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BAKERSFIELD
23457 Hwy. 119 Bakersfield, CA 93311 (661) 631-5777
CONCORD
5151 Port Chicago Highway Concord, CA 94520
FRESNO
5704 S. Toyota Place Fresno, CA 93275 (559) 442-8989
HAYWARD
4125 Breakwater Avenue Hayward, CA 94545 (510) 786-9506
RENO
12905 Old Virginia Road Reno, NV 89521 (775) 348-0140
SACRAMENTO
8565 Elder Creek Road Sacramento, CA 95828 (916) 383-7475
SALT LAKE CITY
1135 S. Pioneer Road Salt Lake City, UT 84104 (801) 886-0586
SAN JOSE
2150 O’Toole Street San Jose, CA 95131 (408) 224-1052
STARTING SATURDAY JUNE 8TH. WE WILL BE OPEN FOR LIMITED HOURS.
REDWOOD CITY, SAN JOSE AND WEST SACRAMENTO
6:00AM – 10:00AM MANTECA
7:00AM – 11:00AM WILL CALL ONLY
Begin a 6 month rent-to-own program in June or July on Topcon equipment and get 100% of the rental payments applied towards the purchase cost.
Example: RP a new Base and Rover with a data collector for 6 months.
Original price: $33,000
Rental payment applied towards purchase: - $18,000
Purchase price after 6 months of rental: $15,000 plus tax and interest
*While
UNITED CONTRACTORS magazine
2019 UNITED CONTRACTORS BOARD OFFICERS
President Steve Clark
Vice President/President-Elect Charles Wall
Secretary/Treasurer Christi Plum
Secretary/Treasurer-Elect..............................Guy Smith
UNITED CONTRACTORS BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Juan C. Arrequin, Bay Line Cutting & Coring, Inc.; Paul Cianciarulo, Graniterock; Steve Clark, Granite Construction Company; Paul Cocotis, Shimmick Construction Company, Inc.; Patrick Diebel, Woodruff-Sawyer & Co.; Trony Fuller, West Coast Sand & Gravel; Kevin Hester, McGuire and Hester; Randy Jenco, Viking Construction Company; Kurt Kniffin, Stacy and Witbeck, Inc.; Christi Plum, P C & N Construction, Inc.; Guy Smith, St. Francis Electric LLC; Joe Sostaric, The Conco Companies; Hal Stober, Gordon N. Ball, Inc.; Mary Teichert, Teichert Inc.; Charles Wall, Brosamer & Wall, Inc.
UNITED CONTRACTORS COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Associates: Trony Fuller (Associate Director), West Coast Sand & Gravel; Patrick Diebel (Associate Director-Elect), WoodruffSawyer & Co. | Caltrans: Michael Ghilotti (Chairman), Ghilotti Bros., Inc. | Legislative: Rob Layne, O.C. Jones & Sons, Inc. | Political Action (PAC): Chris Young (Chairman), D.W. Young Construction Co., Inc. | Safety & Insurance: Don Hunt, (Chairman) McGuire and Hester | Attorney Roundtable (ART): Facilitated by Mark Breslin | SF City Contractor Liaison: Mike Ghilotti (Chairman), Ghilotti Bros., Inc., Miguel Galarza (Chairman), Yerba Buena Engineering & Construction, Inc. | Scholarship: Michael Landucci, Woodruff-Sawyer & Co.
UNITED CONTRACTORS STAFF
Mark Breslin, Chief Executive Officer; Emily Cohen, Executive Vice President; Leslie Lord, Vice President/Deputy Director; Kelly Montes, Executive Assistant to CEO; Julie Hinge, Executive Assistant to EVP; Victor Sella, Director of Labor Relations; Ruby Varnadore, Labor Contracts Manager; Lucia Mixon, Labor & Member Services Specialist; Ann Danen, Labor & Member Services Assistant; Sue Weiler-Doke, Labor Relations Consultant; Shelbie Tieman, Director of Finance & Administration; Terese Pollock, Operations Analyst; Denise Ramirez, Online Services Manager; Emmy McConnell, Accountant; Tiffany Gaddis, Office & Member Services Coordinator; Stacy Haase, Director Marketing & Communications; Michelle Vejby, Publications Manager; Joan O’Brien, Education Manager; Marlo Fregulia, Event Manager; Angelica Gouig, Event Coordinator; Olivia Lucchese, Event & Education Assistant; Eddie Bernacchi, Legislative Advocate; Christopher Lee, Safety Consultant; Tony Dorsa, CARB Consultant
Our Seat at the Table: Women Leadership in Our Industry By Guest Author, Donna Rehrmann, Stomper Company, Inc., and UCON Past President 2016
• UCON/Laborers Strategy Retreat By Victor Sella, Director of Labor Relations
Our Seat at the Table Women Leadership In Our Industry
This issue recognizes and salutes the many women who have dared to be part of the construction industry and the companies who are making an effort to increase our presence in the industry.
I believe that for women to thrive in the our industry, a strong female support group is a must. Not to disparage our male counterparts, but we are just not wired the same. They visualize a big picture; we want details and to fill in the blanks.
Like so many of us in the industry, I joined a family business. Life was a continual juggling act between work and family. With virtually no female peer group, I felt that I had to figure out a lot of things on my own and that I had to work doubly hard to establish credibility in a male dominated industry. My husband, George, and I recognized that it was going to be different for me. His advice was to not posture, be honest, and if I did not know, tell the individual that I would get back to them.
Just by our very nature, women want to share and tend to be detail oriented; that is what makes collaboration with other women work.
Several years ago, we were in the midst of a soft demolition project at a large San Francisco hotel. High lead levels were discovered in the bathroom tiles and the GC asked for a plan to continue with the demolition and deal with the lead tile at the same time; otherwise the lead abatement and demolition would have to be done separately impacting the already tight schedule. I was confident that we could safely and legally do the work. However, I needed a couple of days to pull data and put a work plan together. The hygienist was confident that it was all abatement work (for another division of his company) and virtually told the GC that I did not know what I was talking about. In the end, after a long and detailed meeting where I presented our comprehensive plan, we did the work simultaneously and the project stayed on schedule. Would the hygienist have spoken so disparagingly about a male contractor? I doubt it.
George’s advice still serves me well as I still do not have all of the answers. I am always hesitant to ask men for their opinion or how do you deal with ....? For whatever reason, I believe that men are not willing to share as readily as women. Just by our very nature, women want to share and tend to be detail oriented; that is what makes collaboration with other women work.
Today, I heavily rely on UCON for the networking and the opportunities that my participation affords. I cannot count the number of times that I have called Christi Plum from PCN to clarify force account costing as the private market is increasingly looking to Caltrans as the benchmark and I am virtually clueless (another thing that women are excellent at—we admit our weaknesses, and help each other rise up to gain more knowledge). Long conversations during commute time discussing employee issues with others have become both mentor and learning experiences. And the opportunity to participate in committees of interest, to serve on the UCON Board, and as President, have been nothing short of growth experiences. I continue to gain so much more than I give.
Guest Author: Donna Rehrmann, Stomper Company, Inc., UCON Past President 2016
Donna glancing back at her two sons, Stephen and Joe, as they install her as UCON’s (2016) President at the Membership L.I.V.E. event.
Everything in our industry is slow to change and a large female presence is no exception. So, ladies, I urge you to reach out and be a part of or form your own peer group to help you navigate what you need to do to be successful. Finally, take a look at all of the UCON committees available. Participation affords you countless opportunities with little time expenditure to strengthen your place in our industry. u
Donna Rehrmann served on the UCON Board of Directors from 2014 to 2017, and as President of the association in 2016. She can be reached via email at donna@stompercompany.com.
ENGAGE:
Continue reading this July special issue with a feature on Women in Construction. Inside you will find more information on how to recruit more women to your company (page 28 ); advice for women just entering the industry (pages 18-25); and opportunities to get involved and network (page 54) with more likeminded individuals.
Not Just A Bank -- A Business Partner
WOMEN
IN CONSTRUCTION
UCON Celebrates Women in Construction
UCON would like to take this opportunity, and magazine issue, to recognize and encourage women working in the construction industry— and have invited our contractor members to do the same. On the following pages, you will see a number of women working with our member companies—owners, project managers, field and office personnel, all making a difference at the companies they work, and the industry too!
Stacy and Witbeck, Inc.
“From Florida to California, our projects are managed, built, and supported by the industry’s most talented female constructors.
Pictured here are a few of the engineers managing diverse scopes of work on our $1.2 billion Mid Coast Corridor Light Rail Project in San Diego. Thanks to all our team members who make our projects collaborative, diverse, innovative, and successful.”
UCON member since 1996, www.stacywitbeck.com
Duran Construction Group
Right is a picture of Maria Duran (CEO) of Duran Construction Group operating our new excavator. “Maria gives our company a competitive edge to bid on projects as we are now SBE and DBE Certified, and are in process of being Women Owned Business (WBO)—women are the competitive advantage!”
UCON member since 2017, www.durancg.com
Royal Electric Company
“I am so energized by the number of young ladies joining our industry and Royal, and my responsibility as CEO is to provide an atmosphere where they can thrive and do their best work. Whether their role is a skilled trade, project management, purchasing, HR, support operations, CFO or CEO, women bring a unique set of skills and characteristics that truly round out our teams and make us better. I can’t wait to see where these ladies take Royal over the next decade, collaborating side by side with the rest of our team.”—Dina Kimble, CEO, Royal Electric Company
UCON member since 2014, www.royalelect.com
Joseph J. Albanese, Inc.
“Joseph J. Albanese, Inc. employs over 50 women in positions spanning from administration to field operations. Since 2018, the number of women in management positions for our non-union workforce has increased by 25%. JJA continues to be committed to the development and education of women within the industry and our Company. We believe that building and nurturing careers for women will promote attraction and retention in the industry.”
UCON member since 2003, www.jjalbanese.com
WOMEN
IN CONSTRUCTION
Talus Construction, Inc.
“The ladies that have my back on a daily basis.”
— Sharon Alberts, President of Talus Construction, Inc., flanked by Mandi Del Braccio and Megan Jordan.
Enjoying a Safety Lunch and Learn at a Fremont jobsite.
UCON member since 1994.
Total Traffic Control Inc.
“The wonderful women of Total Traffic Control have been working diligently to recover from the wildfires in Northern California. The community and Total Traffic Control as a whole are grateful for the leadership, professionalism, dedication and service these ladies demonstrate under all conditions in the recovery cleanup effort.”
— Jeffrey S. Pike, President, Total Traffic Control Inc.
UCON member since 2018, www.totaltc.com
Sukut Construction LLC
“Over the last 50 years, Sukut has grown tremendously, and so has the population of women in our company. As an employer of choice in the industry, we value diversity and inclusion. With almost 40 women working in an office, project management, and field positions, we are proud of their efforts, enthusiasm, and the contribution that these women make to our success. As the industry grows, we believe inviting more women to join the construction industry provides insight, different perspectives, and fresh points of view. In the end, Sukut understands that we are all on the same team, working towards the same goal, and we would like to say “THANK YOU” to all the Sukut women for all that you do!”
UCON member since 2015, www.sukutconstruction.com
Team Ghilotti, Inc.
“Here at Team Ghilotti, Inc. we have a diverse and talented group of people. The women in construction at Team Ghilotti, Inc. are a vital part of our team including dispatching, accounting, project management, and in the field. Each of these women uphold the values of integrity, quality control, dedication, and community service that Team Ghilotti, Inc. is known for.”
UCON member since 2007, www.teamghilotti.com
WOMEN
IN CONSTRUCTION
Bay Area Traffic Solutions
BATS INC. is a mixture of different cultures made up of males and females, and in an industry that is mostly dominated by males, our female force never falls behind. “No matter the type of work here at BATS the Female Power is truly alive and strong, we would like to recognize the Female force that gives us a greater level of success and accomplishments in this industry. For this we want to thank every single woman in our industry that takes on the challenge and hard work to make us grow and succeed, no matter what construction field, we want to say Thank you and we appreciate you.”
UCON member since 2015, www.batstrafficsolutions.com
Gordon
N. Ball,
Inc.
“Women are an integral part of Gordon N. Ball!!”
UCON member since 1999, www.ballconco.com
Sierra Mountain Construction
SMCI has supported women in construction since the company began and will continue to do so as we continue to grow. The women of SMCI are responsible for leading the charge both in the office and out in the field on numerous projects.
The roles held by the women at SMCI are as follows: administration, payroll, HR, accounting, engineering, safety and project management just to name a few. “As we continue to grow and hire a diverse group of employees, women will continue to be on the forefront of our hiring needs. As the construction industry continues to grow there is no doubt there will be amazingly strong women helping all of us reach our company goals.”
UCON member since 2011, www.sierramtn.net
UCON member since 2013, www.dhrgconcrete.com
De Haro Ramirez Group
The De Haro Ramirez Group Women in Construction: From Left to Right: Cassandra Liva, Yareli Maldonado, Angie Ramos, Esmeralda Mendoza, Breanna Gonzalez, Susan Rodriguez, Sandy Ramirez Licea
WOMEN
IN CONSTRUCTION
Ghilotti Bros., Inc.
Ghilotti Bros., Inc. is proud to employ women in all facets of our business in both the field and the office.
UCON member since 1995, www.ghilottibros.com
Duran & Venables, Inc.
“When construction occurs, we are going beyond the erection of new buildings and projects; we are building a strong foundation for communities to thrive. Regardless of whether we are doing the physical labor in the field or in the office providing the support and organization required to be successful, women in construction continue to be a large variable on our opportunities to make a difference and grow our diverse communities.”
UCON member since 2001, www.duran-venables.com
Robert A. Bothman Construction
The women at Robert A. Bothman Construction play an integral role in the company’s success and their presence is valued across all departments from Human Resources, Estimating, Engineering, Field Labor, Office Personnel and Management. Recently, the company celebrated 40 years of building community centers, parks, sports, and recreational facilities that bring families and friends together. “Women are naturally attracted to companies that offer a balanced lifestyle, give back to their communities, have good benefits and offer career opportunities.” Each year the company hosts the National Association of Women in Construction, the Women’s Business Enterprise, and the Minority Business Enterprise outreach program.
“I never thought I would be working in the construction industry. 16 years later, I’m glad Bothman Construction recognized my strong work ethics and offered me a job. It’s been gratifying, fun, and I love that I’m part of the team here.”
—Maribelle Rosas, Administration Manager
At Bothman everyone is treated equal, with respect and professionalism; important values to our clients and to us, the women in construction. It’s no wonder the company’s motto is Quality People, Quality Projects.
“I worked for a small roofing company right out of High School, and in 1993 started working for Bothman Construction. Back then very few women worked in construction and the jobs were answering phones and managing the books. It’s inspiring to see the company grow beyond what I ever imagined and to see women pursue many different career paths in the industry.”
—Gina Freitag, Office Manager | Executive Administrator
UCON member since 2008, www.bothman.com
W. Bradley Electric, Inc.
“W. Bradley Electric (WBE) values and supports women in all areas of construction. We are a women owned business and believe that ability is more important than gender and that women are well suited to make a difference in this field. Thank you to all the women that make WBE a very special place to work.”
UCON member since 2008, www.wbeinc.com
WOMEN
IN CONSTRUCTION
Granite Construction Company
Granite Construction is a proud sponsor of the Groundbreaking Women in Construction conference in partnership with the company’s internal women’s network, GROW (Granite’s Resources and Opportunities for Women). “Granite strives to strengthen the construction industry as a whole by encouraging women’s participation at all levels.”
UCON member since 2007, ww.graniteconstruction.com
Tennyson Electric, Inc.
UCON member since 1998, www.tennysonelec.com
Granite women (and a few men) at the annual Groundbreaking Women in Construction Conference in San Francisco (May 22-24, 2019)
“In
Why do you think it’s important to have more women in the construction industry at all levels? — It’s important to have more women in the industry for many reasons but, to put it simply, diverse teams are smarter. Research shows that gender diverse teams focus more on facts, and process information more carefully; increasing performance, reducing errors and, mostly importantly, improving safety. This is not only because women bring a lot to the table, but also because teams analyze information and behave much differently when they are working within a nonhomogeneous group.
Additionally, we have a huge labor and talent shortage in this industry. The overall workforce in the U.S. is comprised of 40% women, and if we can’t attract women to construction we are really limiting our ability to bring in top talent. Besides the fact that I’d love to work alongside more women (at all levels), it’s a great business decision to recruit and develop women into the industry.
What piece of advice would you give for a woman starting out? — Understand going in that you’re walking into a historically male-dominated industry where
Bakersfield
3105 Gateway Avenue (855) 376-5050 Dublin 6400 Sierra Court, Suite G (844) 829-1910
Napa 10 Enterprise Court (800) 675-2656 Oakland 425 Market Street (877) 689-7223
Sacramento (I-50) 8400 24th Avenue (800) 267-1444
Sacramento (I-80) 5425 Stationers Way (844) 717-8579
San Carlos 1691 Bayport Avenue (888) 700-3349
San Francisco 200 Florida Street (877) 686-7223
San Jose 630 Quinn Avenue (800) 619-4723
San Rafael 63 Lovell Avenue (888) 454-8282
Santa Clara 605 Laurelwood Road (877) 685-7223
Santa Rosa 3033 Dutton Avenue (800) 244-8893
Stockton 4015 Newton Road (888) 463-7593 Ukiah 100 Parducci Road (800) 772-1555
Yuba City 717 Bridge Street (800) 215-3893
Hawaiian Islands Kahului, Maui 250 Alamaha Street, #N4 (808) 877-2757
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 73-4222 Huliko’a Drive (808) 326-1466
Waipahu, Oahu 94-144-B Leo’ole Street (808) 671-7330
WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION
Women & UCON Member Leadership
Women serving on UCON Leadership & Committees
UCON would like to recognize and thank the women that serve on our various committees and in leadership positions:
UCON 2019 Board of Directors
Christi Plum, P C & N Construction, Inc.
Mary Teichert, Teichert Inc.
UCON Craft Committees
Sonal Bellino, Teichert Inc.
(Cement Masons Craft Committee, Laborers Craft Committee, OE3 Craft Committee, Teamsters Craft Committee)
Catherine Moncada, Granite Construction Company (Cement Masons Craft Committee, Laborers Craft Committee, Teamsters Craft Committee, Carpenters Craft Committee, and FFC Board of Trustees)
Shirley Ow, Graniterock (Cement Masons Craft Committee, OE3 Craft Committee, and FFC Board of Trustees)
Christi Plum, P C & N Construction, Inc. (Laborers Craft Committee)
Donna Rehrmann, Stomper Company, Inc.
(Laborers Craft Committee Co-Chair, Labor Executive Committee)
Legislative Committee
Kim Carone, McGuire and Hester
Debbie Ferrari, MAC Trucking
Deborah Furth, Bowles & Verna LLP
Donna Rehrmann, Stomper Company, Inc.
Kimberly Sabin, Columbia Electric, Inc.
May Whitaker, JS Cole Company
Caltrans Liaison Committee
Denise Cooper, Cooper Engineering, Inc.
Bridget Ostronic, Mobile Barriers MBT-1
Christi Plum, P C & N Construction, Inc.
Kimberly Sabin, Columbia Electric, Inc.
Karen Wonnenberg, Rupert Construction Supply
Attorney Roundtable Committee
Janette Leonidou, Leonidou & Rosin Professional Corp.
Patricia Walsh, Leonidou & Rosin Professional Corp.
May Whitaker, JS Cole Company
UCON/SFDPW Forum
Angela Bauman, Bauman Landscape & Construction, Inc.
Margaret Burke, JMB Construction
Jamie Esquivel, Esquivel Grading & Paving
Wendy Harty, Harty Pipelines, Inc.
Noel McCarthy, M Squared Construction, Inc.
Safety & Insurance Committee
Crystal Chang, Old Republic Contractors Insurance Group
Cari Elofson, OSHA Training Institute Education Center at Chabot -Las Positas CCD
Kellie Henry, Carone and Company, Inc.
Katy Medinas, KDW Construction, LLC
Bridget Ostronic, Mobile Barriers MBT-1
Associate Committee
Kelly Attebery, F & M Bank
Teresa Dias, Peterson Trucks, Inc.
Karissa Fox, Smith Currie & Hancock, LLP
Dona Houston, CliftonLarsonAllen LLP
Salina Wong, CNA Surety
Scholarship Committee
Teresa Dias, Peterson Trucks, Inc.
Sareena Grewal, HSG Safety Supplies, Inc.
Lynn Sauer, Berkley Managers Insurance Services, LLC/ Berkley Environmental
UCON Team
“UCON has long recognized the important leadership roles women can play in our industry. UCON has recruited and developed remarkable talent and a team of committed women professionals and vested them with the responsibility of driving our industry forward. For over three decades most of UCON’s top management roles have been filled by smart, committed, and professional women—setting the pace and example for the industry. It is no coincidence over this time period that UCON has grown by 300%, attracted the top companies as members and become the largest union civil contractors Association in the United States.”
—Mark Breslin, UCON CEO
The women of UCON strive to assist our members everyday with Labor Relations, HR, Legislative Advocacy, Education & Training, Relationship-Building Events, Member Account Assistance and more. Our 20 women on staff boast a combined 200+ years of experience in the construction industry! From left to right: (back row) Emmy McConnell, Marlo Fregulia, Stacy Haase, Michelle Vejby, Joan O’Brien, Emily Cohen, Tiffany Gaddis, Ann Danen, (front row) Olivia Lucchese, Sue Weiler-Doke, Ruby Varnadore, Denise Ramirez, Leslie Lord, Shelbie Tieman, Julie Hinge, Kelly Montes (not pictured: Lucia Mixon, Angelica Gouig, Terese Pollock and Melissa Gutwald)
OPPORTUNITY RISES IN THE WEST
With an abundant spirit of optimism, openness, and enterprise—we personally help clients grow, manage, and protect their prosperity. Discover how we’re bringing more West to business.
Headquartered in the beautiful foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, Sierra Mountain Construction, Inc. is one of California’s premier heavy civil contractors with a diverse portfolio encompassing an array of projects. SMCI has created a culture based on core values and the readiness to tackle the most challenging projects head on.
SPECIAL FEATURE WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION
Agency Perspective Women Making a Difference
UCON has always focused on collaboration with federal, state and local agencies when it comes to supporting our members and improving the way contractors and public agencies work together. Rachel Falsetti is the Division Chief for the Division of Construction at Caltrans, and Co-Chair of the UCONSCCA-Caltrans Liaison committee and the Caltrans Construction Partnering Steering Committee. For this special Women In Construction issue, we asked for her unique perspective on the industry, and why women are such an integral part of it.
Rachel Falsetti, PE, Division Chief, Division of Construction California Department of Transportation
Why do you think it’s important to have more women in the construction industry at all levels?
Because we (women) bring a different perspective to the table that helps to make the industry better. Women tend to bring a collaborative approach naturally to the table.
What are some of the key challenges women in construction face?
They still face the uphill battle of construction not being traditionally a women’s field of work so they need to really work harder to gain the respect of their peers. Gender bias, sexual harassment, and lack of females to look up to still exist. It is still a good old boys network so they will need to be patient to become part of the group.
What’s your best piece of advice for women starting out in the industry?
Find a mentor (or mentors) to help guide you as you grow in your career. Learn to not take things personally,
By Emily Cohen, UCON EVP
and to really come to work each day and do your best. One of the greatest lines I can think of that you can ask yourself is “How can I be of service today?” and then do that. There really are many great opportunities to work in construction if you like working collaboratively with others and you get the satisfaction of seeing things built and the salaries are typically higher than traditional female jobs.
What is the best part of your job?
The best parts of my job are the amazing people and the opportunity to lead. I get to work with great people both internally in my organization and externally. I learn things from them every day. I also enjoy leading people and helping them grow and succeed in their positions.
ENGAGE:
Join the Caltrans-UCON Liaison Committee, established to provide a forum for contractors and Caltrans to improve business relations. The committee meets quarterly at Caltrans HQ in Sacramento. All contractors who bid and perform work with Caltrans are encouraged to participate. Contact UCON for more information: (925) 855-7900, Emily Cohen, UCON EVP, staff liaison.
Pictured above, Rachel Falsetti; and (right) Rachel when she began in the industry
WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION
Voices from the Field:
UCON Leadership Grads Share Insight
In developing trend-setting educational training programs for UCON, I have the great pleasure of getting to know many people from our contractor membership, including some of the brightest, amazing women in this industry. I have to wonder, what makes women choose this industry...and stay? I asked the the (female) attendees of UCON’s (Spring) Leadership Development Program if they could give me any
Contract Drafting, Review and Negotiation
Trial and Arbitration
Claims, Dispute Resolution and Mediation
Bid Protests
Collection
Employment Counseling
Tel: (650) 691-2888 Fax: (650) 691-2889 www.lrconstructionlaw.com
Contact: A. Robert Rosin
Janette G. Leonidou
Leonidou & Rosin
777 Cuesta Drive | Suite 200 Mountain View, California 94040
By Joan O’Brien, Education Manager
insight on this industry, why it’s a great career choice, and how to attract more women to it. Here is what they have to say (take note!):
Jennifer Campero, Project Manager, Preston Pipelines, Inc.
Why do you think it’s important to have more women in the construction industry at all levels?
The level of insight that women bring can change the dynamics of a team and the patterns of thinking. This collaboration develops the opportunity to bring diverse aspects to all levels of a company —field, management, and executive levels. All to which will create an atmosphere for a higher level of success for companies as a whole.
What’s your best piece of advice for women starting out in the industry?
Whatever challenges you are facing as a woman in construction, always remember that choosing this career was brave, and that women are strong and determined. There will be a point in all of your interactions where it won’t matter what gender you are as long you are knowledgeable in your job, and always hold to your integrity. You will build trust everywhere you go with that in mind.
Kymberli Lipke, Estimate Coordinator, Chrisp Company
What is your best piece of advice for women starting out in the industry?
What was once a men-only industry, is quickly changing. It is the perfect opportunity for women who love construction, and want to feel proud of what they do for a living.
What’s the best part of your job?
I feel like I am making a difference. There are constantly new projects, therefore my job is never boring. Not many professionals can drive down the road, and say “Hey we striped this road” or “We made and installed these signs.” All while knowing the roads are safer because of the work we do.
Angie Ramos, Accounting Manager, DeHaro Ramirez Group
Why do you think it’s important to have more women in the construction industry at all levels?
In 2018 we only made up 9% of the workforce. I feel that Women have great skills in pre-planning and can build great projects with forward thinking. It is time to have more Women join the construction industry.
What are some of the key challenges women in construction face?
Because the industry is male-dominated it is hard for women to be heard; they are not taken seriously.
What’s your best piece of advice for women starting out in the industry?
Do not let anyone make you feel that you can’t do it, because you can if you put your mind to it and work hard.
What’s the best part of your job?
Helping in the growth of our company, and seeing the awesome projects we have completed.
All of the women featured on these pages participated in UCON’s Leadership Development Program, Spring Session, 2019—a class of 35, with 11 women! The photo (left) was taken at the program, where all the participants developed their strengths as future leaders. (From left to right: Jeannelyn Basilio, Rocio Hernandez, Audrey Kaili, Kymberli Lipke, Angie Ramos, Jennifer Pratt, Corey Robertson, Yareli Maldonado, Joan Padilla Basini, Jennifer Campero, and Audrey Huff (not pictured)
ENGAGE:
Upcoming Fall UCON (University) Classes:
Project Management Career Advancement (PMCA)
This innovative nine (9) week program reveals the essentials of Construction Project Management with an engaging, interactive learning environment that encourages team collaboration and will increase overall job performance.
When/Where:
• Fall session: September 17 - November 12, 2019
• Class held every Tuesday, 3:30pm - 7:30pm (includes dinner)
• San Mateo Marriott San Francisco Airport
• Cost: $1,195
Leadership Development Program
This two day conference is designed to help you create a greater self-awareness that will identify your leadership style and develop your strengths to get the best results from the people you are leading and influencing. Whether you’re a mid-level manager or a front line leader, you will learn how to transform competition into collaboration.
When/Where:
• Fall session: October 3 & 4, 2019
• 8:00am to 5:00pm
• Chaminade Resort & Spa, Santa Cruz
• Cost: $1,345 (Cost includes all course materials, program instruction, meals and one night’s stay)
UCON’s Fearless Foreman Seminar
Promoting Change from Within...There is no other program in the construction industry that provides a more comprehensive, uniquely focused people skills training specifically for Foremen.
When/Where:
• October 17, 2019
• 5:00pm - 8:00pm
• Pleasanton Marriott, Pleasanton
• Cost: $129 Member / $229 Non-Member
WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION
“GROW”
Women supporting each other in the industry
Women face many challenges within and around our industry. Barriers to entry are enormous, socially ingrained, and difficult to overcome. People are fond of suggesting that if we can get into middle or high schools we might be able to redress the balance, but that is unlikely to be true. Anyone who has ever been to a toy store should recognize the term “the pink aisle.” The pink aisle is where the girls’ toys are displayed. And what do you find in that aisle? The cultural conditioning of both boys and girls in the U.S. begins long before they ever get to school.
The great irony of the exclusion of women from construction, and in particular from the craft workforce, is that recruitment of women into the industry should be comparatively easy if it were effectively undertaken
In the UCON world, the point is often made that selling a 25-year-old on a rich benefits package instead of a large wage package is almost impossible, which theoretically drives young people toward non-union jobs where the benefits are paid as cashin-lieu—but do we ever stop to think that the 25-year-old in that scenario is a man?
...more diverse organizations tend to be more profitable... A company with a homogenous workforce is likely to miss creative solutions and gradually fall behind its peers in a number of ways.
By Catherine Moncada, Director of Labor Relations, Granite Construction Company
interested in that same benefits package than her male counterpart and may even have deliberately prioritized comprehensive benefits in her search for her next employer.
Our industry is increasingly technology-based, the work of many crafts is often equal parts thinking and doing, and contrary to popular belief (spoiler alert!), women do know how to deal with getting dirty. Taking these considerations together, there is very little justification remaining for women’s participation being so low. Women make up ~1% of the construction craft workforce nationally, yet ~47% of the total workforce. With a critical shortage of labor upon us, it’s time to get serious about leveraging our largest untapped resource!
A 25-yearold woman is probably much more
In late 2017, Granite Construction launched an initiative to create an internal women’s network. The business case for such a group is easily made; Granite has identified increased participation in the organization by women and minorities at all levels as a strategic goal. Business and management research, both academic and industry, has consistently shown that more diverse organizations tend to be more profitable (see Sue Dyer’s article on page 28, which drives this point home). Although there are many factors informing this increased profitability, one of the elements that stands out most starkly is the importance
solving processes. A company with a homogenous workforce is likely to miss creative solutions and gradually fall behind its peers in a number of ways.
To support this strategic goal, Granite convened a group of interested female employees from across the country for a day-long session in San Jose to develop a framework for what would become GROW — Granite’s Resources and Opportunities for Women. By the end of the day, the group had the name and a statement of purpose: A forum to advocate for and support women through mentorship, networking, and career development, while establishing Granite as an employer of choice among women. Thanks to unwavering support from the top, and executive sponsorship from the company’s SVP of Human Resources, GROW was allotted a budget for fiscal year 2018 and encouraged to launch. In January of 2018, GROW was formally launched within the company.
Since that time, the GROW Board has encouraged and helped guide the formation of local chapters across the country, each of which has a mandate to further the purpose of the umbrella organization through activities and events tailored to region-specific needs. The GROW Board continues to host quarterly companywide events that have included field-based activities to enhance the company/industry knowledge of office-based employees, external speakers on topics of career enhancement and development, and—most importantly—internal speakers from the executive corps who have been able to share their own stories that clearly illustrate the potential for traditionally underrepresented groups to rise at Granite. u
For more information, visit graniteconstruction.com, a UCON member since 2007.
ENGAGE:
Thank you to Granite for sharing their GROW success! This is a call to other construction organizations to plant the seed (no pun intended) and begin their own womens’ network. Sharing ideas, collaborating, or just plain talking, is one step towards leveraging the power of women
WOMEN
IN CONSTRUCTION
By Sue Dyer, OrgMetrics LLC,
Women Leaders: WE NEED YOU!
The Evolution of the Construction Workforce
Too Many Jobs, Too Few Workers
As we celebrated the 75th Anniversary of D-Day on May 6th, I was reminded that just like in WWII, when there was a shortage of crafts people in the industry, many women joined the trades and projects. My mother was in fact a welder on battle ships in 1942. She was highly sought after because she was small enough to fit into the hard to reach areas of the ship.
Today, we face a similar demographic in construction. Over 200,000 jobs that pay a starting salary of $60K sit empty and no college is required! Seventy percent of construction companies nationwide are having trouble finding workers. The U.S Department of Education says there will be 68 percent more job openings in infrastructurerelated field in the next five years than there are people training to fill them. Construction along with Healthcare and Personal Care will account for 1/3 of all new jobs through 2022. To top it off, the current workforce is aging out, shrinking the workforce even further. If you look at the number of jobs needed, we are in a similar situation as we were during WWII.
STRATEGIC CONSTRUCTION RECRUITING
Women, We Need You!!!
But we have an untapped resource that could bring enormous benefit to construction. Out of the over 10 million construction workers in the U.S., less than one million are female. If you look at females in the trades it is only 1%. On your average jobsite, there is approximately one woman to every 100 men. By adding women to your workforce, you will be far ahead of your competitors! And the time has never been better to bring on the female approach with the way construction is evolving. There is increased use of digitization, robotics, artificial intelligence and these are changing the face of the industry and how we do business. The need for collaboration has never been greater so these new technologies can take hold.
How can you attract and keep women in your workforce?
fascinate | ,fas ,nat | to command the interest of | e
You might ask yourself, what can I do to bring women into my workforce — and keep them here? The best way to look at how to attract women to construction, and keep them, is to be FASCINATING! Think about it. Construction is one of the coolest places to work. We build things. First, we have to think them up, and then we get to bring these ideas into the three-dimensional world. We build the things that makes society work. The people who work in construction are the salt of the earth—they are not pretentious, they are practical, and entrepreneurial. Construction is super awesome! It is totally fascinating! You’ve got to love what you do to attract people, and women are people! To help you, I’ve created the Fascination Trifecta, three fascination principles you can use to attract women to join, or stay, in your construction workforce (see trifecta below).
1Fascination Principle #1: Overcome Biases
Work at all levels to Identity and Neutralize
Biases
We need to work on the personal, organizational and public levels to overcome biases against women working in construction. It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it. In a 2017 NAWIC study they heard the following:
“Women are not interested in the roles we have” “Our HR (or union) doesn’t give us any women candidates”
Don’t Tolerate “Intolerance”
Of course, everyone has the right to their own opinion and every organization has its own policies. The question is, do they include bias against having women on the team? Tolerating “intolerance for women” is going to be a challenge you must work to overcome if you want to fascinate women to come to your jobs. For some managers they don’t see the benefit of hiring women at the cost of disenfranchising their current workforce. So, they work to minimize the number of women.
Overcome Public Perceptions of What Construction is Like
You will have to work to overcome public perception that construction is hot, dirty, manual labor that is unhealthy. This is not very fascinating! Instead share how construction is dramatically changing how it works with the onset of new technologies and highly collaborative approaches to working together. Women are a great addition to our evolving and fascinating industry!
Here is what some women working in the trades said about their jobs:
– “This is the best job I have ever had.”
– “It beats working in retail or hospitality and I get paid more.”
– “I hated working in administration, here I get to work outside.”
– “Every day is different”
We also need to encourage the Unions to engage women into their apprenticeship programs. And we need to overcome the pay gap between men and women doing
Continued on next page
WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION
the same job at the same level. It is better in construction than in most industries—but women earn 95.7% of what men earn.
2Fascination Principle #2: Invite Women In Broadcast That You Have Jobs for Women!!
One study showed the reason that most women don’t apply for construction jobs is that they don’t know about them!! They are not included in the outreach and recruiting process. So, a great first step would be to broadcast that you have jobs and that you want women to fill them! Your competitive advantage in the market will be your personal and organizational culture and policies that see the value in having women on the
DID YOU KNOW?
• Women have driven economic growth to a great extent during the past few decades. Their individuality and skills have increased incredibly and are likely to increase more. A lot of industries like financial services, telecommunication, and information technology have benefited due to the active participation of female employment. Now it’s construction’s turn!!
• According to the Peterson Institute, companies who were in the top 25% in gender diversity of their workforce were 46% more likely to outperform their industry average
• There are 939,000 Women in Construction in the US – 1% in the trades
• Women make up 9.1% of the construction workforce
• By 2020 it is expected that women will make up 25% of the construction workforce
team. Make sure your advertisements are worded to be fascinating to women—like “training will be provided,” “leadership opportunities are available,” etc.
Encourage Mentorship, Sponsorship and Leadership
Seven things you can do to encourage your people to encourage mentorship, sponsorship and leadership of women to their teams.
1. Create think tanks on how to structure roles for women in your organization/projects—remember people don’t argue with what they help to create— get everyone involved.
2. Implement a “refer a female friend” incentive program—paying an incentive shows you are serious enough to put cash behind this effort. The same is true for paying for training for women so they can move into construction roles.
3. Promote Internal Female Talent—they already know your culture and can this show there is a path to leadership—this will do a great deal to show other women that you are the place to be.
4. Use a Mentor/Protégée approach to help women move into new roles—without women leaders you won’t be as attractive to women. Women need to see other women in leadership roles to see the potential opportunities for their career.
5. Have key people in your organization “sponsor” a woman into their team and be responsible to mentoring them for the first year—encourage your key people to refer a female to the organization and model the behavior that you want.
6. Communicate stories about women in operational roles in your organization—show your female team members communicating their perspective.
7. Target key roles that are more widely understood by women and use these as a “feeder” to other less traditional roles over time.
Fascination Principle #3: Meet Women’s Unique Needs
Offer Paid Maternity Leave
The U.S. has the worst maternity leave packages in the world. Paid maternity leave is 50 weeks in Canada; 44 weeks in Norway; 22 weeks in Italy; 20 weeks in the UK; 16 weeks in France, Spain, and the Netherlands; 14 weeks in Germany and Japan; 12 weeks in Pakistan, South Africa and Mexico; and 0 weeks in the U.S. If you are not going to give female workers the support they need after having a baby, then they are not likely to find you fascinating!
Because women in the U.S. are used to zero weeks of paid maternity leave, you can offer leave and become very attractive to women who will truly want to join your team.
Allow for Flexibility and Work Life Balance
The trend in other industries is to offer flex-time and flex-days. The benefits of offering employees workat-home days can be a great attractor for women who are seeking work life balance. Make sure your flexible schedule is flexible – not a new version of 9 to 5. Women need the flexibility to pick up kids from daycare and adjust their schedules to fit in with parent/teacher meetings, doctor appointments and a hundred other complexities that a working mother must deal with. 86% of Fortune 100 Best Companies to work for offer some kind of flexible schedule.
You Can Lead the Way
The time is here where we need women to join our ranks and come into the great industry that construction is becoming. If you take bold steps, you will outshine others who are not yet seeing these opportunities. You will become fascinating to prospective women candidates! The demographics don’t lie. You need women on your team! The time to start is now!! u
Sue Dyer founded OrgMetrics, LLC in 1986 as a firm dedicated to helping construction organizations and project teams develop collaborative cultures. Sue and her team have worked with over 4,000 construction teams and have seen what works and does not work in real-life! Based on this work, she created the Structured Collaborative Partnering system. Sue is the host of the “Construction Dream Team” podcast, which focuses on the people side of construction. Sue is also the founder of the International Partnering Institute. She is author of several books on construction partnering. Contact Sue at SueDyer@orgmet.com or call (925) 449-8300. OrgMet.com or ConstructionDreamTeam.com
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SPECIAL FEATURE WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION
UCON & Our Union Partners Working to Advance Women in the Industry
By Ruby Varnadore, PHR Labor Contracts Manager
UCON’s Union partners know the importance that women bring to the industry, and are continually expanding opportunities within their crafts. The following are highlights of women working in some of the crafts, submitted by each union or JATC u
NORTHERN CA DISTRICT COUNCIL OF LABORERS (NCDCL)
Recruitment and apprenticeship go hand-in-hand. One of the things we’ve noticed over the years is the increase in the number of women who are interested in a career in the construction industry. Twenty years ago, we might see one or two women approach our table at a job fair and inquire about learning more. Not anymore. These days we see many more young women—brimming with confidence—approach us to tell us that this is what they want to do and they want to get started right away. I’m sure there are many reasons behind this change in attitude and whatever they are, we can all benefit from it.
The Northern California Laborers have long encouraged women to apply for the apprenticeship program. That said, all who are reading this know full well that being a Laborer is one of the most demanding jobs in the industry. Thankfully, since the young women we are meeting these days are more than up for the task, we are seeing a substantial increase in the number of women in the Program, and the number of graduates.
Case in point, Lisa Gamache who is a superintendent on one of the largest projects in Sacramento County—the Sacramento Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant in Elk Grove. Lisa started off as an apprentice and was almost immediately put on a supervisory track. “I made a point of always being the first to arrive and the last to leave,” Lisa told me. “I want to be professional at all times.” That dependability and work ethic has certainly paid off.
Now, just two years later, Lisa has already been a foreman and general foreman and is now in training to become superintendent. She spends her days working on construction reports, scheduling concrete pours as well as scheduling the work of subcontractors. “This whole experience has been life-changing” Lisa added. “I’m so glad I joined the apprenticeship program. I love what I do, and I love being in the Laborers Union.”
When asked what advice she gives young women coming into the industry, Lisa responded “Work on your strength. I was sore for my first six months but not anymore.”
Lisa is a great example of the talent out there that’s waiting to be discovered. The Laborers Apprenticeship Program will continue to recruit, screen, and prepare apprentices for what lies ahead. Hopefully, many of them will look like Lisa. u
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA CEMENT
MASONS JATC RECOGNIZES
SISTER ELVIA SILVA
All trades brag on the dynamic characters that make up their women, and this is no different. The women of the Cement Masons industry are a strong, ambitious and hardworking force. They are up as the sun rises to greet them and return as the night begins to fall only to find more to do for their families at home. Elvia Silva is one such woman. She was told about the trade and its benefits after having a conversation with a male friend where she discussed having two jobs to support her four children and still not making ends meet. Her friend worked for a construction company and invited her to work in 1979. Her first day was a difficult challenging day full of comments and lacked cooperation, but that only made her more determined to prove them wrong so she joined the Cement Masons Local 400 and the Northern California Cement Masons Apprenticeship Program.
Sister Silva managed to learn every part of her trade and became an asset to any company she worked for. She learned everything “because she wanted to”, including her favorite procedure “rodding.” Sister Silva worked in many cities across Northern California; on bridges, freeways, mega building infrastructures and prisons to name a few. She was also elected as a Local Union Trustee where she currently serves even after retirement. Elvia says “there were good times and bad times but she would do it all over again.” u
BUILD BETTER BUILD SAFER BUILD with
LIUNA’s commitment to a skilled and safe workforce help contractors stay safe, competitive, and profitable. The classroom and hands-on training that apprentices and journeymen undergo result in skilled Laborers that work safely to get the job done right the first time. In 2018, LIUNA’s commitment to training includes: 17,976 Students Trained 796 Apprentice Graduates 1,498 Classes Performed 277,918 Hours of Training
Laborers’ International Union of North America
Northern California District Council of Laborers (925) 469-6800 ncdc-laborers.org
SPECIAL FEATURE WOMEN
IN CONSTRUCTION
OPERATING ENGINEERS (OE3)
From bank teller to gradesetter – Kristyn Pair makes a name for herself
Kristyn Pair remembers how her father used to say she had no “follow-through.” She had a history of starting things but not finishing them, until November of last year, when she finished the Operating Engineers Local 3 Apprenticeship Program, graduating as a gradesetter.
(Left) Gradesetter Kristyn Pair works for Goodfellow Bros.; (Above) Local 3 member Kristyn Pair attends the first International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Women in the Trades conference in Crosby, Tex. Thanks to her career with the Operating Engineers, Gradesetter Kristyn Pair was able to purchase her own home in Oakdale.
“I wanted to be a psychologist, but I couldn’t afford school … I thought about joining the police academy, being a teacher, traveling the world, but there was always something in my way.”
Disappointing her dad wasn’t her only problem, however. She couldn’t afford to have much of a life.
“I was struggling so bad, I was literally sleeping on my friend’s couch,” she said, “because I couldn’t afford rent.”
At one point, she had four jobs, and every paycheck went to necessities. Eventually, she became a full-time bank teller and was making just over minimum wage. Stockton Business Agent Steve Yanez told her about the Local 3 Apprenticeship Program, but she initially scoffed at the idea.
“I can’t do that kind of work,” she told him. “I didn’t even learn how to drive a stick shift before I was 30. I got my nails done and wore skirts to work!”
But Steve persisted, urging her to just take the minimum qualification test and go from there.
“It was kind of a whirlwind,” she said. “I brushed up on basic math skills, and I ended up getting a really high score on the test. They put me into the very next training class that opened up.”
Before Kristyn knew it, she was staying at the California
Operating Engineers Local 3 Training Center (OE3 JATC) as a Probationary Orientation Period (POP) apprentice, and she was terrified. Her instructors took the time to help her, however, explaining that each step played a role in the end result.
In between field and classwork, Kristyn studied hard and ended up scoring at the top of her class on every written test, and in her practical exams, she may not have always had the fastest time, but she had the nicest pad.
Today, Kristyn still operates equipment, but her main role is as a gradesetter, “reading plans, doing layout, putting numbers down on the ground to makes sure the job gets built properly … ”
Kristyn credits Gradesetting Instructor Mike Loera for her success, because he taught her everything there is to know about GPS, along with advanced formulas and practical tips for day-to-day work.
Kristyn’s life looks very different now from when she wore those skirts to minimum-wage jobs in customer service and slept on friends’ couches.
“I’m literally driving right now to pick up the keys to my very first house in Oakdale,” she said over the phone. She’s the first one in her family to ever own a home.
For those women who may be afraid to operate equipment, Kristyn said, “It takes some common sense, some reasoning ability, and then you’re good to go. They’ll teach you everything you need to know at the Ranch. Be willing to put yourself into it, and you can do it.” u
SPECIAL FEATURE WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA CARPENTERS REGIONAL COUNCIL
April Gustavus, Local 180: “I got hired out of the hall by Overaa Construction more than ten years ago. I’ve done everything from concrete to tiltups, metal studs, acoustic tiling, sheet rock and now punch lists and finish work—a little bit of everything. It’s a man’s world, but times are changing , and I’m grateful for that. Nowadays guys are more used to seeing a female on the job, but I wouldn’t recommend it for everyone. The work is hard, you have to be strong-minded, strong-willed. I really enjoy it, but it takes a certain kind of woman. You have to be thickskinned.
It’s one thing to ask for help, but you should be able to carry two 2” x 4”s. The words ‘I can’t’ should not come out of your mouth. It’s just being able to stand your own ground and believe in yourself. As long as you can do the work and the superintendent is okay with you, who cares if some old-school guy can’t handle it?”
Josephine Gomez, Local 152: “I did several pre-apprentice programs, through Youth Build in Stockton, through the Carpenters Boot Camp, and a program with the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission in Sonora. They helped me a lot, especially with my big mouth. God put a lot of opportunities in front of me, and finally I said to myself, ‘I’m going to do whatever it takes to get through this.’ It gave me something to stick with.
I got on with B&B Construction, doing concrete form work, foundations, layout, columns and curb forms. The journeymen and foreman have been great, passing on a lot of skills, it’s an honor to learn from them. And I’m pretty tough out there, so I don’t get hassled. All the projects I’ve worked on have been school projects in Stockton, so it’s an awesome blessing to be able to contribute to where I was born and raised.”
Maikweyana (Maiki) Tapia, Local 405, Project Manager, Kaiser Permanente “It’s been a long road. There I was in 1998 with kids, and not enough income. My husband at the time was an apprentice in Local 405, so I got in through him. I got stares. I got remarks. I got laid off a lot. It was frustrating, but I stayed with it and journeyed out. I even ran a crew as an apprentice for DPR in their door department. I have a thick skin, I laughed a lot off, and I also knew how to give it right back. Sometimes you use humor, sometimes you talk your way out of situations, and sometimes you really have to stand your ground. It’s a fine line when you’re the only female on the job. There’s no crying in construction. I spent six years in the field, but I always knew there was only a certain amount of time that my body could last like that. I was always looking for the next step, to find the opportunity to do all that I could do. Working with older guys, I got a lot of wisdom, and advice. I also got a BA in business from UC Berkeley and a Master’s degree in construction management at CSU East Bay. A union rep told me about a job at Kaiser. I had a good reputation as a hard-working apprentice. I found the home there, and now I’m a project manager. Develop a reputation as a hard worker, and network, network, network! “
Tanya Lewis, Local 22, Safety Representative, Cahill Contractors
“I was working on a non-union site, and I met the Carpenters when they hand billed there. I stayed loyal to the people who hired me, but one day I worked with carpenters there to put an arc beam in place. That was the day I realized I wanted to be a carpenter. I contacted those guys who had been out to our job, and got into Local 22. Around eight years ago, I became a foreman and a safety rep for Cahill. Don’t let them have you just using a nail gun or sweeping. Listen and pay attention—and stay busy. Take upgrade classes, go to the International Training Center and keep pushing. Learn to read blueprints, stay on top of your math. Learn doors and hardware, learn finish work, learn to calculate concrete footage, talk to architects and project managers. Do outreach events like career fairs and the Rosie the Riveter events in Richmond, go to the Women in the Trades conferences. Do it all, stay tough, don’t let anyone tell you can’t do something. There are so many opportunities! u
WOMEN
IN CONSTRUCTION
By Vicki O’Leary, General Organizer, Safety/Diversity, Iron Workers
BICMagazine.com
“Be that One Guy” On-the-job harassment is everyone’s problem
It’s a long, arduous process to locate and vet good workers. We invest time, money and other resources to hire them, train them and get them acclimated to a new job. Unfortunately, too many of these good workers —especially women, apprentices and people of color—leave the jobs they truly love because of the bullying, intimidation and harassment they experience at work.
Last year, Engineering News-Record did a study on the treatment of tradeswomen in the industry. It determined that as many as 64 percent of the women surveyed had been subjected to nonphysical aggression at their jobs.
What does “nonphysical aggression” mean? It means these women were taunted on the job or were the subject of jokes or harassment. Even
if it’s not a physical act, aggression and harassment can be unimaginably severe. This cycle must end. It’s a very real problem we must work together to solve.
‘Be That One Guy’
To address this very severe threat to workplace safety and wellbeing, the Iron Workers established the “Be That One Guy” initiative. This program is unique because we recognize that harassment is not just a treatment issue; it is a safety hazard.
A harassment scenario is made up of two key components. First, you have the harasser, who’s busy plotting what he’s going to do next to his victim. But second, you have the victim, who’s worried about what may be coming next. And before you know it, you have a whole crew of workers whose heads are not in the game, and that’s when accidents can—and do—happen.
“Be That One Guy” teaches workers’ negative attitudes impact the whole jobsite and put everyone at risk. This program teaches members the domino effect of harassment, and union leaders and contractors learn a better way to handle situations. It shifts us away from aggressorbased solutions to embracing the power of bystanders to become part of the solution.
“Be That One Guy” helps members become educated and changes the jobsite culture to keep workers working. Whether it’s the petrochemical industry, the manufacturing industry or any other industry, we desperately need to replenish a waning workforce, so we have to change our methods to address how we recruit and sustain our workforce.
We are losing 10,000 workers a day because the baby boomers are retiring. Replacing
the baby boomers are the millennials, a whole new generation with new attitudes. They have different perspectives on bullying, harassment and intimidation. They care about equal treatment and social justice.
If we want to retain this millennial workforce after we’ve spent time and treasure to recruit and train them, we must provide them with respectful, professional work environments where they can build their careers.
WOMEN
IN CONSTRUCTION
The very core of our program is about bystanders. “Be That One Guy” helps members understand their own ability to change the jobsite culture.
All workers deserve respect, and “Be That One Guy” promotes that very simple philosophy: to encourage jobsite peers to call out harassment just as they would any other worksite hazard. In other words, “If you see something, say something.”
For more information, visit www.iron workers.org or call (202) 383-4800.1
coworkers treated them on the job. While recruitment is a challenge, retention can be even more challenging.
It’s vital to make the building trades a lucrative career and a safe work environment for women if we want to recruit and retain them. With no immediate resolution in sight for the skilled labor shortage, the construction industry must make diversity a priority and address workplace harassment. As we open the door to well-paying jobs and a more inclusive workforce, it is up to anti-bullying and anti-harassment programs to help educate tradespeople and change the culture.
Make the Building Trades a Safe Work Environment for Women—Because the Industry has a Shortage of Women, Not Skilled Labor
Women, who make up over 50 percent of the population, are surprisingly an overlooked solution to the skilled labor shortage. They are an untapped resource in the construction industry. The construction trades have long been among the lowest percentages of gender diversity. Women represent only 9 percent of the overall construction workforce and 3 percent of the building trades.
There’s an assumption women find construction work too hard or physically demanding As an ironworker woman, I know that assumption is not accurate. In my 30-year career as an ironworker, I have only encountered two types of workers: those who deliver and those who don’t, regardless of gender. Gender seldom has anything to do with the person’s work ethic and capacities. What we have learned from ironworker women who left the industry is, in many cases, the work wasn’t what proved to be too difficult; it was the way
Furthermore, bullying, harassment and intimidation are not just gender issues. They do not just happen to women. Men, apprentices and people of color are also affected. The old- school solution of telling male victims to “suck it up” will not bode well with millennials replacing baby boomers.
Some building trades are starting to address this issue with anti-harassment programs, but we need the rest to follow suit and address this issue that hinders diversification of the workforce, which will solve the skilled labor shortage.2 u
Thank you to BIC Magazine for permission to reprint the above content. For more information, visit bicmagazine.com —BIC reaches nearly 100,000 mid- and upper-level managers and executives in the refining/petrochemical, drilling and exploration, pipeline, marine, terminal, pulp and paper, power generation and heavy construction industries. Departments in the publication cover industry concerns such as safety, maintenance, purchasing and the environment.
1. www.bicmagazine.com/magazine/june-2019-on-the-job-harassment-iseveryones-problem/
2. www.bicmagazine.com/magazine/construction-industry-has-shortage-ofwomen-not-skilled-labor/
Photo courtesy LiUNA
LEGAL corner
By Roger Mason, Esq., and Rachael E. Brown, Esq., Sweeney, Mason, Wilson & Bosomworth
Harassment Prevention Training Requirements–SB 1343
In a continued effort to create workplace environments where everyone feels safe and able to thrive professionally, the California legislature has recently expanded harassment prevention training requirements. All California employers with five or more employees are now required to providing training to all employees. The following Q & A help explain the new requirements.1
1. When is the new law effective? — SB 1343 amends California Government Code Section 12950.1 and went into effect January 1, 2019.
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2. How much training is required? — At least two hours of sexual harassment prevention training must be provided to all supervisory employees. At least one hour of sexual harassment prevention training must be provided to all non-supervisory employees.
3. Who counts as a supervisor? —
A supervisor is anyone with authority to hire, fire, assign, transfer, discipline, or reward other employees. A supervisor is also anyone with the authority to effectively recommend (but not necessarily take) these actions if exercising that authority requires the use of independent judgment.
4. Does this apply to my business? —
The sexual harassment prevention training applies to all employers having five or more employees.
5. How long do I have to comply? —
The required training must be provided no later than January 1, 2020, and once every two years after that. Employers must provide all required training within six months of a new part-time or full-time employee starting employment. Beginning on January 1, 2020, employers must provide sexual harassment prevention training to temporary or seasonal employees within 30 calendar days after the hire date or within 100 hours worked if the employee will work for less than six months.
6. What if I provided sexual harassment training in 2018 pursuant to AB-1825? —
The new law requires that employees be trained during calendar year 2019. Employees who were trained in 2018 or prior will need to be retrained.
7. What method of training is required? —
Employers must provide sexual harassment prevention training in either 1) a classroom setting; 2) through interactive e-learning; or 3) through a live webinar. E-learning training must provide instructions on how to contact a trainer who can answer questions within two business days.
8. What topics does the training need to cover?
• The definition of sexual harassment under the Fair Employment and Housing Act and Title VII of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964;
• The statutes and case-law prohibiting and preventing sexual harassment;
• The types of conduct that can be sexual harassment;
• The remedies available for victims of sexual harassment;
• Strategies to prevent sexual harassment;
• Supervisors’ obligation to report harassment;
• Practical examples of harassment;
• The limited confidentiality of the complaint process;
• Resources for victims of sexual harassment, including to whom they should report it;
• How employers must correct harassing behavior;
• What to do if a supervisor is personally accused of harassment;
• The elements of an effective anti-harassment policy and how to use it;
• The definition of “abusive conduct” under Government Code section 12950.1, subdivision (g)(2).
• Harassment based on gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation, which shall include practical examples inclusive of harassment based on gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation.
All training must include questions that assess learning, skill-building activities to assess understanding and application of content, and hypothetical scenarios about harassment with discussion questions. u
Roger M. Mason is a shareholder with Sweeney, Mason, Wilson & Bosomworth, Los Gatos, California. Since 1982, Roger has focused on labor and employment law, both transactional and litigation. He advises and represents businesses in multiple aspects of employment and labor law successfully resolving individual and class action claims through, mediations, arbitrations and trials. He can be reached at (408) 356-3000 or rmason@smwb.com. Rachael Brown assists her clients in a variety of litigation matters, focusing primarily on employment disputes. She can be reached at (408) 356-3000 or REB@smwb.com.
1 - This article is reprinted from our UCON Magazine March 2019 Industry Compliance issue
Representing the Bay Area in Construction Contract Disputes and Collection Matters, Employment Law and Labor Relations, Business Law, Estate Planning, and Tax Disputes.
983 University Avenue, Suite 104C Los Gatos, CA 95032
Joseph Sweeney jsweeney@smwb.com
Roger Mason rmason@smwb.com
Kurt Wilson kwilson@smwb.com
Brad Bosomwor th bbosomwor th@smwb.com
Stuart Schmidt sschmidt@smwb.com
Christoper Olson colson@smwb.com
Romin Thomson r thomson@smwb.com
Scott A. Mangum smangum@smwb.com
David Lee dlee@smwb.com
Andrew Ditlevsen ajd@smwb.com
Rachael Brown reb@smwb.com
Anya Thepot athepot@smwb.com
Bill Stanger wstanger@smwb.com
LABOR
By Victor Sella, Director of Labor Relations
UCON–Laborers Annual Retreat: Opportunities in Partnerships
In an effort to continue building relationships with our union partners, United Contractors and the Northern California Laborers co-hosted an Industry Partners Retreat on May 7 and 8, 2019 in Sonoma, CA. The Retreat was designed for UCON’s Laborers craft committee and negotiating team members and representatives from the Laborers union to collectively identify industry issues. Over 40 contractor and union representatives participated in roundtable discussions. Topics that were discussed included training and apprenticeship, pension status, the political landscape, non-union competition, and organizing. UCON along with the Laborers union will continue working together to create solutions on these issues throughout 2019.
We would like to thank all the participants for their participation and for another successful retreat.
2019 Laborers–UCON Retreat Attendees:
Juan Arrequin, Bay Line Cutting & Coring, Inc.
Tom Donnelly, BrightView Landscape Development, Inc.
Thomas Kuehn, BrightView Landscape Development, Inc.
Robert Chrisp, Chrisp Company
Mike Ghilotti, Ghilotti Bros., Inc.
Jeff Colton, Jensen Landscape Contractor, LLC
Christi Plum, PC&N Construction, Inc.
Ron Bianchini, Preston Pipelines, Inc.
Jordan Thomas, Preston Pipelines, Inc.
Dina Kimble, Royal Electric Company
Kurt Kniffin, Stacy and Witbeck, Inc.
Donna Rehrmann, Stomper Company Inc.
Joe Rehrmann, Stomper Company Inc.
Randy Jenco, Viking Construction Company
“This year’s retreat was a truly collaborative experience. Having honest, focused discussions with our trade partners at the Laborers allows us to develop a plan of action to deal with the changes and challenges in our ever-evolving industry.”
Jordan Thomas, Preston Pipelines, Inc.
UNION CONTRACT CORNER
Spotlight on Negotiations:
New UCON-Cement Masons Master Agreement
Informal discussions were completed for a new four-year agreement between United Contractors and the District Council of Plasterers and Cement Masons of Northern California. The new agreement became effective July 1, 2019, immediately after the expiration of the current agreement.
Highlights of the new agreement include:
• PAGA claims waiver, effective upon execution of the MLA (This will help prevent attorneys from filing class actions against employers.)
• Continuation of local ordinance waivers and other legal protections
• Statutory claims language consistent with other craft agreements (aimed at directing most wage and hour disputes to the grievance process)
• Continuation of Private Work Relief Agreement
Information on the new agreement is available to our members in the Resource Center of the United Contractors website (www.unitedcontractors.org).
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the negotiating team members for their dedication, and for all their contributions of time and expertise.
United Contractors Cement Masons Negotiations Team:
Kevin J. Albanese, Joseph J. Albanese, Inc. (Co-Chair)
Andy Vasconi; McGuire and Hester (Co-Chair)
Ron Fadelli; Berkeley Cement, Inc.
Catherine Moncada; Granite Construction Company
Jonathan Vasquez; Bay Area Concretes, Inc.
United Contractors: Victor Sella, Ruby Varnadore
“We were fortunate to be part of an awesome craft committee, and amazing support and thought-provoking ideas from UCON staff. Truly a great team effort with contributions from everyone!”
— Kevin Albanese; Joseph J. Albanese, Inc. (Co-Chair)
UCON
JULY ANNIVERSARIES
United Contractors would like to take this opportunity to recognize and thank the following companies who are celebrating their anniversary of membership with our organization in July:
45 YEARS – 1974
Contractor Member:
Silva’s Pipeline, Inc.
Jim Silva
27 YEARS – 1992
Contractor Member:
Stoloski & Gonzalez, Inc.
Mark Stoloski
26 YEARS – 1993
Contractor Members:
C.F. Archibald Paving, Inc.
Curtis Archibald
Esquivel Grading & Paving, Inc.
Simar Esquivel
Evans Brothers, Inc.
Wil Evans
Gallagher & Burk, Inc.
David DeSilva
Ghilotti Construction Co.
Richard Ghilotti
Stevens Creek Quarry, Inc.
Mark Mallin
25 YEARS – 1994
Contractor Member:
Navajo Pipelines, Inc.
Karen Silva
Associate Member:
Woodruff-Sawyer & Co.
Bret Lawrence
24 YEARS – 1995
Associate Member: Graniterock
Keith Severson
23 YEARS – 1996
Contractor Members:
Appian Engineering, Inc.
Bob Alvey
R.M. Harris Company
Richard Harris
19 YEARS – 2000
Contractor Member: Silverado Contractors, Inc.
Joe Capriola
16 YEARS – 2003
Associate Member: Trench & Traffic Supply, Inc.
Michelle Townsend
12 YEARS – 2007
Contractor Member: Florez Paving
Sam Florez
Associate Member: Eighteen Trucking, Inc.
Martha DeLeon
10 YEARS – 2009
Associate Member: EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants
Jeff Parkhurst
9 YEARS – 2010
Contractor Member: MK Pipelines, Inc.
Sean Brennan
Associate Members: Badger Daylighting Corp.
Jimmy Arroyo Jr.
HCSS
Genaro Garza
8 YEARS – 2011
Contractor Members: J. Mack Enterprises, Inc.
Jesse McElree
Veteran Pipeline Construction
Michael Robirds
Associate Member: Stevenson Supply
Kent Stevenson
7 YEARS – 2012
Contractor Members: Compass Engineering Contractors, Inc.
Mike Moore
Marques Pipeline, Inc.
Jason Anderson
Associate Members: Cal-Sierra Pipe, LLC
Dan Hobbs
Chubb Surety
Robert Walsh
McSherry & Hudson
Chuck Griswold
6 YEARS – 2013
Contractor Members: Underground Construction Co., Inc.
Chris Ronco
Valverde Construction, Inc.
Marcus Gomez
5 YEARS – 2014
Contractor Member: Ferma Corporation
Marc Ferrari
Associate Members: RGW Equipment Sales
Dane Lowry
West Coast Sand & Gravel
James Slater
4 YEAR – 2015
Contractor Member: Underwater Resources, Inc.
Tom Belcher
Associate Member: SANDIS Civil Engineers
Surveyors Planners
Lauren Copenhagen
3 YEARS – 2016
Contractor Members: JDB & Sons Construction, Inc.
James Burke
Sinclair General Engineering Construction, Inc.
Sean Sinclair
Associate Members: Integro Insurance Brokers
Peter Holley
Security Shoring & Steel Plate
Kimberly Liston-Rivera
2 YEARS – 2017
Contractor Member: Minerva Construction, Inc.
Noel Kearney
Associate Member: Construct Your Image
Cole Adams
1 YEAR – 2018
Associate Member: JLM Management Consultants
Jeri Mersky, Ph.D.
FACES
UCON Members Gather for Second Annual
State Legislative Summit
On May 20 United Contractors hosted its second annual State Legislative Summit in our state capitol, bringing together an exceptional lineup of experts and leaders in the state political and policy arena who are shaping the issues that matter most to California’s union contractors.
Back-to-back speakers focused on a variety of key issues: workforce development to infrastructure bonds; a Caltrans Agency update; an economic forecast report; employment law to utility safety and accountability legislation; Dynamex, retention, and change-order policy, privacy laws and more. Members had a front row seat to the most relevant political issues impacting business and the future of our industry.
United Contractors success is the result of our extraordinarily engaged and active membership and because of you we’ve been able to accomplish historic wins related to your business environment and industry market share growth. To all those who attended, thank you for prioritizing engagement, advocacy and involvement in shaping the issues that impact our entire industry.
We look forward to seeing you next year at this unique and important event.
Until then, stay involved with us! Join United Contractors Legislative, Caltrans, San Francisco, Safety, or Attorney RoundTable Committees. Support our Political Action Committee (PAC) by sponsoring our upcoming PAC Fundraiser on July 18th at the home of UCON’s CEO, Mark Breslin. Attend
our annual Government Advocacy Auction on November 9th at the historic Claremont Hotel in Berkeley, CA. Being involved in and supporting the government relations work of United Contractors is an incredible way to make a very real and positive difference for your business and your industry.
Thank you to our speakers: CA Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, Caltrans Director Laurie Berman, Loren Kaye of the California Chamber of Commerce, Mark Schniepp of the California Economic Forecast, and Eddie Bernacchi, Bret Barrow and Kiana Valentine of Politico Group, UCON’s Advocacy Firm.
Thank you to our Legislative Summit attendees:
Badger Daylighting Corp - Benicia
Berkeley Cement, Inc. (BCI)
Blue Iron Foundations & Shoring LLC
Bowles & Verna LLP
C.E. Technologies
California Alliance for Jobs
California Economic Forecast
California Foundation for Commerce and Education
California State Senate
Chrisp Company
Chubb Surety
CNA Surety
Conco Pumping
Condon-Johnson & Associates, Inc.
Cooper Engineering, Inc.
D.W. Young Construction Co., Inc.
De Haro Ramirez Group
Department of Transportation
DeSilva Gates Construction
Disney Construction, Inc.
Fine Line Sawing & Drilling, Inc.
Ghilotti Construction Co.
Gonsalves & Santucci, Inc. dba The Conco Companies
Goodfellow Bros. California, LLC
Gordon N. Ball, Inc.
Granite Construction Company
Graniterock
Hoseley Corporation
Leonidou & Rosin Professional Corp.
Liberty Mutual Surety
Marina Landscape, Inc.
Marsh Risk & Insurance Services
Martin Brothers Construction Inc.
McGuire and Hester
O.C. Jones & Sons, Inc.
Pavement Recycling Systems, Inc.
P C & N Construction, Inc.
Politico Group
Preston Pipelines, Inc.
R.J. Gordon Construction, Inc.
Ray’s Electric
Rogers Joseph O’Donnell
Royal Electric Company
Rupert Construction Supply
Shimmick Construction Company, Inc.
Sierra Mountain Construction
St. Francis Electric LLC
Stacy and Witbeck, Inc.
Stacy and Witbeck/Amoroso/MRS, A JV
Steve P. Rados, Inc. - Sacramento
Sukut Construction LLC
Teichert Inc.
The Hartford Trench Plate Rental Co.
West Coast Sand & Gravel
Woodruff-Sawyer & Co.
THANK YOU TO OUR SUMMIT SPONSORS:
KEYNOTE SPEAKER SPONSOR:
SUMMIT SPONSORS:
“UCON always provides opportunities to interact with prominent members of the industry and this Summit was no exception. United Contractors is without question, the most relevant association in the industry. I would highly recommend attending any UCON function— you’ll always come away with great value added material.”
— Thomas Smith, Ghilotti Construction Company Inc.
“The UCON Legislative Summit increases union contractors’ understanding of the critical issues facing our industry and gives us valuable networking opportunities with legislators who impact our businesses.”
— Steve Clark, Granite Construction Company
For more information on the upcoming PAC Fundraiser, and the Government Advocacy Auction, including information on Donating an item, Sponsoring, or Attending, visit UCON’s website at unitedcontractors.org, or contact UCON Events, at (925) 855-7900.
FACES
Lt. Governor, Eleni Kounalakis, gave the UCON audience the keynote address focusing on her dedication to creating a stronger workforce and increasing opportunities for California’s future.
Loren Kaye, President, California Foundation for Commerce and Education, discussed employment legislation and policies impacting every California employer and business owner.
Greg Gruendl, Ray’s Electric; Mark Breslin, UCON CEO; Jerry Condon, Condon-Johnson & Associates, Inc.
Steve Clark, Granite Construction Company and UCON President; Emily Cohen, UCON EVP
Doug Marquis, Conco Pumping
(Left) from WoodruffSawyer & Co., Michael Landucci, Patrick Diebel, and Bret Lawrence
(Right) Dev Bariana, Chubb Surety
Mary Teichert, Teichert Inc., and current UCON Board member, with Rob Layne of O.C. Jones & Sons, Inc.
Joseph McGowan, Rogers, Joseph, O’Donnell
Joe Sostaric, The Conco Companies; Sonal Belino, Teichert Inc.; Andy Vasconi, McGuire and Hester
Rob Bilotti, Chrisp Company; Robert Chrisp, Chrisp Company
(Left) Ricardo Marrun from De Haro Ramirez Group, and (Right) Guy Smith from St. Francis Electric listen to the Summit presentations.
Anthony Fadelli, Berkeley Cement, Inc. (BCI); Paul Cianciarulo, Graniterock
Bob Rosin, Leonidou & Rosin, Professional Corp.; Tom Smith, Ghilotti Construction Co.
Warren Skraber and Jeff Peel, Steve P. Rados, Inc.
Kurt Kniffin, Stacy and Witbeck, Inc.
Trony Fuller, West Coast Sand & Gravel
Mark Schniepp, California Economic Forecast Director, (above) kept everyone’s attention with “pop quizzes” as he detailed the building boom in California, and whether or not it was going to last in his 2020 and beyond economic outlook.
Laurie Berman, Caltrans Director, offered an indepth update on Caltrans priorities including project delivery and safety.
(Right)
(Left) Carlos
(Right) Mark Serrano, C.E. Technologies
UCON’s Advocacy Lobbyists, Eddie Bernacchi, Bret Barrow and Kiana Valentine of the Politico Group, participated in a panel discussion (moderated by UCON’s EVP, Emily Cohen) of legislative hot topics including current legislation that UCON is actively supporting or opposing.
(Above) Steve Ward, Pavement Recycling Systems, Inc.; (Above right) Bill Kuchulis, DeSilva Gates Construction;
Daniel Wanner, Hoseley Corporation
(Above) Salina Wong, CNA Surety; Lindsay Machacek, The Hartford (Left) Victor Sella, UCON Labor Relations Director and Thomas McCarrick, Bowles & Verna, LLP
Jason Edwards, Blue Iron Foundation and Shoring, LLC
Franco, Ray’s Electric
Paul Cocotis, Shimmick Construction Co., Inc.
(Above) Dan Elshire, Stacy and Witbeck, Inc. and other attendees at the United Contractors Legislative Summit, Hyatt Regency, Sacaramento
FACES
UCON’s Legislative Reception welcomed guests including state elected officials, agency leaders, labor leaders, and more.
Senator Jerry Hill (SD 13); Emily Cohen, United Contractors EVP; Senator Steven Bradford (SD35)
Patrick Henning, Employment Development Director, CA Employment Development Department; Roy Sianez, Legislative Director for Assemblymember Jim Cooper; Assemblymember Jim Cooper (AD 09)
Mark Breslin, United Contractors CEO; Michael Quigley, California Alliance for Jobs
Kevin Hester, McGuire and Hester; Josh Newman; Emily Cohen, United Contractors EVP; David Kennedy, Graniterock
Kiana Valentine, Politico Group; Faith Conley, LA County
Jeff Peel and Warren Skraber, Steve P. Rados, Inc.
Rusty Hoseley, Hoseley Corporation
Assemblymember Bill Quirk (AD 20)
Bob Alvarado, Northern California Carpenters Regional Council
Eddie Bernacchi, Politico Group; Bob Rosin, Leonidou & Rosin, Professional Corp.
Denise Cooper, Cooper Engineering; Senator Bob Archuleta (SD32)
Daniel Wanner, Hoseley Corporation; Chris Lee, United Contractors Safety Consultant
Olivia Lucchese, UCON Events Assistant; Marlo Fregulia, UCON Events Manager; Michael Landucci, Woodruff-Sawyer & Co.
Monique Vieira-Huestis, Burton and the Brains; Claire Conlon–Chief of Staff to Asm. Petrie-Norris; Angie Tate, Burton and the Brains
Mark Serrano, C.E. Technologies; David Harris, Marsh Risk & Insurance Services
Mike Preston, Preston Pipelines, Inc.; Assemblymember Petrie-Norris (AD74)
Jerry Condon, Condon-Johnson & Associates, Inc.; Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (AD16)
Keri Adams, Dina Kimble, Royal Electric Company.; Rob Layne, O.C. Jones & Sons, Inc.; Mary Teichert, Teichert Inc
Dan Elshire, Stacy and Witbeck, Inc.; David Mitchell, Goodfellow Bros. California, LLC; Kurt Kniffen, Stacy and Witbeck Amorosa/MRS, A JV
George Furnanz, Stacy and Witbeck, Inc.; Emily Cohen, United Contractors EVP; Andy Vasconi, McGuire and Hester
Chris DellAringa Blue Iron Foundations & Shoring LLC; Victor Sella, United Contractors Director of Labor Relations
Joseph Cruz, Cruz Strategies; Doug Benton, Sierra Mountain Construction; Tess Lengyel, Deputy Director of Planning and Policy for Alameda County Transportation Commission; Eddie Berberich, Sierra Mountain Construction; Art Dao, Executive Director Alameda County Transportation Commission
(Left) Bruce Daseking, McGuire and Hester; (Right) Greg Gruendl, Ray’s Electric
Michael Quigley, California Alliance for Jobs; Carolyn Coleman, Executive Director, League of California Cities
Thomas McCarrick, Bowles & Verna, LLC; Bill Kuchulis, DeSilva Gates Construction; Chris Young, D. W. Young Construction, Inc.
Bret Barrow, Politico Group; Cindy Christensen, Former Registrar, CSLB; Michael Jamnetski, California State Licensing Board (CSLB)
Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva (AD65); Josh Newman
Tom Smith, Ghilotti Construction Co.; Karen Wonnenberg, Rupert Construction Supply; Jeff Nahaas, Trench Plate Rental Co.
Jose Mejia, CA State Council of Laborers; Kate DonahueDuran, CA State Council of Laborers; Stave Clark, Granite Construction Company, UCON 2019 President
Joe Sostaric, The Conco Companies; Senator Anthony J. Portantino (SD25); Debbie Haldeman, Cemex Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (AD16)
Trony Fuller, West Coast Sand & Gravel; Patrick Diebel, Woodruff-Sawyer & Co.
up Events
By Marlo Fregulia, Event Manager
UCON CALENDAR
August
2
Annual BBQ & Chili Cook-Off
Thursday, August 1, 2019
4:30pm
Location: Alameda County Fairgrounds, Pleasanton
Cost: $75/ticket (See opposite page)
September
6 Sal Rubino Golf Classic
Friday, September 6, 2019
Location: Bayonet & Black Horse Golf Club, Seaside
Cost: $250/ticket (See opposite page)
Project Management Career Advancement (PMCA) Progam
September 17 - November 12, 2019
Tuesdays, 3:30pm-7:30pm
Cost: $1,195 Member
Location: San Mateo Marriott San Francisco Airport
October
3,4 UCON’s Leadership Development Program
Thursday, Friday, October 3, 4, 2019
Location: Chaminade Resort and Spa, Santa Cruz
Cost: $1,345 Member / $1,795 Non-Member
Cost includes all course materials, program instruction, meals and one nights lodging
(See page 25 for more information)
19 UCON’s Fearless Foreman Seminar
Thursday, October 17, 2019
5:00pm - 8:00pm
Location: Pleasanton Marriott, Pleasanton
Cost: $129 Member / $229 Non-Member
SGI&J SALUTES ITS WOMEN ATTORNEYS SERVING THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
managers many years her chronological senior. Clients have expressed that Laura exhibited
By: Paul V. Simpson, Esq., President and Founding Director, Simpson, Garrity, Innes & Jacuzzi, A Professional Corporation
I have been an attorney for 40 years, and for the last 38 of those years I, and my law firm, have represented more than a thousand California-based contractors and construction industry trade associations in labor and employment law matters. Many of these contractors are current members of UCON.
As UCON salutes Women in Construction, I believe it appropriate to salute our team of uniquely talented and committed female attorneys. All have devoted many hours of legal work representing the interests of their construction industry clients.
It started with Laura Innes, a Founding Director of Simpson, Garrity, Innes & Jacuzzi (“SGI&J”). Laura started working for me in 1988. Over the years, Laura developed the confidence of construction business owners, executives, and project
HSG SAFETY SUPPLIES, INC.
CERTIFIED BY THE WOMEN’S BUSINESS ENTERPRISE NATIONAL COUNCIL
HSG Safety Supplies Inc., a business specializing in Personal Protective Equipment and High Visibility Apparel since 1989, is proud to announce national certification as a Women’s Business Enterprise by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council.
CEO, Sareena Grewal, commented “During the past couple of years we have continued to double our sales. The WBENC Certification will open many doors for us.
wisdom far beyond her years, and that her sensitivity and attentiveness to their legal dilemmas was second to none. She became my business partner in 1995. Laura provided legal services to the construction industry for almost 30 years with SGI&J until the time of her premature passing in 2015.
Today, Laura’s legacy is reflected in the professional successes of SGI&J Director Attorneys, Sarah Lucas, Kendall Burton, and Nancy McCoy; three remarkably skilled employment law attorneys. Together, they have more than 65 years of legal experience, and represent contractors in employment law litigation and preventative counseling matters. Each day they apply their legal acumen to meet the labor and employment law needs of our construction industry clients in areas such as claims of wrongful termination, wage and hour violation, discrimination, and harassment, while striving for a cost effective resolution short of trial or mediation. Their bios can be found at www.sgijlaw.com.
As the foregoing illustrates, successful professional women play a vital role in providing legal services to California’s construction industry. SGI&J salutes all Women in the Construction Industry. A UCON member since 1999, www.sgijlaw.com. u
Not only do we anticipate the certification to help us grow the business, but it will help us develop new relationships in the industry. We will continue to provide our clients with the same quality of service and expertise.”
WBENC’s national standard of certification is a meticulous process including an in-depth review of the business and site inspection. By including women-owned businesses among their suppliers, corporations and government agencies demonstrates HSG’s commitment to fostering diversity, and the continued development of their supplier diversity programs.
To learn more about HSG Safety Supplies Inc., their products and services, visit www.hsgsafety.com, a UCON member since 2015. u (Photo: Sareena Grewal)
Pictured L-R: Nancy McCoy, Sarah Lucas, Kendall Burton (Photo below of Laura Innes)
PETERSON CAT HONORS WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION
“Heavy iron isn’t the male-dominated industry it was in the past. Today, women at Peterson occupy roles as diverse as heavy equipment technician, eBusiness Manager, and Chief Financial Officer. In fact, Peterson’s Erin Sorgel was recently named Bay Area CFO of the Year by Larkin Street Youth Services and the San Francisco Business Times!” Peterson Cat has been a UCON member since 1972, actively involved with the association in many different areas, www. petersoncat.com (Photo above: the women of Peterson Cat, San Leandro; (below) the Peterson women of Hillsboro). u
CALL LAST Industry has a shortage of Women, not skilled labor.
In the U.S., women make up almost 50% of the entire workforce, so why is it that they only make up 9% of the construction industry? To change the percentage, we need to encourage more women to consider a career in construction...and why wouldn’t you want more women at your companies? Did you know that firms with more women (in management positions) see an increase in profits? Here are some reasons why...
MORE WOMEN NEEDED
Great Leaders: Excellent Communication Skills:
Women naturally have successful leadership traits such as nurturing, developing others, building relationships, exhibiting integrity and engaging in selfdevelopment. But female leaders also scored higher on competencies including taking initiative and achieving results.
This is no secret to UCON. We are honored to have women on our Board of Directors, as well as involved in the association at the highest level. See page 20 and find out how you can get involved.
Outstanding Collaborators:
Take advantage of the benefit to your company of hiring women, especially in a manager/leadership role:
• Inspire and motivate others: boost your productivity with more women in management roles
Christi Plum, P C & N Construction, Inc., and UCON Board member speaks to graduates of UCON’s PMCA Program
UCON’s Leadership Program, Spring 2019
• Teams that have one female, outperform an all male team.
Give your teams that extra edge—UCON University offers training and education, specific for the industry, see page 25, or register on unitedcontractors.org.
Sources: CNBC “Make It,” thriveglobal.com, skillsyouneed.com
GREAT IDEA!
Women talk... sometimes a lot. Communications skills are ranked first among “must have” skills and qualities for job candidates. The skill to communicate effectively is possibly the most important of all life skills—and women are often better at it than men
(having strong listening skills, higher levels of empathy, and a stronger likelihood of picking up on nonverbal cues). Need to practice your communications skills? Take advantage of UCON’s BBQ and Chili Cook-Off (August 1st)— a great place to talk, and make new friends, with almost 1,500 of industry’s finest.
Plaza Construction, a Manhattan, NY, construction company began using gender-neutral “Men and Women At Work” signs in September 2018, quoting that the signs may “encourage women to enter the industry by creating a gender-neutral workplace environment.” (CEO Richard Wood to The Post)
2018 UCON BBQ & Chili Cook-Off
A CALL FOR HELP... ANSWERED.
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Our Bay Area professionals are dedicated to providing service and solutions to customers in urgent situations. We can help you resolve critical challenges with our vast inventory of waterworks products and knowledgeable associates. No matter where you are in the Bay Area, Ferguson Waterworks is there to help you with what you
