After 125 Years, San Francisco Building Trades Council Adapts To
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121th Year OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL OF SAN FRANCISCO Volume 121, No. 1 January 2021 www.SFBuildingTradesCouncil.org Construction After 125 Years, San Francisco Building Workers Trades Council Adapts to Changing Times Considered w PLAs, Political Combat and a Commitment to Unity Fuels the Fight for Workers at High-Risk By Jacob Bourne s the San Francisco Build- for COVID-19 ing & Construction Trades Council Approaches its Infection 125th anniversary in Feb- ruary, labor leaders reflect w New Public Aon what’s kept the council’s fight for the future of working tradespeople alive and Health Message thriving through many decades of politi- Underscores Need cal and economic change. “We have always been providing high for Vigilance on value on display,” said SFBCTC Secre- Jobsites tary-Treasurer Rudy Gonzalez. “What Aerial view of that really means is that we’ve been construction n December, SFBCTC promoting and serving as a backstop in on multiple leaders convened with buildings this fight for economic equality, safety on in San industry partners and City I the jobsite and workers. We’re working Francisco’s staff from the Department of to secure a generation of work for people Transbay Public Health and Department — and it’s not something new. We’ve had Transit Center of Emergency Management (continued on page 18) District. at a town hall to discuss the surging numbers of COVID-19 cases on construction jobsites Building Trades Demand Workers Voice is and what to do about it. The Mayor’s Office later explained why construction workers are Heard in Natural Gas Ban Law at high risk and the crucial pre- w Local and State Efforts to Reach Environmental Goals Require Collaboration cautions to prevent infections. “You are an important n 2020, the San Fran- across California and statewide ban, said that natural gas used extended to June 1 to help part of our city and our cisco Board of Supervi- efforts to limit greenhouse gas in buildings is the second- protect workers. economy. Please stay safe, take sors voted to change the emissions from methane, oth- largest source of emissions “One area of remaining care of yourself and follow building code, mandating erwise known as natural gas, after transportation and that concern has been the potential the guidelines,” said Mayor thatI new construction be all- linked to escalating natural 80 percent of the city’s total impact on plumbers and pip- London Breed. electric, thereby banning natu- disasters such as wildfires due emissions comes from build- efitters, who currently install The City’s safety an- ral gas hook-ups for heating to climate change. ings. Although the original much of the gas infrastructure nouncement said that most and cooking in new buildings. District 8 Supervisor Rafael plan was for the ban to go into and piping in our buildings,” infections are due to viral The move was on par with Mandelman, the legislative effect on January 1, SFBCTC said Mandelman. “I want to (continued on page 15) similar enactments by 30 cities author for the San Francisco leaders lobbied to get the date (continued on page 7) Inside Rudy Gonzalez Steps Up as Council’s Carpenters 22 ..................page 8 Bricklayers 3 ....................page 9 Secretary-Treasurer Heat & Frost 16 ................page 9 w Gonzalez Brings Wealth of Electrical Workers 6 ........page 10 Experience Fighting for San Carpet Layers 12 ..............page 11 Francisco’s Unions Cement Masons 300 ........page 11 udy carried his first Union card at the Looking up the Hatch ......page 12 age of 18 as a member of the Interna- Roofers 40 ........................page 12 Rtional Brotherhood of Teamsters. Af- Sprinklers 483 ..................page 13 ter serving as a shop steward, he volunteered as a member organizer and learned to cam- Glaziers 718 .....................page 13 paign in the South, where he saw firsthand the Sign Display 510 ..............page 14 struggle that workers face when they attempt Rudy Gonzalez rallies with members of the Hammers & Leads ...........page 14 to unionize under hostile conditions. International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers 21 at City Hall. (continued on page 4) BUILDING THE TRADES 2021: Taking Stock of What Lies Ahead By Rudy Gonzalez, Secretary-Treasurer, San Francisco Building and Construction Trades Council appy New Year from the working. I see union leaders hard at the horizon for the working class, so the Secretary-Treasurer’s Office. work protecting jobs and advocating hardworking members of the Building HFor me, like many, this greeting for strong safety measures and guarding and Construction Trades Council must has taken on a new meaning coming out the healthcare and retirement security stay ready. Lawmakers are quick to of a year like 2020. Our democracy has of this and the next generation of trade blame high costs and consequences of been tested like no other time in history, unionists. I see you, on the jobsites, their own decades of failed governance public health and structural racism are wearing your masks and setting an ex- on the working person. Lacking a con- discussed with our children at the dinner ample for how we can keep our industry text and respect for organized labor, neo- table, the underbelly of an unjust econ- open and still protect ourselves and liberal politicians underfund our schools, omy has been revealed yet again, and we each other. And I see union sisters and transportation, infrastructure, and even have lost too many friends, coworkers brothers lending a hand to those in need, the agencies charged with protecting our and family to a disease that is ravaging volunteering at food banks, deploying as safety. And then, as if surprised, they the globe. As these issues follow us into disaster service workers, and volunteer- criticize and scapegoat a starved system 2021, you might not be convinced this ing as political activists and member and its workforce. Even those who could new year will be a happy one. But I look organizers in their local unions. These be allies for a clean economy dare to call around our city and I see frontline and are the things that give me hope and us and our jobs “dirty.” We must orga- and as we enter the 125th year of the essential workers putting their health at signal that a new year has the potential nize and meet these and other challenges. SFBCTC, is an honor I undertake with risk to keep our City services, infrastruc- to indeed bring happiness. We must be ready to defend our work; both humility and great determination, ture, and frankly the whole economy There is no shortage of challenges on ready to educate and hold accountable and I appreciate their vote of confidence our elected officials; ready to build back in me. As I am the first Gonzalez to lead better as our economy recovers. this Council, it is not lost on me that we I am hopeful about the future of the work in a movement built on the legacy By tending to the core of what SFBCTC — hopeful because the leaders and hard work of those who came be- that I have come to know at the trades fore us. I may be a San Francisco native, makes our movement strong, are sensible, smart, and fierce advocates but I recognize that ours is a house built for their members. They prioritize, plan, by immigrants of the last generation and appreciate the moment we find and the generation before them. we will have the resources to act ourselves in. Amid all the distractions, Just as an apprentice enjoys the they stick to the fundamentals of union benefits of a collective bargaining agree- boldly and take on new initiatives apprenticeship, employment, and rep- ment, fought for by the journeymen and resentation. By tending to the core of women before them, I, too, benefit from what makes our movement strong, we the people who came before me. Our past and ultimately come out on the will have the resources to act boldly and Secretary-Treasurers and the Presidents take on new initiatives and ultimately who stood with them have left this solid other side of this pandemic a come out on the other side of this pan- foundation upon which I will stand. demic a stronger, more unified council. Leaders like the late Stan Smith (Glaziers I want to express my gratitude to 718), Mike Theriault (Ironworkers 377), stronger, more unified council. the officers and staff of the Council. To and Tim Paulson (BAC 3). take on this role at such a pivotal time, Stand safe, united, and strong. OL 121 Years SAN FRANCISCO BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL OFFICERS & AFFILIATES Published Since February 1900 Officers of the Council (USPC 411-860) - (ISSN 00199-6452) Rudy Gonzalez, Secretary-Treasurer Dan Fross, Trustee Official Newspaper of the Lawrence Mazzola Jr., President Ramon Hernandez, Trustee San Francisco Building & Construction Trades Council, AFL-CIO John Doherty, Vice President - Subcrafts Pat Mulligan, Trustee 1188 Franklin St. Suite 203 Vince Courtney, Jr., Vice President – Basic Crafts Tony Rodriguez, Trustee San Francisco, CA 94109 Bart Pantoja, Sergeant-at-Arms Danny Campbell, Trustee Ph: (415) 345-9333 • Fax: (415) 345-9449 Organized Labor is published monthly Affiliates Periodicals postage paid at San Francisco, CA and at additional post offices Boilermakers, Local 549 Painters, Local 1176 Bricklayers & Allied Crafts, Local 3 Piledrivers, Local 34 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Carpenters, Local 22 Plasterers, Local 66 Organized Labor/Senders Communications Group, Inc. Carpenters, Local 2236 Plumbers & Pipefitters, Local 38 16501