passion so deeply felt. We will continue to work together to do our best to meet all of your training needs and expectations!

Sincerely, Scott Lewis Executive Director, Nor Cal Carpenters Training

Union trucks go to lucky raffle winners At the January 2022 Delegate meeting, a 2017 Ford F-150 was raffled off; every rank-and-file member who has been in the Union for at least two years, and in good standing for one year—excluding full-time staff—was eligible. Apprentice Mauricio Sanchez (left), Local 9144, was the lucky winner. A second truck was raffled off to rank-and-file NCCU delegates at the October 2021 Delegate meeting.

The winner was Jay Howard (right), Local 152. Sanchez and Howard received the keys to their trucks from NCCU Executive Officer Jay Bradshaw.

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g row Lots of room to

O

at new South Bay training center

With 20 booths in their new South Bay facility, apprentices no longer need to travel to Pleasanton or Fairfield for welding instruction.

n any given day you can walk onto the shop floor at the brand new Carpenters Training Center in Morgan Hill and see apprentices and instructors working on wood and metal stud framing, drywall, doors and windows, bridges, and commercial concrete projects. You’ll see welding skills being developed in one of the twenty new booths.

Or you can peer into one of the nine classrooms, equipped with TV monitors, and see apprentices following instructions, with a simultaneous Spanish translation available on their iPads.

All at the same time.

All this is happening at the 55,000-square-foot new facility, which is nearly twice the size of the old training center, just down the road. The shop floor itself is 32,000 square feet, again twice the size of the floor at the old building.

“In other words, we can be a lot more efficient with this new

“

I can tell people all ov people that this is such a great o

A large group of apprentices working on a commercial concrete project at the new Carpenters Training Center in Morgan Hill.

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“

It’s amazing to see where the next generation of Carpenters will come from. They will be pivotal in producing the housing this state needs. Generations of apprentices are going to come through here and get the skills they need to get really good paying jobs.”

—Ash Kalra State Assemblymember (D-San Jose)

ver the county that we are building generational wealth here. I can tell young opportunity, right here for them.”

—Claudia Rossi, Santa Clara County Board of Education

space,” says Mark Sanchez, Morgan Hill site coordinator. “We can train more apprentices, faster. We can build more and bigger projects. And we’ve got plenty of room to grow.”

The welding booths are an especially key improvement, meaning that South Bay apprentices no longer need to travel to Pleasanton or Fairfield to master that part of their trade.

“The old facility was old school,” says Martin Munoz, Local 405, a fifth-period apprentice. “Here, everything is bigger. There’s more space, more new technology, new energy, a whole new vibe.”

The November 12 grand opening drew scores of union members, contractors, politicians and community leaders to tour the new facility. On the political side, the guests ranged from California Secretary of Labor Natalie Palugyai and state legislators to local city council and school board members. From the industry, representatives from Daley’s Drywall, Rick Slater, Anning-Johnson, Hensel-Phelps and J.J. Albanese were on hand to check out the new facility.

“It’s beautiful,” commented State Senator Dave Cortese (D-San Jose). “But then, I wouldn’t have expected anything less from the Carpenters.”

“

I’m humbled by seeing what’s possible when government, business and organized labor get together to produce something like this.

We walk into our buildings and don’t remember that someone actually built this and that there was a whole village behind that person. So, kudos to the village that built this place!”

— Natalie Palugyai, California Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Agency

At 32,000 square feet, the shop floor at the new Morgan Hill Training Center allows multiple activities—from framing to bridge construction—to happen at the same time.

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Nor Cal CARPENTER

Looking for the

Building projects are stacking up for 2022—and well beyond.

That means it’s vital to attract motivated young people and train them to join the professionals in the Carpenters Union. As the old year ended, union volunteers and staff reached out to this next generation— women, college and high school students, and even younger people—in the search for future apprentices.

CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY JOB FAIR ‘A real eye-opener for our young people’ Hundreds of Sacramento Valley high school students got a view of the construction industry at Trades Day at Cal Expo, sponsored by the Construction Industry Education Foundation (CIEF), supported by construction companies and unions, including Carpenters Local 46.

Working the Carpenters booth, training staff fielded questions from hundreds of students who got to work the virtual welder and did construction math exercises, just to give them a taste of what

Students got to work the virtual welder and did construction math exercises, just to give them a taste of what it’s like in the field.

CTCNC Outreach Coordinator Shirell Defils shows a student how to use the virtual welder.

it’s like in the field. Many also seemed impressed by a look at the Carpenters’ wage scale.

CTCNC staff members Clayton Walton, Shirell Defils and Hector Lopez, along with Martin Espinoza, Jr., Local 34, worked the Carpenters’ booth. Participating contractors included Swinerton, Hensel-Phelps, Urata, Flint, XL, Roebbelen, Teichert and C.C. Meyers.

Chris Puglisi, Local 34, discusses career options with a trainee at the Cypress-Mandela Training Center in Oakland.

CYPRESS-MANDELA TRAINING CENTER ‘A lot of interest’ Carpenter representatives visited with more than 500 Mandela Training Center trainees and East Bay high school students at the Center’s Career Day in early December. Leo Vega, Local 713, Chris Puglisi and Martin Espinoza, Jr., both from Local 34, and CTCNC Coordinator Hector Lopez met with the trainees.

“They were all very receptive,” Espinoza said. “It was pretty busy around the booth with a lot of interest. We had the CTCNC van there, and the virtual welder—both were big hits.”

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next generation

Martin Espinoza, Jr., Local 34, and CTCNC Coordinator Hector Lopez meet with high school students at Trades Day in Sacramento, put on by the Construction Industry Education Foundation.

CENTRAL CALIFORNIA GIRL SCOUTS Participants ‘got real creative’ A large group of Carpenters Union staff and volunteers represented the union at the semi-annual Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Expo, put on in November by the Central California Girl Scouts to introduce their members to all the careers requiring a STEM background.

“We wanted to make clear to those

Angela Adams, Local 9109, helps a Girl Scout build her own toolbox.

young people that construction is increasingly part of that technological world and have them meet women who are part of that world,” said Taylor Mobley, Program Strategy Specialist with the Central California Girl Scouts.

“We were really happy to have the Carpenters here.”

About 100 scouts dropped by the Carpenters booth.

“The 5- to 7-year-olds got real creative working with wood, creating eyeglass holders and painting wooden pumpkins, says CTCNC Coordinator Shirell Defils.

“The older scouts made their own toolboxes.”

Also working the Carpenters booth were Juanita Douglas, Local 22; Angela Adams, Local 9109; Olwyn Brown, Local 713; Gia Beck, Local 180; Beverly Walker, Maria Trevino and Kyra Kekahu, Local 46; and Rachel Leanos, Local 152.

SACRAMENTO BUILDERS EXCHANGE Toward an ‘equitable and inclusive industry’ Hundreds of women leaders in the construction industry—executives, project managers and sales staff— attended the annual Women in Construction conference sponsored by the Sacramento Builders Exchange.

Shirell Defils, outreach coordinator for the CTCNC, and Roebellen Construction Superintendent Tina Fortensky, Local

‘The most impor tant thing we can do is slide over and make room for younger women in the industry, and then mentor them on how to do the work.’

46, spoke about their own history as working carpenters.

“The most important thing we can do is slide over and make room for younger women in the industry, and then mentor them on how to do the work,” Defils said.

Fortensky recounted her own history rising through the ranks, and recounted the “vast improvement” in the treatment of women that she had experienced, Also representing the Carpenters at the conference were Rachel Leanos and April Atkins. ‘It was a good occasion for networking,” Leanos said, “and making sure that everyone there understood what our union contributes to the industry.”

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Nor Cal CARPENTER

Infrastructure spending bill will be a job creator in California Compiled from information provided by the White House, the California League of Cities, the Associated Press, the Sacramento Bee, Construction Dive and the California Alliance for Jobs.

The massive $1.2 trillion federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) passed late last year will add an estimated two million jobs per year to the national economy, requiring the construction industry to add 747,000 workers by 2026. It’s the largest federal infrastructure investment since the creation of the interstate highway system 70 years ago.

Broadly speaking, the bill provides funding for the nation’s roads, bridges, water, public transportation and airport infrastructure, with a strong focus on climate change mitigation, resilience, and equity.

“We can see 75,000 to 100,000 jobs created annually from the federal infrastructure investment,” said Michael Quigley, the executive director for the California Alliance for Jobs, a group of construction companies and unions advocating for more infrastructure spending. “It’s going to be really substantial for California’s economy.”

The IIJA requires the vast majority of construction projects to pay prevailing wages and employ workers from statecertified apprenticeship programs.

The investments in California construction will include:

Northern California Carpenters built a new wastewater treatment facility for Sacramento in 2018. The new Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provides $9.45 billion for similar projects throughout the state.

A crew of Carpenters working on shoring up Highway 1 on the road to Stinson Beach. The new federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provides over $26 billion for similar road repair work.

• $25.3 billion for highways and $4.2 billion for bridge replacement and repairs over five years. In California, there are 1,536 bridges and over 14,220 miles of highway in poor condition. Since 2011, commute times have increased by 14.6 percent in California and on average, each driver pays $799 per year related to driving on roads in need of repair.

• $9.45 billion over five years for public transportation. Californians who take public transportation spend an extra 66.6 percent of their time commuting for work, and 16 percent of transit vehicles in the state are past their useful life.

• $3.5 billion over five years to improve water infrastructure, with a focus on replacement of lead pipes.

• $1.5 billion for airport infrastructure.

• A minimum of $100 million for broadband, of particular importance in rural parts of the state.

• $84 million over five years to protect against wildfires.

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Nor Cal CARPENTER

JOURNEY-LEVEL UPGRADE HEALTH AND SAFETY CLASSES

SCHEDULED OR IN PROGRESS

For information on upgrade classes, including Health and Safety classes or craft-related training, please contact the Training Department at (925) 462-9640, or email us at training@ctcnc.org. We still offer full-length classes, but the instructor is also available to conduct mini classes for non-certification training. The classes are free to members in good standing, and all books and materials are provided.

Journey-level training is open to any member whether they are a journeyperson or apprentice.

Now is the time to take the UBC Covid-19 Preparedness Qualification course.

You can find it online at https://ubc-citf.carpenters.org/.

NOR CAL CARPENTERS TRAINING WELDING SHOP

Nor Cal Carpenters Training 2350 Santa Rita Road Pleasanton, CA 94566 Fairfield Weld Shop and Morgan Hill Weld Shop Hours of operation: Monday-Friday, 7:00am-3:30pm For the dates the shop is closed, please see attached schedule.

Pleasanton Weld Shop Hours of operation: Tuesday-Friday, 12:30-8:00pm Saturday, 7:00am-2:30pm For the dates the shop is closed, please see attached schedule.

Welding Schedule is subject to change—verify at www.ctcnc.org

February 11 Friday 7:00am-3:30pm Morgan Hill Training Center Open (408)7781552 February 12 Saturday 7:00am-3:30pm January 31 Monday 7:00am-3:30pm February 15 Tuesday 7:00am-3:30pm February 1 Tuesday 7:00am-3:30pm February 16 Wednesday 7:00am-3:30pm February 2 Wednesday 7:00am-3:30pm February 17 Thursday 7:00am-3:30pm February 3 Thursday 7:00am-3:30pm February 18 Friday CLOSED February 4 Friday 7:00am-3:30pm February 21 Monday CLOSED February 7 Monday 7:00am-3:30pm February 22 Tuesday 7:00am-3:30pm February 8 Tuesday 7:00am-3:30pm February 23 Wednesday 7:00am-3:30pm February 9 Wednesday 7:00am-3:30pm February 24 Thursday 7:00am-3:30pm February 10 Thursday 7:00am-3:30pm February 25 Friday 7:00am-3:30pm February 11 Friday 7:00am-3:30pm February 12 Saturday 7:00am-3:30pm Pleasanton Training Center Open (925)462-9640 February 15 Tuesday 7:00am-3:30pm February 1 Tuesday 12:30pm-8:00pm February 16 Wednesday 7:00am-3:30pm February 2 Wednesday 12:30pm-8:00pm February 17 Thursday 7:00am-3:30pm February 3 Thursday 12:30pm-8:00pm February 18 Friday CLOSED February 4 Friday 12:30pm-8:00pm February 21 Monday CLOSED February 5 Saturday 7:00am-2:30pm February 22 Tuesday 7:00am-3:30pm February 8 Tuesday 12:30pm-8:00pm February 23 Wednesday 7:00am-3:30pm February 9 Wednesday 12:30pm-8:00pm February 24 Thursday 7:00am-3:30pm February 10 Thursday 12:30pm-8:00pm February 25 Friday 7:00am-3:30pm February 11 Friday 12:30pm-8:00pm February 12 Saturday 7:00am-2:30pm Fresno Training Center Closed February 15 Tuesday 12:30pm-8:00pm Fairfield Training Center Open (707)399-2880 February 16 Wednesday 12:30pm-8:00pm January 31 Monday 7:00am-3:30pm February 17 Thursday 12:30pm-8:00pm February 1 Tuesday 7:00am-3:30pm February 18 Friday CLOSED February 2 Wednesday 7:00am-3:30pm February 19 Saturday CLOSED February 3 Thursday 7:00am-3:30pm February 22 Tuesday 12:30pm-8:00pm February 4 Friday 7:00am-3:30pm February 23 Wednesday 12:30pm-8:00pm February 7 Monday 7:00am-3:30pm February 24 Thursday 12:30pm-8:00pm February 8 Tuesday 7:00am-3:30pm February 25 Friday 12:30pm-8:00pm February 9 Wednesday 7:00am-3:30pm February 26 Saturday 7:00am-2:30pm February 10 Thursday 7:00am-3:30pm

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Your Health Your benefits Qualifying for Retiree Health and Welfare Retirement planning involves considering many financial decisions, including addressing medical and prescription coverage needs. For many Participants the decision to retire depends upon the ability to enroll in the Carpenters Health and Welfare Plan for Retirees for access to medical and prescription coverage. To qualify for the Carpenters Retiree Health and Welfare Plan, you must meet certain Pension Eligibility Credit rules and recent “work attachment rules.” Keep the following in mind while winding down your working career: First, your Pension payment must be based on at least 10 years of eligibility credit. To verify your years of credit, refer to your quarterly Pension statement under the column titled ‘Eligibility Credit.’ This will tell you how many years of credit the Trust Fund has on record for you.

Second, you must have at least 400 work hours in 3 of the last 5 calendar years prior to your retirement date. To satisfy this rule, the 400-hour requirement can be satisfied by counting hours worked in the year of retirement. Refer to your quarterly Pension statement under the heading ‘Work Hours,’ and begin counting in the year of retirement or on the year prior to your retirement.

For example, if you expect to retire in 2022, years 1 through 5 would be either 2018 – 2022 or 2017 – 2021. To satisfy this recent work attachment test, three of those years must show at least 400 Work Hours.

Third, you must have worked in covered employment or have had hours of disability credited for at least 300 hours in the 2 calendar years prior to your retirement date, OR 300 hours in the calendar year of your retirement and 300 hours in the preceding year. Again, you can determine whether or not you have satisfied this rule by reviewing your Quarterly Pension Statement. Begin counting the year of retirement and prior year or the two years prior to your retirement, then add the number of hours found under the headings of ‘Work Hours’ and ‘Disab Hours’ to determine if the 300 hours per year rule has been satisfied.

Good physical and financial health makes an important difference in establishing a happy retirement, and the Trust Fund is here to help you plan for it. We encourage you to start planning for retirement as early as possible. Valuable resources are available through the Carpenters Plans to help you plan for retirement. For example, perhaps now is the time to sign up for the 401(k) Plan, or if you already participate in the Plan, perhaps now is a good time to increase your elected deferral amount. And don’t forget to think about how your Annuity retirement plan can supplement your defined Pension retirement income. If you’re interested in an estimate of periodic payments from your Annuity Plan, the Fund Office is happy to help.

Visit the Fund Office between 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday – Friday. No appointment is necessary.

Call us at 888-547-2054 or 510-633-0333 Email us at benefitservices@carpenterfunds.com Visit our website at www.carpenterfunds.com or www.cfao.org

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Nor Cal CARPENTER

Su salud Sus beneficios Requisitos para obtener beneficios de salud y bienestar a la jubilación

Visite la Oficina del Fondo de lunes a viernes entre 8 a.m. y 5 p.m. No es necesario que haga una cita.

Llámenos al 888-547-2054 o al 510-633-0333 Envíenos un mensaje electrónico a benefitservices@ carpenterfunds.com Visite nuestro sitio Web en www.carpenterfunds.com o www.cfao.org

La planificación de la jubilación requiere que se consideren muchas decisiones financieras, como la determinación de las necesidades de cobertura médica y de medicamentos de venta con receta. Para muchos participantes, la decisión de jubilarse depende de la capacidad de inscribirse en el Plan de Salud y Bienestar para Jubilados de Carpenters a fin de tener acceso a la cobertura médica y de medicamentos de venta con receta. Para poder participar en el Plan de Salud y Bienestar para Jubilados de Carpenters, debe cumplir ciertas reglas de créditos de elegibilidad para pensión y las recientes “reglas de adscripción al trabajo.” Al prepararse para concluir su carrera laboral recuerde lo siguiente: Primero, el pago de su pensión se debe basar en al menos 10 años de créditos de elegibilidad. Para verificar sus años de créditos, consulte la columna titulada ‘Eligibility Credit’ (Crédito de elegibilidad) del estado de cuenta trimestral de su pensión. Ahí se le indica cuántos años de crédito tiene el Fondo de Fideicomiso registrados en su nombre.

Segundo, debe tener al menos 400 horas de trabajo en 3 de los últimos 5 años calendario antes de la fecha de su jubilación. Para cumplir con esta regla, el requisito de las 400 horas se puede cumplir contando las horas trabajadas en el año de la jubilación. Consulte la sección ‘Work Hours’ (Horas de trabajo) del estado de cuenta trimestral de su pensión y comience a contar en el año de la jubilación o en el año anterior a la jubilación. Por ejemplo, si espera jubilarse en 2022, los años 1 al 5 serían de 2018 a 2022 o de 2017 a 2021. Para cumplir esta reciente prueba de adscripción al trabajo, tres de esos años deben mostrar al menos 400 horas de trabajo.

Tercero, debe haber trabajado en un empleo cubierto o tener horas de créditos por incapacidad por al menos 300 horas en los 2 años calendario antes de la fecha de su jubilación O 300 horas en el año calendario de su jubilación y 300 horas en el año anterior. Una vez más, puede determinar si ha cumplido o no con esta regla revisando el estado de cuenta trimestral de su pensión. Comience a contar el año de su jubilación y el año anterior o los dos años antes de su jubilación, luego añada el número de horas indicado bajo los títulos ‘Work Hours’ y ‘Disab Hours’ (Horas de incapacidad) para determinar si se cumplió la regla de las 300 horas por año.

Una buena salud física y financiera hace una diferencia importante en el establecimiento de una jubilación feliz, y el Fondo de Fideicomiso está aquí para ayudarle a planearla. Le recomendamos que comience a planear su jubilación tan pronto como sea posible. Los planes de Carpenters ponen a su disposición valiosos recursos para ayudarle a planear su jubilación. Por ejemplo, tal vez sea el momento de que se inscriba en un Plan 401(k), o si ya participa en este Plan, quizá esta sea una buena oportunidad para aumentar la cantidad de diferimiento elegida. Y no se le olvide pensar cómo su Plan de Anualidades a la jubilación puede complementar los ingresos definidos de su pensión a la jubilación. Si le interesa un estimado de los pagos periódicos de su Plan de Anualidades, la Oficina del Fondo se complacerá en ayudarle.

Nor Cal CARPENTER

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Winter driving made safer

D

efensive driving is defined as driving to save lives, time and money in spite of the conditions around you and the actions of others. Your awareness level and obligations increase in winter weather, and these reminders can make your winter driving safer.

Before your trip, check your: • Brakes—Having the ability to stop cannot be overrated!

• Windshield wipers and cold weather washer fluid • Exhaust system and heater • How about your antifreeze? If your cooling system freezes while your vehicle is parked, you won’t be going very far!

• Tire pressure? Check it!

• How about your tires and chains? Do the chains fit, and do you know how to install them? Learn before you go.

California winters present drivers with a wide range of obstacles, depending on where you live and need to travel.

Driving the speed of traffic is generally considered safe, but when the weather is challenging, expect that speed to drop off a lot. As winter storms bring rain, snow and ice, allow more time for travel. Also

allow greater stopping distances, and rely more on slowing your vehicle by using lower gears rather than hitting the brakes to maintain speed and control.

Do you have water and snacks in case your drive is longer—possibly much longer—than you expect? While you’re at it, pack a blanket, flashlight and extra batteries in case you end up needing to sleep in your car. If you get stuck, stay with your vehicle, conserve fuel and, if you need to leave the engine on for heat, be alert for symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning.

CARRY CHAINS IN BAD WEATHER! • Try a test installation to make sure the chains fit, and you have all the required pieces. Carry a towel next to the case, so you can wipe your hands after they’re installed.

• Stop and install chains when highway signs indicate chains are required. This is where enough shoulder space is provided to install chains.

• The speed limit when using chains is 25-30 mph. Speeding in snowy weather can earn you a ticket or a special parking place in a ditch!

Conducir en invierno de modo más seguro

SAFETY MATTERS TEMAS DE SEGURIDAD

C

onducir defensivamente se define como conducir para salvar vidas, tiempo y dinero a pesar de las condiciones a tú alrededor y las acciones de otros. Tu nivel de concentración y obligaciones aumentan durante el invierno y estos recordatorios pueden hacer más seguro el conducir en invierno.

Antes de conducir revisa tus: • Frenos— ¡El poder parar es supremamente importante!

• Limpiaparabrisas y el líquido de temporada fría para lavar el parabrisas • El sistema de escape y calefacción • El anticongelante. ¡No llegarás muy lejos si se congela tu sistema de enfriamiento mientras que tu vehículo está parqueado!

• ¿Cómo está la presión de las llantas? ¡Revísala!

• ¿Qué sabes sobre tus llantas y cadenas/cables? ¿Le sirven las cadenas o cables y sabes colocarlos?

Aprende antes de salir.

Los inviernos en California les presentan a los conductores una variedad de obstáculos, dependiendo donde vives y a donde tienes que conducir. El conducir a la velocidad del tráfico es generalmente considerado seguro, pero cuando el estado del tiempo es difícil se puede esperar que la velocidad se reduzca considerablemente. Debes permitir más tiempo para conducir ya que las tormentas traen lluvia, nieve y hielo. También debes permitir más distancias para parar y trata de reducir la velocidad de tu vehículo usando engranajes más bajos en vez de los frenos para mantener la velocidad y el control. ¿Llevas contigo agua/snacks en caso de que te demores más de lo esperado—posiblemente mucho más?

También empaca una cobija, linterna y baterías extra en caso que tengas que dormir en tu carro. Si te atascas, quédate en tu vehículo, conserva combustible y si necesitas dejar prendido el motor para

In Memoriam

The Carpenters Union lost these members. We thank them for their dedication to the union, and send our best wishes to their families and friends.

Donald Anglin, Local 751 Robert Bragg, Local 152 Dennis Brahney, Local 22 Francis Brown, Local 152 William Bullert, Local 34 William Dirksen, Local 152 Rodney Duncan, Local 405 Richard Grenier, Local 217 Jerry Johnson, Local 152 Arthur Lagrimas, Local 2236 Vernon Lenhardt, Local 35 Harry Mock, Local 751 Paul Niehues, Local 102 James Payette, Local 713 John Rainas, Local 152 Nestor Servin, Local 1109 Curtis Sherrill, Local 405 Leslie Vansomeren, Local 152 Jerold Wilhite, Local 22 Rodger Wooley, Local 405

el calor, trata de estar alerta a los síntomas de envenenamiento por monóxido de carbono. ¡LLEVA CADENAS O CABLES DURANTE EL MAL TIEMPO! • Trata de hacer una instalación de prueba para asegurarte que las cadenas o cables sirvan y que tengas todas las piezas necesarias. Ten una toalla junto a la caja para que puedas limpiarte las manos después de instalar las cadenas.

• Para e instala las cadenas o cables donde las señales de la carretera indiquen que se requieren cadenas o cables. En estos lugares es donde hay suficiente espacio al lado de la carretera para instalar las cadenas o cables.

• El límite de velocidad cuando se usan cadenas es 25-30 mph: ¡Conducir con velocidad cuando está nevando podría hacer que te ganes una multa o un lugar especial en una zanja!

Nor Cal CARPENTER

Procedures for Objecting Nonmembers to File with the Union Objections to The Expenditure of Dues for Purposes Not Germane to Collective Bargaining

U

nion membership is an asset of great value to working people. Union membership alone provides workers with a measure of control over their wages, hours, benefits, and working conditions.

Under Section 8(a)(3) of the National Labor Relations Act, 29 U.S.C. 158(a)(3), employers and unions have the right (except in so-called right-to-work states) to enter into agreements requiring that workers, as a condition of employment, join and maintain their membership in the union. This law and policy is consistent with the democratic principle of majority rule, and it ensures that everyone who benefits from union representation shares in the cost of providing that benefit. Consistent with this principle and the law, many collective bargaining agreements between employers and UBC Local Unions and Councils (“affiliates”) of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (“UBC”) require as a condition of employment that workers enjoying the benefits of these agreements join the union and remain members in good standing.

Over the years, however, the National Labor Relations Board and the courts have undermined union security by holding that these clauses can be enforced against workers who refuse to join the union or resign from it only to the extent of requiring “financial core” membership, that is, the payment of union initiation fees and periodic dues. Workers cannot lawfully be required to actually join a union as a condition of employment. But, again, they can be required to pay the union an amount equal to the dues and fees uniformly required of union members.

These rulings clearly contradict the plain language of the statute, which specifically states that an employer can lawfully make an agreement with a union “to require as a condition of employment membership” in the union. Nevertheless, unless and until these legal interpretations are changed, the UBC will follow the prevailing law and enforce union security provisions in a manner consistent with the statute and applicable court decisions.

Recently, backward-looking court decisions have further narrowed workers’ union security rights, holding that “financial core” nonmembers can file with the union an objection to paying for union activities that are not “germane” to collective bargaining in order to obtain a rebate of that portion of their dues, which is determined to have been expended for nongermane purposes.

Like most unions, the UBC spends a great amount of its funds on activities that even the courts agree are directly related to collective bargaining. In addition, the UBC expends some funds for other activities, including organizing, legislative activity, publications, etc. All of these activities help to strengthen our union and thereby create a more favorable position for labor in the collective bargaining process. In that sense, every one of these activities advances our union’s fundamental mission—workers joining together to better their lives. However, backward-looking court decisions have taken an extremely narrow view of the role of the trade union movement, ruling that certain such activities are not “germane” to the labor organization’s function as the legally recognized representative of workers in collective bargaining.

“Financial core” membership carries with it very high costs—the loss of all of the benefits, rights, and privileges that workers would otherwise be entitled to as union members. These include (1) the right to receive union funeral benefits; (2) the right to vote on whether a strike will be called against their employer; (3) the right to vote on the rate of dues they are required to pay; (4) the right to vote on the ratification of collective bargaining agreements that determine their wages, hours, and working conditions; (5) the right to vote in the election of the union officers and stewards who represent them; (6) the right to attend, speak, and vote at union meetings, where union policies that directly affect their jobs are determined; and (7) the right to a transfer card, so that they are not required to pay a new initiation fee if they go to work in a different collective bargaining unit, which frequently happens when a worker changes jobs. These nonmember workers lose very important rights, benefits, and privileges, including the right to meaningful involvement in setting the terms and conditions of their employment—a voice and a vote in union governance—thereby allowing others to unilaterally make decisions affecting them, their families, and their livelihoods. It is illegal for an employer to compensate a nonmember worker for the loss of these valuable union rights and benefits. For 2020, the Nor Cal Carpenters’ chargeable expenses were 95% of its total expenditures. The law requires union to represent nonmembers in the same way that it represents members. While the union will meet this requirement of law, it will not do anything for nonmembers that is not absolutely required by law. To dispute how the allocation was figured, objecting nonmembers must follow the procedures published in The Carpenter Magazine or request them in writing from the Carpenters 46 Counties Conference Board at cpedroza@46counties.org.

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Nor Cal CARPENTER

Procedimientos para Objetores que No son Miembros para Presentar a la Unión sus Objeciones sobre los Gastos de Cuotas para Propósitos que no son Pertinentes a la Negociación de Convenios Colectivos La membresía de la unión representa un gran valor para las personas que trabajan. La membresía de la unión por sí sola proporciona a los trabajadores una medida de control sobre sus salarios, sus horas, sus beneficios y sus condiciones de trabajo.

Bajo la Sección 8 (a) (3) de la Ley Nacional de Relaciones Laborales, 29 U.S.C. 158(a)(3), los empleadores y la unión tienen derecho (excepto en los estados que se hacen llamar estados con derecho a trabajar “right-to-work”) a entrar en acuerdos que requieren que los traba-jadores, como condición de empleo, se afilian a la unión y mantengan su membresía con la misma. Esta ley y esta política son consistentes con los principios de la democracia donde rige la mayoría, y se asegura que todos los que se benefician con la representación de la unión compartan los costos que proporcionan esos beneficios. De forma consistente con este principio y la ley, muchos de los acuerdos de convenios colectivos entre empleadores y las Uniones Locales y Concilios (“filiales”) de la Hermandad de Carpinteros Unidos y Enlistadores de América (UBC, por sus siglas en inglés) requieren como condición de empleo que los trabajadores que disfrutan los beneficios de estos acuerdos se afilien a la unión y permanezcan como miembros en buenos términos.

A través de los años, sin embargo, la Junta Nacional de Relaciones Laborales (National Labor Relations Board) y las cortes han, debilitado la seguridad de la unión al sostener que estas cláusulas pueden ser impuestas contra los trabajadores que se rehúsen a afiliarse a la unión o renuncien a ella sólo hasta el punto de extender la “cuota financiera” requerida de la membresía, es decir, el pago de cuotas de iniciación de la unión y los cargos periódicos. Por ley, no se puede requerir que los trabajadores se afilien a la unión como una condición de trabajo. Sin embargo, se les puede pedir que paguen a la unión una cantidad igual al monto de los pagos y las cuotas que se requieren de todos los miembros de la unión.

Estos reglamentos claramente contradicen el simple lenguaje del estatuto, el cual especifica a los estados que un empleador puede legalmente hacer un acuerdo con una unión “para requerir como una condición de empleo la membresía” en la unión. Sin embargo, a menos que, y hasta que, estas interpretaciones legales cambien, la UBC seguirá la ley prevaleciente y exigirá las medidas de seguridad de la unión de una manera consistente con el estatuto y las decisiones aplicables de la corte.

Recientemente, decisiones retrógradas tomadas por la corte han acotado aún más los derechos de seguridad de los trabajadores de la unión, estableciendo que las personas que no son miembros de la unión pueden registrar con la unión una objeción por pagarle a ésta por las actividades que no son “pertinentes” a los convenios colectivos con el fin de obtener un descuento de esa porción de sus cuotas que se han gastado en propósitos “no pertinentes”.

Como la mayoría de las uniones, la UBC gasta una gran parte de sus fondos en actividades que incluso las cortes están de acuerdo con su directa relación con los convenios colectivos. Además, la UBC gasta otros fondos para otras actividades, incluyendo la organización, la actividad legislativa, las publicaciones, etc. Todas estas actividades ayudan a fortalecer a nuestra unión y así crean una posición más favorable para el trabajo en el proceso de negociación de los acuerdos colectivos. En ese sentido, cada una de estas actividades refuerza la misión fundamental de nuestra unión – los trabajadores unidos para mejorar sus vidas. Sin embargo, las decisiones retrógradas de las cortes han tomado una visión extremadamente estrecha del papel del movimiento de intercambio de la unión, estableciendo que algunas de estas actividades no son “pertinentes” a la labor de organización como el representante legalmente reconocido de los trabajadores en el proceso de negociación del convenio colectivo.

La membresía considerando sólo un “núcleo financiero” lleva consigo costos muy altos – la pérdida de todos los beneficios, derechos y privilegios de los trabajadores que de otra manera no tendrían derechos como miembros de la unión.

Estos derechos incluyen: (1) el derecho a recibir beneficios fúnebres por parte de la unión, (2) el derecho a votar sobre si se realizará una huelga en contra de su empleador, (3) el derecho a votar sobre las tarifas que se requieren pagar, (4) el derecho a votar en la ratificación de acuerdos de convenios colectivos que determinarán sus salarios, sus horarios y sus condiciones de trabajo, (5) el derecho a votar en la elección delos oficiales de la unión y aquellos que los representan, (6) el derecho a asistir, hablar o votar en las reuniones de la unión, donde se determinan las políticas de la unión que afectan directamente sus trabajos, y (7) el derecho a una tarjeta de transferencia, para que si ellos se van a trabajar no tenga necesidad de pagar una cuota nueva de iniciación si ellos van a trabajar en una unidad de negociación colectiva diferente, lo cual pasa frecuentemente cuando el trabajador cambia de empleos. Estos trabajadores que no pertenecen a la unión pierden importantes derechos, beneficios y privilegios, incluyendo el derecho a involucrarse de manera significativa en establecer los términos y condiciones de sus empleos –voz y voto en las decisiones de la unión – permitiendo así a otros realizar decisiones unilaterales que les afectan a ellos, sus familias y sus vidas. Es ilegal que un empleador compense a un trabajador que no pertenece a la unión de cualquier manera por la pérdida de estos valiosos derechos y beneficios de la unión. En cuanto a la unión, ésta require por ley representar a personas que no pertenecen a ella, al mismo tiempo que representa a sus miembros. Mientras que la unión cumple con estos requerimientos de la ley, no hará nada que no sea absolutamente requerido por ley por las personas que no pertenecen a ella. Las personas que no pertenecen a la unión que están en desacuerdo y deciden registrar sus objeciones con la unión sobre los gastos de las cuotas por propósitos no pertinentes a un convenio colectivo deben cumplir con el siguiente procedimiento Carpenters 46 Counties Confrence Board.

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Nor Cal CARPENTER

Local Unions’ Meeting Schedule

All members that are able are welcome to attend meetings of any local union.

Local

Address

Phone

Northern District 35 647 Lindaro St., San Rafael 94901-3960 (415) 453-9236 46 4421 Pell Dr., Suite A Sacramento 95838 (916) 614-7901 180 404 Nebraska St.,Vallejo 94590-3878 (707) 644-1040 751 1706 Corby Ave., Santa Rosa 95407-7517 (707) 545-5121 751/Eureka 840 E St., Suite 12 Eureka 95501-6804 (707) 442-4286 1599 1835 Keystone Ct., Redding, CA 96003 (530) 222-6429 1789 2720 Young St., So. Lake Tahoe 96150 (530) 544-4754 9109 4421 Pell Dr. Suite D, Sacramento 95838 (916) 646-6759 Central District 22 450 Harrison St. San Francisco 94105 (415) 355-1322 152 3780 Alhambra Ave., Martinez 94553-8040 (925) 228-1858 152/Manteca 1421 Moffat Blvd. Manteca, 95336 (209) 239-3232 713 1050 Mattox Rd., Hayward 94541-1298 (510) 581-7817 713 1050 Mattox Rd., Hayward 94541-1298 (510) 581-7817 9068 100 Hegenberger Rd., Suite 300 Oakland 94621 (510) 430-1412 Southern District 217 1153 Chess Dr., #100 Foster City 94404 (650) 377-0217 405 2102 Almaden Rd., #115 San Jose 95125 (408) 269-7316 505 225 Searidge Rd., Aptos 95003-4325 (831) 688-5025 605 910 2nd Ave., Marina 93933 (831) 883-1931 701 1361 N. Hulbert Ave., Fresno 93728-1141 (559) 268-3895 1109 8130 West Mineral King Ave.,Visalia 93291 (559) 732-5817 9083 1361 N. Hulbert Ave., Fresno 93728-1141 (559) 264-4350 9144 2102 Almaden Rd., #116 San Jose 95125 (408) 264-3080 Serving All 46 Counties 34 55 Hegenberger Pl., Oakland 94621 (510) 635-4227 34 55 Hegenberger Pl., Oakland 94621 (510) 635-4227 102 3128 Constitution Drive, Livermore 94551 (925) 294-5350 2236 115 Broadway, Oakland 94607-3715 (510) 446-2236

Day

Time

3rd Tues 1st Wed 1st Thur 2nd Wed 3rd Thur 4th Wed 1st Tues 3rd Wed

7:30 pm 6:00 pm 7:00 pm 7:00 pm 7:00 pm 7:00 pm 7:30 pm 7:00 pm

1st Tues 7:00 pm 1st Mon 7:30 pm (Hiring hall only) 2nd Thur 7:00 pm 4th Thur 7:00 pm 2nd Tues 7:00 pm 2nd Tues 2nd Tues 2nd Tues 2nd Tues 2nd Tues 4th Thur 2nd Thur 1st Tues

7:30 pm 7:00 pm 7:00 pm 6:30 pm 7:00 pm 7:00 pm 7:00 pm 7:00 pm

3rd Th Nov-Dec 4th Th Jan-Oct 1st Mon 2nd Tues

7:00 pm 7:00 pm 7:30 pm 6:00 pm

Raffle of Nor Cal Carpenters Union truck

Attend meetings in 2022, earn a chance to win a truck!

What has become an NCCU tradition—and beats the lottery odds… by a mile or 50,000? The annual raffle of a Council truck!

By attending at least eight union meetings this year, you can enter the truck raffle, and have a chance to win one of the Council’s Ford F-150s with no more 50,000 miles on it. Read on for the details.

The NCCU Executive Board has approved a truck raffle for calendar year 2022, and the clock starts in January. If you want to get in eight meetings this year, it’s best to begin soon.

Here’s how it works: 1. The raffle is open to all members of a local union affiliated with the NCCU who are in good standing throughout the year.

Members who are not eligible are current and retired NCCU officers and employees, current local union officers, and current or retired employees of affiliated entities (e.g., Trust Funds).

This image is for representational purposes, and is not the truck to be raffled.

2. Members will earn one entry in the drawing by attending at least eight union meetings at the same local in calendar year 2022 (the limit is 1 meeting per month). All eight meetings must December 2022. be attended while qualifying under rule #1. The limit is 1 entry 4. The drawing will be held at the delegate meeting in January 2023. in the raffle per member.

5. The truck will be a Ford F-150 with no more than 50,000 miles 3. Locals will be responsible for documenting which members qualify for the drawing under these rules, and will send the NCCU at the time of the raffle. It will be given on an as-is basis, and an IRS 1099 form will be issued to the winner, as required by law.

Controller a list of such members after their last union meeting in

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Nor Cal

NON PROFIT ORG

Nor Cal CARPENTER U.S. POSTAGE

CARPENTER

PAID OAKLAND, CA PERMIT NO. 810

published by Nor Cal Carpenters Union 265 Hegenberger Road, Suite 200 Oakland, CA 94621 (510) 568-4788

Your Nor Cal Carpenters Executive Board PRESIDENT Jim Halloran (pro tem)

CONDUCTOR Jacob Adiarte

VICE PRESIDENT John Belperio

WARDEN Chris Pedroza

EXECUTIVE SECRETARYTREASURER Jay Bradshaw

TRUSTEE (Northern) Dan McCulloch

MEMBER AT LARGE (Northern) April Gustavus Nor Cal Carpenters Union 265 Hegenberger Road, Suite 200 Oakland CA 94621 (510) 568-4788 www.norcalcarpenters.org

MEMBER AT LARGE (Central) Jay Howard (pro tem) MEMBER AT LARGE (Southern) Michael Esparza

TRUSTEE (Central) Jim Smith TRUSTEE (Southern) Leonard Bria (pro tem)