10 California Buildings News • Q4 2021
NorCal Carpenters Mobilizing to Build Housing Ramped-Up Training Program Works to Ensure More Tech-Savvy Workers
With Jay Bradshaw Leader of the Northern California Carpenters Regional Council
Q: How is the pandemic affecting the carpenters? A: Since the beginning of the pandemic Carpenters have been put under tremendous pressure, on the financial, family life and health fronts. The uncertainty of unemployment and the concern for safety in the community and on the job was and is paramount. The NorCal Carpenters Union, from the very beginning of the pandemic, engaged government entities and health experts at both the state and local level to ensure our members were deemed essential; more importantly we worked aggressively with our employers to demand and ensure that all COVID 19 safety protocols were followed. In addition, we worked to ensure that all governmental COVID 19 benefits i.e. mandated sick leave were provided to our membership. Safety on construction sites was and remains our number one priority. Q: What role can carpenters play in alleviating California's housing crisis? A: We aim to mobilize the collective power of our membership to support development of housing at all levels, with a particular emphasis on work force housing that our members can afford. In addition, our membership is campaigning for both local and state legislation that ensures efficient housing production but not at the expense of construction workers. We plan to build on our already successful track record of staying ahead of construction technology and continue to ensure our members have the skills required for these new housing delivery systems. Q: In what way can local and state government remove obstacles to building development? A: We need our elected officials and bureaucracies to fix the broken project entitlement process that is too often used to block good projects by groups not acting in good faith. Enacting legislation that gives a “by right” pathway for developers who meet real labor, environmental and community standards would also remove procedural bottlenecks that impede development. We need to implement, as well as strengthen existing, apprenticeship and local hire requirements for project developers. This is a win, win for all as it allows the Carpenters Union to continue to provide the best trained craftspeople to deliver quality and
efficiency on projects and creates opportunities for members of the community to become apprentices and build a viable career. With these requirements we can speed up housing production and also address in a real way recruitment of new craftspeople, with a focus on recruitment and retention of women and minorities, groups that have been and still are underrepresented in the trades. Q: You have said that the NorCal Carpenters Union must evolve to continue to be relevant. Could you explain? A: It is crucial that we stay ahead of construction technology and continue to have a robust and efficient training platform at all levels for our membership to develop these skills. In addition, the Union needs to be focused on leadership training, starting at the apprenticeship level on through the duration of an individual’s career. We have also established specific programs for the rank and file that empowers the membership to be involved in mentorship, diversity, recruitment, and political action and organizing. The NorCal Carpenters Union is currently developing programs that address the social challenges our membership face. It is imperative that the Union addresses the social crises affecting our membership; from the lack of affordable childcare to the crisis of depression, addiction and escalating suicide rates in our industry, it is crucial that we address these real social problems weighing on and worsening the lives of our members. We are building a Union that not only fights for our families’ wages and benefits but is putting into practice the imperative to be our “Brothers’ and Sisters’ Keeper.” Q: What issues do you foresee challenging carpenters in the future? A: The continued exploitation of non-union workers by unscrupulous contractors as well as the end users that engage these types of employers. We are and will continue to address this with a robust and effective organizing program, holding to account end users and politicians that enable this behavior. (Continued on page 16)
