MEETING the DEMAND Material Producers See Uptick in Work Pgs
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OPERATING ENGINEERS LOCAL 3 Vol. 74 #5/MAY 2016 MEETING THE DEMAND Material producers see uptick in work pgs. 12-17 Primary Election endorsements pgs. 27-29 New website is here! pg. 5 NEW THIS MONTH Luis Rivera delivers material for SEE PAGE 12 ...................A smooth operation For The Good & Welfare Graniterock in Redwood City. 16 14 ........... The rock the middle-class By Russ Burns, business manager is built on 27-29 ...................Primary Election endorsements Facebook, new website go live this month I recently came across an article discussing the $13 by these kinds of trials. We must be prepared, and stay EVERY MONTH billion settlement paid out by banking giant JP Morgan informed. 4 .............................. News & Notes Chase and the more than $5 billion paid out from Goldman One of the ways you can do that is by visiting our new Sachs in an attempt to amend the damage they caused to website at www.oe3.org, where you’ll enjoy a very different 4 ........................ Worth Mentioning the U.S. economy in 2008. experience from our previous version. You can check-out Nearly everyone lost a home or job, took a cut in pay or new photos, read several decades’ worth of Engineers News 5 .........................................Unit 12 watched savings deplete thanks to the stock market crisis and get easier access to important information by browsing caused by these greedy bankers and others like them who through the site or signing in to our Members Only side. 6 ............................. Fringe Benefits were involved in the biggest mortgage-fraud scandal our One day, members may have the ability to update their 6 .............................................ATPA nation has ever endured. addresses and work status, as well as pay their dues Thankfully, some reparations are being made, and through the site. We also go live this month with an official 8 ..................Public Employee News according to The Sacramento Bee, hundreds of millions of Local 3 Facebook page, giving us just one more route of dollars from those named in these two settlements (there communication, where we’ll post union news, updates 10 ..............................Credit Union are five in total) will go toward the pension funds of state and special photos you can share. workers, struggling homeowners and nearly bankrupt Please also read this month’s political endorsements 11 .................................. OE3 JATC counties in California. on pages 27-29. Share these with friends and families and 18 .............................. Face-to-Face The underlying theme in all of this is that when checks use them as a guide on how to vote in your district. Our and balances are not in place for the powerful few, the website will also offer updated recommendations and 19 .......................... District Reports working middle class pays the price. Today, we are all political news, so visit it often during this election season, paying the price – Local 3 included – as you will recall and of course: Vote! 26 ....................Political Perspective that in 2008, our work hours dipped below 25 million, You’ll enjoy this month’s feature on Pearl Harbor as funding for projects near and dear to us began drying survivor/OE3 Retiree Earl J. “Chuck” Kohler, who, at 92 .. Meetings and Announcements 30 up. The market is slowly rebounding (we were above 30 years young, remembers that day like it was yesterday. As 34 ............................. Health News million work hours last year), and we are climbing out of we celebrate this Memorial Day, his story reminds us that FROM THE DISTRICTS it. But that climb hasn’t been easy. we must honor our military men and women as often as 35 ................................ Swap Shop Unions are the safest way to ensure checks and we can. (Local 3 has many veteran members, and we thank PAGE 23 balances. A company cannot make a profit without its each and every one.) well-trained workforce. If the workforce threatens to As many in our workforce retire, recruiting those withhold its labor and strike, the company thinks again veterans who are entering a civilian lifestyle has become about treating its workers poorly. Unions have been one of our priorities. If you know a veteran looking for successful for generations in ensuring workers are treated a job, consider telling him or her about a career in Local right, fairly compensated for their work and protected 3. Honorably discharged veterans are eligible for a special from disciplinary action without due process. initiation fee. Share the good news about Local 3 with a OPERATING ENGINEERS LOCAL UNION NO. 3 Unfortunately, the most powerful entities in this country veteran today! Russ Burns Business Manager do not always operate under checks and balances, which Many of you are already doing the things you need Dan Reding President explains how a housing crisis of this proportion could to do to strengthen your union and therefore your job Pete Figueiredo Vice President happen and how the top 1 percent continues to amass opportunities. Thanks to those of you who recently voted Jim Sullivan Rec. Corres. Secretary more wealth while the middle class’ income declines. on the Construction Master Agreement allocation. The Steve Ingersoll Financial Secretary Something has to be done to address these issues, and that majority determined that $1.70 of the increase will go to Justin Diston Treasurer something begins with how much we get involved during wages. Thank you all for your participation. the upcoming Primary and General elections and whether Thanks to every one of you who represents Local 3 the ENGINEERS NEWS STAFF or not we vote in favor of labor and the middle class. It’s best way you can, whether it’s practicing safety on the Russ Burns Editor up to you … jobsite or phonebanking at your district Hall. Let’s be the Mandy McMillen Managing Editor Attempts are happening all the time to tip the scales in example for others to follow. John Matos Associate Editor favor of the non-union and big business, putting the middle Ian Bright Art Director class and its union-protected workers at a disadvantage. Many of us have watched in disbelief during the Friedrichs www.oe3.org BUG case, as a handful of teachers attempted to tell the nation’s Engineers News (ISSN 1069-2185) is published monthly by Local 3 of the 6.2 million public workers that they can enjoy the benefits International Union of Operating Engineers, AFL-CIO; 1620 South Loop their unions provide without having to pay dues for them. Rd., Alameda, CA 94502. Periodical postage paid at Oakland, CA and additional mailing offices. Engineers News is sent without charge to all The Supreme Court split on the decision, denying either members of Operating Engineers Local 3 in good standing. Non-member party any closure. (A petition for a re-hearing has been Maxim Crane Operator Wayne Simonsma places a historic pillar on the westside steps subscription price is $6 per year. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to filed, meaning the case will go on.) We are all impacted of the state Capitol in Sacramento. Address Change, 1620 South Loop Rd., Alameda, CA 94502. 2 | Engineers News May 2016 | 3 News & Notes By Dan Reding, president Unit 12 Don't buy the Cortopassi lie The unique responsibility of For a variety of reasons, each of the regions in Local 3’s WORTH MENTIONING jurisdiction has distinct needs when it comes to infrastructure correctional facility mechanics By Larry Southerland, business representative and infrastructure funding. For example, residents in the highly congested San Francisco Bay Area have different needs than No early spring in Reno The duties of maintenance mechanics working at Valley State residents in rural Nevada do. That is why decisions regarding Prison and Central California Women’s Facility near Madera infrastructure funding have always been left to local voters to may seem similar to the duties of mechanics working in other decide. After all, they are the ones best positioned to understand state departments. They inspect automotive equipment, make local needs and determine whether they are worth the cost. major repairs, perform engine overhauls, give tune-ups and However, as our Political Department recently brought to realign and adjust wheels and brakes. They do transmission, our attention, one wealthy landowner and close associate of differential and electrical replacement and repair, and even do the Koch brothers wants to overturn this time-honored and minor body repair. They operate and maintain shop equipment, common-sense approach this election season. His name is Dean advise in the selection and storage of parts and equipment, From left: Members John Martinez and Fredric Todd work at the Central California Cortopassi, and he is behind a job-killing initiative that will estimate the cost of repairs and instruct operators in the proper Women’s Facility in Chowchilla. appear on the November ballot in California’s General Election. operation and servicing of equipment. They perform minor Many are calling it the Cortopassi Initiative. The wealthy welding and brazing work, test-drive vehicles on public streets, interests behind it, however, want to dupe California voters by keep simple records and make reports. calling it the “No Blank Checks Initiative.” They want voters to Yet their everyday responsibilities dramatically differ from think that by passing it they are opposing blank, taxpayer-funded their counterparts in other state departments. That’s because checks for infrastructure projects. In reality, if voters passed this In late March, Reno, Nev. was hit with one of the biggest they do all this while instructing and supervising unskilled initiative, they would be blocking the very same infrastructure snowstorms since 1897. Up to 18 inches dropped in high- assistants, which, in a correctional facility, simply means improvement and development projects they overwhelmingly elevation areas north of Reno.