Boilermakers Help Build World's Largest Solar Thermal Facility
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
REPOTHE RTER The official publication of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers & Helpers, AFL-CIO/CLC JUL- SEP 2012 Volume 51 | Number 3 Boilermakers help build world’s largest solar thermal facility L-92 leads critical work at innovative Ivanpah Valley project RISING FROM THE floor of California’s Mojave Desert, about 40 miles southwest of Las Vegas, the Ivanpah Solar Electric Gener- ating System’s three 459-foot towers resemble missile launch pads. They are the most visible features of a 3,600-acre development that will use focused sunlight to turn water to steam and steam to electricity. The $2.2 billion, 392-MW project is being built by BrightSource Energy and will pro- vide power to PG&E and Southern California Edison. The U.S. Department of Energy has guaranteed about $1.4 billion for the project. Boilermakers from Local 92 (Los Ange- les) and sister locals, along with other crafts, are building the SEGS under a project labor agreement between Bechtel and the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California and the Building & Construction Trades Council of San Bernardino and River- side Counties. Scheduled for completion in 2013, the proj- ect reached the half-way mark this summer, see IVANPAH, PG. 12 . 1023 NONPROFIT ORG. NONPROFIT PAID POSTAGE U.S. SOUTHERN, MD PERMIT NO MAIN steWARD BOB FURNISH stands below the unit 1 tower at Ivanpah. The boiler sits atop the tower and is coated with a black, heat-absorbing material. Chris Farina Photography INSIDE THIS ISSUE Rally Industrial Sector meets targets 2 Ryan 5 EPORTER R , SUITE 565 SUITE , GET OUT AND VOTE! VENUE 9 A CITY, 66101 KS CITY, Delisle first female S A S in national 53 STATE STATE 53 KAN THE BOILERMAKER BOILERMAKER THE 7 apprentice competition THE BOILERMAKER REPORTER 2 JU L- SEP 2012 HEADLINE NEWS ISO conference keys on global labor issues, U.S. elections Officers from AFL-CIO and CLC labor attorneys, benefit consul- headline speaker list tants, and labor officials from vari- DELEGATES FROM ACROSS North ous organizations. America gathered in Las Vegas August Delegates also took time to visit 14-16 for the Industrial Sector Opera- vendor booths offering goods tions (ISO) conference, the Brother- and services for local lodges and hood’s largest educational event for their members. members working in non-construc- Shuler cites AFL-CIO initiatives tion industries. It was the third such event and the second to be held at WITH ORGANIZED LABOR facing Caesars Palace. multiple challenges, AFL-CIO Secre- Global labor issues and the U.S. tary-Treasurer Liz Shuler discussed sev- national elections on November 6 were eral initiatives being put forth by the hot topics for many speakers during the federation. She explained the Next Up plenary sessions. program, which seeks to bring young Breakout meetings and caucuses people into the Labor Movement and gave members the opportunity to to prepare them for leadership roles. focus on industry-specific presenta- “We have an aging workforce, and it’s a problem,” she said. “Many young tions led by International Reps and AFL-CIO SeCretAry-treASurer LIz ShuLer stresses outreach to young workers. other staff, government officials, people today don’t think of the trades THE JUL-SEP 2012 Volume 51, Number 3 NEW TON B. JONES EDITORIAL STAFF The Boilermaker Reporter is the official publication Web site: www.boilermakers.org International President and Editor-in-Chief Mike Linderer of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, CanadaPost Agreement : PM 41892512 WILLIAM T. CREEDEN Managing Editor Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers, and Help- ers, AFL-CIO/CLC. It is published quarterly to dissemi- POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: International Secretary-Treasurer Mary Echols nate information of use and interest to its members. Publications Specialist INTERNATIONAL VICE PRESIDENTS Submissions from members, local lodges, and [email protected] Great Lakes subordinate or affiliated bodies are welcomed and The Boilermaker Reporter Lawrence McManamon, 753 State Avenue, Suite 565 Western Canada encouraged. This publication is mailed free of charge Joe Maloney, to active members and retired members holding a Kansas City, KS 66101 Ed Power, Eastern Canada Retired Members Card. Others may subscribe for the (913) 371-2640; FAX (913) 281-8110 J. Tom Baca, Western States price of $10 for three years. Standard Mail (A) postage Warren Fairley, Southeast paid at Kansas City, Kan., and additional mailing offices. James A. Pressley, Industrial Sector ISSN No. 1078-4101. Printed in the U.S.A. D. David Haggerty, Northeast an award-winning newspaper THE BOILERMAKER REPORTER Headline NEWS JU L- SEP 2012 3 as a career alternative. These are good laws being seen in many parts of the union jobs. We have a responsibility United States. to reach out and show that.” “Over the years, American unions She said the federation is encourag- have often looked at Canada for stron- ing unions to develop young worker ger labor laws, social programs and groups as part of the solution to get- a more union-friendly political cli- ting other generations involved. mate,” Yussuff added. “But employ- Another problem, Shuler noted, is ers on the right-wing in Canada have the public’s perception of labor. She looked to the United States” for strate- said the general population does not gies to weaken labor unions. associate unions with hard work, fair- Yussuff roundly criticized multina- ness, the American dream, and other tional firms like Caterpillar that make middle class values. huge profits but still demand take- “These are values we stand for. We backs from their union employees. should own that. But after 30 years “We have to fight to get some of negative attacks, [the public’s] ears democracy back in the trade regime, are closed.” whether it’s the United States or Can- Shuler previewed a television spot ada or around the world. Corpora- “GLOBALIZATION . HAS GIVEN CORPORATIONS created by the AFL-CIO that seeks to tions have too much power in their connect these values with unions. hands and workers too little. We have an easier path to expLoit [workers].” to change this equation.” yussuff describes Canadian — newton B. Jones, internationaL president labor struggles IP Jones lashes out at “rabidly antiunion” GOP AMERICA ISN’T ALONE when it ing the ICEM and for taking foot the bill for the losses, but they comes to labor difficulties in North INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT leadership positions in the new Indus- continue to take the profits.” America, Hassan Yussuff said in his Newton B. Jones condemned the triAll federation. IP Jones chairs the Cortes said that because so much speech to the ISO conference. As Republican Party’s shift to the far right Materials Sector and serves on the debt has been incurred bailing out the Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian and its “rabidly antiunion” positions. executive council. financial market, workers are being Labour Congress, Yussuff promotes He noted that moderate Republicans, IndustriAll ushers in “a new era of told there is not enough money for organized labor at both the provin- including those like Rep. Steve LaTo- global solidarity,” Warda said. “I think schools and infrastructure. cial and federal government levels. He urette (Ohio 4th), whom the Boiler- we can all feel better prepared than “The crisis that was made in Wall said tough financial times, job losses, makers have supported, are leaving before to challenge the power of mul- Street, in the city of London, and in and pressure from far-right politicians Congress in disgust over the sharply tinational companies and to confront financial markets across the globe is are hurting workers in Canada, too. partisan nature of the GOP. the policies driven by national govern- a crisis that working people are now “In Canada, we’re seeing precari- He added, “This is a dangerous ments and global institutions.” having to pay a very high price for,” ous jobs, just as in the United States time for America. The far right is Phee Jung-sun, director of Industri- he noted. “We are not strong enough — low paying, short-term, and casual seeking to dismantle government, to ALL’s Electricity and Cement, Glass, as a movement [to resist the rich]. It jobs with no benefits and no union undo the legal protections of labor and Ceramic Sector, spoke about the has fallen on our shoulders to try and protection. In Ontario, the opposi- unions, and to weaken Social Security, progress being made in establishing turn that around. It’s us. Nobody else tion conservative party under Tim Medicare, and Medicaid. That is the regional and global union networks. is going to do it for us.” © Hudak has decided now we are the price we will pay under a Romney- He also warned of worker exploita- enemy of the province. If he’s elected Ryan administration.” tion in countries such as China and [Ontario’s premier], he wants to bring Jones also addressed the negative India, where employers are increas- in the same kind of right-to-work effects of free trade, outsourcing, and ingly using contract workers to per- multinational corporations on work- form the same work as permanent ers around the world. employees but at a much lower pay “Globalization has not fulfilled its scale and without any type of benefits. promise of opportunity for workers,” Jung-sun said contract, or pre- he said. “Instead, it has given cor- carious, workers account for 50 per- porations an easier path to exploit cent of employees in many Asian them, to ignore environmental con- industries today. cerns, and to neglect the health and safety of employees.” He stressed that UK union leader blasts strong global alliances are needed to “socialism for the rich” combat exploitation.