Monday, March 24, 2008 / Vol. 123, No. 60sddt.com/ibew08

Landmark study confirms project labor agreementsbenefit developers and don’t drive up costs

In what is arguably the broadest,most detailed study ever conductedon the merits of project labor agree-ments (PLAs), three economicresearchers have concluded thatPLAs do not reduce the number ofbidders or change the costs of con-struction projects, as frequentlyclaimed by contractor lobby groupssuch as the Associated Builders &Contractors.

The study, authored by economistsDale Belman, Mathew Bodah andPeter Philips, found that “PLAs arevaluable tools for the constructionindustry because they can be used tocreate conditions needed for a supe-rior construction project.”

The researchers also found thatPLAs help to achieve wider socialand work force development objec-tives, such as increased minority andfemale participation in qualifiedskilled trade’s apprenticeship pro-grams, and the recruitment of a newgeneration of young people intocareers in the skilled trades. Thereport was funded by ElectriInter-national — the Foundation forElectrical Construction Inc.

PLAs are pre-hire collective bar-gaining agreements that establishthe terms and conditions of employ-ment on one or more constructionprojects. That means basic termsand conditions for labor are estab-

lished in advance for everyoneinvolved in the project — the projectowner, contractors and subcontrac-tors, and the labor force.

The study confirms that PLAsensure a steady flow of qualifiedskilled labor to meet the needs ofconstruction users, and to providesafer jobsites. PLAs also harmonizehours and holidays across trades sothat large construction projects canbe completed on a tight schedulewithout going over budget. PLAs aretypically crafted around unique com-munity needs and promote local jobgrowth.

PLAs are usually negotiatedbetween representatives of the localconstruction work force and a proj-ect owner.

“Contrary to the bogus claims ofthe Associated Builders andContractors, PLAs do not require theuse of only union contractors, butthey do require that all contractors— union or non-union, adhere to thesame terms and conditions ofemployment. PLAs put local workersfirst,” said Tom Lemmon, a lifelongSan Diegan and head of the localbuilding trades council.

This levels the playing field byweeding out unscrupulous contrac-tors who underbid projects because

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The future depends on training:

IBEW leads the way; will merit shops do their share?With a looming manpower short-

age the likes of which the construc-tion industry has never faced, it isimperative that all sectors of theconstruction industry, union andnon-union, do all they can to recruitand train new journeymen.

We know that the union appren-ticeship programs are doing theirpart. These programs have been andcontinue to be the gold standard ofthe industry. We are also encour-aged by the public relations cam-paigns launched by the so-called

non-union merit shops that claimtheir training programs are secondto none.

Unfortunately, the fact is thatnon-union does a much better job ofpublic relations than it does ofrecruiting and training apprentices.As the chart below (taken directlyfrom the Department of IndustrialRelations Web site) shows, unionprograms trained more than 90 per-cent of the new journeymen inCalifornia from 2000-2005 (thelast year for which statistics are

available). Another chart from thatsame Web site shows that no non-union apprenticeship program hasgraduated at least 50 percent of itsapprentices during that same time.Many, in fact, show graduation ratesin the single digits.

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Profile of an IBEW family:Nicholas Segura Jr., unionpresident, community leader

IBEW Local 569 president and west Chula Vista resident, NicholasSegura Jr. is a well-rounded union and community leader. He servedfor four years in the U.S. Navy as an electrician mate. After he com-pleted his service, he decided to purse a civilian career in the electri-cal industry. Segura was working as a non-union electrician when afriend and IBEW 569 member told him about the many benefits andopportunities of becoming a union electrician.

Segura knew he was not getting the best wages, benefits or trainingthe industry had to offer. Likewise, the customers his non-unionemployer was contracting with were not getting the benefits of a workforce with the best training in the industry. Segura applied for andwas accepted into the NECA-IBEW apprenticeship. He graduated asa journey-level electrician in 1992.

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See Segura on 2

Program Program Name 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Union Asbestos Workers Committees 34 15 25 29 26 25Union Boilermaker Committees 10 6 6 10 8 13Union Bricklayer Committees 26 42 32 44 42 29Union Carpentry Committees 622 665 604 620 636 717Union Carpet, Linoleum & Soft Tile Committees 48 48 75 55 73 39Union Cement Masons Committees 61 78 92 81 90 37Union Committees Approved For Va 117 142 127 134 161 70Union Drywall/Lather Committees 159 197 178 241 372 440Union Electrical & Electronic Committees 651 584 709 730 940 954Union Elevator Committees 0 0 2 84 142 2Union Engineer Committees 218 266 227 187 214 229Union Glazier Committees 44 56 87 90 73 67Union Heating Ventilation & Air Conditioning 120 148 133 142 149 144Union Iron & Steel Workers Committees 265 339 399 377 364 213Union Laborers Committees 7 8 20 56 187 295Union Lineman Committees 19 32 57 50 49 71Union Milwright 16 23 21 24 23 30Union Painting & Decoration Committees 197 203 185 166 186 224Union Plasterers Committees 35 40 46 41 34 71Union Plumbing Committees 365 339 354 384 369 364Union Roofers Committees 68 115 74 80 110 96Union Sheet Metal Committees 169 218 259 242 268 340Union Surveyor Committees 37 53 56 62 66 62Union Tile Layer/Setter Committees 77 111 113 123 120 127

Union Apprenticeship Graduation 3365 3728 3881 4052 4702 4659

Non-Union Bricklayer Committees 1 6 3 0 1 0Non-Union Carpentry Committees 38 12 34 24 18 24Non-Union Cement Masons Committees 1 0 1 0 1 1Non-Union Drywall/Lather Committees 7 7 18 7 5 6Non-Union Electrical & Electronic Committees 108 154 142 153 209 216Non-Union Engineer Committees 0 0 0 1 0 2Non-Union Heating Ventilation & Air Conditioning 34 22 28 40 48 73Non-Union Lineman Committees 3 2 7 4 8 4Non-Union Painting & Decoration Committees 26 15 23 13 6 15Non-Union Plumbing Committees 48 46 97 32 37 51Non-Union Roofers Committees 25 16 19 9 31 0Non-Union Sheet Metal Committees 18 27 31 14 21 25Non-Union Tile Layer/Setter Committees 0 0 1 0 0 0

Nonunion Apprenticeship Graduation 309 307 404 297 385 417

Percentage completion compared to Union programs 9% 8% 10% 7% 8% 9%Average percentage completion (compared to Union programs) over 5 years: 9%

See Landmark on 3

Supplement to:

IBEW: Training for aBetter Tomorrow

This special report is supported bythe International Brotherhood ofElectrical Workers Local 569. Local569 represents electrical workers inSan Diego and Imperial counties.

4545 Viewridge Ave., Suite 100 San Diego, CA 92123

(858) 569-8900

IBEWLocal 569

2 MONDAY, MARCH 24, 2008 • International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers • THE DAILY TRANSCRIPT

Tra ined . Qua l i f ied . Bet ter.

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers

Pleasing the client.

Hiring and keeping qualified electricians.Assessing workers’ skill levels. Having enough labor for peak times. Budgeting for benefits. Controlling rising insurance costs. Preventing drug use on the job. Maintaining an acceptable safety record.Training management staff. Keeping up with new technologies. Wondering what’s next for the industry.

NECA members have plenty of time to focuson projects and clients because all the other littledetails of running a successful electrical contractingbusiness are handled. Through IBEW Local 569,they have access to a ready pool of journeymenelectricians, training for leading-edge technologies,and an award-winning drug testing and treatment

program. NECA members also have the benefit of top-notch management training and low-costinsurance programs, helping them to keep costsdown — and bids low.

To find a NECA-member contractor, or tobecome one, call 858-571-6322 or visit us on theweb at www.necasandiego.org.

IBEW 569, IBEW-NECA training program expand Imperial County presenceThere is no doubt that com-

munities across California aresuffering. Tight budgets, highgas prices, the collapse of majorfinancing companies, and thewidespread impact of manipu-lative home mortgage schemesare hitting working familiesand their communities hard.

Imperial County residentshave been suffering for longerthan the rest of SouthernCalifornia.

IBEW 569 electrician andImperial Valley organizerDaniel Machain says these arehard times for Valley residents.

“Valley families suffer dispro-portionately from sprawl and aconstant influx of out-of-statecontractors that aren’t commit-ted to developing the local workforce,” he says.

Indeed, communities inImperial County have some ofthe highest rates of unemploy-ment and uninsured residents inthe United States. Yet, even ineconomic crisis there isunprecedented opportunity inImperial County. Commitmentto community building and hardwork are sewn into the fabric ofImperial County.

“The values and commitmentof Valley residents and leadersmean there is the will to creategood union jobs, especially inthe energy industry,” Machainsays.

For example, the ImperialIrrigation District (IID), whosein-house work force is repre-sented by the IBEW, recentlybroke ground on a new powerplant it is building with a proj-ect labor agreement. TheNiland gas turbine plant willhelp the Valley meet its energyneeds in the future.

Machain reports that thereare 25 IBEW electricians cur-rently working on the project.“Those 25 electricians,” he says,“are building a power plantusing the latest and cleanestavailable technology.”

Importantly, along with cre-ating employment opportuni-ties for skilled workers, thelabor agreement has creatednew apprentice positions.Machain maintains that theapprentices from the Valley arealready helping to establish thearea as a major source ofrenewable energy and sustain-able jobs.

While IBEW has representedelectrical workers in ImperialValley for more than a century,the IBEW union hall andIBEW-NECA electrical trainingcenter are located in San Diego.Recently, IBEW 569 memberspurchased a building in ElCentro that will soon serve asthe IBEW 569 Imperial Countyunion headquarters and behome to the Valley’s own elec-trical training program. TheImperial Valley union hall andstate-of-the-art IBEW-NECAelectrical training facility willbe the center for union organiz-ing and industry innovation inthe Valley. IBEW-NECAapprenticeship programs definethe electrical industry by beingthe very best. The programstrain working electricians andapprentices on cutting-edgeand emerging technologies.

“Whether it is renewableenergy technology like large-scale wind and solar or the lat-est data and communicationstechnology, the Valley workforce will be prepared,” saysMachain.

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IBEW 569 has made it a pri-ority to identify and developnew technologies that positionits members to lead the way inthe changing Imperial Valleylandscape. The physical expan-sion of IBEW 569 into ImperialCounty will help the Valleyaddress global warming andinfrastructure demands whilecreating much needed living-wage jobs for local workers inthe new energy economy.

IBEW 569 is already workingwith employers, colleges, highschools and community organi-zations to engage the next gen-eration of local workers. TheIBEW sees sunny days aheadfor the Imperial Valley.

“There is every reason to seethe Valley as the most promis-ing renewable energy center inthe Western U.S.,” saysMachain. “IBEW 569 workersare prepared to make sustain-able careers the centerpiece ofthat development.”

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U.S. Department of Labormakes a case for unions

Can we make the claim thatit pays to be union? Wellaccording to the U.S.Department of Labor’s Bureauof Labor Statistics, in 2007 thenumber of workers belongingto a union rose by 311,000 to15.7 million union jobs — andaverage earnings were indeedhigher than non-union mem-bers.

Some highlights from the2007 data include:

• The largest number ofunion members lives inCalifornia (2.5 million).

• Among demographicgroups, the union member-ship rate was highest for blackmen and lowest for Hispanicwomen. The gap between menand women, however, has nar-rowed considerably since1983, with women earning thesame wage as her male coun-terpart.

• Wage and salary workersages 45 to 54 (15.7 percent)and ages 55 to 64 ( 16.1 per-cent) were more likely to beunion members than wereworkers ages 16 to 24 (4.8 per-cent).

• In 2007, among full-timewage and salary workers,union members had medianweekly earnings of $863,while those who were not rep-resented by unions had medi-an weekly earnings of only$663, a difference of $800 amonth or $9,600 a year. Thedifference reflects a variety ofinfluences in addition to cov-erage by a collective bargain-ing agreement, including firmsize and geographic region.

American union membersacross all sectors earn on aver-age more than their unorgan-ized counterparts. However,perhaps unions fighting for

strong workers’ rights deter-mine the highest measure ofsuccess: fair trade policies thatcreate and preserve good jobshere instead of outsourcing toother countries; better bene-fits for working families who,though they deserve to seetheir Social Security benefits,understand that a strongunion pension is more respon-sible; health care benefits pro-vided because it is the rightthing to do for hard-workingfamilies; a work environmentthat is safe and protected fromdiscrimination with the high-est of standards put in place toensure a quality product.

It pays to be union; that’sofficial.

Source: Union MembersSummary, U.S. Department ofLabor, Jan. 25, 2008

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What are green-collar jobs?IBEW 569 is leading the way in spurring

the creation of green-collar jobs in San Diegoand Imperial Counties. We are often asked,“What is a green-collar job?”

IBEW 569 defines green-collar jobs as sus-tainable union jobs that contribute to pre-serving and enhancing the environmentalquality of our communities. They are jobsthat include opportunities for advancementin skills and earning-power. They are existingjobs to which electricians with conventionalskills can add specialized skills. Green-collarjobs are new jobs in energy efficiency, manu-facturing and maintenance. A job that does

not provide a family with a sustaining wageor one that jeopardizes the health and safetyof workers and consumers is not a green-col-lar job. Green-collar job are not low-skill,low-wage, dead-end jobs. They are introduc-tory jobs with career pathways throughapprenticeship programs and they are high-skill, high-wage jobs for local residents.

For more information on what you can doto help IBEW 569 build a sustainable econo-my in which environmental goals go hand inhand with social and economic goals, contactus at greenenergy@ibew569.org.

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A typical day starts earlyfor Segura. He and his wife,Leticia, wake before the sunrises to get themselves andtheir three children pre-pared for a busy day. Seguraarrives at his first jobsite by6 a.m. His responsibilities atFFuulllleerr EElleeccttrriicc, where he hasbeen a foreman for the past15 years, change to meet thediverse needs of many cus-tomers. He works with thejourney-level electriciansand apprentices he supervis-es. They may install a newenergy management systemor upgrade critical emer-gency generation capacity.Segura and his crew may beworking at a health carefacility, an industrial site orfor a commercial customer.

Whatever Segura is doing,he is confident that the skillshe gained from his years inthe IBEW-NECA appren-ticeship program provide thefoundation for excellence inthe field. And, like the othermembers of IBEW Local569, his education did notstop in the apprenticeship.He takes journey-levelcourses on evenings andweekends to make sure he istrained on the latest electri-cal technologies so he canalways provide Fuller’s cus-tomers and the work forcehe supervises the best theo-retical and hands-on knowl-edge he can offer.

After work, Segura mayhave a union meeting that hehas to chair. He may have togo to the IBEW-NECAElectrical Training Center totake a class or participate inan apprenticeship, healthand welfare, or retirementtrust meeting. He may drivehome to Chula Vista tocoach his son’s Little League

game or watch his daughterplay soccer. On weekends heand Leticia may bring thekids to walk a precinct for aunion-endorsed candidateor to participate in a paradeor other community-build-ing event.

The Seguras are firmlyrooted in their west ChulaVista neighborhood, wherethey started their family andthen bought their first homesix years ago. After graduat-ing from San Diego StateUniversity with a master’s incommunication, LeticiaSegura began working forthe South Bay Union SchoolDistrict as a SpeechLanguage pathologist. In2006, she became a associ-ate principal with the ChulaVista Elementary SchoolDistrict, where she currentlyworks as a special educationcoordinator. The Segurasknow first-hand how impor-tant is to be involved in theircommunity.

“It is important to beinformed as to what is talk-ing place in your town and beable to offer input as a citizenof your town and not justleave it up to elected leaders,”says Nicholas Segura.

The Seguras are commit-ted to the IBEW becausethey have children of theirown and both work withyoung people. NicholasSegura highlights the impor-tance of being involveddirectly in decisions thatimpact Chula Vista’s workforce: “As leaders in our dif-ferent careers, my wife and Iboth understand the impor-tance of providing careeroptions other than enrollingin college. It is importantthat young students preparethemselves and develop agood foundation in math

and science to enable themto pursue careers like thoseoffered in the buildingtrades.”

The future of his familyand his community is pre-cisely why Segura and theIBEW are leading the way tocreate good local jobs on theChula Vista bay front.

“Apprenticeship ties IBEWmembers and the future ofthe electrical industrydirectly to the neighbor-hoods where we live andraise our families,” he said.“It is important that bigprojects like the ones beingconsidered for Chula Vista’sbay front are developedusing a union work force.”

Segura knows first-handthat the rigorous require-ments of the IBEW-NECAapprenticeship program willensure that we can meet theregion’s energy needs andthat we can construct com-plex projects safely and effi-ciently.

For the Seguras and thou-sands of other union fami-lies, the IBEW’s leadershipin the electrical industrymeans they can raise theirfamilies on sustainablewages in sustainable com-munities. When Nicholasand Leticia Segura talk totheir colleagues and friends,they are frequently askedabout the future of ChulaVista’s bay front.

Segura sums it up well:“My neighbors understandthe importance of havinglocal labor agreements onthe bay front. We are doingthis for us and our children.My family and my union areworking hard to make it aproject that is good for usand the environment — nowand in the future.”

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SeguraContinued from Page 1

3MONDAY, MARCH 24, 2008 • International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers • THE DAILY TRANSCRIPT

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers

Tr a i n e d . Q u a l i f i e d . B e t t e r.

The Wal-Mart of developers

Why Gaylord’s string of broken promises matter to local businessesWe all know that Chula

Vista, like many small citiesacross the country, is facing aserious financial crisis. Citygovernment, communitygroups and local businessesare all looking for the bestway to pull Chula Vista out ofthe red, knowing that how wechoose to invest now willhave a direct impact on ourcity, our economy and ourfuture.

That’s partly why everyoneis so fixated on GGaayylloorrddEEnntteerrttaaiinnmmeenntt’s proposal tobuild a hotel and conventioncenter on Chula Vista’s revi-talized coastal property. Cityleaders have touted it as thesavior come to town, but any-one who looks beyondGaylord’s slick PR campaignwill unquestionably noticeserious cause for pause — ifnot alarm — about the com-pany’s commitment. And asits track record across thecountry illustrates, what’sbest for Gaylord is rarely bestfor the communities andeconomies in which it oper-ates.

A deal is expected betweenthe Port of San Diego andGaylord Entertainment bythe end of April. From there,it’s up to elected officials inChula Vista to confirm theircommitment to invest $308million in public money inthe project, pushing thestruggling city deeper intodebt. The question startingto gain traction across ChulaVista is whether this is a wiseinvestment of limited publicdollars.

VVaalluuee LLiinnee, the most trust-ed name in investmentresearch, analyzed the com-pany’s debt, cash flow and thevulnerability of hotels in aneconomic downturn and con-cluded that Gaylord holds“little appeal for long-terminvestors.”

According to the San DiegoReader, “Gaylord executivesconcede that convention cen-ters are overbuilt and citiesare losing money on subsi-dized convention centers.”

Chula Vista plans to takeon enormous debt on behalfof Gaylord. But there is noguarantee that the city won’tbe left with a crushing tab.

In Gaylord’s sales pitch tothe city, the company claimsthat its new facility will drawnew customers for local busi-nesses — ensuring the city’sreturn-on-investment wouldbe worth the risky $308 mil-lion public venture. Here’sthe trouble: Gaylord’s CEOadmitted to The WashingtonPost in January that the com-pany builds its facilities withon-site amenities to keepguests from spending moneyoutside of the hotel. So withall the public dollars ChulaVista is investing, “the Wal-Mart of developers” mayactually steal customers awayfrom local businesses.

Gaylord’s other sales pitchalso sounds a lot like Wal-Mart. Gaylord claims it willcreate new jobs in ChulaVista. But what kind of jobs?As part of a series entited,“There are days when all Ihave is $2 to my name,” the

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workers were asking for — aProject Labor Agreement(PLA) — would drive upcosts and make the biddingprocess uncompetitive.However, a recently releasedstudy by three economistsconfirms what research hasbeen saying for decades:PLAs are cost neutral and donot adversely affect the num-ber of bidders on projects.They do, however, reduce theuncertainty of constructionand ensure large projects arecompleted on time and onbudget. (The only group thatdoesn’t benefit from a PLA,and therefore spends mil-lions each year trying toblackmail companies out of

signing them, is comprised ofunscrupulous contractorswho want to underbid byunderpaying their workers).

PLAs are also the only wayto make a legal commitmentto hire local workers first.Gaylord is an out-of-statedeveloper that can’t be trust-ed. So labor unions want alegal commitment, not thekind of promise Gaylord isused to breaking.

While Gaylord is a trou-bling, risky investment forthe city, signing a PLA withlocal workers is one of theonly ways to ensure theinvestment will pay off.Leading economists recog-nize that the best public dol-

lar investments should bene-fit local business owners andthe local work force. If ChulaVista residents are guaran-teed these jobs, theirincomes will go up; they willbe able to make house pay-ments; and they will startspending money at localbusinesses right away —increasing tax revenuesimmediately. It is a win-winfix for the city’s current andfuture economy.

Without a PLA, Gaylord isexactly the kind of high-risk,public money investmentthat is bringing small townsacross the country to theirknees.

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The real Gaylord: Broken promises are ‘business as usual’

BBrrookkeenn pprroommiisseess iinn CChhuullaa VViissttaaIn Chula Vista, Gaylord backed out of a promise to build

an environmentally friendly convention center and tried tosneak in a larger building at the last minute without inform-ing the community. Gaylord also agreed to give the con-struction and on-site jobs to the local work force first, onlyto backtrack suddenly with no explanation. Next the compa-ny tried to play hardball by pretending to withdraw from theChula Vista project altogether, only to announce its returnwithin 30 days.

According to the San Diego Reader, “Gaylord executivesconcede that convention centers are overbuilt and cities arelosing money on subsidized convention centers. However,the company continues building combined hotels and con-vention centers.” Investing $308 million of Chula Vista’spublic funds on convention center would be a risk in anyscenario, but considering Gaylord’s untrustworthy reputa-tion makes this a major gamble.

BBrrookkeenn pprroommiisseess iinn NNaasshhvviillllee,, TTeennnn..You would think Gaylord would at least treat its home-

town with respect. But for an irresponsible company likeGaylord, only one thing matters — and it’s not the commu-nity. When Gaylord bought the Grand Ole Opry, it promisedthe community it would not make drastic changes to thebeloved historic landmark. But within a few years, the firmturned it into a mall and sold it.

BBrrookkeenn pprroommiisseess iinn OOrrllaannddoo,, FFllaa..When Gaylord executive Jim Collins was negotiating to

build an Opryland Hotel and Convention Center in OsceolaCounty, Fla., he said no incentives would be requested byGaylord or any individual involved with the development.Despite this assurance, Gaylord still managed to finagle $90million in tax incentives over 30 years. Perhaps the OsceolaCounty Commissioners decided to loosen up the public’spurse strings after getting showered with multiple $500contribution checks from Gaylord and its development part-ner Xentury City?

Even after greasing the wheels, Gaylord was denied per-mission by the Osceola County Board to build a county-sub-sidized expansion to the Convention Center. How didGaylord respond? It went against the county’s ruling andbuilt the expansion anyway.

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Gaylord Entertainment claims it isfinancially stable and that ChulaVista’s $308 million public sub-sidy is a sound investment.

Value Line, the most trusted name in investmentresearch, has concluded that Gaylord holds “littleappeal for long-term investors.” Meanwhile, Gaylordconcedes that cities are losing money on subsidizedconvention centers.

IIss GGaayylloorrdd tthhee““WWaall--MMaarrtt ooffDDeevveellooppeerrss””??

Gaylord claims its developmentwill attract new customers tolocally owned businesses.

Gaylord’s CEO admitted to The Washington Post inJanuary that it builds facilities with on-site amenitiesto keep guests from spending money outside of thehotel. So with all the public dollars Chula Vista isinvesting, Gaylord may actually steal customers awayfrom local businesses.

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Gaylord representatives claim theycan be trusted to deal fairly andhonestly with local governmentsand communities.

Gaylord has a reputation for breaking its promises tocommunities across the country — including break-ing a promise not to ask for public subsidies inFlorida and turning Opryland into a mall after com-mitting to Nashville residents it would preserve thehistoric landmark.

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Gaylord promises to give minori-ty-owned businesses a chance tocompete.

Ensuring that Gaylord hired minority contractors tobuild their convention center was a priority for offi-cials in Prince George’s County, Md. But Gaylord saidit would rather pay a fine than hire minority-ownedbusinesses. Gaylord representative BennettWestbrook has also said working with minority con-tractors leads to “extortion.”

WWhhaatt kkiinndd ooffjjoobbss ddooeessGGaayylloorrdd ppllaann ttoobbrriinngg ttoo CChhuullaaVViissttaa??

“We call our employees STARSbecause they bring sparklingsmiles, genuine excitement, and a‘consider it done’ spirit to workevery day.” – Gaylord Gazette,company newsletter

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram recently featuredTerri Rushing, who works at the Gaylord TexanResort & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas, in astory on workers living in poverty titled “There aredays when all I have is $2 to my name.”

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Mayor Cox and other city officialshave defended their enthusiasmfor Gaylord, citing “an outpouringof local support.”

In a recently released poll, 83 percent of votersagreed with the community position that Gaylord’sdevelopment be constructed by local workers. So 83percent of Chula Vista residents disagree withGaylord’s refusal to make a local commitment to hirelocal workers first.

GGAAYYLLOORRDD EENNTTEERRTTAAIINNMMEENNTT

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Fort Worth Star-Telegramrecently featured TerriRushing, an employee ofGaylord Texan Resort &Convention Center. Thispiece detailed how Rushingwas barely making ends meeteven though she worked full-time for Gaylord.

If the two pro-Gaylordarguments don’t stand up toscrutiny, what else can wetrust about what Gaylord isselling us? Turns out, notmuch.

Gaylord’s broken-promisetrack record spans thenation: from breaking a com-mitment in Florida not to askfor public subsidies to turn-ing Opryland into a mallafter committing to Nashvilleresidents they would pre-serve it as a historic land-mark, nearly every project ittakes on is wrought with bro-ken promises and disap-pointed communities.

In March, Gaylord repre-sentative Bennett Westbrookmade glowing promises tominority contractors righthere in Chula Vista. What heleft out was that in Maryland,Gaylord tried to ignore aminority contract clause putin by the city, saying it wouldrather pay a fine than hireminority-owned businesses.In negotiations with laborgroups in Chula Vista,Westbrook also said thatworking with minority con-tractors leads to “extortion.”

During Westbrook’s PRblitz in March, he alsoclaimed several times thatwhat representatives of local

they pay workers substandardwages and benefits or bring inworkers from outside theproject location.

In addition to concludingthat PLAs are cost neutral anddo not adversely affect thenumber of bidders on proj-ects, based on extensive inter-views, the study also notedmany benefits of PLA for con-struction users which includereducing the uncertainty ofconstruction projects byensuring a steady flow of

highly qualified craftsmenand women.

“PLAs are a way to ensurethat in places like Chula Vista,where there is an expandingand young population, we cantie state-of-the-art appren-ticeship and training like thatoffered by the IBEW, to makesure there is a steady flow oflocally qualified craftspeople,”concurred Lemmon.

Download the study atwww.bctd.org/UserFiles/File/NECA_PLA_Report.pdf.

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LandmarkContinued from Page 1

4 MONDAY, MARCH 24, 2008 • International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers • THE DAILY TRANSCRIPT

First responders: California wildfires

Hedges Electric, Dynalectric, San Diego Gas& Electric answered call of Ramona fire

BByy SSUUSSAANN MM.. CCAASSEEYYElectriInternational

On Sunday night, Oct. 21,2007 at about 7 p.m., TomHedges could see the glow ofthe wildfires coming over themountains toward his homein Ramona, a rural, inlandcommunity of about 40,000in northeast San DiegoCounty. Hedges and his wifestarted gathering importantpapers, their eight cats andsome valued possessions froma safe when the power wentout. They grabbed flashlights,found six of the cats and head-ed downtown. Then, Hedgesrealized he had left his walletand cash on the kitchencounter.

“Should I go back?” heasked his wife. But he didn’thave a choice. TheDepartment of Forestry wasdirecting people away fromthe hilly terrain they had justleft.

“There was a strong south-west wind of about 50 milesper hour and I thought, ‘Itwon’t burn back north towardthe house,’” Hedges said. Hewas wrong.

Shortly after they arrived inRamona, the entire town wasordered to evacuate, andeveryone leaving on the onlytwo highways created a mas-sive traffic jam. Parked in afriend’s driveway, Hedgeswaited his turn and watchedas hundreds of police cars andfire trucks came and went on

the road leading to the hillswhere the Santa Ana winder,blowing 50 to 100 mph,whipped the wildfires along.

Early the next morning,Hedges received a call.

“Once we started losingpower at some of our sites, wecalled Tom to help us assessthe damage,” said RalphMcIntosh, water operationssuperintendent for RamonaMunicipal Water District(RMWD), which contractsHHeeddggeess EElleeccttrriicc to perform itsday-to-day maintenance andrepair.

Hedges was concernedabout the status of theRMWD as well as the status ofhis home. District personnel,allowed in fire areas, wantedto help and checked out thesituation. Forty-five minuteslater, they told him that hishome had been consumed byfire.

“They picked me up,”Hedges said, “and I had about10 minutes to look around thesmoldering rubble that hadbeen my house.”

Since he had parked hisservice truck some distancefrom the house, it was safe. “Igot my truck, stopped by theRMWD office to get briefedon the status of the differentpump stations and went towork,” he said.

He discovered San DiegoGas & Electric’s (SDG&E)69,000-volt line that feedsRMWD’s pump stations was

down. Hedges put together acrew of two and headed to theRMWD’s Poway PumpStation. The crew disconnect-ed the normal power frompump stations, and restoredpower and electronic commu-nication to one of the storagetanks at the booster pump sta-tion. As helicopters picked upwater from Lake Ramona tofight the fires, the crewhooked up small portable gen-erators at eight differentpump stations. When RMWDpersonnel checked theSCADA system, however, theydiscovered there was no waterflow. Without water, thepumps couldn’t function withor without replacementpower.

“As that day ended,” Hedgessaid, “everything was stillablaze, and people were stillevacuating.”

Multiple fires burned, pro-pelled by the strong, continu-ous Santa Ana winds. SDG&Ewas dealing with problemscreated by the downed powerlines.

The utility’s EmergencyOperating Center contactedLeslie Sabin-Mercado,SDG&E’s manager of servicestandards and customer gen-eration in the ElectricTransmission & DistributionEngineering Department.When Sabin-Mercado con-tacted HHaawwtthhoorrnnee PPoowweerrSSyysstteemmss in San Diego toinquire as to the availability of

two 2-megawatt (MW) gener-ators and transformers, shelearned RMWD had recentlycontacted them with a similarrequest.

“My company’s executivescount on me to ensure genera-tors are deployed safely andefficiently in emergencies, so Ineed a team of experts I haveconfidence in to accomplishthe work,” said Sabin-Mercado, who contacted AlexConcha, vice president of fieldoperations for DDyynnaalleeccttrriicc,San Diego. Dynalectric hadpreviously supportedSDG&E’s portable generatorneeds in emergency situa-tions, and would be its electri-cal contractor for the portablegenerator installations. Shealso called Ralph McIntosh, atRMWD, to confirm the waterdistrict’s needs and to askabout Tom Hedges’ availabili-ty.

“Over the years, I’ve workedwith Tom and the RMWD,and I knew Tom’s knowledgeof their pump station wouldbe valuable to our efforts,” shesaid.

Sabin-Mercado arrangedtransport of the 2-MW gener-ators to supply 4,160V serviceand 2,400V service to two dif-ferent lineups of pumps forthe RMWD system, but it tookalmost eight hours. One wastransported from the LosAngeles area and the otherfrom Riverside, a town usuallyan hour’s drive away. Police

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escorts were needed to getthem — each the size of thecargo end of an 18-wheeler —through closed off areas. Shealso secured two transformersneeded to step up the 480Vpower from the generators to4,160V and 2,400V to feedthe switchgear to energize thepump motors of the RMWD’s30- to 50-year-old pump sta-tions.

That Tuesday evening,Hedges and Dynalectricworked to energize the4,160V, and it was operationalby about 11:30 p.m. Becauseno one from the RMWD wasavailable to check phase rota-tion on the 2,400V service,the crew reassembled the nextmorning to energize the2,400V service and bump oneof the motors to ensure cor-rect phase rotation, so bothpump stations would be oper-ational.

On Wednesday morning,however, when voltage wasapplied from the second 2-MW generator at the 2,400Vpump site to feed the otherseries of pumps, three of thefuses for the high-voltageequipment blew. What wasn’tknown at the time was thatthe output of the transformerwas incorrect. Because the4,160V had been energizedsupplying the correct voltage,it was assumed that the sec-ond transformer was set cor-rectly as well. It wasn’t, sowhen it was energized, it blewthe fuse to the volt meter.

Due to the age of theRMWD equipment, special-ized fuses were needed. Sabin-Mercado checked to see ifSDG&E had the necessaryfuses in its inventory. It didn’t.Arrangements had to be madefor the fuses to be sentovernight to RMWD.

In the meantime, Sabin-Mercado’s suggested solutionto the situation was to useboth 2-MW generators con-nected in parallel to power the4,160V service since the sec-ond generator couldn’t servethe 2,400V service until thereplacement fuses arrived.Concha and his crew, Hedgesand Mike LeClair, HawthornePower System’s senior techni-cian, met Sabin-Mercado atthe site. By 6 p.m., the teamhad the generators operatingin parallel, and shortly there-after, both 900-hp motorswere operating, doubling thecapacity that was brought on

line the night before.“Because the starting cur-

rent was extremely high foreach 900-hp pump,” Conchasaid, “paralleling the two gen-erators set at 4,160V was anextremely practical solution.The problem with the fuseslooked like a major setback atthe time, but the team quicklyrecovered by paralleling theequipment.”

“All of other jobs we did forSDG&E served the purpose ofgetting power to a communitywater facility, to sites thatwould facilitate special meet-ings or as rest areas for fire-fighters,” Concha said.

On Wednesday, workersalso hooked up emergencypower to a water pump at thePotrero Community Park, astaging area for the firefight-ers.

On Oct. 25, Sabin-Mercadodeployed another 2-MW gen-erator and a transformer fromHawthorne Power Systems tobe ready to serve the 2,400Vservice. They were installed.When the fuses arrived thatafternoon, the 2,400V servicewas energized and phase rota-tion was checked, and byapproximately 6 p.m. thatevening, an additional 700-hppump was running.

“We got that hooked up andwere pumping water and hadfull capacity to Ramona bythen,” Hedges said, “but thesystem covers 75 square milesand 320 miles of 16-inch and20-inch pipe. That’s an enor-mous amount of water, and ittook 24 to 36 hours to refillthe system. Since the pumpshad not been functioning forapproximately two days, therewas a negative suction whenthe water drained out, whichmeant that the water had tobe tested before it could bedeemed fit for drinking.”

Then Hedges and theRMWD faced a firestorm ofanother sort. Some media andpublic officials criticized theirresponse to the situation.Hedges decided to set thestory straight.

“People didn’t understandthe technical complexity ofthe situation,” Hedges said,and, therefore, he called intothe local talk radio station torebut the criticisms.

“With everything still smol-dering, including his ownhome, he was praising us.

See Wildfires on 6

5MONDAY, MARCH 24, 2008 • International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers • THE DAILY TRANSCRIPT

Tr a i n e d . Q u a l i f i e d . B e t t e r.

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers

If you’re a member of NECA, you simply make

one phone call: to IBEW Local 569. San Diego

NECA members have access to the biggest and

best pool of trained electricians in the area.

And the process of training them, managing their

benefits, and dispatching them to your job site

is all handled by IBEW.

To learn how to manage your projects

and business better, call NECA at

858-571-6320 for membership

information or IBEW at

858-569-8900 for information

about becoming union signatory.

Power Communication wins prestigious regional award from SiemensPPoowweerr CCoommmmuunniiccaattiioonn

SSyysstteemmss IInncc.. receivednational acclaim fromSSiieemmeennss (NYSE: SI) as thewinner of the StarPerformance Award forbest overall performancein the Western RegionalUnited States.

“We have built our busi-ness with an excellentteam that has alwaysfocused on design andinstallation backed bysuperior service,” saidErnie Power, CEO andowner of PowerCommunication SystemsInc., “and we are proudand honored to receivesuch a major award.”

With only a handful ofregional awards given outeach year by Siemens, thecompetition is fierce anddistributors must have anincredible track record withstrong professional sup-port. PowerCommunication SystemsInc. has been a leader inthis industry, specializing infire alarm and safety sys-tems for more than 42 yearsand a member of NECAsince 1984. No doubt withthis type of quality perform-ance, PowerCommunication SystemsInc. will see many moreawards in its future.SSoouurrccee CCooddee:: 2200008800332244ccrrmm

A leap of faith: Sullivan Solar soars to leadership in electrical industryDan Sullivan graduated

from the IBEW-NECAapprenticeship program in2002. Two years later hestarted his own business,SSuulllliivvaann SSoollaarr PPoowweerr. In2008, Sullivan’s business con-tinues to grow and thrive.

Sullivan Solar is now anestablished solar companythat leads the electrical indus-try in quality solar installa-tions. Sullivan Solar hasinstalled photovoltaic arrayson many residential, commer-cial and public projects. Inaddition to completing theimpressive installation at theIBEW 569 Union Hall,Sullivan has installed arrayson Leadership in Energy andEnvironmental Design(LEED) certified projects likethe George L. Stevens SeniorCenter and the NorthwesternPolice Department in SanDiego and, recently, the Cityof Highland EnvironmentalLearning Center.

When he decided to go intobusiness, Sullivan had nofunding, no venture capitaland no Plan B. He had to get itright the first time. To do that,he relied on the tenets of hison-the-job and classroomexperiences. He had workedin the electrical industry lessthan a decade, but he hadhoned his knowledge of theindustry and his electricalexpertise.

“I took a leap of faith,”Sullivan said. “I work hardand I had a vision. A lot ofbusinesses are started by peo-ple who went to businessschool and who have back-grounds in financing. Ilearned business principles onthe job. My background wasbeing a good electrician.”

For Sullivan, the IBEW-NECA apprenticeship pro-gram was a good fit and agood introduction to business.He got paid while he learnedand was not saddled with stu-dent loans like many of hiscontemporaries. Sullivan sitesemployment rotations —apprentices are required towork for numerous contrac-tors throughout the appren-ticeship in order to get themost well-rounded, hands-oneducation possible — as a keyreason for his ability to meetthe challenges of starting andrunning a successful business.

“The experience I gained inthe field was exceptional. Iworked with contractors likeNeal Electric and Dynalectric— they are competitive com-

panies that took me undertheir wing and gave me thebackground to be competitivein the marketplace when Istarted my own business,” hesaid.

Sullivan is passionate aboutbuilding a sustainable energyeconomy. He recognizes thatfossil-fuel industries have astranglehold on the waypower is generated in theUnited States, and has builthis business on an alternativemodel.

His son was just 3 years oldwhen Sullivan took his leap offaith: “Starting my businesswas an opportunity for me toprovide a better life for my sonand to help make the world abetter place.”

Sullivan advocates thatwhat would be best for theU.S. solar industry as a wholeis federal leadership like thatin Germany, where a nationalprogram means photovoltaicsystems are being “eaten-uplike popcorn.”

Sullivan points to the factthat there is a lot of talk in themedia, especially in this elec-tion year, about global warm-ing and the environment, butthe country has not made acommitment to a broadrenewable energy plan such asthe one posed by the ApolloAlliance.

“It is stunning to me that wedo not have a widespread, fed-erally led, renewable energyprogram in place,” he said.

That lack of political leader-ship has added extra compli-cation to Sullivan’s businessplanning.

“The energy marketplace isnot just a California market. Itis global.”

Sullivan cited 2006 as anexample of a time when get-ting photovoltaic moduleswas difficult. He said his com-pany always had panels avail-able to it in 2007, and heanticipates no supply prob-lems in 2008. It is importantfor the integrity of the indus-try and his own business tohave reliable modules readilyavailable, Sullivan added. Tothat end, he primarily relieson Sharp solar panels to meethis customers’ needs.

Sharp panels are manufac-tured by IBEW members inTennessee.

“When I use Sharp panels,not only do I support the U.S.economy, but Sharp manufac-tures the best systems in theworld,” he said. This is impor-tant to Sullivan because he is

committed to creating a sus-tainable industry.

“We stick to manufacturersthat have a proven trackrecord and that will be thereto honor their warranties 25years down the road. Rightnow there are a lot of playersgetting in the manufacturinggame.” According to Sullivan,“there are a lot of Chinesecompanies selling in the U.S.,but they do not have a trackrecord, so that is not who wechoose.”

In addition to untestedcompanies entering the panelmarket, as the solar industryexpands, so does the construc-tion side of the industry.Sullivan sees more and moreventure capitalists with busi-ness backgrounds bidding todo commercial photovoltaicinstallations. This worriesSullivan, since photovoltaicarrays are essentially rooftoppower plants operating withhundreds of amps of electrici-ty.

He notes the critical differ-ence between today’s photo-voltaic electric generatingsystems and the solar thermalsystems popular in the 1970s.Without qualified andtrained installers, customersmay not get a properly engi-neered and constructed sys-tem. Worse, said Sullivan,workers who are not electri-cians could kill themselves orend users. With the expan-sion and popularity of “greenbuilding,” customers are notalways getting the best orsafest installations.

Sullivan is emphatic: “Solarinstallers should be electri-cians. Period.”

Sullivan works hard tomake sure the San Diego elec-trical work force is trained onall the latest developments inthe highly technical solarindustry. He teaches at theIBEW-NECA training centerthrough a program that allowsIBEW electricians to use theirown homes as hands-onteaching labs. On Saturdays,Sullivan leads apprentice andjourney-level electricians in aclass that allows them to learnwhile getting the benefit ofinstalling photovoltaic sys-tems on each other’s homesfor just the cost of the mod-ules. It is a win for the IBEWfamilies who are greatlyreducing energy costs, and itis a win for the future of thesolar industry.

Sullivan sees this educationas critical to his success. He

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has always been signatory toIBEW Local 569. He says itwas key that he have a union-ized work force when his busi-ness was just getting off theground.

“If I were an open shop(non-union) contractor Iwould have had to hire work-ers off the street,” he said. “I

would have had to interviewpeople who would be sayingthey are solar installers eventhough they may not have hadthe technical expertise neededto do quality work.”

Now, Sullivan maintains,being a union contractor isequally important as his busi-ness grows: “Wherever I go,

whether it is in San Diego,Texas, Florida, Colorado, Iknow I can hit the groundrunning with a qualified workforce.”

Learn more about SullivanSolar and the advantages ofgoing solar at: www.sullivan-solar.com.

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6 MONDAY, MARCH 24, 2008 • International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers • THE DAILY TRANSCRIPT

NECA delegates invited to prestigious Global Renewable Energy ConferencePresident George W. Bush

was the keynote speaker atthe recent Washington Inter-national Renewable EnergyConference.

The president and a host ofcabinet-level speakers,including current StateDepartment of EnergySecretary Samuel Bodman,addressed delegates frommore than 150 countries onnew polices and mandatesthat will target solar, windand bio-energy technologies.

The San Diego Chapter ofthe National ElectricalContractors Association(NECA) was invited to send adelegation and participate inlarge-scale renewable energyworkshops and explore thenew technologies.

Karen Prescott, NECA’sdirector of local governmentrelations, and Jim Filanc andJoe Melin from SSoouutthheerrnnCCoonnttrraaccttiinngg participated in

interactive sessions withstakeholders from the federalgovernment and private sec-tor interests on the economicand environmental benefitsof renewable energy.

While the United Statesmay be somewhat new tothis, it became very clear thatthe global community fullyrecognizes the imperative topromote widespread adop-tion of renewable energy withcountries such as France,Germany and China alreadytaking the lead. NECA andnumerous industry leadersdiscussed the need to explorevarious economic strategies,including state and local gov-ernmental incentives, andcarbon credits to support thenew green technologies andgenerate local “green collar”jobs.

With the adoption of greenbuilding mandates by thestate of California for new

residential and commercialconstruction by the years2020 and 2030 respectively,NECA expressed concernthat though they are rapidlytraining a skilled work force,there still may be a shortage.It is extremely important thatall electrical training pro-grams stay on the cuttingedge to ensure skilled localemployment.

“It would only be naturalthat because of the success ofrenewable production inother countries, a skilledwork force from outside ofthe United States may com-pete with a local work force.Therefore it is absolutelyimperative that we continueto pursue continuedadvancement in skilled train-ing,” said Tom Hedges, presi-dent of The NationalElectrical ContractorsAssociation.

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Rebuilding Together San Diego

Tom is there when you needhim. I can’t say enough abouthim,” said Ron Mulick, WaterOperations manager, RMWD.

On Friday, Oct. 26, Sabin-Mercado performed a primaryassessment of the damage toSDG&E’s 12-kV circuit, whichserves the RMWD’s upperpump station and one addi-tional customer.

“I observed extensive firedamage while engineering thejob to rebuild the line,” shesaid. “I knew the poles wouldneed to be set with a helicop-ter, and all but one of the poleholes would need to be handdug. On that Saturday morn-ing, we had hole-digging andline crews on-site, working tomake the repairs.”

Sabin-Mercado alsobrought Mike Niggli,SDG&E’s COO, to the RMWDpump station sites to view thegenerator installations andthe rebuilding of the trans-mission and distributionlines.

“Mike’s assigning the high-est level of priority to rebuild-ing our facilities serving theRMWD allowed us to restorenormal utility service inrecord time, four days aheadof the original schedule,”Sabin-Mercado said.

At the request of RMWD,Sabin-Mercado also arrangedfor the transport of a fourth 2-

MW generator and trans-former to the upper 4,160Vpump station located justbelow the Lake Ramona dam.It has four 800-hp motors andprovides untreated water forfire suppression and water foragricultural purposes.Dynalectric completed thework, and the pump stationwas energized by 6 p.m.

By Sunday afternoon, Oct.28, SDG&E had restoredpower to the lower pump sta-tion. Hedges acted as a con-sultant for RMWD asDynalectric and SDG&Esubstation crews workedfrom 6:30 p.m. until mid-night to energize the substa-tion, get the generators dis-connected, and then recon-nect SDG&E’s permanentwiring at the switchgearlocations.

On Monday, Oct. 29, withpower also restored for theupper Lake Ramona pump,Dynalectric and HedgesElectric disconnected thefourth and last generator andtransformer. Also that day, thewater in Ramona was deemedto be potable.

“Having strong, profession-al relationships betweenSDG&E and the NECA mem-ber electrical contractors isvital to providing safe, reli-able energy to our customers,during both emergencies andunder normal operating con-

WildfiresContinued from Page 4

The San Diego Electrical Training Center is approved forVA benefits and works in partnership with Helments-to-Hardhats, a national program that connects transitioningactive-duty reservists and veterans with union jobs.Applicants with electrical or electronic military trainingcan automatically bypass some of our entrance require-ments.

Even without related training, military veterans are stillan ideal candidate for our apprenticeship programs.Students with military experience have the drive, commit-ment and work ethic needed to excel in our programs.

For more information visit www.positivelyelectric.com.

ditions,” Sabin-Mercado said.“For Dynalectric and HedgesElectric to perform theextensive work in the shortamount of time we had, withzero accidents or injuries, is acredit to both companies’safety vision and workman-ship values and the localJATC for providing excellenttraining for the IBEW elec-tricians.”

The Witch fire in Ramonaburned 197,990 acres,destroyed 461 homes and wasonly one of the fires thatimpacted the lives of

Southern Californians.Two weeks after the fires,

Hedges said everything wasback to normal with theRMWD. For him, though, andfor the thousands of otherswho lost their homes, that’snot the case.

“The reality of it is finallysetting in,” he said. “Thingsget a little bit better each day,but the process is going to be along one.”

Casey is a writer forElectriInternational

SSoouurrccee CCooddee:: 2200008800332244ccrrdd

Helmets-to-Hardhatspartnership

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7MONDAY, MARCH 24, 2008 • International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers • THE DAILY TRANSCRIPT

When it comes to electricalconstruction, installations,

or voice/data and fire/safetywiring, you have to get it right the first time. Mistakescan be costly, if not deadly.

That’s why you need top-notch electricians on the job who have been trained and certified for efficiency. IBEW is the only

organization that requiresjourneymen to complete 9,000 hours of rigorous electrical and safety training.

To get IBEW workers on your next job, you need to hire a NECA-member electrical contractor. To find one, call NECA at 858-571-6322 or go towww.necasandiego.org.

Tra ined . Qua l i f ied . Bet ter.

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers

A bright future for IBEW apprentice electrician Dianna RubalcavaDianna Rubalcava was just

7 when her parents divorcedand her mom needed to finda way to support Dianna andher five siblings.

“No woman’s job wouldprovide a man’s pay,” saidRubalcava. That realizationled her mother to a career asa journeyman welder — a jobfrom which she will retirethis year.

Rubalcava had just beenoffered a management posi-tion with a large retail com-pany when she decided tochange paths and follow hermother’s footsteps into anontraditional career.Rubalcava had a new reasonto want change. She had justgiven birth to her son, Chris.

Rubalcava wanted a jobwhere she could be always bechallenged intellectually andcreatively, while earningenough money to support afamily and make sure shecould get health care andbenefits. She was good atmath, and the NECA/IBEWapprenticeship programseemed a natural fit for thesmart and energetic newmom.

A lot has changed since

Rubalcava’s mom and other“Rosie the Riveters” paved theway for women entering intocareers traditionally dominat-ed by men. There are stillmany challenges. Though thepercentage of women in theunionized electrical industryis growing, women are under-represented in constructiontrades.

But, Rubalcava says, thepeople she works with don’tsee electrical work as a man’sjob. The men who workedalongside her mother weldingoften felt threatened by awoman doing the same job. Itis not like that in San Diego’selectrical construction indus-try.

Rubalcava says a womanelectrician earns respect forher ability to hone the skillsneeded to become an expertin her field. Rubalcava hascertainly proven herself toanyone who doubts awoman’s ability to work inthe trade. She has learnedand excelled in the classroomand on the job. She main-tains an A-average in theclassroom and her job evalu-ations are always at the verytop of her class. Where her

mother found opposition,Rubalcava finds camraderie.

Women have long beenintegral to the success of theIBEW and the unionizedelectrical apprenticeshipprogram. The women whocame before her helpedmake Rubalcava’s successpossible.

Rubalcava hopes to makesure other women succeed inthe trade, too. She reachesout to the other women shemeets in school and on thejob. She has also developedclose bonds with the otherapprentice electricians in herclass.

“It is a close-knit group,”she said. “Everybody knowseverybody and we all standby each other — on the joband off.”

Rubalcava is in the lastyear of the five-year appren-ticeship program. A lot haschanged in her life in thosefive years. She has gottenmarried and her family hasgrown; she now has five chil-dren. Rubalcava is confidentshe has the skills she needsto have a long and successfulcareer and earn a living thatwill allow her family to

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thrive. Because of an affilia-tion between the San Diegoelectrical apprenticeship andPalomar College, Rubalcavais working toward an associ-ate’s degree in electricity atthe same time she is advanc-ing toward becoming a certi-fied journey-level electrician.

Rubalcava has been ateaching assistant (TA) fortwo semesters, and she iscurrently a TA for an AUTO-CAD drafting class. She isapprenticing at BBaakkeerrEElleeccttrriicc, where she is doingmotor control work. She hasembarked on a career path of

endless possibilities.The sky is the limit for

Rubalcava, who says theIBEW apprenticeship willensure she can always takecare of her family and be aleader in the electrical indus-try.

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Labor Code Sections: 3099 and 3099.2

California Code ofRegs. Section:

209.0

Original Bill & EffectiveDate:

AB 931, Jan. 1, 2006

Affected Entities Building owners, general contractors, electricalcontractors

Summary: In California, electrical work can be performedonly be a state-certified electrician; all electri-cians working for contractors licensed as Class-C10 electrical contractors are now required to becertified in California

Applies To: General electricians; fire/life safety technicians

Kind of Work: Commercial and industrial wiring, undergroundconduit installation, finish work and fixtures, firelife safety

Monitored by: Department of Industrial Relations’ Division ofApprenticeship Standards

Find if an Electrician IsCertified:

www.dir.ca.gov/DAS/ecu/ECU_AI.html

Risks of UncertifiedElectricians:

Lost time and money, increased liability forinjuries and adverse insurance, OSHA and work-ers’ compensation consequences; contractors canbe subject to disciplinary proceedings before theContractors State License Board

For more information: www.dir.ca.gov/DAS/ElectricalTrade.htm or ibewnecacec@yahoo.com

Dept. of ApprenticeshipStandards:

(415) 703-4920

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California state law requiresall electricians be certified

The California Legislaturemandated that as of Jan. 1,2006, all electricians workingfor an electrical contractorwith a Class C-10 license mustbe certified by the state.

The law applies to all elec-tricians who install, main-tain, construct or connectelectrical systems of morethan 100 volt-amperes.Electricians must go througha system of testing and certi-fication to establish and vali-date minimum standards forcompetency and training tobe properly certified. The testis based on the NationalElectrical Code. Certificationtesting and compliance ismonitored by theDepartment of IndustrialRelations’ Division ofApprenticeship Standards.Electrical certification mustbe renewed every three years.

PPuubblliicc ssaaffeettyy aatt ssttaakkeeThe law will protect the

public from electricians who

do not have sufficient experi-ence or competency.Improper electrical work canresult in fire or other damageto property and can causeinjury and death.

Certification establishesminimum standards regard-ing the level of skill necessaryto create a safe work environ-ment and a safe electrical con-nection.

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An owner or general con-tractor should require thatonly certified electricianswork on their projects. Everycertified electrician has a cer-tification card and is regis-tered with the state ofCalifornia. Certification iseasy to check by logging on to:www.dir.ca.gov/DAS/ecu/ECU_AI.html.

An owner or general con-tractor who hires an electricalcontractor that employsuncertified electricians risks

lost time and money,increased liability for injuriesand adverse insurance, OSHAand workers’ compensationconsequences. Failure to usean electrical contractor who isin compliance with the elec-trician certification law mayresult in:

• An owner or general con-tractor being required to payworkers’ compensation bene-fits should the electrician beinjured on the job.

• An owner or general con-tractor being subjected toOSHA penalties.

• An owner or general con-tractor being subjected to alawsuit for negligence regard-ing the use of uncertified elec-tricians.

• A contractor can be sub-ject to disciplinary proceed-ings before the ContractorsState License Board fordeparting from industry stan-dards or for violating statelabor laws.

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Union membership helps raise workers’ pay and narrow the income gap that disad-vantages minorities and women. Union workers earn 30 percent more than nonunionworkers, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.Their median weekly earnings for full-time wage and salary work were $863 in 2007,compared with $663 for their nonunion counterparts.

The union wage benefit is even greater for minorities and women. Union womenearn 33 percent more than nonunion women, African American union members earn37 percent more than their nonunion counterparts, and for Latino workers, the unionadvantage equals 51 percent. For Asian American workers, the union advantage is 4percent.

Union membership raiseswages — especially forminorities and women

8 MONDAY, MARCH 24, 2008 • International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers • THE DAILY TRANSCRIPT

Our ContractorsThe IBEW would like to take this opportunity to recognize our signatory contractors and give special recognition to the

NECA San Diego members (in bold), our partners in moving the electrical industry forward.

5-star Electrical ContractingAble ElectricA-C ElectricAAcccceelleerraatteedd EElleeccttrriicc IInncc..Ace Electric Inc. (Datatec)Action ElectricAdamo ElectricAAddaammss EElleeccttrriiccaall CCoonnttrraaccttoorrssAdvanced Electric & Cont.AES Construction GroupAkkan Electric Inc.Alamo ElectricAll Elec. Construction ServiceAmerican ContractingAmerican Elec. Sales & Serv. Inc.Anderson & HowardAnderson Nu-powerAngeles Electric

Apollo ElectricAtlantic Plant MaintenanceAAuuddiioo AAssssoocciiaatteessAxium ElectricBacinett, Jim ElectricBad Ass ElectricBBaakkeerr EElleeccttrriicc IInncc..Barrett ContractingBear ElectricBechtel Power Corp.Bentley, Greg ElectricBerwick Electric Co.Black & VeatchBriggs Electric Inc.CT&F Inc.CEES Inc.C.L. Anderson CompanyCSI Electrical Contractors Inc.CTSCadri Co. Inc.Calibrated Controls Inc.California Neon ProductsCCaappttaaiinn VVoollttaaggeeCCaarrddiinnaall EElleeccttrriicc IInncc..Carol Electric

CDM Engineering &Construction Inc.Chain ElectricChampion Electrical Serv. (Ces)CChhuullaa VViissttaa EElleeccttrriicc IInncc..CI3City ElectricCoastal Air Inc.Cole, E. H. Corp.Collier ElectricCCoonnssttrruuccttiioonn EElleeccttrroonniiccss IInncc..Contra Costa ElectricConvention Center ElectricConvention Technical ServicesCorlett Electrical ConstructionCR/X Environmental Services Inc.Cupertino ElectricCustom WiringD. W. ElectricD. B. ElectricDatatec Systems Inc.DDaavviieess EElleeccttrriicc IInncc..

DCG ElectricDDee HHaammeerr EElleeccttrriiccDe Young Power SystemsDesert Breeze ElectricDirect A/VDJs ElectricDDyynnaalleeccttrriicc IInncc..ECA California Inc.Edlen Electrical ExhibitEElleeccttrriicc CCaall.. PPaarrttnneerrssElec. Construction Inc.Electrical Professionals Inc.Electramark Inc.Electric O ManElectrical Elec. Cont.Electrical Systems Inc.ElectritecElectroserv Co.Eli ElectricEnergy Electrical ServicesEnergy Tech. Sol. Inc.Enterprise Elec. Co.Evans, E.J. ElectricExcellectricFarnham Electric Co.Faucher Electric ServiceFischbeck Electric Inc.Four-A ElectricFrahler Electric Co.Freeman Electrical ServicesFFuulllleerr EElleeccttrriicc IInncc..Gapper Joe F. Elec. Inc.Gilbert & Stearn Inc.Grd Electrical ContractorsGreen ElectricGregg ElectricGreyhound Exposition ServiceGGrroossssmmoonntt EElleeccttrriicc CCoorrpp..Grove ElectricHalcyon Electric Inc.Hallett ElectricHampton Tedder

HHaassee EElleecc.. SSeerrvv.. IInncc..Hedges ElectricHHMMTT EElleeccttrriicc IInncc..Hobbs ElectricHowe ElectricIndustrial High VoltageJ & L ElectricJ.W. ElectricJackson ElectricJohnson ElectricJohnson-peltierJPS Electric Inc.KDC Corp.Ketch EnergyKing ElectricKiwi Electric

Knutson ElectricL&B ElectricLKD ElectricLU ElectricLLaarrrryy’’ss EElleeccttrriicc SSeerrvviiccee

Leed Electric Co. Inc.Lloyd’s ElectricLLoocckkaarrdd EElleeccttrriiccMB Herzog Electric Inc.MV Electric Co.Mac Farlane ElectricMako Electric Inc.Marin Bravo Electric Inc.Mart ElectricMartins ElectricMass Electric ConstructionMasthead InternationalMission Gate Electrical ContractorsMoore Electrical Contractors Inc.MMoorrrrooww--MMeeaaddoowwssMs. ElectricMurphy ElectricMy ElectricianNational Conductor ConstructorsNNaattiioonnaall EElleeccttrriicc WWoorrkkssNNaattiioonnaall SSeeccuurriittyy WWoorrkkssNNeeaall EElleeccttrriicc CCoorrpp..Northwest Electric Inc.Ogden, R.J. ElectricOhio TransformerOilfield Electric & MotorPacific Coast LightingPacific Sonlight ElectricalPacific Data ElectricPacific Industrial ElectricPPAARR EElleeccttrriiccaall CCoonnttrraaccttoorrss IInncc..Paradigm 2000 Inc.Parker & Cowing Inc.Phazer Electric Inc.Pouk & SteinlePPoowweerr CCoommmmuunniiccaattiioonnPrecision ElectricPrice ElectricPyro-comm SystemsRam ElectricRamy ElectricRepublic ElectricRescue ElectricRewald Electric Co.

RRiiccee EElleeccttrriiccRich Construction Inc.Rineylectric

Riverland Electric Inc.Rizing StarzRRoobbiinnssoonn EElleeccttrriiccRoman Electric Co. Inc.Rosendin ElectricS&S Electric Co.SBESachs ElectricSantee ElectricSSaapppphhiirree EElleeccttrriiccSASCOSSaattuurrnn EElleeccttrriicc IInncc..Schmitt Electric Inc.Scott Electric Inc.SSccoottttyy EElleeccttrriiccSeca EngineeringSSeelleecctt EElleeccttrriiccSSeerrvviiccee EElleeccttrriiccaall SSyysstteemmssShasta ElectricSloan ElectricSnowden ElectricSolid Rock Cont.SSoonnnnyy’’ss EElleeccttrriiccSSoorrrreennttoo EElleeccttrriiccSouth Coast Electric Works Inc.SSoouutthheerrnn CCoonnttrraaccttiinnggSSoouutthhllaanndd EElleeccttrriicc IInncc..Southwest Engineering Inc.

Spectrum CommunicationsStandard ElectricStars Electric Inc.Statewide ElectricSteiny & Co.Stevens Construction Inc.SSttrraaiinn EElleeccttrriiccSturgeon ElectricSSuulllliivvaann SSoollaarr PPoowweerrSun Electric LPSunbelt Controls Inc.SSuupprreemmee EElleeccttrriiccSSyynneerrggyyTechnical Maintenance & Install.TThhiinnkk EElleeccttrriiccTown & Country ElectricTravers Const.Travis Electric Co.Tri H ElectricTriple S ElectricU.S. Networking SystemsUnited Elec. Ent.Van’s Electric Co. Inc.Viereck, Charles ElectricWalker Comm. Inc.West-comWillette, Joe ElectricWilson Construction Co.

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