The National Pork Case Suggests Peril for Federal Challenges to Bills Like SB 830 In 2018, California voters approved the ballot measure to ban the sale of meat and egg products from farms that did not raise their “veal calves, breeding pigs and egg-laying hens” in spaces that give them room enough to stand up and turn around. The proposition was supposed to go into effect in 2022, but two out-of-state organizations, the National Pork Producers Council and the American Farm Bureau Federation, sued to stop the measure.

The U.S. Supreme Court recently voted in a 5 to 4 ruling that didn’t follow the typical conservative-liberal split. In the majority opinion, Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote that rather than California regulating out-of-state businesses unconstitutionally, businesses are attempting to restrict a state’s ability to “regulate goods sold within their borders.” He was joined by Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor, and Clarence Thomas.

• Gorsuch: “Consider an example. Today, many States prohibit the sale of horsemeat for human consumption…. Under the lead dissent’s test, all it would take is one complaint from an unhappy out-of-state producer and — presto — the Constitution would protect the sale of horsemeat.”

In their partial dissent, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Samuel Alito, Ketanji Brown Jackson, and Brett Kavanaugh said that the measure would place a “substantial burden against interstate commerce”:

• Roberts, in his opinion: “Petitioners identify broader, market-wide consequences of compliance — economic harms that our precedents have recognized can amount to a burden on interstate commerce…. California has enacted rules that carry implications for producers as far-flung as Indiana and North Carolina.” 

Because 99% of the pork Californians eat comes from out of state, opponents of the proposition argued that the measure gave California an outsized role in restricting interstate commerce, running afoul of the U.S. Constitution’s Commerce Clause. Producers estimated their costs would rise by 9% to comply with the rule, and the Biden administration stood with the pork producers, saying the measure would throw “a giant wrench into the workings of the interstate market in pork.”

So, why does this story about pork living conditions matter to contractors? Senate Bill 830 (Smallwood-Cuevas) is a long-expected bill sponsored by the Western States Council of Sheet Metal Workers that expands the definition of “public works” that makes custom fabrication of sheet metal ducts or similar sheet metal products for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems produced offsite and solely and specifically designed and engineered for installation in a particular public works project subject to the payment of prevailing wages. This bill would reverse a prevailing wage determination dating to 2008 and a 2014 California Appeals Court decision that upheld the determination.

One of the arguments against SB 830 is that “There is no practical way for public entities or prime contractors to enforce prevailing wage requirements for off-site fabrication. First, California cannot force SB 830 requirements for work performed outside of the state, nor is it clear that the state can mandate that someone in Boise or Tijuana receive California prevailing wages. Were California to create an artificial barrier to entry for products manufactured out-of-state, because workers in those states are not paid California prevailing wages, the law would likely run afoul of the Dormant Commerce Clause, which is intended to prevent the imposition of protectionist state policies that favor state business at the expense of out-of-state business.

Readers will note that the SCOTUS decision in the pork case upheld the state’s ability to “regulate goods sold within their borders.” Would the court make the same decision in the event SB 830 is before them?

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An Update on the 2024 Presidential Campaign As of May 11, 2023, there are three noteworthy Democratic presidential candidates, eight noteworthy Republican candidates, and one noteworthy Republican exploratory committee. Below is a summary of each candidate’s campaign activity from early May.

• Democratic candidates
• Joe Biden spoke in Hudson Valley, New York, on May 10. He supported raising the debt ceiling and criticized the Republican-backed Limit, Save, Grow Act. He also attended a fundraising event in New York City hosted by former Blackstone executive Tony James.
• Marianne Williamson held a town hall in East Palestine, Ohio, on May 9, and is set to speak at a bookstore in Washington, D.C., today.
• Republican candidates
• Nikki Haley held a rally in Greer, South Carolina, on May 4.
• Vivek Ramaswamy campaigned in New Hampshire on May 4, and in Michigan from May 6 to May 7. Ramaswamy began a campaign tour of Iowa on May 9, which is set to last through May 13.
• Corey Stapleton held a town hall in New Hampshire on May 4.
• Donald Trump issued a statement about Ramaswamy, and Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) endorsed Trump on May 5. Trump participated in a CNN televised town hall on May 10.
• Tim Scott (R), announced his presidential candidacy on May 22, held a town hall in Iowa on May 6 and campaigned in New Hampshire from May 8 to May 9
• Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced his highly-anticipated presidential bid during a Twitter spaces session Wednesday and broke Twitter. The app repeatedly crashed Wednesday night as thousands of listeners attempted to tune in to hear the Florida governor announce he was entering the race for the GOP presidential nomination. Thirty minutes into the event, DeSantis was finally able to begin speaking.
• Other noteworthy candidates include Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (D), Larry Elder (R), and Asa Hutchinson (R).

[Ballotpedia]

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Former U.S. Rep. Will Hurd Discusses Tech Policy, Semiconductor Manufacturing, and More at Arizona Chamber Roundtable Republican Congressman Will Hurd – a former CIA operative turned politician – has long been dedicated to advancing policy to strengthen America’s economic and national security. And, as he made clear during a recent visit to the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry, he’s not slowing down anytime soon. [Story]

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CHC BOLD PAC, The Campaign Arm of The Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Is Endorsing Two Democratic Candidates in Key California House Races. They are backing Tim Sanchez in California’s 12th District and Kim Nguyen in California’s 45th District. Sanchez, an Afghanistan veteran and entrepreneur, is aiming to succeed Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), who is running for Senate and leaving behind her Oakland-area seat. Nguyen is running to unseat Rep. Michelle Steel (R-Calif.). Despite representing a district President Joe Biden won in 2020, Steel has proven difficult to defeat in the past two cycles. Nguyen currently sits on the Garden Grove city council. [Politico]

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New York Building Trades Chief Sentenced in Bribe Scheme A federal judge sentenced the former president of New York State’s construction unions to more than four years in prison for taking bribes to help a non-union contractor win contracts and gain other benefits of organized labor association without employing union workers. Records show that James Cahill was the last of 11 defendants to be sentenced in connection to the bribery scheme and received the most severe sentence. U.S. District Court Judge Colleen McMahon in Manhattan sentenced him May 18 to 51 months in prison, to be served at a medium-security federal prison camp in Otisville, NY. McMahon also ordered Cahill to pay a $150,000 fine. Story

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Budget Woes The Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) predicts California revenues will fall $30 billion short of what’s needed to cover Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed spending for the 2024 fiscal year, adding to its doubts about the administration's budget plan. “Our analysis suggests that level of revenue is very unlikely — there is less than a one-in-six chance the state can afford the May Revision spending level across the five-year period,” Fiscal and Policy Analyst Ann Hollingshead wrote in an analysis Tuesday. The nonpartisan LAO last week forecasted that the governor’s May budget proposal would fail to close a $6 billion deficit in the coming fiscal year despite calling for several billions of dollars in cuts. The latest report argues the revenue forecasts underlying Newsom’s proposal are “optimistic, but plausible” through the 2023 fiscal year, but “they are improbable in the out-years.” The LAO called for $6 billion more in cuts to one-time spending cuts in the coming fiscal year and for one-time spending in future years to be eliminated entirely.

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CEQA Fix? On Tuesday, Mendocino County took a major step to remedy the backlog of cannabis license applications in one of the nation's oldest weed-growing regions. In a unanimous move, the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors voted to allow the state to take over the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) process in northern California. Through a $17 million grant, the Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) will also provide funding for the county to hire staff and purchase technology to reduce the backlog of provisional cannabis permit holders waiting for approval for permanent annual licenses. The county currently has 757 cannabis licensees, 696 of whom are still provisional, according to the DCC. "CEQA is unique to California, and it has been a pain point for a lot of licensees in the cannabis space," DCC Chief Deputy Director Rasha Salama told POLITICO in an interview last week. "This makes it easier to stay in the licensed market" in California, she added. According to the Mendocino Cannabis Alliance, the county has approved less than one percent of all provisional license holders for annual licenses — compared to 62 percent of licensees in Humboldt County and 23 percent in Trinity County, the other two counties making up the Emerald Triangle. [Politico]

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PAGA Standing at Issue in California Supreme Court Oral Argument On May 9, 2023, the California Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Adolph v. Uber to decide “[W]hether an aggrieved employee who has been compelled to arbitrate [their individual] claims under the [California Labor Code] Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) . . . maintains statutory standing to pursue PAGA claims arising out of events involving other employees . . . in court or in any other forum the parties agree is suitable.” The Court’s answer to the question is of critical importance to employers who utilize (or are considering utilizing) arbitration agreements. Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court held in Viking River Cruises v. Moriana that an employee who has been compelled to arbitrate their individual PAGA claim(s) lacks standing to pursue PAGA claims involving other employees in court. The decision made employment arbitration agreements increasingly attractive to employers because it potentially allowed arbitration agreements to dispose of most, if not all, of a PAGA action. But the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision also left open the possibility that the California Supreme Court might disagree with its conclusion and, because the issue is a matter of pure state law, the California Supreme Court’s decision would control at the end of the day. [CalMatters]

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New Arizona Candidate Marlene Galán-Woods, former TV journalist, has launched a campaign for Rep. David Schweikert's seat. Galán-Woods, widow of former Arizona Attorney General Grant Woods, joins four other candidates in the Democratic primary race. They hope to be the party's nominee to take on Schweikert, (R-Ariz.), in the 2024 general election. Story

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Newsom Unveils New Proposals to Build California’s Clean Future, Faster Newsom’s proposals would “Streamline projects to unleash construction across the state – accelerating the building of clean infrastructure so California can reach its world-leading climate goals while creating hundreds of thousands of jobs.” The legislative package and executive order will:

• Speed Up Construction: Current construction procurement processes drive delays and increase project costs. The Governor’s proposals include methods to offer a streamlined process for project delivery to reduce project timeframes and costs.
• Expedite Court Review: Legal challenges often tie up projects even after they’ve successfully gone through environmental review. These proposals would authorize expedited judicial review to avoid long delays on the back end and advance projects without reducing the environmental and government transparency benefits of CEQA.
• Streamline Permitting: Makes various changes to California law to accelerate permitting for certain projects, reducing delays and project costs.
• Address cumbersome CEQA processes across the board: Streamlines procedures around document retention and review.
• Maximize Federal Dollars: Establish a Green Bank Financing Program within the Climate Catalyst Fund so that the state can leverage federal dollars for climate projects that cut pollution, with an emphasis on projects that benefit low-income and disadvantaged communities.

___

Lead Cal/OSHA proposes reducing the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) from 50 micrograms to 10 micrograms per cubic meter of air and the Action Level (AL) from 30 micrograms to 2 micrograms per cubic meter of air. These proposed levels would impose significant burdens on the entire construction industry in California, most notably mid and small contracting businesses.

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Workplace Violence Reduction Act Cal/OSHA has a workplace violence regulation for healthcare and is presently developing a workplace violence regulation for all industries – with multiple published draft texts and years of work already completed. The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) is not satisfied and persuaded Senator Cortese to introduce SB 553 to impose rules stronger than those that apply to hospitals to all businesses with more than one employee.

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Workforce Housing The State Building and Construction Trades Council has sponsored SB 584, which requires a PLA to build “Laborforce housing," defined as public housing with a mixture of household income ranges at or below moderate income. It would be paid for by a new 15% fee collected from transient occupancy residential property owners - like Airbnb owners. The housing would be built by public agencies.

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Workers Compensation AB 336, an Iron Workers-sponsored bill, will require a contractor who has on file with the CSLB a current and valid Certificate of Workers’ Compensation Insurance or Certification of Self-Insurance or is required to provide those certificates to certify on the license renewal form the workers’ compensation classification codes endorsed on the licensee’s policy. The author, sponsor, and supporters of this bill contend that unscrupulous contractors do not purchase the appropriate workers' compensation policies for their work. Although workers’ compensation insurance is a condition for licensure for those contractors who have employees —and soon to be all contractors regardless of the number of employees — CSLB is not responsible for enforcing the state’s labor laws and therefore does not verify that contractors have an appropriate workers’ compensation insurance policy for the work that their employees do. Consequently, this bill is unlikely to affect enforcement. Any reduction in insurance fraud will likely be contingent upon any deterrent effect created by this bill. Although this bill would make licensees’ workers’ compensation insurance classification codes available to consumers by posting them online, this additional information is not likely to be helpful to the average consumer with limited knowledge of the construction industry, workers’ compensation insurance, or industry-specific classification codes.

It's National Electrical Safety Month! Within National Electrical Safety Month, the construction and electrical industries also observe Construction Safety Week (May 1-5).

Safety is of paramount importance to WECA and our Member Contractors. It's a significant focus throughout the curriculum for our apprenticeship, electrician trainee, and continuing education programs.

Scroll below to learn more about how WECA and our Member Contractors have highlighted safety this month.

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WECA Details Recent Enhancements to WECA Apprenticeship Safety Curriculum

WECA’s Apprenticeship Curriculum Development team has recently worked on three enhanced and redesigned lessons that built on prior safety lessons to take WECA’s prioritization of safety in its curriculum to new heights.

“Safety training is one of our top concerns at WECA – especially electrical safety, given the nature of our apprentices’ work,” says Tom Thompson, WECA’s Curriculum Development Manager. “This is why we have been continuously enriching the electrical safety content throughout our Commercial and Residential Electrical Apprenticeship programs. We are now in the process of integrating several new and improved lessons that focus on the practical application of NFPA 70E standards and processes.”

Tom credits Joshua Simpson, WECA’s newest addition to our Apprenticeship Curriculum Development team, with further enhancing our safety trainings around key safety procedures and processes as outlined in NFPA 70E.

“It’s our belief that thorough and practical safety training leads to fewer incidents and accidents. By improving our already comprehensive safety content, we sleep better at night knowing that we are doing our utmost to serve students,” says Tom. “By strengthening our safety content, we are doing our part to look out for them by ensuring that they have every tool we can give them, so they can go home and be with their families at the end of every workday.”

Topics expanded upon in the recent electrical safety content enrichment include an overview of NFPA 70E and instructions on how to recognize and protect against electrical hazards for novice, intermediate, and advanced apprentices; how to establish designated boundaries around energized work zones; how to interpret and conduct an electrical hazard risk assessment; how to select appropriate PPE for specific electrical risks, and how to recognize an arc flash hazard and its associated risks, and implementing required protection measures.

“The first of our recently enhanced lessons, “Electrically Safe Working Conditions,” is given during an apprentice’s first year and focuses on electrical hazard awareness and elimination using lockout/tagout procedures. Its objectives are to teach students to identify and describe electrically safe working conditions,” says Joshua. “The other two lessons we’ve recently expanded are given during an apprentices’ final year and focus on mitigating electrical hazards during energized work through risk assessment and the creation of an energized work zone. Designated boundaries are used to restrict access into the energized work zone to only qualified persons, so these lessons are designed to walk students through setting up these work zones, while risk assessment methods are utilized to evaluate the level of risk associated with a given task prior to beginning. The second lesson, “Work Involving Electrical Hazards,” teaches students how to identify electrical hazards, implement hazard controls, utilize the NFPA 70E to determine PPE selection, and utilize the NFPA 70E to determine shock and arc flash boundaries. The third lesson, “Risk Assessment and Control,” teaches students competency in identifying factors that affect the risk associated with a given task or situation, demonstrates different methods of risk control, and demonstrates how to calculate risk and utilizes the hierarchy of risk controls.”

We are grateful to Joshua, Tom, and the rest of our Curriculum Development team for interweaving safety best practices so intensely into WECA’s curriculum to ensure that our Apprentices, Electrician Trainees, and Continuing Education students always approach jobsites with a ‘safety first and foremost’ mindset.

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Social Media Reshares: Some Examples of How WECA Member Contractors Incorporate a "Safety First and Foremost" Mindset into Their Companies' Cultures

Rex Moore Group Inc.



K2 Electric



Hunt Electric, Inc.



Corbins



Bergelectric



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WECA Highlights Safety Courses in Partnership with Educational Partner ClickSafety



WECA offers myriad safety courses for Journeyperson Continuing Education students and Electrician Trainees in partnership with educational partner ClickSafety! From OSHA trainings in English and Spanish to Health and Safety Leadership with NFPA 70E, there's something at everyone's fingertips to stay up-to-date on and knowledgeable about jobsite health and safety best practices. See all of the safety courses we offer here.

WECA held our Utah Ribbon Cutting and Open House at our brand-new, state-of-the-art training facility in Woods Cross, Utah on April 12.

We were gratified to be joined by a tremendous number of employees from WECA Utah Founding Member Contractor Hunt Electric, Inc., Utah Member Contractor Helix Electric, local dignitaries, members of the Salt Lake City business community, and WECA Board Members and Trustees.

Notable attendees included Cody Eaton, Hunt Electric's Operations Manager; Greg Anderson, Human Resources Director for longtime WECA Member Contractor Rex Moore Group; Rhonda Perkes, Director of Community Outreach for Congressman Chris Stewart of Utah's Second Congressional District, and Melissa Ballard, Representative for the Utah House of Representatives District 20.

During the event, attendees got to network with industry peers, meet the WECA team, tour the new facility, view our high-tech labs, enjoy food and libations, and listen to remarks from fellow attendees. Among those who spoke at the event were Cody Eaton, Greg Anderson, Melissa Ballard, and Rhonda Perkes (who also presided over the ribbon-cutting ceremony).

"Rhonda Perkes cut the ribbon on behalf of Congressman Stewart and welcomed WECA to Woods Cross and Utah," recalls Richard Markuson, WECA's Government Affairs Director. "Then Utah House Representative Melissa Ballard followed with comments on the value of career preparation opportunities like apprenticeships and their value to the Utah economy. Cody Eaton and his apprentices and coworkers explained how WECA's core values fit with theirs, which has allowed Hunt to grow from a handful of electricians to over 700 employees. The storm clouds gathering over the Valley, which produced snow the next day, didn't dampen spirits. All in attendance agreed it was a win-win for Utah, Utah electricians, and Utah contractors."

Thank you, Utah, for the warm welcome! We're thrilled to serve the state of Utah with our federally-approved and Utah Department of Commerce, Division of Professional Licensing-recognized Commercial Electrical Apprenticeship Program in Woods Cross, and look forward to educating, training, and supporting Utah's future merit shop electricians and electrical contractors.

Introducing the Next Self-Paced Online Option for Our GetWired Electrician Trainee Program Series:

GetWired 203: Self-Paced Raceway Systems, Switchboards and Panelboards, DC Motors, Three-Phase Alternators and Motors

Take It on Your Own Time, at Your Own Pace!

WECA is excited to announce another way students can take GetWired 203, the seventh class in WECA's Path to an Electrician Trainee Program Certificate!

We've long offered GetWired 203 as an instructor-led online course with one hands-on lab on a Saturday. And we still do!

But for students who would prefer to take this course at their own pace, on their own time, we're now offering a fully self-paced online option, just like we've been offering for earlier courses in the GetWired series! Students who might prefer this format include:

• Students with job, childcare, or other obligations preventing them from taking the instructor-led scheduled courses in the evenings
• Students who would benefit from being able to review the material at a slower pace, such as students for whom English is a second language
• Students who just prefer to work on the coursework at times and places when it works best for them

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WECA's new GetWired 203 Self-Paced Option is an entirely online, self-paced alternative version of our GetWired 203 course, which expands on the concepts and skills built in earlier courses. Topics covered include:

• Wiring materials
• Raceway systems and cable assemblies
• Switchboards and panelboards
• DC motors
• Sizing branch circuits -- Part 2 -- interactive lab
• Three-phase alternators and motors
• Equipment for general use

GetWired 203 Self-Paced includes an independent study project that you must complete to earn course credit. The project is designed to help you develop the on-the-job skills you need to be an expert electrician. This course is loaded with interactive practice and an online, self-guided lab to ensure that skills covered in class can be applied on-the-job.

• Total class hours available: 39
• Standard Tuition Fee: $389

If all of this sounds like it would work for you,

enroll in GetWired 203 Self-Paced Online today!

Think you'd prefer being able to interact with an instructor and learn along with other students, on a schedule two evenings a week, including one onsite in-person lab on a Saturday?

Enroll in an upcoming instance of the original GetWired 203 here!

Journeyperson Continuing Education Students and Electrician Trainees: Continue Learning the Basics of Motor Controls and Earn 16 Journeyperson Continuing Education or Electrician Trainee Hours with

Basic Motor Controls, Part 2 in San Diego

on June 10 and June 17

Just a Few Spots Remain -- Snag Yours Before It's Gone

Build on what you learned in Basic Motor Controls, Part 1 by getting further hands-on experience building control circuits for motors.

In the lab-based course, Basic Motor Controls, Part 2, working on a motor controls training board with up to one other student partner, you will learn about and gain experience with:

• Sequential starting of multiple motors
• Control relays and their common applications
• Timers and timing logic -- for example, on delay, off delay, etc.

Total class hours available: 16

Standard tuition fee: $229

Learn more about and enroll in Basic Motor Controls, Part 2, on June 10 and June 17 in San Diego.

Need class hours, but these dates don't work? Check out WECA's wide variety of other continuing education offerings for Journeypersons and Electrician Trainees, including fully-online and self-paced options!

Check out WECA's Electrician Trainee course catalog here

Check out WECA's Journeyperson Continuing Education course catalog here

Have questions or need assistance? Call us at 877-444-9322 or email us at info@goweca.com.

Foster Positive Mental Health in Your Workplace with These Toolbox Talks from Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention (CIASP)

Content courtesy of CIASP

According to the Centers for Disease Prevention, construction occupations have the highest rate of suicide, as well as the highest number of suicides across all occupational groups. To combat these statistics, construction industry professionals must work together to STAND up for suicide prevention.

This Mental Health Awareness Month, do your part to foster positive mental health in your workplace. Start today by downloading relevant Toolbox Talks from CIASP below.

Download the Toolbox Talks here

WECA thanks Pierce Philip of Ewing Foley for coming by WECA's California headquarters in Rancho Cordova on Wednesday, May 17 to provide a special "Firestop 101" training for our Low Voltage Apprentices!

All attendees received a certified firestop installer certification as well as two BICSI credits/CECs.

WECA Industry Partner Desert States Electrical Sales Showcases nVent Caddy Fastenings and Support Products During Visit to First Year Commercial Electrical Apprenticeship Class at WECA Arizona HQ

On Tuesday, May 9, the WECA Phoenix Training Center had a guest: Tony Rowe, President of WECA Industry Partner Desert States Electrical Sales.

During his visit, Tony addressed a class of first year Commercial Electrical Apprentices, and showcased a variety of caddy fastening and support products from nVent. Apprentices were able to learn about and handle products that will make them more efficient on projects in the field.

Desert States Electrical Sales is an electrical manufacturers' representative agency covering the Arizona and Southern Nevada markets, and has been serving the territory for over 18 years.

?WECA is proud to have Desert States Electrical Sales as an Industry Partner and appreciates their president coming out to support our apprentices!

WECA Member Contractors Want YOU: APPLY TODAY!



Want to start a dynamic new career that PAYS YOU to learn? You're in luck -- WECA Member Contractors have a high need for Commercial Electrical Apprentice applicants in California's Shasta County, Napa County, and Sonoma County. Learn more about WECA's Commercial Electrical Apprenticeship program below! 

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High Demand = Little to No Wait Time for Qualified Applicants

WECA's apprenticeship programs have been called the best in the West.  High graduation rates; great reviews from apprentices and contractors alike; to-the-point, up-to-date curriculum and on-the-job training; and a dedicated, experienced teaching staff and administration all contribute to the success of these programs.

Each apprentice enrolled in the Commercial Electrical Apprenticeship program works and learns under the supervision of a journeyperson electrician, gaining expertise in such skills as the installation of electrical distribution centers, panel boards, sub panels, conduit systems, motor controls, lighting, fire alarms, green and smart technologies, and temporary wiring in commercial buildings.

The Commercial Electrical Apprenticeship program is a commitment to classroom and paid on-the-job training. A WECA apprentice's school tuition costs are paid by the WECA Member Contractors who employ them. WECA apprentices attend classes in an accelerated and intensive format consisting of full-time classroom training and hands-on labs for two consecutive weeks every five to seven months. Each two-week session is equal to one semester of classroom instruction. The rest of the time, apprentices are learning on the job...and getting paid to do it! No college debt here. This is the alternative path to a rewarding and well-paying career.

WECA is actively seeking apprentices for our Member Contractors in these areas and there is little-to-no wait time for qualified applicants. Learn more and apply today!

Not for you? Already an apprentice? Please share this opportunity with anyone in this region who might be interested!

Not Yet Signed up for SmartDollar? Learn How to Get Started Below


 

Content courtesy of SmartDollar

The most important thing when it comes to winning with finances is budgeting and unfortunately, it’s also the thing people struggle with the most.

June’s focus is on budgeting and SmartDollar has all the tools you need to learn how to budget and start winning with your finances.  

Want to learn how to get smarter with your money and take control of your finances in a group setting? SmartDollar also offers Live Group Coaching sessions! Check out upcoming sessions below:



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Not yet signed up for SmartDollar? No worries -- getting started is easy! Learn how below.

SmartDollar is a financial wellness benefit for WECA apprentices. We announced our partnership with the Dave Ramsey-founded online financial wellness platform in January, 2021 to provide our apprentices with a sound foundation in personal finance management. This benefit is available to all WECA apprentices free of charge. Not yet signed up for SmartDollar? No worries -- scroll to the bottom of this article for instructions!

What is SmartDollar? SmartDollar is a step-by-step approach to handling money with the number-one authority in personal finance, Dave Ramsey. More than 4.5 million people have started on Dave's plan and taken control of their money, and you can too! SmartDollar will equip you to get out of debt, on a budget, and on your way to a strong financial foundation.

The average person pays off $9,405 of debt and saves $6,127 in the first twelve months, and you can too!

"This program is powerful yet simple to understand. The Baby Steps make understanding how to win with money easy! Dave's lessons are fun, informative, and incredibly encouraging. It really doesn't feel like I'm taking a financial course. It's more like learning finances from a good friend...or a financially savvy stand-up comedian! The online tools are fantastic as well, and I love being able to 'ASK DAVE' any question and do my budget online. Love it all!" - Recent participant

With SmartDollar, you'll learn how to...

• Jump-start your money
• Knock out debt
• Secure your dream home
• Retire in style
• Demystify your credit score

How does SmartDollar work? With so many ways to engage in SmartDollar activities and content, SmartDollar Points have been designed to encourage users to establish true behavior change. (Check out the graph below for a quick rundown). The greater the importance and required time of each activity, the greater the amount of points that can be earned. For example, each Core Lesson video completed is worth 250 points. Completing a shorter Deep Dive video is worth 50 points. Tracking a transaction in EveryDollar is only worth 20 points, but users are encouraged to track all their financial transactions with no points limitations. These example activities are key for building the confidence you need to reach your financial goals.







 

Taking advantage of your free financial wellness benefit, SmartDollar, is easy!

To set up your account after accessing your dashboard, click either of the links shown as highlighted in the screenshot to the right of this paragraph. You'll be taken to a page with a SmartDollar enrollment link, where you will be able to set up immediate access to this important benefit.

Ready to get started?

Login to your GOWECA dashboard

Explore becoming a WECA Utah Member Contractor

The WECA Apprenticeship Outreach team recently hosted some fun and informational half-day events for Sacramento-area high school students at our California headquarters in Rancho Cordova.

Students heard personal anecdotes about apprenticeship from fourth-year Commercial Electrical Apprentice Skylar Cloninger and took part in hands-on labs facilitated by instructor Jimmie Slemp in which they got to learn directly from a WECA apprentice.

Ian Vander Linden of WECA Member Contractor K S Telecom, who also serves on WECA's Board of Directors, additionally shared insights with the students during the event.

It was great to inspire them to pursue careers in the electrical and low voltage industries, and we can't wait to see them in our classrooms and labs!

WECA Industry Partner Desert States Electrical Sales Showcases nVent Caddy Fastenings and Support Products During Visit to First Year Commercial Electrical Apprenticeship Class at WECA Arizona HQ

On Tuesday, May 9, the WECA Phoenix Training Center had a guest: Tony Rowe, President of WECA Industry Partner Desert States Electrical Sales.

During his visit, Tony addressed a class of first year Commercial Electrical Apprentices, and showcased a variety of caddy fastening and support products from nVent. Apprentices were able to learn about and handle products that will make them more efficient on projects in the field.

Desert States Electrical Sales is an electrical manufacturers' representative agency covering the Arizona and Southern Nevada markets, and has been serving the territory for over 18 years.

?WECA is proud to have Desert States Electrical Sales as an Industry Partner and appreciates their president coming out to support our apprentices!

WECA thanks Pierce Philip of Ewing Foley for coming by WECA's California headquarters in Rancho Cordova on Wednesday, May 17 to provide a special "Firestop 101" training for our Low Voltage Apprentices!

All attendees received a certified firestop installer certification as well as two BICSI credits/CECs.

WECA Arizona Outreach and Workforce Development Specialist Heath Anderson and WECA Arizona founding Member Contractor Corbins attended the first Advisory Board meeting for the Pre-Apprenticeship for Electricians at Grand Canyon University. Heath -- who also sits on the Advisory Board committee -- thanks Grand Canyon University for giving WECA the opportunity to further connect with Arizona construction, electrical, and educational organizations and help advance the Pre-Apprenticeship for Electricians initiative!

Introducing the Next Self-Paced Online Option for Our GetWired Electrician Trainee Program Series:

GetWired 203: Self-Paced Raceway Systems, Switchboards and Panelboards, DC Motors, Three-Phase Alternators and Motors

Encourage Your Electrician Trainee Employees to Take It on Their Own Time, at Their Own Pace!

WECA is excited to announce another way students can take GetWired 203, the seventh class in WECA's Path to an Electrician Trainee Program Certificate!

We've long offered GetWired 203 as an instructor-led online course with one hands-on lab on a Saturday. And we still do!

But for your Electrician Trainee employees who would prefer to take this course at their own pace, on their own time, we're now offering a fully self-paced online option, just like we've been offering for earlier courses in the GetWired series! Electrician Trainee employees who might prefer this format include:

• Those with job, childcare, or other obligations preventing them from taking the instructor-led scheduled courses in the evenings
• Those who would benefit from being able to review the material at a slower pace, such as students for whom English is a second language
• Those who just prefer to work on the coursework at times and places when it works best for them

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WECA's new GetWired 203 Self-Paced Option is an entirely online, self-paced alternative version of our GetWired 203 course, which expands on the concepts and skills built in earlier courses. Topics covered include:

• Wiring materials
• Raceway systems and cable assemblies
• Switchboards and panelboards
• DC motors
• Sizing branch circuits -- Part 2 -- interactive lab
• Three-phase alternators and motors
• Equipment for general use

GetWired 203 Self-Paced includes an independent study project that your employees must complete to earn course credit. The project is designed to help them develop the on-the-job skills they need to be an expert electrician. This course is loaded with interactive practice and an online, self-guided lab to ensure that skills covered in class can be applied on-the-job.

• Total class hours available: 39
• Standard Tuition Fee: $389

If all of this sounds like it would work for your Electrician Trainee employees, encourage them to

enroll in GetWired 203 Self-Paced Online today!

Think they'd prefer being able to interact with an instructor and learn along with other students, on a schedule two evenings a week, including one onsite in-person lab on a Saturday? Encourage them to

enroll in an upcoming instance of the original GetWired 203 here!

 

An invitation from WECA Industry Partner CFEC:

On Wednesday, May 31 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., we will hold our annual CFEC fundraising event at Pacific Rim Mechanical in San Diego.

We will be joined by several elected officials who would like to hear from you, including the person we need to have elected to the County Board of Supervisors! We will also update you on what is going on regarding CEQA abuse (greenmail), Skilled and Trained Workforce, and PLAs.

The PLA threat in San Diego is growing in public and private work. These threats include:

1. City of San Diego
2. County of San Diego
3. Port of San Diego: all work
4. Community Choice Aggregation: all work
5. School bonds in the region
6. Private projects targeted by unions using the CEQA process (we track this here)
7. MTS: all work
8. City of La Mesa: all work
9. Legislation at the California State Capitol dealing with PLAs and Skilled and Trained Workforce

At the event, we will discuss what is being done about all of these and how you can help. We will also update you on three other lawsuits we are involved in to help fight these threats.

Our goal is to match last year's support, which was over $100,000 for these efforts!

Can we count on you?

If so, complete the attached form and send it in today. You can even donate today via credit card here. You can also pass this email and the attached flyer and response form on to others in the industry (suppliers, competitors, and associations) who need to be in this fight!

Please let us know if you can join us, as we have much to discuss (and the food and wine are also pretty good).

Yours in the fight,

Eric Christen

Executive Director

Coalition for Fair Employment in Construction

858-431-6337

ericdchristen@gmail.com

www.opencompca.com

Download the registration form here

Download the event flyer here (and be sure to share it with others in the industry who may be interested!)

It's Mental Health Awareness Month

Foster Positive Mental Health in Your Workplace with These Toolbox Talks from Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention (CIASP)

Content courtesy of CIASP

According to the Centers for Disease Prevention, construction occupations have the highest rate of suicide, as well as the highest number of suicides across all occupational groups. To combat these statistics, contractors, unions, associations, industry service providers and project owners must work together to STAND up for suicide prevention.

This Mental Health Awareness Month, do your part to foster positive mental health in your workplace. Start today by downloading relevant Toolbox Talks from CIASP below.

Download the Toolbox Talks here

An Invitation to Southern California WECA Members

WECA's Sponsoring a Table at the 2023 Lincoln Reagan Dinner -- One of the Largest Republican Dinners in the United States, Bringing Together Over 700 California Business and Political Leaders

Dear WECA Members in Southern California,

WECA has purchased a table at the Republican Party of San Diego County's 2023 Lincoln Reagan Dinner. The Lincoln Reagan Dinner -- which is one of the largest Republican dinners in the United States, bringing together over 700 top elected officials, candidates, companies, business leaders, and affiliated groups from across California -- will take place on Saturday, June 3 in San Diego.

This year's dinner will be held at the Marriott Marquis in Downtown San Diego and will feature an awards ceremony, a keynote address by US Senator James Lankford (R - OK), and a Cigars & Cocktails After-Party with entertainment by San Diego's own Roman Palacios.

USA Today has called the Republican Party of San Diego County "one of the best-organized and active local Republican parties...".

The Lincoln Reagan Dinner is an opportunity for business leaders and affiliated groups to show support for local leaders who support fair and open competition.

Tickets are complimentary to WECA members, but are first-come, first serve -- act fast if you're interested in joining us! We have six tickets available. Please contact Richard Markuson, WECA Government Affairs Director, at richard@pacificadvocacygroup.com to reserve yours.

Details:

When: Saturday, June 3

Where: Marriott Marquis, Downtown San Diego

What: 5 p.m. reception | 6 p.m. dinner | 8 p.m. "Off-the-Record" After-Party

Fee: Complimentary to WECA members; tickets are first-come, first-serve

Dress Code: Business/Cocktail Formal

Thank you,

The WECA Team

This is the final issue in which we'll include this standing list of contractor resources in our Member/Industry Newsletter. These resources and others will remain available on WECA's COVID-19 Advisory Page.

* Cal/OSHA Guidance on Requirements to Protect Workers from Coronavirus

* Supplemental Toolbox Talks COVID-19

* Coronavirus Toolbox Talk

* Fact Sheet for Pandemics

* Coronavirus - Workplace, School and Home Guidance

* COVID-19 Tool Cleaning Protocols

* United States Department of Labor: COVID-19

* CDC COVID-19 Risk Assessment Flowchart

* EDD Coronavirus Resources for WECA Community

Legislative Calendar:

·        May 12 – Last day for policy committees to meet before June 5

·        May 19 – Last day for fiscal committees to hear and report to the floor bills introduced in their house

·        June 2 – Last day for each house to pass bills introduced in that house

·        June 15 – Budget must be passed by midnight

·        July 14 – August 14 – Summer recess

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San Diego Decides to Elect a Fletcher Replacement Last week, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors decided to replace possibly soon-to-be-ex-Supervisor Nathan Fletcher by a special election, which will take place on Aug. 15. If no one captures more than 50 percent of the vote, then the contest will go to a runoff election on Nov. 7. However, Voice of San Diego points out “Fletcher’s position is not yet vacant, and we’ve heard no word from him since he resigned as Metropolitan Transit System chair following allegations of sexual harassment and assault and announced he would resign from the Board in May. His office says he’s been at a treatment center without outside contact. So, if Fletcher’s resignation comes to pass, this special election will be triggered. San Diego City Councilwoman Monica Montgomery Steppe and Janessa Goldbeck, a Marine veteran and LGBTQ+ advocate, have announced their candidacy.” The Democratic majority on the board is over, and the board is split on party lines. With Fletcher gone, there are two Democrats and two Republicans, and much work is needed, such as passing the county budget. It must be a bipartisan deal, with Fletcher’s seat presumably vacant for several months. The Politics Report confirmed that one name would not be on the ballot. San Diego Councilman Stephen Whitburn is not going anywhere. He plans to stay on the city council. For weeks, insiders saw Whitburn as the likeliest contender to fill Fletcher’s seat. He seemed to have a chance if there was an appointment or a special election. But he’s not going anywhere. “That work to significantly decrease street homelessness is at a critical juncture right now, and I intend to see it through,” he said.

–

Laborforce Housing Senator Anna Caballero has co-authored SB 584 (Limón - D), which would create the Laborforce Housing Financing Act of 2023. The bill would impose the first statewide Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) of 15 percent on short-term rentals like Homeaway, VRBO, and Airbnb. What is unique about SB 584 is that it is sponsored by the State Building and Construction Trades Council, and because of that, the bill requires a PLA for all construction. The fact that the bill’s sponsorers would obtain the sole-source, no-bid contract for all construction labor did not trouble the author and the Democrat Senators on the committee, who all voted AYE. General trade and public sector unions have contributed over $700,000 to Limón – the top two donor categories.

–

On a related topic…Can California incentivize developers to build at a rate that would help solve our housing shortage and also require them to ensure jobs for unionized construction workers? As CalMatters housing reporter Ben Christopher explains, “That’s the question at the center of a nondescript housing project in Saratoga. Known as Quito Village, the project kicked off in 2020 when its original developer agreed to follow a strict labor standard that favors hiring “skilled and trained” union workers. The standard was included in a 2017 law and aimed to speed up construction of dense housing. Construction began in 2022 after an Atlanta-based real estate company, PulteGroup, took over the project. To date, it’s the only known project in California that has broken ground under the law’s union-hiring rule.

The law will expire in 2026 and is up for renewal. But Democrat lawmakers are debating whether to nix the “skilled and trained” requirement, arguing that it’s too heavy a burden for developers — and point to Quito Village as evidence. Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, Oakland Democrat and chairperson of the housing committee, says “So that’s one in five years. That to me kind of says it all.” To complicate matters, it’s not entirely clear that PulteGroup is even satisfying the union-hiring requirement. When it took over Quito Village, its legal team attested that law does not mandate the company to abide by the hiring standard imposed on mixed-income projects. The city of Saratoga disagrees and noted that PulteGroup has not been submitting monthly reports that would prove it’s complying with the rule.

So, the true number of projects that have resulted under the law might not be one, but zero.

One possible explanation for this: syntax. The text of the law gives certain exemptions for projects “Located within a jurisdiction located in a coastal or bay county with a population of 225,000 or more.” Saratoga is located in Santa Clara County, which has a population of nearly 2 million and is considered a bay county. Saratoga itself, on the other hand, has only 30,000 residents. Does the 225,000 threshold apply to the county or the city? If the threshold applies to Saratoga, PulteGroup would be exempt from the “skilled and trained” obligation. It would also mean that under this standard, only 12 cities out of California’s 482 would meet the law’s requirement.

–

NLRB Ruling Sets Higher Bar for Discipline A new ruling from the National Labor Relations Board raises the standards for termination of an employee engaging in workplace organization, reports Andy Medici of The Business Journals. The ruling reverses a previous decision in a case involving General Motors LLC that the agency says made it easier for employers to sanction misconduct that occurs as part of a protected activity. In the decision, the NLRB said that conduct occurring during the course of a protected activity must be evaluated as part of that protected activity — and that workers have a right under the law to organize and advocate for better working conditions. The latest decision comes not long after another NLRB ruling that gutted nondisclosure agreements and nondisparagement agreements.

–

Reps. Barbara Lee, Katie Porter, and Adam Schiff joined the California Labor Federation in Sacramento on Sunday night for their first-ever appearance together since each launched their campaigns to succeed Sen. Dianne Feinstein. It was a chance not only for the three to give voters a side-by-side-by-side comparison in real time, but also an opportunity to curry favor with one of the most critical sectors of the electorate — organized labor. Unions are frequently among the top donors to campaigns and top spenders when it comes to lobbying and can deploy an army of precinct marchers and door-knockers for whoever should be so lucky to win their favor. Notably, it was labor that rallied tens of thousands to help beat back the recall of Gov. Gavin Newsom. And for what has historically been a formidable force, the labor movement in California has grown steadily louder since the pandemic, manifesting in high-profile actions in Sacramento and across the state — pushing hard on housing bills, retention rights, and a bill to unionize Legislative staff in addition to high-profile strikes by Los Angeles teachers and Hollywood writers.

The three senatorial hopefuls worked to capitalize on that momentum Sunday night, speaking forcefully about workers’ rights and doing their best to rile up the room with their pro-union talking points.

Schiff led the audience in chants to pass the labor-backed PRO Act. Lee got cheers for being arrested while marching with a union in Berkeley. And Porter got one of the biggest pops of the night when she called union-busting in the name of industry transformation “some real bullshit.”

A Senate race between three popular Democrats with powerful fundraising machines will be competitive, and labor’s blessing could be the difference between victory and failure. The California Labor Federation won’t make its endorsement until December. But as the audience swarmed the candidates afterwards to shake hands and take selfies, one worker --- Claudia Fletcher of the flight attendants union — said a decision will be tough. "There's too much good talent,” she said. “I think it's a good problem, quite frankly.” [CalMatters]

–

California Employers May Request a Deferral to File Labor Contractor Employee Report On May 10, 2023, private employers with 100 or more employees, with at least one employee based in California, must file their annual pay data reports with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD).  

Annual pay data reports consist of (1) a Payroll Employee Report, and/or (2) a Labor Contractor Employee Report.

• A Payroll Employee Report covers pay and demographic data for employees on an employer’s payroll in the prior calendar year.
• A Labor Contractor Employee Report separately covers pay and demographic data for labor contractor employees hired through labor contractors in the prior calendar year (for example, temporary employees).
• The Labor Contractor Employee Report is new for 2023.
• A labor contractor is an “individual or entity that supplies ... a client employer with workers to perform labor within the client employer’s usual course of business.”
• A labor contractor employee is an “individual on a labor contractor’s payroll, including a part-time individual, and for whom the labor contractor is required to withhold federal social security taxes from that individual’s wages, and who performs labor for a client employer within the client employer’s usual course of business.”
• A Labor Contractor Report is required only if a private employer has 100 or more labor contractor employees working for it.
• To gather data for the Labor Contractor Report, employers must request the data from their labor contractors, who in turn are obligated by law to provide specified data to their customers.

Since April 18, 2023, CRD has been accepting “enforcement deferral requests” to allow employers more time to file the Labor Contractor Employee Reports. To make such a request, an employer must first register itself in the CRD’s pay data reporting portal and then submit the request through the portal. If the request is granted, it is not considered an extension. The CRD will simply defer – through July 10, 2023 – seeking an order of compliance for the employer to file its Labor Contractor Employee Report. More

–

Su nomination on hold as Feinstein questions linger; Julie Su’s nomination to be the next Labor secretary remains stalled. The HELP Committee cleared Su on April 26. However, with unified GOP opposition and several Democratic moderates still refusing to say how they’ll vote, this nomination isn’t going anywhere. The continued absence of Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) also plays into the Su fight. With Feinstein out, there’s almost no chance Su can get confirmed (she may not be anyway, to be honest). There’s been enormous speculation about Feinstein’s potential return, but we have no indication right now that Feinstein will return this week. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, who also chairs the Judiciary Committee, was pressed by CNN’s Jake Tapper on Sunday. Durbin, who can’t move several controversial nominees in his panel nor issue a subpoena over the Supreme Court ethics scandal, urged Feinstein to announce her plans as soon as possible. “I hope she does what is best for her and her family and the state of California and makes a decision soon as to whether she is coming back,” Durbin said of the 89-year-old Feinstein. Note the inclusion of “soon” there. In a statement from her office last week, Feinstein pointed out that the Judiciary Committee has continued to move judicial nominees despite her absence. [Punchbowl]

–

April PIT Revenue $3.8 Billion Below Budget Projection The state collected $7.49 billion in personal income tax (PIT) revenue during the month of April – approximately $3.8 billion less than anticipated in Governor Gavin Newsom’s January budget proposal – according to the PIT revenue tracker maintained by the State Controller’s Office. The revenue figures are not good news for a state facing an operating deficit estimated to be at least $22.5 billion – a January projection that is expected to grow significantly when Newsom unveils his updated budget plan and fiscal projections this week. From the beginning of the 2022-23 fiscal year through the end of April, the state collected $79.68 billion in PIT revenue, or roughly $45 billion less than during the same period last year.

However, the figures are not an apples-to-apples comparison, as the filing deadline was extended this year (from April 18 to October 16 for most California taxpayers), making it likely that much of the state’s PIT revenue will arrive far later in the year than usual. Newsom’s 2023-24 budget proposal, released in January, estimated that April PIT collections would total $11.29 billion, representing 5.44 percent of total general fund revenue of $207.34 billion projected for the 2022-23 fiscal year, which ends June 30. The January projection was based on the filing deadline being extended to May 15, as the estimate was made before the second extension of the deadline. Newsom's deadline is May 14 – Mother’s Day this year – to release a revised budget proposal with new revenue and spending projections.

The Legislature’s deadline for sending a budget bill to the governor is June 15. The courts have ruled that this bill does not have to comprise a complete budget, so budget “trailer bills” often are approved after the deadline. Given the uncertainty of the PIT collections, which typically account for roughly half of the state’s total revenue, observers expect the Legislature to delay many budget decisions until late in the year, after an expected rush of payments near the October deadline. [CalTAX]

–

Tickets Going Fast Seats at WECA’s 2023 Lincoln-Reagan dinner table are almost gone. If you’d like to join WECA members on June 3 from 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM at the Marriott Marquis, Downtown San Diego, email WECA at communications@goweca.com and request a seat or two.

WECA held our Utah Ribbon Cutting and Open House at our brand-new, state-of-the-art training facility in Woods Cross, Utah on April 12.

We were gratified to be joined by a tremendous number of employees from WECA Utah Founding Member Contractor Hunt Electric, Inc., Utah Member Contractor Helix Electric, local dignitaries, members of the Salt Lake City business community, and WECA Board Members and Trustees.

Notable attendees included Cody Eaton, Hunt Electric's Operations Manager; Greg Anderson, Human Resources Director for longtime WECA Member Contractor Rex Moore Group; Rhonda Perkes, Director of Community Outreach for Congressman Chris Stewart of Utah's Second Congressional District, and Melissa Ballard, Representative for the Utah House of Representatives District 20.

During the event, attendees got to network with industry peers, meet the WECA team, tour the new facility, view our high-tech labs, enjoy food and libations, and listen to remarks from fellow attendees. Among those who spoke at the event were Cody Eaton, Greg Anderson, Melissa Ballard, and Rhonda Perkes (who also presided over the ribbon-cutting ceremony).

"Rhonda Perkes cut the ribbon on behalf of Congressman Stewart and welcomed WECA to Woods Cross and Utah," recalls Richard Markuson, WECA's Government Affairs Director. "Then Utah House Representative Melissa Ballard followed with comments on the value of career preparation opportunities like apprenticeships and their value to the Utah economy. Cody Eaton and his apprentices and coworkers explained how WECA's core values fit with theirs, which has allowed Hunt to grow from a handful of electricians to over 700 employees. The storm clouds gathering over the Valley, which produced snow the next day, didn't dampen spirits. All in attendance agreed it was a win-win for Utah, Utah electricians, and Utah contractors."

Thank you, Utah, for the warm welcome! We're thrilled to serve the state of Utah with our federally-approved and Utah Department of Commerce, Division of Professional Licensing-recognized Commercial Electrical Apprenticeship Program in Woods Cross, and look forward to educating, training, and supporting Utah's future merit shop electricians and electrical contractors.

 

Part of WECA's Commitment to Highlighting the Importance of Safety This Construction Safety Week, National Electrical Safety Month, and Beyond

WECA’s Apprenticeship Curriculum Development team has recently worked on three enhanced and redesigned lessons that built on prior safety lessons to take WECA’s prioritization of safety in its curriculum to new heights.

“Safety training is one of our top concerns at WECA – especially electrical safety, given the nature of our apprentices’ work,” says Tom Thompson, WECA’s Curriculum Development Manager. “This is why we have been continuously enriching the electrical safety content throughout our Commercial and Residential Electrical Apprenticeship programs. We are now in the process of integrating several new and improved lessons that focus on the practical application of NFPA 70E standards and processes.”

Tom credits Joshua Simpson, WECA’s newest addition to our Apprenticeship Curriculum Development team, with further enhancing our safety trainings around key safety procedures and processes as outlined in NFPA 70E.

“It’s our belief that thorough and practical safety training leads to fewer incidents and accidents. By improving our already comprehensive safety content, we sleep better at night knowing that we are doing our utmost to serve students,” says Tom. “By strengthening our safety content, we are doing our part to look out for them by ensuring that they have every tool we can give them, so they can go home and be with their families at the end of every workday.”

Topics expanded upon in the recent electrical safety content enrichment include an overview of NFPA 70E and instructions on how to recognize and protect against electrical hazards for novice, intermediate, and advanced apprentices; how to establish designated boundaries around energized work zones; how to interpret and conduct an electrical hazard risk assessment; how to select appropriate PPE for specific electrical risks, and how to recognize an arc flash hazard and its associated risks, and implementing required protection measures.

“The first of our recently enhanced lessons, “Electrically Safe Working Conditions,” is given during an apprentice’s first year and focuses on electrical hazard awareness and elimination using lockout/tagout procedures. Its objectives are to teach students to identify and describe electrically safe working conditions,” says Joshua. “The other two lessons we’ve recently expanded are given during an apprentices’ final year and focus on mitigating electrical hazards during energized work through risk assessment and the creation of an energized work zone. Designated boundaries are used to restrict access into the energized work zone to only qualified persons, so these lessons are designed to walk students through setting up these work zones, while risk assessment methods are utilized to evaluate the level of risk associated with a given task prior to beginning. The second lesson, “Work Involving Electrical Hazards,” teaches students how to identify electrical hazards, implement hazard controls, utilize the NFPA 70E to determine PPE selection, and utilize the NFPA 70E to determine shock and arc flash boundaries. The third lesson, “Risk Assessment and Control,” teaches students competency in identifying factors that affect the risk associated with a given task or situation, demonstrates different methods of risk control, and demonstrates how to calculate risk and utilizes the hierarchy of risk controls.”

We are grateful to Tom, Joshua, and the rest of our Curriculum Development team for interweaving safety best practices so intensely into WECA’s curriculum to ensure that our Apprentices, Electrician Trainees, and Continuing Education students always approach jobsites with a ‘safety first and foremost’ mindset.

Sacramento Energy California Conservation Corpsmembers Explore WECA Apprenticeship and Electrician Trainee Programs During Career Exploration Week Visit to WECA's California HQ

WECA was pleased to host Sacramento Energy California Conservation Corpsmembers during their visit to WECA for their Career Exploration Week on April 25.

Thirty Corpsmembers and staff members visited WECA's California headquarters in Rancho Cordova for a talk, demonstration, and tour of the training facility.

"The Corpsmembers asked great questions about how to become an electrician, the application process to become an apprentice, and how they can "Jump Start" their careers as electricians through WECA's Electrician Trainee Program," says Diane Trotter, WECA's Workforce Development Supervisor.

Additionally, Jessica Damian, the Career and Transition Navigator for the Sacramento and Fresno Energy California Conservation Centers, reports that Corpsmembers were inspired by their WECA visit.

"Sacramento Energy California Conservation Corpsmembers receive training in basic electrical wiring and energy retrofits at the CCC," says Jessica. "They were grateful for the opportunity to visit WECA to connect their training experience and learn about apprenticeship and electrician trainee pathways. They were able to explore the training facility and interact with students and staff. They were especially inspired by a hands-on fiberglass fusion presentation from instructor Randy Rivera. Following the tour, several Corpsmembers expressed their interest in applying to WECA to begin their electrical career."

Thank you, Sacramento Energy California Conservation Center and Corpsmembers for your visit! We're delighted that the experience inspired several of you to apply to join WECA's programs, and look forward to seeing you in class (whether in-person or online)!

Alameda, Contra Costa, Fresno, Humboldt, Los Angeles, Madera, Merced, Monterey, Orange, Placer, Riverside, Sacramento, San Diego, San Joaquin, and Solano Counties

Are you looking to hire Electrician Trainees? We have qualified individuals in the Alameda, Contra Costa, Fresno, Humboldt, Los Angeles, Madera, Merced, Monterey, Orange, Placer, Riverside, Sacramento, San Diego, San Joaquin, and Solano county areas looking to get referred to a WECA Member Contractor through our Student Referral Service. Don't see your county listed? Let us know of your interest anyhow; new participants sign up every week.

What is this service?

A free job referral service that introduces our current Electrician Trainee, Journeyman, and WECA-grad job seekers to Member Contractors to help you meet your staffing needs. It's included with your membership!

Who does this benefit?

Everyone! WECA Member Contractors are referred qualified, WECA-trained applicants to help meet their staffing needs. And in turn, WECA student and grad participants get valuable job referrals.

How does this differ from the WECA Job Board?

WECA's current Electrical and Low Voltage Industry Job Board is a self-service portal where members and electrical and low voltage employment job seekers submit and review resumes and job postings online.

This service provides additional customer service by having WECA staff supply you with hands-on referrals. In other words -- we take some of the hard work off your plate!

The Student Referral Service refers employees to you, and you hire them directly.

To receive referrals from WECA's Student Referral Service, please contact Trisha Hughes, Client Services ET/CE Specialist, at 877-444-9322 ext. 120 or at thughes@goweca.com.

Employee Development as a Talent Magnet: Upcoming May 11 Webinar from Mineral (A Complimentary Human Resources Member Benefit for WECA Member Contractors)

And, This Construction Safety Week and National Electrical Safety Month, Access 153 Safety Trainings and Over 100 Safety-Related Articles Through Mineral

Content courtesy of Mineral:

Need a hand with employee development and engaging training? Check out Mineral's upcoming webinar!

Thursday, May 11, 2023
10:00 AM PT | 1:00 PM ET

Upskilling and reskilling employees can help small businesses stay competitive in a rapidly changing business environment by retaining great employees and creating more career opportunities for them.

Join Dr. Steven Hunt, Chief Expert, Work & Technology at the SAP Innovation Office and author of the best-selling book, Talent Tectonics, for a high-powered presentation.

You'll learn:

• Why employee development is more important now than it was in the past
• How to overcome tactical and cultural barriers impacting employee development
• The difference between skilling and reskilling and whether it matters
• Unique advantages small companies have over larger organizations when it comes to employee development
• How to use development as a tool to recruit and retain talent

Join the webinar for a new perspective on developing employees, and why it's beneficial to your company.

Save your seat here.

Can't make the webinar? Register and we'll send you a recording.

-------------------------------------------------------

It's Construction Safety Week and National Electrical Safety Month. Propel your company's safety-first culture with 153 safety-related trainings and over 100 safety-related articles from Mineral, your complimentary WECA human resources member benefit. Access some relevant samples below:

https://trustmineral.com/safety/focus-on-heat-safety/

https://trustmineral.com/safety-health/managing-risk-and-employee-health-safety-go-hand-in-hand/

https://trustmineral.com/health-and-safety-in-the-workplace/a-safer-workplace-is-within-your-reach/

And login to your member dashboard here to access the rest.

* Cal/OSHA Guidance on Requirements to Protect Workers from Coronavirus
* Supplemental Toolbox Talks COVID-19
* Coronavirus Toolbox Talk
* Fact Sheet for Pandemics
* Coronavirus - Workplace, School and Home Guidance
* COVID-19 Tool Cleaning Protocols
* United States Department of Labor: COVID-19
* CDC COVID-19 Risk Assessment Flowchart
* EDD Coronavirus Resources for WECA Community

These, and more, are always available on WECA's COVID-19 Advisory Page.

WECA’s Apprenticeship Curriculum Development team has recently worked on three enhanced and redesigned lessons that built on prior safety lessons to take WECA’s prioritization of safety in its curriculum to new heights.

“Safety training is one of our top concerns at WECA – especially electrical safety, given the nature of our apprentices’ work,” says Tom Thompson, WECA’s Curriculum Development Manager. “This is why we have been continuously enriching the electrical safety content throughout our Commercial and Residential Electrical Apprenticeship programs. We are now in the process of integrating several new and improved lessons that focus on the practical application of NFPA 70E standards and processes.”

Tom credits Joshua Simpson, WECA’s newest addition to our Apprenticeship Curriculum Development team, with further enhancing our safety trainings around key safety procedures and processes as outlined in NFPA 70E.

“It’s our belief that thorough and practical safety training leads to fewer incidents and accidents. By improving our already comprehensive safety content, we sleep better at night knowing that we are doing our utmost to serve students,” says Tom. “By strengthening our safety content, we are doing our part to look out for them by ensuring that they have every tool we can give them, so they can go home and be with their families at the end of every workday.”

Topics expanded upon in the recent electrical safety content enrichment include an overview of NFPA 70E and instructions on how to recognize and protect against electrical hazards for novice, intermediate, and advanced apprentices; how to establish designated boundaries around energized work zones; how to interpret and conduct an electrical hazard risk assessment; how to select appropriate PPE for specific electrical risks, and how to recognize an arc flash hazard and its associated risks, and implementing required protection measures.

“The first of our recently enhanced lessons, “Electrically Safe Working Conditions,” is given during an apprentice’s first year and focuses on electrical hazard awareness and elimination using lockout/tagout procedures. Its objectives are to teach students to identify and describe electrically safe working conditions,” says Joshua. “The other two lessons we’ve recently expanded are given during an apprentices’ final year and focus on mitigating electrical hazards during energized work through risk assessment and the creation of an energized work zone. Designated boundaries are used to restrict access into the energized work zone to only qualified persons, so these lessons are designed to walk students through setting up these work zones, while risk assessment methods are utilized to evaluate the level of risk associated with a given task prior to beginning. The second lesson, “Work Involving Electrical Hazards,” teaches students how to identify electrical hazards, implement hazard controls, utilize the NFPA 70E to determine PPE selection, and utilize the NFPA 70E to determine shock and arc flash boundaries. The third lesson, “Risk Assessment and Control,” teaches students competency in identifying factors that affect the risk associated with a given task or situation, demonstrates different methods of risk control, and demonstrates how to calculate risk and utilizes the hierarchy of risk controls.”

We are grateful to Tom, Joshua, and the rest of our Curriculum Development team for interweaving safety best practices so intensely into WECA’s curriculum to ensure that our Apprentices, Electrician Trainees, and Continuing Education students always approach jobsites with a ‘safety first and foremost’ mindset.
 

Legislative Calendar:

·        April 28 – Last day for policy committees to hear fiscal bills

·        May 5 – Last day for policy committees to hear non-fiscal bills

·        May 12 – Last day for policy committees to meet before June 5

·        May 19 – Last day for fiscal committees to hear and report to the floor bills introduced in their house

·        June 2 – Last day for each house to pass bills introduced in that house

·        June 15 – Budget must be passed by midnight

·        July 14 to August 14 – Summer recess
 

Now and Then, a Win!  Freshman State Senator Aisha Wahab (D - Fremont)  introduced SB 574 earlier this year; it would have prohibited state agencies from undertaking major construction projects exceeding $35 million unless that project was governed by a project labor agreement (PLA) and that PLA included a “community benefit goal.” While the bill took influence from President Biden’s Executive Order (EO), her bill was both an expansion of that EO and, at the same time, failed to include several exceptions that are included in Biden’s EO. The California Conference of Carpenters, continuing their “personal distancing” on PLAs and Skilled and Trained Workforce, submitted a letter of concern stating: “A mandated PLA requirement may unfairly exclude certain types of construction workers and restrict contractors from utilizing the most qualified workers to the detriment of the project, the state agency, and the construction workforce. What’s most desperately needed in the construction industry is greater enforcement of existing labor law.” (Coalition for Fair Employment in Construction’s Eric Christen couldn’t have said it better)! The author’s office indicated that she would amend the bill to exempt transportation, water, and housing projects from her bill.

In addition to the State Building and Construction Trades Council, SB 574 was supported by the California State Association of Electrical Workers, the California State Pipe Trades Council, and the Western Council of Sheet Metal Workers. The Construction Employer’s Association (CEA), the Plumbing-Heating, Cooling Contractors Association of California (CAPHCC), and WECA opposed it. The CEA noted, “PLAs often conflict with subcontracting clauses due to jurisdictional disputes between various crafts, placing general contractors in the unenviable role of violating their CBAs. For example, a PLA may mandate using one craft even though more than one can perform that work. By mandating PLAs, the state would have to choose winners and losers. It is one thing to facilitate the use of union signatory employers, which is something CEA would support, and something entirely different for the state to dictate what craft can perform what work on any given project.” WECA and CAPHCC noted a PLA mandate “is discriminatory and increases the cost of construction.” The Senate Governmental Organization Committee was scheduled to hear the bill on April 25, but the author withdrew the bill the Sunday before the hearing.

So, why did Wahab pull her bill only days before a hearing? First and probably foremost, sources in the Senate said the committee chairman didn’t like the bill. Most legislation is “transactional,” meaning “you want something, I want something.” SB 574 was straightforward. The State will give the State Building and Construction Trades Council and their constituent unions a no-bid, sole source contract for all construction labor on State construction (above $35 million.) Second, the trades are quite pleased with the obsequious conduct of the Newsom administration to mandate PLAs on major State construction without legislation spotlighting current contracting by the State. According to our sources, the trades were not even asked about the bill before it was introduced.

Wahab is the first Muslim elected to the California State Legislature. Wahab served on the Hayward City Council from 2018 to 2022 and was one of the first Afghan-Americans elected to public office, alongside New Hampshire state representative Safiya Wazir. Wahab was born in Queens, New York City, to refugees who fled Afghanistan in the 1980s. Her father was murdered, and her mother died soon after, leaving Wahab and her sister in foster care. They were adopted by an Afghan couple in Fremont, California, and moved to Hayward in 2008.

She is not shying away from taking up controversial issues. In addition to SB 574, she is the author of SB 403, a bill that would make California the first in the nation to outlaw caste-based discrimination. She is reportedly receiving Islamophobic threats from the U.S. and abroad. She has said her office was flooded with dozens of hateful calls, hundreds of emails, and individuals yelling at staff in her district office after she introduced the legislation last week.

Hundreds of witnesses appeared this week to provide testimony for and against this bill in the Senate Judiciary Committee. People of South Asian descent, particularly Dalits at the lowest strata of the caste system, say the bill is crucial to protect them from discrimination in housing, education, and tech sectors. Among the organizations supporting the measure are Hindus for Caste Equity and the Sikh Coalition, which noted that Sikhs know "firsthand the pain and trauma that comes with being repeatedly targeted by hate and discrimination." It also spurred pushback from groups such as the Hindu American Foundation and the Coalition of Hindus of North America. They say the bill targets Hindus and Indian Americans commonly associated with the caste system. The organizations have submitted letters of opposition, saying Wahab's measure "seeks to codify" negative stereotypes and stigmas that Hindus and Indian Americans face. Critics also say current laws offer protections against discrimination, including caste. After more than three hours of testimony, the Committee approved the bill unanimously.

Wahab is also attempting to impose job limitations on former staff like those placed on lawmakers. Specifically, SB 573 would prohibit legislative staffers from taking a job in a lobbying firm for two years after leaving the Capitol. Wahab argues that such a policy would protect the integrity of the legislative process and prevent high turnover. Still, opponents say it unfairly restricts workers who may have few other opportunities outside of a legislative position. The bill has reignited conversations about the meager pay (and sometimes poor treatment) legislative staff receives — issues central to the ongoing push for staff unionization. Things got contentious at a committee hearing when Wahab suggested that opponents, including the leaders of a group born out of the #MeToo movement, We Said Enough, were using survivors as “a prop to not have lobbying reform.” That set off a wave of outrage from staffers, survivors, and lawmakers who called Wahab’s remarks an unacceptable public attack. In a tweet, We Said Enough said it is exploring legal options for the two women who testified in opposition, former-staffers-turned lobbyists Samantha Corbin and Alicia Benavidez. Nevertheless, the bill passed out of the Senate Elections and Constitutional Amendments Committee. A spokesperson for Wahab sent Politico a prepared statement on the incident, saying the senator supports victims and survivors of sexual assault, harassment, and abuse. She “respects everyone’s right to speak their truth on matters that impact them,” the statement said, and hopes “to continue to engage with the opponents of this bill.” Wahab’s comments caught the attention of Assemblymember Tina McKinnor, who was part of the legislature’s #MeToo movement in 2017 and this year is championing the bipartisan bill that would allow staff to form a union. McKinnor said she found Wahab’s comments disturbing and added that such a bill would have the opposite of the intended effect and “stop people from even wanting to work here. This is an important job,” she said. “We need our staff here.” Like SB 574, Wahab decided she’d hold 573 until next year.

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California Legislature Specializes in Bad Ideas

The Senate Governance and Finance Committee passed SB 584 (Limón - D), which would create the Laborforce Housing Financing Act of 2023 and define “laborforce housing” as housing that, among other things, is owned and managed by specified entities solely for the benefit of residents and households unable to afford market rent, and whose residents enjoy certain protections. The bill would impose the first statewide Transient Occupancy Taxe (TOT) of 15% on short-term rentals. In recent years, internet-based platforms like Homeaway, VRBO and Airbnb have facilitated increasing numbers of short-term rentals of homes and rooms within residences. Short-term or vacation rentals are usually an individual’s residential property, such as a home, room, apartment, or condominium, that they rent out to a visitor for fewer than 30 consecutive days. Generally, the home-sharing industry involves three primary participants: (1) the home-sharing platforms, such as Airbnb, that advertise residential properties offered for temporary rental and facilitates connecting renters with hosts for a fee, and process payment for the rental, (2) the consumer who is often referred to as the “renter” “guest,” or “visitor” of the residential property, and (3) the supplier, owner, operator, or “host” of the residential property. Short-term rentals are not a new practice, but the development of online hosting platforms, bookings, advertisements, and payments has increased.

What is unique about SB 584 is that it is sponsored by the State Building and Construction Trades Council, and because of that, the bill requires that a PLA would do all construction under SB 584. The fact that the bill’s sponsorers would obtain a sole-source, no-bid contract for all construction labor did not trouble the author, Senator Limon, and Senators Blakespear, Caballero, Cortese, McGuire, Skinner, Umberg, Wahab, and Wiener, who all voted AYE. Republican Senators Ochoa Bogh, and Seyarto voted No, while Senator Padilla abstained.

Expedia (the parent company of VRBO) and Airbnb are in “negotiations” with the sponsors, but those would only mitigate their exposure to the TOT, and we have alerted the hotels that they will be the next TOT target.

General trade and public sector unions – the top two donor categories – have contributed over $700,000 to Limon.

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The Senate Education Committee approved SB 394 (Gonzalez - D) This bill requires the California Energy Commission (CEC), upon appropriation by the Legislature, to convene a group of agencies and stakeholders to develop a master plan for healthy, sustainable, and climate-resilient schools. WECA opposes requirements in the bill that mandate the plan includes “recommendations to ensure that local educational agencies have access to sufficient technical assistance, professional learning, training programs, and pipelines of sustainability and climate resilience personnel to implement decarbonization and adaptation plans that include high road labor standards, project labor agreements with unionized workforces…’ 

SB 830 (Smallwood-Cuevas - D), which overturns the Russ Will decision and makes the custom fabrication of sheet metal ducts or similar sheet metal products for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems produced offsite and solely and specifically designed and engineered for installation in a particular public works project subject to the payment of prevailing wages. WECA opposes and expects this will eventually be expanded to all material purchases.

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Arizona Has More Water Too many Valley residents have noticed water flowing in the normally dry Salt River as snow from this active winter continues to melt. As Arizona grapples with the Colorado River shortages and a drought that has persisted for decades, this winter has been a huge relief for SRP’s reservoir system, which provides water to about 2.5 million Valley residents. Because of the productive storms experienced this winter and the subsequent runoff, SRP reservoirs on the Verde and Salt Rivers have reached or will soon reach full capacity. Full reservoirs provide three years of water supply for SRP customers. Story

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Arias throws hat in the ring for Fresno Co. Supervisor seat: Fresno City Council member Miguel Arias turned a once-straightforward mentor-mentee fight on its head. Arias announced joining the race to oust two-term Fresno County Supervisor Sal Quintero. In the process, Arias will face off against one of his colleagues, Luis Chavez. Once an acolyte and chief of staff to Quintero, Chavez kicked off his candidacy earlier in the year with a call for a change of representation at Fresno County's Hall of Records. Arias, who routinely relishes a good battle on the dais at Fresno's City Hall, will likely bring a new dynamic to the campaign trail providing a sharper contrast between how the city and county of Fresno operate.

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Legislative Staff to Unionize? State lawmakers have agreed to include language protecting minority-party staffers in a bill that would eliminate a ban on collective bargaining in the Capitol, according to a Republican lawmaker pushing for the change. The announcement from Assemblymember Tom Lackey’s office came right before the Assembly Public Employment and Retirement Committee approved the closely-watched Assembly Bill 1 by Assembly Member Tina McKinnor, previously a legislative staffer at its first hearing. The effort to give legislative staffers the same right to unionize already granted to other state employees has run into roadblocks in recent years, stalled by opposition from some moderate Democrats. Support from even a handful of Republican lawmakers could give the hard-fought legislation an edge. Lackey’s office said this week that the Palmdale Republican wanted to see bill amendments requiring minority-party staffers to receive equal pay and be included in the same collective bargaining group as those from the majority party. That request stems from what Republican lawmakers say is longstanding unequal treatment for their staffers. “Republicans have been treated as second-class citizens within this institution for decades, with unequal pay for the same titles, inability to participate in certain legislative-sanctioned caucuses, and equal access to committee consultants,” said George Andrews, Lackey’s chief of staff in a Monday email.

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Palm Springs Democrat Christy Holstege has officially launched a challenge to Republican Greg Wallis in Assembly District 47 after losing the seat by just 85 votes last year.

New pics from our new Utah Apprenticeship program!

First year, first semester Commercial Electrical apprentices in the classroom and in the lab
















 

Online Education Manager and Instructor Galen and Lead Instructor Bill for WECA's GetWired Electrician Trainee Certificate Program take you through an up-close look at the program and its benefits.

This convenient, four-year, instructor-led, primarily-online program is the independent alternative to apprenticeship and also readies students to take the California General or Residential Electrician Certification exam.

More electrician trainees in California choose WECA's well-regarded program over any other school. See why:

WECA Summer Session (Jul - Sep 2023) now available online for enrollment for Electrician Trainees and Journey Worker Continuing Education

Announcement for WECA Electrician Trainees and Journey Worker Continuing Education Students: Our Summer 2023 (Jul - Sep) course catalog is now available on our website, and GetWired instructor-led classes always fill quickly. Be sure to enroll ASAP to get your spot!

View the Electrician Trainee course catalog

Jump to the Journey Worker continuing education course catalog

You can also enroll over the phone at (877) 444-9322, in person at our Rancho Cordova training facility, or by email at info@goweca.com.

Don't wait to secure your seat!





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And remember: there are now three different ways to take GetWired

Watch our explainer video and get all your questions answered:

 

Introducing the next self-paced online option for our GetWired Electrician Trainee Program series:

GetWired 202: Self-Paced Three-Phase Electrical Systems, Conductors and Overcurrent Protection, Grounding, Wiring Methods, Basic Trigonometry and Vectors

Take it on your own time, at your own pace!


 

WECA is excited to announce another way students can take GetWired 202, the sixth class in WECA's Path to an Electrician Trainee Program Certificate!

We've long offered GetWired 202 as an instructor-led online course with one hands-on lab on a Saturday. And we still do!

But for students who would prefer to take this course at their own pace, on their own time, we're now offering a fully self-paced online option, just like we've been offering for earlier courses in the GetWired series! Students who might prefer this format include:

• Students with job, childcare, or other obligations preventing them from taking the instructor-led scheduled courses in the evenings
• Students who would benefit from being able to review the material at a slower pace, such as students for whom English is a second language
• Students who just prefer to work on the coursework at times and places when it works best for them

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WECA's new GetWired 202 Self-Paced Option is an entirely online, self-paced alternative version of our GetWired 202 course, which expands on the concepts and skills built in earlier courses. Topics covered include:

• Conductors and overcurrent protection
• Types of three-phase transformers
• Three-phase transformer calculations and connections
• Grounding
• Wiring methods
• Basic trigonometry and vectors
• Sizing branch circuits – Part 1 – interactive lab

GetWired 202 Self-Paced includes project-based learning designed to help you develop the on-the-job skills you need to be an expert electrician. This course is loaded with interactive practice and an online, self-guided lab to ensure that skills covered in class can be applied on-the-job.

• Total class hours available: 36
• Standard Tuition Fee: $389

If all of this sounds like it would work for you,

enroll in GetWired 202 Self-Paced Online today!

Think you'd prefer being able to interact with an instructor and learn along with other students, on a schedule two evenings a week, including one onsite in-person lab on a Saturday?

Enroll in an upcoming instance of the original GetWired 202 here!

 

GetWired 101: Fundamentals of Electrical Theory and Introduction to the National Electrical Code is the first step on your journey to an Electrician Trainee Program Certificate from WECA

The alternate educational path to apprenticeship

Start your Electrician Trainee Program Certificate journey with GetWired 101: Fundamentals of Electrical Theory and Introduction to the National Electrical Code.

GetWired 101 is the first course in the path to an Electrician Trainee Program Certificate with WECA.

GetWired 101 is an entirely online course which introduces fundamental electrical laws and theory and explains how the National Electrical Code (NEC) governs the installations of electrical wiring and equipment. Core competencies include:

• Refresher on basic math skills applied to electrical calculations
• General information on electrical installations
• Introduction to hand and power tools used in the field
• Electrical symbols and receptacle outlets
• Atomic structure
• Electrical quantities and Ohm's Law
• Static electricity and magnetism
• Resistors
• Conductors
• Voltage drop and neutral sizing for services
• Wiring methods
• Switch control of lighting circuits, receptacle installation, bonding, and induction heating

Safety best practices are covered along with tips on study skills. In this course, math equations are applied to the safe and sound wiring and load choices for electrical installations, troubleshooting and maintenance. Theories are discussed and applied to on-the-job situations and tasks.

Total class hours available: 40

Standard tuition fee: $319

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Choose from two ways to take GetWired 101!
 

Want to take the course while guided by an instructor?

The next course instance starts May 1!

We've waived the late fees for you:

Enroll in the next instructor-led GetWired 101 here!
 

Prefer to take this class on your own time, at your own pace? 

?Enroll in GetWired 101 Self-Paced here!

 

 

April is Second Chance Month, highlighting opportunities to provide second chances to justice-involved individuals

Learn more about WECA's past and current contributions to helping justice-involved individuals secure employment in the electrical industry

The United States Department of Justice recently proclaimed April 2023 as “Second Chance Month.” Second Chance Month works to ‘provide second chances to individuals who are currently or previously were incarcerated by the federal justice system. Executive clemency is a powerful tool that can alleviate barriers to reentry, in securing steady employment, safe housing, quality health care, educational opportunities, the right to vote, and loans for a home or business.’

Over the years, WECA has helped provide avenues of reentry for justice-involved individuals in California through our electrical industry education. Christine Hall, WECA’s Director of Operations, was recently reminded of WECA’s contributions to the justice-involved community through an email she received from J. Joe Roman, a former vocational electrical instructor at Centinela State Prison in Imperial, California.

In 2008, Roman reached out to and worked with Christine and WECA to register incarcerated vocational electrical students at Centinela State Prison into WECA’s Electrician Trainee Program. This project – contingent upon an individual’s release date and successful completion of the Electrician Trainee Program – ensured that individuals were legally able to work in the electrical trade and effectively transition back into society and into the electrical field upon their release.

“I know that many of my ex-inmate students successfully did well after serving time and recidivism with your electrical program,” says Roman.

Christine says “It reminds me that we don’t always see the impact that our collective efforts at WECA have on individuals, or even the impacts that our individual efforts have. I continue to be proud of our team, which cares so much about our members and students, and which strives to always improve. What a great impact our collective efforts have had on countless lives.”

The work continues to this day.

Diane Trotter, WECA’s Workforce Development Supervisor in California has connected with various organizations that serve the justice-involved population through events she regularly attends. Meanwhile, in Arizona, Heath Anderson, WECA’s new Outreach and Workforce Development Specialist, hopes to leverage his previous work with a Phoenix-area workforce development department’s justice-involved job preparation program, and with a workforce developer for a Phoenix-based organization that focuses on long-term employment stability for previously incarcerated individuals, to extend opportunities in our Arizona program to those seeking to make a change.

WECA is gratified that our electrical industry training helps provide second chances to justice-involved individuals in the areas we serve. Though Second Chance Month is concluding soon, WECA looks forward to continuing to find opportunities to educate justice-involved individuals in our communities who are ready to turn their lives around. 

Apprentices -- your complimentary SmartDollar financial benefit has tools to help you reduce your financial stress; take advantage today




 

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SmartDollar can help you feel better about money. We'll show you how to crush your financial goals and kick money-related anxiety to the curb. Access your account here to get started.

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Not yet signed up for SmartDollar? No worries -- getting started is easy! Learn how below.

SmartDollar is a financial wellness benefit for WECA apprentices. We announced our partnership with the Dave Ramsey-founded online financial wellness platform in January, 2021 to provide our apprentices with a sound foundation in personal finance management. This benefit is available to all WECA apprentices free of charge. Not yet signed up for SmartDollar? No worries -- scroll to the bottom of this article for instructions!

What is SmartDollar? SmartDollar is a step-by-step approach to handling money with the number-one authority in personal finance, Dave Ramsey. More than 4.5 million people have started on Dave's plan and taken control of their money, and you can too! SmartDollar will equip you to get out of debt, on a budget, and on your way to a strong financial foundation.

The average person pays off $9,405 of debt and saves $6,127 in the first twelve months, and you can too!

"This program is powerful yet simple to understand. The Baby Steps make understanding how to win with money easy! Dave's lessons are fun, informative, and incredibly encouraging. It really doesn't feel like I'm taking a financial course. It's more like learning finances from a good friend...or a financially savvy stand-up comedian! The online tools are fantastic as well, and I love being able to 'ASK DAVE' any question and do my budget online. Love it all!" - Recent participant

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How does SmartDollar work? With so many ways to engage in SmartDollar activities and content, SmartDollar Points have been designed to encourage users to establish true behavior change. (Check out the graph below for a quick rundown). The greater the importance and required time of each activity, the greater the amount of points that can be earned. For example, each Core Lesson video completed is worth 250 points. Completing a shorter Deep Dive video is worth 50 points. Tracking a transaction in EveryDollar is only worth 20 points, but users are encouraged to track all their financial transactions with no points limitations. These example activities are key for building the confidence you need to reach your financial goals.

Taking advantage of your free financial wellness benefit, SmartDollar, is easy!

To set up your account after accessing your dashboard, click either of the links shown as highlighted in the screenshot to the right of this paragraph. You'll be taken to a page with a SmartDollar enrollment link, where you will be able to set up immediate access to this important benefit.

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Login to your GOWECA dashboard

 

Share your appreciation for WECA instructors by sharing your favorite memory or a message of gratitude

Teacher Appreciation Week is coming up on May 8 - 12, 2023! Share a favorite memory or message of appreciation for a WECA instructor, whether an Apprenticeship or GetWired instructor, who made a difference in your education. If we pick your submission to publicize during Teacher Appreciation Week, we'll send you a WECA hoodie!

Click here to share your favorite memory or message of appreciation for a chance to win a WECA hoodie!

New Member of CSLB Governor Newsom appointed Amanda Gallo (D – Oakland), management analyst in the Fremont City Manager's Office, to the Contractors State License Board. Salary: $100 per diem. She was a Senior Policy Analyst at the Santa Clara County Housing Authority from 2014 to 2018. Gallo is a member of the Municipal Management Association of Northern California, Emerge California, and the New Leaders Council in Oakland. She earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Santa Clara University and a Bachelor of Arts in Legal Studies from the University of California, Berkeley. This position requires Senate confirmation.
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Reappointed to California Apprenticeship Council: Mark Burri (D – Burlingame), business manager, Plumbers & Pipefitters Local Union 467 since 2016; Yvonne de la Pena (D – Elk Grove), executive director, California Firefighter Joint Apprenticeship Committee since 1990; Richard Harris (R – Villa Park), president, Residential Contractors Association since 1987; Sheri Learmonth (R – San Leandro), CEO, Bay Point Control Inc. since 2018; Louis Ontiveros (D – Riverside), director of training, Southwest Carpenters Training Trust since 2017; Jason Rafter (D – Nicolas), Ironworkers Apprenticeship Director for I.E.B.C. since 2021; Paul Von Berg (No party preference – Newport Beach), former executive vice president, Brutoco Engineering and Construction Inc. Salary: $100 per diem.
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Legislative Calendar:

·        April 10 – Legislature reconvenes

·        April 28 – Last day for policy committees to hear fiscal bills

·        May 5 – Last day for policy committees to hear non-fiscal bills

·        May 12 – Last day for policy committees to meet before June 5

·        May 19 – Last day for fiscal committees to hear and report to the floor bills introduced in their house

·        June 2 – Last day for each house to pass bills introduced in that house
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A couple of weeks ago, we discussed an effort in Arizona to embrace a type of third party. Well, the Arizona Democratic Party didn’t like the idea and Sued third-party No Labels and Arizona Sec. of State Fontes The Arizona Democratic Party filed a complaint against Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and newly recognized third-party No Labels. The Maricopa County Superior Court complaint challenged No Labels’ status as a political party, calling it a “dark money” group that wasn’t following requirements. “No Labels is not following the rules for political party recognition while attempting to be placed on the ballot alongside actual, functioning political parties who do,” Morgan Dick, executive director for the Democrats, said in a press release. Story
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Amazon's Consultant Fees Mirror Rise in Unionization Efforts As unions accelerate across disparate economic sectors — health care, logistics, retail, and education — during and after the Covid-19 pandemic, so too did Amazon's spending on labor consultants, reports the Puget Sound Business Journal. The Seattle-based tech giant doled out over $14.2 million in 2022 — about triple the prior year's number — to several consulting firms in "response to large-scale union organizing efforts," according to a company filing with the Department of Labor. Amazon previously told the PSBJ, "As a company, we don’t think unions are the best answer for our employees." It's a sentiment that CEO Andy Jassy has expressed publicly as well. While efforts by large companies to discourage labor organizing aren't uncommon, Amazon's hefty payments to consultants are. The company says they reflect the size of the petitions and elections it was facing. The filings indicate that firms were paid to talk to Alabama and New York employees.
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More Power California needs to add seven times more new energy to its grid each year than was estimated two years ago, according to a draft transmission plan recently published by the California Independent System Operator. The plan, updated annually, calls for adding 7 gigawatts of energy production every year through 2033 to keep pace with California’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2045, according to a CAISO blog post on the report. That’s up from a 2020 estimate of 1 GW per year, which was in line with what the state has been adding each year in new solar power, according to the California Energy Commission. The new estimate underscores the enormous challenges ahead as the state accelerates adding new renewable energy generation and transmission to the grid. CAISO listed 46 proposed generation and transmission projects it identified as best suited to meet the projected needs for a total expected cost of $9.3 billion.
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Gov. Hobbs on Track for Veto Record After Rejecting 4 Republican-Backed Bills Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed four more Republican-backed bills Monday, putting her on pace to smash the record for the number of legislative proposals rejected in a single year. Former Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano set the record 17 years ago with 58 vetoes while working with a Republican-controlled legislature. Hobbs has already killed 24 pieces of legislation since January, and this looks like it could just be the beginning. The governor started the session with a clear message to lawmakers: don’t send legislation based on agendas and conspiracies. Story
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According to the Wall Street Journal, Bob Bartlett’s favorite US Senator, Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), is preparing to run for reelection. You know who reads the Wall Street Journal? People who run hedge funds. You know who gives to Sinema? People who run hedge funds. Here’s what Rebecca Katz, a senior adviser to Rep. Ruben Gallego’s (D - AZ) Senate bid said: “Sinema’s the most unpopular statewide elected official in Arizona, and it’s not even close. She has no path to victory.” Sorry, I know several Arizona officials less popular!
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Right-To-Work Opponents Stake Out New Battleground: Abortion rights might have been the policy deemed the biggest maybe-winner after last week’s state Supreme Court election in Wisconsin. But the state’s now-liberal-leaning court — and the authority on redistricting that comes with it — could also soon cause right-to-work backers to break a sweat. “We want Wisconsin to be the next Michigan,” said Ryan Neibauer, political director at IBEW Local 494. The union’s PAC backed Justice-elect Janet Protasiewicz in the race. Michigan last month became the first state in decades to repeal a right-to-work law, laws that allow union-represented workers to opt against paying union dues as a condition of employment. The union victory came after an independent redistricting commission helped make it possible for Democrats to win unified control of the state’s legislature. Some union representatives say they’re looking for another W in Wisconsin. “To overturn the right-to-work law, the primary issue here is, elect someone who is going to take a fresh look at the gerrymandered maps,” said Richard Kolodziejski, a spokesperson for the North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters. The union funds the Wisconsin Carpenters PAC, which backed Protasiewicz. From across the issue: “Their political investments are paying off handsomely,” National Right to Work Committee President Mark Mix said of unions’ support for Protasiewicz in the race, which POLITICO previously reported attracted more spending than every state Supreme Court election in 2018 combined. (State Democrats backed Protasiewicz, while state Republicans backed her opponent.) Mix expressed some concern that wins for unions could come directly from the Wisconsin Supreme Court. But “ideally, it’s the maps,” Neibauer said. Other labor laws simmering: Wisconsin public employees have had their ability to collectively bargain limited under the former Gov. Scott Walker’s Act 10, and the state in the last decade repealed its prevailing wage law.
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Spending Against Su: The “Stand Against Su” coalition against the nomination of Julie Su as Labor Secretary has placed newspaper ads in Arizona, Maine, Montana, and West Virginia, the group announced Friday. The Arizona and Montana ads suggest Su will turn those states “into California,” referencing her time as California’s labor secretary as her opponents have repeatedly done in recent weeks. She heads into an anticipated Senate confirmation hearing on April 20. The group, which says it has spent “in the low six figures” opposing Su, has also bought billboards and “targeted digital content,” a press release said. NBC News previously reported resistance to Su’s nomination may come from moderate senators, including Joe Manchin (D -WV), Jon Tester (D - MT), and Kyrsten Sinema (I - AZ), who collectively represent three of the four states targeted.
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Readers love all the salacious tidbits we find every week, but sometimes we need to get back to why we all love Gavin Newsom and the California Legislature – so here goes.

Special Mention – PLA Mandate for all State Construction

AB 574 (Wahab - D) This State Building and Construction Trades Council-sponsored bill prohibits a state agency from undertaking a major construction project that will exceed $35 million, unless that project is governed by a project labor agreement (PLA), and that PLA includes a community benefit goal. While this bill takes influence from President Biden’s EO, this bill is both an expansion of that EO and, at the same time, fails to include several exceptions that are included in President Biden’s EO. The California Conference of Carpenters has submitted a letter of concern stating the following: “A mandated PLA requirement may unfairly exclude certain types of construction workers and restrict contractors from utilizing the most qualified workers to the detriment of the project, the state agency, and the construction workforce. What’s most desperately needed in the construction industry is greater enforcement of existing labor law.” The author’s office has indicated that the author will take amendments to exempt transportation, water, and housing projects from the bill. In addition to the State Building and Construction Trades Council, SB 574 is supported by the California State Association of Electrical Workers, the California State Pipe Trades Council, and the Western Council of Sheet Metal Workers. The Construction Employer’s Association, the Plumbing-Cooling Contractors Association of California, and the Western Electrical Contractors Association oppose it. The Construction Employer’s Association noted, “PLAs often conflict with subcontracting clauses due to jurisdictional disputes between various crafts, placing general contractors in the unenviable role of violating their CBAs. For example, a PLA may mandate using one craft, even though more than one craft can perform that work. By mandating PLAs, the state would have to choose winners and losers. It is one thing to facilitate the use of union signatory employers, which is something CEA would support, and something entirely different for the state to dictate what craft can perform what work on any given project.” The Western Electrical Contractors Association (WECA) and the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association of California (CAPHCC) “believe this mandate is discriminatory and increases the cost of construction. In addition, a study published in August by the Rand Corporation found that a bond measure passed by Los Angeles-area voters in 2016 failed to deliver its intended results, primarily because of a PLA.” The Senate Governmental Organization Committee will hear the bill on April 25. WECA Position: STRONG OPPOSE

Apprenticeship

SB 332 (Cortese - D) It would require the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) to evaluate the effectiveness of the requirement for schools to notify each apprenticeship program in the same county of a career or college fair. (Based on 03/28/2023 text) WECA Position: Support

Bonds

AB 247 (Muratsuchi - D) Would put the Kindergarten Through Community College Public Education Facilities Bond Act of 2024 as a state general obligation bond act providing an unspecified amount to construct and modernize education facilities. This bond act would become operative if approved by the voters in a 2024 statewide election. No PLA language in the bill (unlike SB 28). (Based on 04/03/2023 text) WECA Position: Support

Business Issues

SB 279 (Niello - R) This bill would require a state agency to provide a minimum 21-day public comment period to determine whether the proposed adoption, amendment, or repeal of a regulation would be a “major regulation” that requires a standardized regulatory impact analysis. (Based on 03/21/2023 text) WECA Position: Support

SB 394 (Gonzalez - D) Would require the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission to develop a Master Plan for Healthy, Sustainable, and Climate-Resilient Schools on or before November 1, 2024, if an appropriation is made for that purpose. The bill would require the commission to consult with specified state agencies and engage with diverse stakeholders and experts to develop the master plan, as provided. The bill would require the master plan to include specified elements, including, but not limited to, an inventory of the state’s public elementary and secondary school buildings and grounds and a set of priorities, benchmarks, and milestones for health, resilience, and decarbonization of public school campuses and support facilities. (Based on 03/13/2023 text) WECA Position: Oppose

CEQA

SB 393 (Glazer - D) This bill requires a CEQA plaintiff to disclose any contributions he or she has received of $1,000 or more to help fund the legal action. It also prevents a CEQA action from being filed against a housing project included in a larger plan or project already approved under CEQA. (Based on 04/10/2023 text) WECA Position: Support

SB 794 (Niello - R) This bill requires CEQA actions challenging a commercial, housing, or public works project that has at least $25 million invested in it to be resolved within 365 days of filing. It also requires a CEQA plaintiff to disclose any contributions he or she has received of $100 or more to help fund the legal action. (Based on 03/20/2023 text) WECA Position: Support

CTE

AB 377 (Muratsuchi - D) Requires the consolidation of specified K-12 career technical education (CTE) programs, increases ongoing funding for the Career Technical Education Incentive Grant program (CTEIG), administered by the California Department of Education (CDE), to $450 million per year; requires specified CTE staffing at the state and regional level to support local CTE programs and pathways; and deletes authorization for the K-12 Strong Workforce Program (SWP) administered by the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges (CCCCO). Also requires the CDE to establish a stakeholder workgroup to consider improvements to the CTEIG program. (Based on 03/01/2023 text) WECA Position: Support

Elections

AB 421 (Bryan - D) Progressive politicians and their allies, particularly labor unions, dislike business use of ballot measures to thwart their legislative gains. AB 421 will require unpaid volunteers to gather at least 10% of signatures on all referenda and initiatives seeking to repeal or amend recently enacted laws. Assembly Bill 421 also would require paid signature gatherers to undergo mandatory training, register with the state for the specific measures they are presenting to voters, wear badges, and use unique identification numbers that would allow their petitions to be traced back to them. It is a blatant attempt to disenfranchise Californians and help out partisan special interest backers. The bill would also change how referendum questions are presented on the ballot. Currently, a “yes” vote is to uphold the law, and a “no” vote is to repeal the law. (Based on 03/23/2023 text) WECA Position: Oppose

SB 858 (Niello - R) This bill would require the Legislative Analyst to replace the Attorney General in preparing a circulating title and summary of an initiative or referendum measure, which includes an estimate of the financial impact. This will only happen if the voters approve SCA 3 in the 2023-24 Regular Session. (Based on 03/20/2023 text) WECA Position: Support

Housing

AB 930 (Friedman - D) Would authorize the legislative bodies of 2 or more local governments, defined to include a city, county, special district, or transit agency, to jointly form a Reinvestment in Infrastructure for a Sustainable and Equitable California district (RISE district) by specified procedures. The bill would require the Office of Planning and Research (OPR) to develop standards for forming RISE districts by November 30, 2025. The bill would establish a governing board of a RISE district with representatives of each participating local government. (Based on 02/14/2023 text) WECA Position: Disfavor

AB 1169 (Wilson - D) Would require the Department of Housing and Community Development to administer a program to provide financing assistance for the creation of affordable rental housing for employees of a qualified school district, as defined. The bill would require financing of rental housing assistance to be in the form of specified types of loans. When making loans to qualified developers under these provisions, the bill would require the department to establish and use a project selection process that meets specified requirements. The bill would create the California School Employee Housing Assistance Fund in the State Treasury for these purposes. The bill would make the implementation of these provisions subject to appropriation by the Legislature. (Based on 03/02/2023 text) WECA Position: Oppose

SB 4 (Wiener - D) The bill would make projects on land owned by an independent institution of higher education or a religious institution "use by right" so that local governments can approve them as long as the development meets specific standards. This includes making sure the units are affordable and provide off-street parking. It also allows for ancillary uses on the ground floor. The bill would also give developers incentives and concessions. The bill would not require the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for ministerial approval of projects. (Based on 03/28/2023 text) WECA Position: Watch

SB 423 (Wiener - D) This bill eliminates the sunset on SB 35 (Wiener, Chapter 366, Statutes of 2017) and makes other changes. (Based on 03/28/2023 text) WECA Position: Watch

SB 584 (Limón - D) Would enact the Laborforce Housing Financing Act of 2023 and define “laborforce housing” as housing that, among other things, is owned and managed by specified entities solely for the benefit of residents and households unable to afford market rent, and whose residents enjoy certain protections. The bill would establish, in the State Treasury, the Laborforce Housing Fund to be continuously appropriated to the department for the creation of laborforce housing and other specified housing projects by public entities, local housing authorities, and mission-driven nonprofit housing providers. (Based on 03/21/2023 text) WECA Position: Oppose

Labor Law

SB 592 (Newman - D) This bill would prohibit the imposition of punishment or liability for costs upon a person who has relied upon a published opinion letter or an enforcement policy, as defined, of DLSE that is displayed on the internet website of the division, except for restitution of unpaid wages, for violations of statutes or regulations in judicial or administrative proceedings if the person pleads and proves specified facts. The bill would require a person asserting this defense to have acted in good faith, relied upon, and conformed to, the applicable opinion letter or enforcement policy, and provided true and correct information to the division, among other things. (Based on 02/15/2023 text) WECA Position: Support

Licensure

AB 1383 (Ortega - D) This bill would require the CSLB to adopt regulations by January 1, 2025, that prevent people not complying with a child support order or judgment from getting a license. Furthermore, the bill requires licensees to notify the board's registrar in writing if they have an earnings assignment order for child support. Failure to do so after 120 days would result in the automatic suspension of the license. The regulations would also provide procedures for suspending the license if the licensee is out of compliance with an order of support requiring them to pay unsatisfied arrearages. (Based on 02/17/2023 text) WECA Position: Watch

SB 601 (McGuire - D) This bill would require that a home improvement contract by a prime contractor for the reconstruction, restoration, or rebuilding of a residential property that was damaged or destroyed by a natural disaster, as specified, include a specified provision requiring the prime contractor to file separate performance and payment bonds that meet prescribed criteria. (Based on 03/22/2023 text) WECA Position: Watch

SB 630 (Dodd - D) This bill would require an applicant, registrant, or licensee with a valid email address to provide the CSLB with that email address at the time of application or renewal. (Based on 02/16/2023 text) WECA Position: Watch

SB 802 (Roth - D) This bill permits the CSLB to deny a license if the applicant or licensee has been subject to formal discipline or convicted of a crime related to their job or profession. (Based on 02/17/2023 text) WECA Position: Support

Practice

SB 778 (Ochoa Bogh - R) This bill, among other changes, would revise the definition of “subsurface installation” to include non-pressurized sewer lines, non-pressurized storm drains, and other non-pressurized drain lines. The bill would revise requirements for notifying operators of subsurface installations within a proposed excavation area, specify conditions under which an excavator is required to contact the regional notification to request a return trip, and revise requirements for an excavator to use vacuum equipment. Then inaccurate field mark. (Based on 02/17/2023 text) WECA Position: Further Study

Public Works

AB 587 (Rivas, Robert - D) Requires any copy of records made available for inspection by, or furnished to, a multiemployer Taft-Hartley trust fund or joint-labor management committee, to be on forms provided by the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE) or have the same information as the forms provided by DLSE. Additionally, this bill clarifies that electronic certified payroll records cannot be used to satisfy payroll record requests made by Taft-Hartley trust funds and joint labor-management committees. (Based on 02/09/2023 text) WECA Position: Watch

AB 1121 (Haney - D) This bill would require awarding authorities to add the names of any contractors suspended or debarred to DIR’s electronic project registration database. (Based on 03/20/2023 text) WECA Position: Support

AB 1204 (Holden - D) In short, this bill forbids a contractor from contracting with two or more subcontractors with the same license classification unless they accredit those subcontractors with individuals in that license classification. Violations of this bill are subject to disciplinary action by the Board. (Based on 02/16/2023 text) WECA Position: Watch

SB 830 (Smallwood-Cuevas - D) This bill would expand the definition of “public works” to include an offsite, custom fabrication of sheet metal ducts or similar sheet metal products for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems produced as a nonstandard item solely and specifically designed and engineered for installation in a project. (Based on 03/27/2023 text) WECA Position: Oppose

Workers Comp

AB 336 (Cervantes - D) This Iron Workers-sponsored bill would require a contractor who has on file with the CSLB, a current and valid Certificate of Workers’ Compensation Insurance or Certification of Self-Insurance or is required to provide those certificates to certify on the license renewal form the workers’ compensation classification codes endorsed on the licensee’s policy, as specified, and would prohibit renewal without that certification. This bill's author, sponsor, and supporters contend that unscrupulous contractors do not purchase the appropriate workers' compensation policies for their work. To curb that unlawful practice, this bill would require CSLB to collect a licensee’s workers’ compensation insurance classification codes at the time of license renewal. Although workers’ compensation insurance is a condition for licensure for those contractors who have employees—and soon to be all contractors regardless of the number of employees—CSLB is not responsible for enforcing the state’s labor laws and therefore does not verify that contractors have an appropriate workers’ compensation insurance policy for the work that their employees do. Consequently, this bill is unlikely to affect enforcement. Any reduction in insurance fraud will likely be contingent upon any deterrent effect created by this bill. Although this bill would make licensees’ workers’ compensation insurance classification codes available to consumers by posting them online, this additional information is not likely to be helpful to the average consumer with limited knowledge of the construction industry, workers’ compensation insurance, or industry-specific classification codes. (Based on 03/23/2023 text) WECA Position: Watch

 

 

 

 

WATCH: Fun times at the WECEF Crab Feed Fundraiser and installation of the WECA 2023 Boards of Directors and Trustees:











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The 2023 Claws for a Cause Crab Feed and Fundraiser -- held on Friday, March 10 at WECA's California headquarters in Rancho Cordova -- was crab-solutely amazing!

The annual crab feed, which supports education and careers in the electrical and low voltage trades, had a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it was wonderful to be able to safely host it once again and help WECEF create more opportunities for student scholarships, materials, and improvements to WECA labs, classrooms, and the electrical industry with the help of our member contractors and sponsors.

"Everyone enjoyed the event," says Terry Seabury, WECA's Executive Director and CEO. "It was fun to have our instructors act as the evening's waiters, and to have them get to meet or get re-acquainted with our Board and Trustee members."

Attendees ate delicious Dungeness crab entrees and sides and enjoyed festive libations courtesy of Rudy's Hideaway, a well-known local seafood and steak restaurant, mingled with industry peers, and witnessed the installation of the 2023 WECA Board of Directors, Apprenticeship Training Trust Board of Trustees, and Health and Welfare and Pension Board of Trustees.

"We had about 100 attendees," says Leanne Sipes, WECA's Senior Accountant. "The contractors and industry partners and supporters are always great with their sponsorships and participation in the raffle and silent auction. We were happy to have Hunt Electric, our founding Utah member contractor, come out and sponsor for the first time, too."

King Crab Sponsors

Rex Moore Group

Contractors Electrical Distributors

Butterfield Electric

Hunt Electric

Bergelectric

H&D Electric

Vasko Electric

Snow Crab Sponsors

Royal Electric Company

Imperial Electric Service

Helix Electric

TDR Enterprise

Blue Crab Sponsors

Platt Electric Supply

K S Telecom

Bosley Electric

Pacific Advocacy Group

Thank you, everyone, for making the 2023 Claws for a Cause Crab Feed and Fundraiser a successful evening! The continuing participation, enthusiasm and generosity of our member contractors and sponsors is amazing to behold -- without them, WECEF's mission would not be possible. Here's to a wonderful rest of the school year and coming school year, and we look forward to shella-brating with everyone again next year!

WECA was pleased to host Fresno City Councilmember Mike Karbassi and BizFed Central Valley for a tour of WECA's Fresno training facility on March 24.

Rex Hime, WECA's Regional Relationship Manager for Fresno and the Central Valley, and George Leach, Fresno's Lead Electrician Apprenticeship instructor, gave Councilmember Karbassi and BizFed Central Valley a live, behind-the-scenes look of first year, first semester Commercial Electrical Apprentices in action as they completed a hands-on lab.

"Walking Councilmember Karbassi and BizFed Central Valley through WECA's Fresno training facility -- and talking with instructor George Leach about pathways and benefits for our apprentices and trainees -- showed the critical role in workforce development going on in WECA's programs," says Rex. "As local and state politics play more of a role in opportunities for our contractors and their employees to work, education on our programs and philosophies are becoming increasingly important with every passing day."

Thank you, Councilmember Karbassi and BizFed Central Valley, for visiting WECA's Fresno training facility! Your support helps strengthen workforce development opportunities for WECA's member contractors and their employees in the Central Valley and beyond!

WECA's Apprenticeship outreach team has been busy this spring!

On March 20, the Apprenticeship outreach team hosted students from the Sacramento Academic and Vocational Academy at our California headquarters in Rancho Cordova. After a talk and a tour of the facilities, Low Voltage Apprenticeship instructor Randy Rivera did a hands-on activity with students in the low voltage lab.

On March 21, the team spoke with a senior class at River City High School's Electronic Engineering and Science Academy in West Sacramento.

Then, the team attended Marysville High School's College and Career Fair in Marysville, followed up by Lincoln High School's College and Career Fair in Lincoln with WECA member contractors K S Telecom and Mark III.

And that's not all--they have an incredibly busy April in store, so watch this space for more news on their Spring 2023 outreach efforts.

Thank you to our Apprenticeship outreach team for the awesome work they do to inspire students to pursue careers in the electrical and low voltage industries, and to choose WECA and its member contractors for their education and on-the-job learning journeys!

WECA Member Contractors in the Sacramento region: SMUD is looking for C-10 electricians to join the SMUD Contractor Network

Learn more and determine your eligibility below


 

Content courtesy of SMUD

What is the SMUD Contractor Network?

The network connects homeowners and businesses with qualified contractors like you to install new equipment and who can apply for a SMUD rebate on their behalf.

While active, your business will be listed on our public directory here, where customers search for contractors by several criteria. The results include a one-click email tool for direct communication with the contractor. These are free qualified leads!

The SMUD Contractor Network is offered at no cost to eligible contractors and the online directory is free and open to the public.

Rebates available*

Residential - EV chargers, power-sharing devices, EV circuits and panel upgrades

Commercial - EV chargers, panel upgrade support, LED lighting and refrigeration

*Rebates are only for SMUD customers residing within SMUD's service territory.

If your office is located outside of SMUD service territory but within 40 miles of SMUD headquarters for residential contractors or within 100 miles for commercial contractors, you can still join the SMUD Contractor Network and offer rebates to SMUD customers.

Enroll to become a participating contractor

Create an account here. Once your enrollment is approved, you'll have access to monthly webinars and newsletters which provide current program info, technical training, and best practices. You'll also receive onboarding training to ensure you have everything you need to be successful in our programs.

Questions?

Please contact contractorsupport@efficiencyfirstca.org or call (916) 209-5117. You can also reach the SMUD Contractor Network program manager by emailing Courtney.Brune@smud.org or calling (916) 732-5085.

*Full requirements and guidelines are outlined in the SMUD Contractor Handbooks. Contractors are responsible for knowing all requirements, current program rules and advising customers appropriately before offering rebates.

Introducing the next self-paced online option for our GetWired Electrician Trainee Program series:

GetWired 202: Self-Paced Three-Phase Electrical Systems, Conductors and Overcurrent Protection, Grounding, Wiring Methods, Basic Trigonometry and Vectors

Your employees can take it on their own time, at their own pace!

WECA is excited to announce another way students can take GetWired 202, the sixth class in WECA's Path to an Electrician Trainee Program Certificate!

We've long offered GetWired 202 as an instructor-led online course with one hands-on lab on a Saturday. And we still do!

But for students who would prefer to take this course at their own pace, on their own time, we're now offering a fully self-paced online option, just like we've been offering for earlier courses in the GetWired series! Students who might prefer this format include:

• Students with job, childcare, or other obligations preventing them from taking the instructor-led scheduled courses in the evenings
• Students who would benefit from being able to review the material at a slower pace, such as students for whom English is a second language
• Students who just prefer to work on the coursework at times and places when it works best for them

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WECA's new GetWired 202 Self-Paced Option is an entirely online, self-paced alternative version of our GetWired 202 course, which expands on the concepts and skills built in earlier courses. Topics covered include:

• Conductors and overcurrent protection
• Types of three-phase transformers
• Three-phase transformer calculations and connections
• Grounding
• Wiring methods
• Basic trigonometry and vectors
• Sizing branch circuits – Part 1 – interactive lab

GetWired 202 Self-Paced includes project-based learning designed to help your employees develop the on-the-job skills they need to be an expert electrician. This course is loaded with interactive practice and an online, self-guided lab to ensure that skills covered in class can be applied on-the-job.

• Total class hours available: 36
• Standard Tuition Fee: $389

If all of this sounds like it would work for your employees, encourage them to enroll in GetWired 202 Self-Paced Online today!

Now available for your employees to enroll: WECA's Session 3 catalog (Jul - Sep 2023) for Electrician Trainees and Journeyperson Continuing Education

WECA's Summer 2023 (Jul - Sep) course catalog is now available on our website for your Electrician Trainee and Journeyperson Continuing Education employees' enrollment! GetWired instructor-led classes always fill quickly, so be sure to encourage your employees to enroll ASAP to get their spot!

Encourage your Electrician Trainee employees to view their options and enroll here.

Encourage your Journeyperson employees to view their options and enroll here.

Employees can also enroll over the phone at (877) 444-9322, in person at our California HQ in Rancho Cordova, or by email at info@goweca.com.

Reap the benefits of your Mineral human resources platform WECA member benefit; RSVP today for your exclusive Mineral (formerly ThinkHR) platform walk-through session on Apr. 19

Not using Mineral yet? Enroll today for your complimentary access (a WECA member benefit) and then register for your WECA-exclusive platform walk-through session on Apr. 19

For existing users:

You've previously signed up for access to the Mineral HR Resources platform (formerly ThinkHR), a WECA member benefit. Mineral will be hosting a special platform walk-through session for WECA Member Contractors on Wednesday, April 19 at 9 AM PDT/12 PM EDT, where they will provide a detailed overview of the resources to which you have access as an administrative user in Mineral.

Mineral is a premium Human Resources platform that combines the best in live advisor expertise with innovative technology and comprehensive and instructional content to help organizations address all potential Human Resources related people risks, including guidance on preparing for and managing those risks. WECA is providing access to this premium resource for you as their valued member contractor.

Please register for Introduction to Mineral -- a Walk-Through for WECA Member Contractors on April 19, 2023 at 9 AM PDT here.

In this session, we will cover:

• General Mineral platform layout
• How to consult your Mineral HR experts
• How to easily create your Employee Handbook that's never out-of-date
• How to assign training to your employees from a catalog of hundreds of interactive courses
• How to navigate a multitude of HR compliance resources, tools, and templates

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. You will also receive reminder emails the day prior and one hour prior to the start of this session.

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For WECA Members considering signing up for their complimentary Mineral HR Platform benefit:

Mineral (formerly ThinkHR) is a premium Human Resources platform that combines the best in live advisor expertise with innovative technology and comprehensive and instructional content to help organizations address all potential Human Resources related people risks, including guidance on preparing for and managing these risks. WECA provides access to this premium resource for you as our valued member contractor.

Mineral's value proposition and benefits: an overview

Comprehensive Overview

Premium Solutions

Industry Value Report - Construction

What's New in Mineral

35 Critical HR Processes

You're eligible for access to the Mineral HR Resources platform (formerly ThinkHR) as a WECA member benefit. If you have not yet enrolled for access, please do so here.

Mineral will be hosting a special platform walk-through session for WECA Member Contractors on Wednesday, April 19 at 9 AM PDT/12 PM EDT, where they will provide a detailed overview of the resources to which you will have access as an administrative user once you've enrolled.

Next, Please register for "Introduction to Mineral -- a Walk-Through for WECA Member Contractors" on April 19, 2023 at 9 AM PDT here.

In this session, Mineral will cover:

• General Mineral platform layout
• How to consult your Mineral HR experts
• How to easily create your Employee Handbook that's never out-of-date
• How to assign training to your employees from a catalog of hundreds of interactive courses
• How to navigate a multitude of HR compliance resources, tools, and templates
• Plus much more!

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. You will also receive reminder emails the day prior and one hour prior to the start of this session.

* Cal/OSHA Guidance on Requirements to Protect Workers from Coronavirus
* Supplemental Toolbox Talks COVID-19
* Coronavirus Toolbox Talk
* Fact Sheet for Pandemics
* Coronavirus - Workplace, School and Home Guidance
* COVID-19 Tool Cleaning Protocols
* United States Department of Labor: COVID-19
* CDC COVID-19 Risk Assessment Flowchart
* EDD Coronavirus Resources for WECA Community

These, and more, are always available on WECA's COVID-19 Advisory Page.

Construction Employment Increases in 45 States Construction employment increased in 45 states in February compared with a year ago, according to an analysis of federal employment data by the Associated General Contractors of America. Texas saw the largest number of jobs added, increasing by 37,900, or 5 percent, from February 2022 to February 2023. Utah grew 7.3 percent (9,400). West Virginia saw the largest drop, losing 2,200 jobs, or 6.5 percent, over that period. From January to February, construction employment increased in 24 states, held steady in six, and declined in 20, and Washington, D.C. “Unfavorable weather may have held back construction in many states last month compared to January,” said Ken Simonson, the AGC chief economist. “But construction employment continued to expand almost everywhere in February compared to a year ago, despite a slump in homebuilding.” For the month, construction employment increased in 24 states, held steady in six states, and declined in 20 states and D.C. California added the most jobs over the month (7,600 jobs, 0.8 percent), followed by Texas (2,600 jobs, 0.3 percent), New Jersey (4,000 jobs, 2.5 percent) and Minnesota (2,200 jobs, 1.7 percent). The largest percentage gain occurred in Minnesota and Rhode Island (1.7 percent, 400 jobs), followed by North Dakota (1.5 percent, 400 jobs) and Mississippi (1.5 percent, 700 jobs). Story

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California Seeks to Ban Criminal Background Checks for Most Private Sector Employers Existing California law regulates inquiries into and using criminal history information in hiring and personnel decisions. Existing California law also substantially impedes the ability of employers (and background check companies) to obtain such information from public records. However, the existing restrictions pale compared to draconian restrictions proposed earlier this year. On February 17, 2023, two state senators introduced Senate Bill 809 (SB 809) to replace one of California's primary laws with the “Fair Chance Act of 2023.”¹ SB 809 is currently pending review by the Senate Judiciary Committee and contains eight sections, the primary ones summarized below. Because the bill seeks outright to ban criminal background checks by most private sector employers, employers should monitor the progress of this bill in Sacramento. Story

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From Our Friends at CFEC Here are the latest PLA threats in Sandy Ego that you should be fighting:

·        City of La Mesa - all work

·        Oceanside USD - $160 million Measure W school bond

·        La Mesa-Spring Valley School District - $136 million Measure V school bond

Please let CFEC know if you are interested in helping fight one or all of these PLAs!

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Utah Enacts Laws Allowing Employers to Obtain Workplace Violence Protective Orders and Restricting Use of Vaccination or Immunity Status in Employment Decisions Utah Governor Spencer J. Cox signed H.B. 324 into law amending Utah’s protective order statute to allow employers to petition for and obtain workplace violence protective orders against an individual who has engaged in or threatened potential workplace violence. The law will become effective on July 1, 2023. He also signed H.B. 131, which prohibits employers, government entities, and places of public accommodation from using an individual’s immunity status as a restriction. The law goes into effect on May 3, 2023.

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Wyoming Passes Fair and Open Competition Act for Construction SF 147 – The Fair and Open Competition Act – was passed by the Wyoming legislature and signed by Gov. Mark Gordon. SF 147 protects Wyoming taxpayers by ensuring that all of the state’s skilled construction workforce can compete on a level playing field for contracts to build state, state-assisted and local public works projects. Once in effect on July 1, Wyoming will be the 25th state with an active policy restricting the use of government-mandated project labor agreements. Story

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And because there is always bad with the good: Michigan Governor Repeals Right-to-Work Law, Reinstates Prevailing Wage Rules Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed into law S.B. 34 and H.B. 4007, which respectively repeal the state’s right-to-work protections and reinstates prevailing wage requirements for public construction projects. The actions reward labor unions’ substantial financial and political contributions to Michigan Democrats’ unified state governmental control and garnered significant opposition from ABC of Michigan, the wider business community, and Republican lawmakers. Michigan enacted right-to-work laws in 2013, and state Democrats have long sought restoration of organized labor’s power to compel dues payments from nonunion workers despite the fact that Michigan voters’ overwhelming opposition to a constitutional amendment advanced for that purpose by the United Auto Workers beginning in 2012. Story

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Last Year’s Labor Fights Are Back in Sacramento Two hotly contested housing bills by Sen. Scott Wiener got their first hearings, revisiting familiar arguments about labor provisions and the urgent need to construct affordable housing in California. At issue are provisions that the State Building and Construction Trades Council (BTC) insists upon, particularly the requirement that trained and skilled workers (S&TWF) build new housing projects. The group has torpedoed housing legislation without S&TWF, but lawmakers reached a rare deal involving a dual-bill solution last year. Senate Bill 423 by Wiener would make permanent a 2017 law meant to cut through red tape around construction projects in cities and counties that aren’t meeting state housing plan requirements. But it would do so without the “trained and skilled” requirement for workers. Instead, it would require employees to be paid a prevailing wage based on their field and location, in addition to requiring health care on larger projects. That has the resounding support of the carpenters’ unions and various YIMBY groups, who say the prevailing wage and health care requirements are preferable to strict labor rules that can slow down much-needed construction. But the BTC says it will hurt workers and create unsafe structures. “We oppose this as a matter of principle,” said Sara Flocks, the California Labor Federation's legislative and strategic campaigns director, standing with the BTC in opposition. “It is unacceptable to strip labor protections and labor standards from any worker in California.” Similar arguments were at the heart of Wiener’s other bill, Senate Bill 4, which would streamline housing construction on property owned by religious organizations and institutions of higher education. Both bills passed the Senate housing committee, but much remains to be settled. Many members, including the author, expressed a desire for compromise. But Wiener expressed frustration at the opponents’ reluctance to negotiate, saying, “It takes two to tango.” Sen. Anna Caballero was among those who said she wanted to see the disagreement resolved. “I want to hope that there’s a sweet spot where we can get to ‘yes,’” she said. “I don’t want to kill housing bills because we can’t agree.”

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Arizona lawmakers are considering a bill to reduce taxes for startup businesses. On March 14, the Arizona Senate voted to pass bill SB1559 to reduce taxes for startups and new businesses with an attenuated tax reduction over the course of the first three years in operation, starting with full exemption in the first year, 50 percent in the second year and 25 percent in the third year. Story

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Tackling Salt Lake City’s Affordable Housing Crisis with Empathy and Accountability What’s in a name? Until last year, Tony Milner was director of Salt Lake City’s Housing and Neighborhood Development Division. Now it’s the Department of Housing Stability. Milner said that the city changed the name to signal that affordable and available housing “is the generational challenge” that Salt Lake City and most U.S. cities are facing. Story

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Utah Governor Signs Bill Adopting New State Flag, Veto Referendum Filed Against It Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) signed Senate Bill 31 (SB 31), establishing a new state flag, on March 21. The new flag below will become official on March 9, 2024. The current state flag, adopted on March 9, 1911, and shown below, will be called the historic state flag.



Proposed new Utah state flag



Current Utah state flag

Voters, however, might have the chance to weigh in. On March 6, after the Legislature approved SB 31, a campaign called the 2023 Utah Flag Referendum filed a veto referendum against the bill. The campaign has until April 12 to gather 134,298 valid signatures. If successful, SB 31 will be put on hold until voters decide whether to adopt the new flag on Nov. 5, 2024. This would be the fifth veto referendum in Utah’s state history. Two veto referendums appeared on the ballot in 1954, one in 1975, and one in 2007. In all cases, voters repealed the targeted law. Utah is the latest state to attempt a flag redesign. In 2020, Mississippi voters approved a statewide measure adopting a new state flag with 73 percent of the vote.

The five states that redesigned their flags before Mississippi are:

• Louisiana - 2006
• Georgia - 2003
• South Dakota - 1992
• Nevada - 1991
• Florida - 1985

Click this link to see each state’s current flag:

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California may have a budget deficit, but a plan to repay Black residents for generations of discrimination could cost $800 billion, economists have told the panel considering the payments. Story

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Author (Wife of former Legislator/Supervisor) of Plagiarized Book Will Keep $1 Million in Tax Dollars from Santa Clara County Despite discovering that she plagiarized much of her writing, Jean McCorquodale will keep the $1 million given to her by Santa Clara County to write a book about the county’s history, the San Jose Mercury News reported on March 13. McCorquodale, a former county employee and the wife of former Santa Clara County Supervisor and state Senator Dan McCorquodale, was awarded a no-bid contract in 2018 to write a history of the county. The county said she was selected because of her “unique and unparalleled knowledge of the county’s history and leadership,” the Mercury News stated. After McCorquodale turned in her 580-page manuscript – two years after her deadline – the Mercury News studied the writing. It determined that approximately 20 percent was copied nearly word-for-word from Wikipedia and other sources. The history project has been scrapped, but the $1 million payment will not be returned. County Counsel James Williams told the Mercury News that the only option for the county would be to file a contract dispute that could cost the county more than $1 million. McCorquodale was a grant writer for the county. Since 2009, the county has paid her company more than $2.5 million.

Video: Hear from women currently in our program as well as successful grads



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Women in Construction Week 2023 Spotlights

Laura Martinez, Commercial Electrical Apprentice


 

“Being an electrician has impacted my life greatly,” says Laura Martinez, a fifth year, second semester Commercial Electrical Apprentice. “I make more money than any other job I have held in the past; I feel very independent; my self-esteem is better than ever; my loved ones feel very proud of me, and my daughters see me as a role model.”

Before joining WECA, Laura was a single mom who struggled a lot because she didn’t make enough money to make ends meet. Since she had an interest in the wiring process and wanted to work with her hands, Laura extensively researched various trades before deciding to become an electrician.

Laura initially applied to many different programs and passed the testing and interview processes with those programs but kept getting turned away due to her lack of work experience in the trades. After two years of waiting for an opportunity, she cried with joy and happiness when she was accepted into WECA’s Commercial Electrical Apprenticeship Program.

“WECA is an amazing program where I feel taken care of,” says Laura. “WECA and my employers (Laura is currently with Helix Electric) have helped me succeed. Every semester I learn a lot of material that I then apply to the field, and I love that the program offers on-the-job training in addition to classroom instruction. The courses help me perform well in the field, and my employers make sure that I work in all stages of the process so that I can become a well-rounded electrician.”

Laura says that more women are needed in not only the electrical industry, but the trades as a whole.

“Sadly, as a society, we believe that certain jobs can only be performed by men. Before becoming an electrician, I didn’t believe in myself like I do now, and I know there are a lot of women hungry to succeed in life but doubting themselves.”

According to Laura, working as an electrician is dynamic, intellectually stimulating, and personally rewarding.

“The electrical trade is one where one never stops learning,” says Laura. “No one day is the same as the other because there are always challenges, lots of critical thinking, and solutions to be found. I also enjoy that I can bring out different skills at different stages. For example, I didn’t know that I was strong enough to dig the whole day during the underground stage, and it’s interesting to find pathways for piping and wiring during this stage.”

Additionally, Laura says there’s numerous advantages to apprenticing with WECA’s apprenticeship programs versus pursuing a traditional two or four-year college education.

“The advantages of my apprenticeship with WECA are that I don’t have to pay out of pocket for my education, there are college credits [through the National College Credit Recommendation Service] if I decide to continue my education after WECA, the health coverage, and the fact that I can take two weeks off [of on-the-job training to complete the daytime in-classroom portion of the apprenticeship program] without sacrificing time with my family. Plus, with WECA’s apprenticeship, there’s the advantage of getting an education while working and getting hands-on experience,” says Laura.

Laura, we’re glad to have a driven achiever like yourself as part of the WECA family! It’s our pleasure to help you craft a marketable and lucrative electrical career and propel you into the future echelon of premier women electricians in California!

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Brooke Owens, Electrician Trainee



Sometimes, our true callings are found in unexpected moments. That was the case for Electrician Trainee Brooke Owens, whose interest in becoming an electrician began when she and her grandpa built a tree fort during her childhood.

“The electrical part struck a strong passion for electricity,” says Brooke.

As an adult, that passion for electricity has intensified and shaped her life in many ways.

“Being an electrician has completely changed my life. When you wake up and enjoy what you’re doing, it isn’t work, but a passion,” Brooke expounds. “Being an electrician has taught me so much – like how to be a great leader, teacher, and mentor. The best part of being an electrician is starting a job and seeing it through all the processes from beginning to end. We [electricians] get to say, I built that building and gave it light. I also love the flow state – that’s where the magic happens.”

As a woman electrician, Brooke says that “It’s awesome being a woman in a male-dominated industry because as women, we hold our own and have strong willpower. I enjoy being underestimated. More women should become electricians because we should prove that this industry isn’t just a man’s job. It’s our time to shine and hold it down. It’s truly empowering to see another woman on the job, so you are not alone.”

Brooke's passion for her chosen profession is inspiring, and WECA is proud to play a part in her success.

“WECA has been so helpful for learning and getting ready for the journeyperson test. The instructors are so inspiring and helpful. It makes it easier when you and your instructor share the same passion for the trade and want to learn and grow,” says Brooke. “The advantages I have with WECA’s Electrician Trainee Program for me is definitely the classes, and the hands-on labs are great. You get great knowledge from the classes and experience in the labs. It’s a win-win experience. The great perks of the program versus a regular college education is that you get to do school after you learn hands-on stuff on the jobsite, learning as you go. Without WECA and Bergelectric [my employer], I wouldn’t be growing into this successful electrician that I’m becoming.”

In closing, Brooke says “Thank you for this opportunity to share my experience with WECA and readers. It’s truly an honor to be part of this empowering movement. I’d like to congratulate all the women in the trade and those who are part of WECA. Girl power all the way!” 

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Victoria Carrillo, Electrician Trainee



For WECA Electrician Trainee Victoria Carrillo, her family strongly influenced her decision to become an electrician and her perspective on the electrical industry.

“My dad is an electrician, and my maternal grandfather was an electrician,” says Victoria. “They inspired my interest in the electrical field, and to be hard-working. Being an electrician has changed my life so much by helping me learn to be stronger, have more patience and overall determination, and has helped me become a better mom, friend, and example for all my siblings.”

Before enrolling in WECA’s Electrician Trainee Program, Victoria tried to become an electrician through a traditional college education, but found it difficult to succeed in that environment as a mom and full-time apprentice.

“As a mom, the ability to have class online [through WECA’s Electrician Trainee Program] is a huge advantage for me, and the late class times offered are exactly what I need to be able to manage work and school at the same time. The program offers self-paced classes twice a week with occasional hands-on labs on Saturdays and has incredible instructors who have worked in the field themselves who understand what they teach through experience. The instructors make it very easy to ask questions and learn without feeling rushed or embarrassed. And, I’ve run into wiring problems or conduit fill issues [on-the-job] that I would not have known what to do about without my knowledge from my WECA instructors. The program is so convenient and makes going to school a lot less stressful in comparison to other options I tried,” says Victoria.

As a woman electrician, Victoria says that she quickly learned that in the electrical industry, your gender doesn’t matter – but your determination to work hard does.

“Women are strong, smart, and have a strong nature within themselves to get things done,” says Victoria. “The electrical field would benefit from more women because of that. There are so many women out there with a talent for wiring and construction that don’t even know it yet.”

Great sentiments, Victoria! We’re happy to hear that WECA’s Electrician Trainee Program helps you pursue your electrical industry education and career while maintaining your family responsibilities, and hope that your insight inspires more women to join the growing ranks of premier women electricians in California!

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WECA's Outreach Team Held Special, Woman-Focused Events for WIC Week 2023

WECA hosted a Women in Construction Week 2023 Outreach Event on Monday, March 6 at our California headquarters in Rancho Cordova.

We were pleased to have a sizable number of women come to learn more about WECA and our Apprenticeship and Electrician Trainee programs.

During the event, Workforce Development Supervisor Diane Trotter and Assistant Director of Apprenticeship Wendy Flanagan gave attendees a tour of classrooms and labs in session, informed attendees about WECA's Apprenticeship and Electrician Trainee program options through a live presentation, shared informative videos, and hosted a riveting Q&A session.

They also held an online forum and get-together for women already enrolled in WECA's apprenticeship and electrician trainee certificate programs, and were gratified to hear positive feedback regarding the quality of WECA's electrical training programs.

"The level of education I get from WECA is so much better than what I got elsewhere," one attendee shared. "I feel like my instructor really cares about what they are teaching, how it is delivered, and about me as a student. I wanted to pass it along, so you can share with your team. Thank you for being amazing!"

Thank you for coming, everyone! We had a blast celebrating Women in Construction Week 2023 with you and are honored to have you as part of the current and future female electrical workforce!

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WECA staff got into the spirit of Women in Construction Week 2023! Pictured are staff at our California HQ in Rancho Cordova (first two pictures) and Rex Hime, the Regional Relationship Manager for Fresno (last picture) at our Fresno training facility. Thank you for helping us celebrate women in construction, everyone! 







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Want to join the growing cohort of women in the electrical industry who help power their communities?

Learn more about and apply for WECA's apprenticeship programs in California, Arizona, and Utah here!

Learn more about and enroll in WECA's Electrician Trainee program here!

 

Watch our behind-the-scenes video

Stay tuned for news on an upcoming fair in San Diego


 

WECA held our first "Jump Start Your Career" fair at our Fresno training facility (which serves Fresno and the greater Central Valley region) on February 22nd.

Diane Trotter, WECA's Workforce Development Supervisor, reports that the event had a "solid turnout with many eager career seekers."

Ana Lopez, ET/Journeyman Program Manager, and Trisha Hughes, Client Services ET/CE Specialist, shared information about the Electrician Trainee Program during the event and helped attendees get a "Jump Start" on their electrical careers.

"All attendees were so grateful to have them there and to learn more about this pathway," says Diane.

Meanwhile, George Leach and Jaron Stroud, the Apprenticeship instructors at WECA's Fresno training facility, made sure that attendees got some "real hands-on questions" answered and showed off their electrical knowledge!

Additionally, Rex Hime, WECA's Regional Relationship Manager for Fresno, Don Black, Apprentice Training, IT, and Facilities Director, and Wendy Flanagan, Assistant Director of Apprenticeship, were on hand to answer attendees' burning questions, make them feel welcome, guide them to the right spot within the fair, and made sure that our participating Member Contractors had everything they needed.

Rex says, "The event captured the value of being a WECA member or student in a bottle. Our enthusiastic applicants got hands-on experience with what their education in Fresno would look like, witnessing live workshops from WECA's Fresno instructors. Participating members were also thrilled to meet potential future employees. The event gave them a venue to put a name to a face and see the determination of the Central Valley's future electricians. I was delighted with all the preparation and professionalism displayed by our attendees, and our member contractors felt the same way. Jump Start was a successful catalyst to strengthen Central Valley's electrical workforce, which is beneficial to all of us at the end of the day."

Many of WECA's Member Contractors participated in the career fair. Chad Leger of Rex Moore Group says, "Rex Moore's partnership with WECA is great. We love WECA because WECA turns out some of the best talent there is; WECA turns out great apprentices. We like to take those apprentices and turn them into leaders."

Richard Markuson of WECA Government Affairs also stopped in to show his support for the educational and member services provided by the Fresno training facility for the greater Central Valley region.

And last, but not least, Jeff Jaramillo, WECA's Content and Event Producer, compiled footage of the event (seen above) and interviewed attendees.

"It was great to see everyone!", concludes Diane.

WECA would like to thank our attendees for their interest and participation and our participating Member Contractors for helping expand the electrical workforce in Fresno and the Central Valley!

 

Share your appreciation for WECA instructors by sharing your favorite memory or a message of gratitude

Teacher Appreciation Week is coming up on May 8 - 12, 2023! Share a favorite memory or message of appreciation for a WECA instructor, whether an Apprenticeship or GetWired instructor, who made a difference in your education. If we pick your submission to publicize during Teacher Appreciation Week, we'll send you a WECA hoodie!

Click here to share your favorite memory or message of appreciation for a chance to win a WECA hoodie!

Take control of your finances with SmartDollar, your financial wellness benefit.

Not yet signed up for SmartDollar? Learn how to get started below


 

National Financial Literacy Month was started to encourage people to review and improve their finances. There's no better time to get smarter with money! Use the SmartDollar resources below for each week of April to learn more about different topics:

Week 1: Budgeting

Week 2: Paying Off Debt

Week 3: Saving

Week 4: Retirement

Want to learn how to get smarter with your money and take control of your finances in a group setting? SmartDollar also offers Live Group Coaching sessions! Check out upcoming sessions below:



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Not yet signed up for SmartDollar? No worries -- getting started is easy! Learn how below.


 

SmartDollar is a financial wellness benefit for WECA apprentices. We announced our partnership with the Dave Ramsey-founded online financial wellness platform in January, 2021 to provide our apprentices with a sound foundation in personal finance management. This benefit is available to all WECA apprentices free of charge. Not yet signed up for SmartDollar? No worries -- scroll to the bottom of this article for instructions!

What is SmartDollar? SmartDollar is a step-by-step approach to handling money with the number-one authority in personal finance, Dave Ramsey. More than 4.5 million people have started on Dave's plan and taken control of their money, and you can too! SmartDollar will equip you to get out of debt, on a budget, and on your way to a strong financial foundation.

The average person pays off $9,405 of debt and saves $6,127 in the first twelve months, and you can too!

"This program is powerful yet simple to understand. The Baby Steps make understanding how to win with money easy! Dave's lessons are fun, informative, and incredibly encouraging. It really doesn't feel like I'm taking a financial course. It's more like learning finances from a good friend...or a financially savvy stand-up comedian! The online tools are fantastic as well, and I love being able to 'ASK DAVE' any question and do my budget online. Love it all!" - Recent participant

With SmartDollar, you'll learn how to...

• Jump-start your money
• Knock out debt
• Secure your dream home
• Retire in style
• Demystify your credit score

How does SmartDollar work? With so many ways to engage in SmartDollar activities and content, SmartDollar Points have been designed to encourage users to establish true behavior change. (Check out the graph below for a quick rundown). The greater the importance and required time of each activity, the greater the amount of points that can be earned. For example, each Core Lesson video completed is worth 250 points. Completing a shorter Deep Dive video is worth 50 points. Tracking a transaction in EveryDollar is only worth 20 points, but users are encouraged to track all their financial transactions with no points limitations. These example activities are key for building the confidence you need to reach your financial goals.






 

Taking advantage of your free financial wellness benefit, SmartDollar, is easy!

To set up your account after accessing your dashboard, click either of the links shown as highlighted in the screenshot to the right of this paragraph. You'll be taken to a page with a SmartDollar enrollment link, where you will be able to set up immediate access to this important benefit.

Ready to get started?

Login to your GOWECA dashboard

Dina Kimble, President and CEO of WECA Member Contractor Royal Electric Company, honored by the Sacramento Business Journal as one of the Sacramento region's most admired CEOs


 

Dina Kimble, President and CEO of Royal Electric Company, a longtime WECA Member Contractor who has also served on our Board of Directors, was recently honored by the Sacramento Business Journal as one of the region's most admired CEOs.

Please join WECA in congratulating Dina for this tremendous accolade, and for giving us a glimpse in the accompanying article into the hard but important work that goes into building a strong company culture.

Leslie Schlaegel, Vice President of Talent Development at Royal Electric Company and current Trustee on the WECA Apprenticeship Training Trust Board of Trustees, is also quoted in the article and provides further insight into Dina's leadership and Royal Electric Company's success.

Congratulations, Dina!

Enroll today and then register for your WECA-exclusive platform walk-through session on Apr. 19


 

Dear WECA Member Contractor,

Mineral (formerly ThinkHR) is a premium Human Resources platform that combines the best in live advisor expertise with innovative technology and comprehensive and instructional content to help organizations address all potential Human Resources related people risks, including guidance on preparing for and managing these risks. WECA provides access to this premium resource for you as our valued member contractor.

Mineral's value proposition and benefits: an overview

Comprehensive Overview

Premium Solutions

Industry Value Report - Construction

What's New in Mineral

35 Critical HR Processes

You're eligible for access to the Mineral HR Resources platform (formerly ThinkHR) as a WECA member benefit. If you have not yet enrolled for access, please do so here.

Mineral will be hosting a special platform walk-through session for WECA Member Contractors on Wednesday, April 19 at 9 AM PDT/12 PM EDT, where they will provide a detailed overview of the resources to which you will have access as an administrative user once you've enrolled.

Next, Please register for "Introduction to Mineral -- a Walk-Through for WECA Member Contractors" on April 19, 2023 at 9 AM PDT here.

In this session, Mineral will cover:

• General Mineral platform layout
• How to consult your Mineral HR experts
• How to easily create your Employee Handbook that's never out-of-date
• How to assign training to your employees from a catalog of hundreds of interactive courses
• How to navigate a multitude of HR compliance resources, tools, and templates
• Plus much more!

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. You will also receive reminder emails the day prior and one hour prior to the start of this session.

We hope to see you there!

Sincerely,

The WECA Team

 

At WECA, many of our employees have become family over the years. That’s certainly true for Audra Jamieson, WECA’s Apprenticeship Program Specialist, who celebrated her 20^th working anniversary with WECA earlier this month.

Audra began working for WECA as a file clerk in 2003. During her first year, she started working toward her goal of learning everything about WECA and its operations. Her ambition opened the door to expand her knowledge of WECA and inspired her to learn beyond her newfound acquired knowledge.

In Audra’s current role as Apprenticeship Program Specialist, she focuses on processing apprentice, state, and federal registrations and apprentice GI Bill benefits, conducts apprentice probationary reviews, and assists with apprentice wages and questions. She also provides support to WECA’s Member Contractors, students, and staff, and makes it her personal mission to find the answer they need.

“My current role today is sort of unique, as my daily tasks can change day to day,” says Audra. “I want to treat everyone I interact with just how I would like to be treated and provide the best customer service I can.”

Even after 20 years at WECA, Audra endeavors to continually grow in her role and contribute to improving the association.

“With the expansion of our apprenticeship training programs into Arizona and Utah, my duties seem to have grown as well. This is not a bad thing, because this only allows me to think outside of the box and about what I can do to make my daily tasks and processes run a little smoother,” says Audra.

Additionally, it seems that Audra’s passion for WECA and its mission has intensified over her 20 years with the organization.

“I have been extremely fortunate to be part of the continuing growth WECA has accomplished throughout the years. I really do believe in our core values and our mission to train, educate, and to develop a future skilled trades workforce,” says Audra. “WECA works hard to protect the rights of merit shop business owners and their employees, and I truly believe that 100 percent of everything that we do here is because of our Member Contractors and students. We couldn’t be successful and where we are today if it wasn’t for them,” says Audra.

However, Audra’s favorite thing about her job and working for WECA is witnessing and being part of students’ success stories.

“The accomplishments of an individual who has successfully completed one of our outstanding programs, whether it is the electrical trainee program or the apprenticeship program, is very satisfying to me. I’m honored to be part of that success of a student who proudly accepts their certificate of completion during graduation and to be able to walk the stage with their classmates and have their employer, family, and friends share that experience. Each student has worked exceptionally hard for that, and it pleases me to see them reach their goal,” says Audra.

And, Audra’s favorite memory of WECA at WECA is witnessing and contributing to the organization’s exponential growth.

“I’ve been fortunate to witness the growth of WECA in the last 20 years,” says Audra. “Most people may not be aware, but WECA was limited to training apprentices in certain areas and counties for California when I first started. So, one of my favorite memories is when WECA won statewide approval in 2005. That allowed us to start training apprentices throughout the state of California for our Commercial Electrical, Residential Electrical, and Low Voltage Apprenticeship programs. This was just the boost we needed, and between 2005 and 2007 is when WECA established our Electrician Trainee program to meet the needs of uncertified electricians. Now adding the Arizona and Utah apprenticeship programs to our list of accomplishments is just icing on the cake.”

Outside of work, Audra is equally passionate about her family and her hobbies.

“Coming from a big family, I feel like we are always celebrating something special, so I like hanging out with my family whenever possible. I enjoy all types of music and I like spending time going to movies, concerts, or any type of classic car shows. I’m also a big foodie lover, so I take pleasure in being in the kitchen trying out old and new recipes and making yummy things to eat for my friends and family. And when it comes down to baking, that’s my passion and I’m all over it. I also find it’s extremely important to be able to prioritize self-care and make life as enjoyable as possible. Just be free and have fun when you can – life is short,” says Audra.

Audra’s been extremely successful in her 20 years at WECA thanks to her passion and drive, but she also attributes her success at WECA to the help of her mentors, who have also become friends.

“I’d like to thank Terry and Bob for their greatness and knowledge of the organization and extend a special thank you to Christine and Wendy for always being a fantastic support system for me with any challenges that may cross my path, and their willingness to always help,” says Audra.

Congratulations on your 20^th working anniversary with WECA, Audra! We are honored to have you as part of the WECA family, and thank you for helping WECA grow into the premier nonprofit organization serving merit shop electrical and low voltage contractors, their employees, and the industry suppliers that support them in the American West! 

Responsible Managing Employees Are No Joke

Failure to Adhere to Responsible Managing Employee Requirements May Result in Waiver of Contractor's Right to Compensation for Work Performed

Content courtesy of Smith, Currie & Hancock LLP

For the second time in calendar year 2022, the Court of Appeal of California has found California Contractors State Licensing Laws bar contractors from collecting for work performed. (See Smith, Currie & Hancock LLP Partner Daniel McLennon's Law Note on Kim v. TWA Construction, Inc. (2022) 78 Cal.App.5th 808, finding that licensed contractor could not collect payment for work performed by an unlicensed subcontractor notwithstanding that the contractor was itself licensed to perform that work.)

In an opinion that should be a warning call to all contractors in California, the Court of Appeal upheld a trial court's decision to vacate an arbitration award of over $100,000 to a contractor because the contractor did not carry its burden to prove that its purported Responsible Managing Employee was in fact a bona fide Responsible Managing Employee. (Vascos Excavation Grp. v. Gold (Cal. Ct. App., Dec. 21, 2022, No. B315205) 2022 WL 18398783.) All corporate contractors in California should be aware that failure to have a bona fide Responsible Managing Employee automatically suspends the contractor's license, resulting in the inability to collect for the work performed.

Read the rest here.

Don't miss out -- there are three weeks left to RSVP to join WECA for an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating our NEW Utah Apprenticeship Training Center!

Apr. 12 from 3:30 to 6:30 PM


 

Please join us this April for WECA's open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony for our new, state-of-the-art training facility in Woods Cross, Utah! All are welcome!

When: April 12, 2023 from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Where: 2511 S. Redwood Rd., Ste. 22

Woods Cross, UT 84087

• Enjoy food and libations
• Tour our new facility
• Meet WECA instructors, staff, members, students, board members, and members of the Salt Lake City and greater Utah electrical industry and community
• Learn about WECA and how the association serves electrical contractors and the industry
• See how our apprentices learn--including the new technology and innovative training tools used in WECA's apprenticeship learning labs!

We look forward to seeing you there! Please take a moment to RSVP:

Register for our Utah open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony

Starbucks' Fight with Unions Comes Down to This Brutal 7-Word Truth. Every Leader Should Pay Close Attention.

Content courtesy of Inc.
 

By Jason Aten, Tech Columnist

Starbucks' CEO Howard Schultz has always been staunchly against unionization at the company's stores. During his three different runs as CEO, he hasn't been shy about his feelings that employees shouldn't need to join a union to be treated fairly.

In the past few years, the company has been aggressive in its efforts to slow down the push to form unions at its more than 9,000 stores. It's one of the reasons Starbucks brought its founder back to the top role. Schultz argued that the company lost its way under its previous leadership, and that's a big part of why employees are pushing to unionize.

Whatever you think about Starbucks, or unions, or Schultz, he makes an important point that every business leader should consider.

"Some decisions were made that I would not have made," Schultz told CNN. "As a result of that, I think people did lose trust in the leadership of the company." 

If you think about it, once your team loses trust in the leadership of your company, it shouldn't come as a surprise that they might try to do something about it. Unionization is simply the logical conclusion of that thread. 

Basically, Schultz is saying that if your employees are trying to form a union, you're doing something wrong. As for Starbucks, he says the reason employees want to be a part of a union is because the company "was not leading in a way that was consistent with its history."

I'm not suggesting that unions are bad--but I'm suggesting they always organize in response to something. The reality is that whatever that something is, you usually have a lot more influence over it than you might think. The problem is, you just didn't think it was as big a deal as your employees did. 

To that end, I think Schultz has a point. If Starbucks' employees trusted the company's leadership to do the right thing for them, they would have a lot less motivation to form a union. Inherently, the reason for forming a union is to force an employer to listen to employees and make change. If your employees were happy with their working conditions, they wouldn't be asking for change.

It's important to understand that you might be paying your employees well and giving them good benefits, but if you lose their trust, none of that matters. If they don't feel like they're being treated fairly, you have a problem.

Notice that the standard isn't whether you think you're treating them fairly, or whether an outside observer might think so. It isn't even whether your employees think they are being treated fairly. The question is whether your employees feel that way. 

That disconnect explains a lot of the reason employees lost trust in leadership. On the one hand, executives look at things like spreadsheets and comparables and financial statements. They analyze and rationalize and come up with plans that make sense on paper. 

The thing is, what makes sense on paper doesn't always feel fair to your employees, because feelings are tricky. Employees don't care about those spreadsheets. What they care about is whether they are satisfied in their job, enjoy the people they work with, and feel respected by management. If you lose that, there's nothing a spreadsheet can do to help you win it back.

* Cal/OSHA Guidance on Requirements to Protect Workers from Coronavirus
* Supplemental Toolbox Talks COVID-19
* Coronavirus Toolbox Talk
* Fact Sheet for Pandemics
* Coronavirus - Workplace, School and Home Guidance
* COVID-19 Tool Cleaning Protocols
* United States Department of Labor: COVID-19
* CDC COVID-19 Risk Assessment Flowchart
* EDD Coronavirus Resources for WECA Community

These, and more, are always available on WECA's COVID-19 Advisory Page.

Job Numbers Released As released on Friday, job openings were 10.8 million at the end of January. While down 410,000 from December, openings are still extremely high. There are 5.1 million more job openings than unemployed workers. Job openings are not dropping as fast as many anticipated because businesses still badly need many workers and because the economy is not cooling as quickly as expected. For more snapshots of the U.S. economy from the Economic Policy Division at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, click here.

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The Race is On for Arizona Senate Nothing shakes up local politics like an open congressional seat. The dominos are already beginning to fall after Democratic Congressman Ruben Gallego’s decision to run for U.S. Senate in 2024. Progressive would-be candidates are sizing up the 3rd Congressional District, which favors Democrats by 24 points in terms of voter registration. Noteworthy politicos considering running for Rep. Gallego’s seat include:

• Phoenix Vice Mayor Yassamin Ansari
• Phoenix City Councilmember Laura Pastor
• Phoenix City Councilmember Betty Guardado
• State Sen. Raquel Terán (D-Phoenix)

Terán’s decision is already being felt at the Capitol. Terán resigned as Senate Minority Leader recently to focus on her potential congressional run. With Sen. Rosanna Gabaldón (D-Green Valley) also stepping down from leadership for personal reasons, Senate Democrats elected new leadership.

The new Democrat Senate leadership team is:

• Sen. Mitzi Epstein (D-Tempe) - Senate Minority Leader
• Sen. Juan Mendez (D-Tempe) - Senate Minority Assistant Leader
• Sen. Eva Burch (D-Mesa) - Senate Minority Whip
• Sen. Lela Alston (D-Phoenix) will remain as Senate minority caucus chair

[Veridus LLC]

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Coastal Cash Dash President Joe Biden came to California to raise campaign money. It’s the latest sign that the 80-year-old president is readying another run for the White House. Biden’s trip west took him to Rancho Santa Fe, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas, where he reportedly put all the California cash on “red.” (Bartlett/Markuson gambling strategy with 50% success rate)

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AGC Economist Dismisses a 2023 Recession Strong job openings, wage growth, and robust investment into equipment, IT, and overall plant construction indicate the U.S. economy should avoid a recession this year, said Ken Simonson, chief economist for Associated General Contractors of America, during an AGC webinar on the construction outlook. “I remain optimistic that we’re not going to have one,” said Simonson, referring to a recession. “There’s just a lot of spending power on the consumer and business sides. State and local governments at all levels also have much money to spend. Tax revenues have held up in a way that you don’t see during a recessionary period.” Story

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Labor Department Enters $20M Partnership to Open Doors to Women, Minorities in Trades The Department of Labor has entered a $20 million agreement with TradesFutures — a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit — to advance equitable opportunities in the construction industry, according to a press release shared with Construction Dive. The nonprofit will partner with the DOL, the National Urban League, and North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) to develop a gateway for women, people of color, veterans, Native Americans, and other underrepresented groups to access apprenticeship programs. The project will initially explore programs in Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee before expanding to other states. Story

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California Continues to Lead the Nation – in Energy Costs The added costs of California’s policies and regulations continue to keep prices at the highest or near the highest among the contiguous states across all energy sources. 


 

California Requires Bereavement Leave California’s new bereavement leave law, which became effective beginning January 1, 2023, requires most employers to allow their employees to take up to five days of leave upon the death of certain family members.  Although vetoes had stymied previous bills providing for bereavement leave, Governor Gavin Newsom signed the new legislation — Assembly Bill (“AB”) 1949 — into law as an “important step” to ensure that low-wage workers “can access the time off they’ve earned while still providing for their family.”  The new law makes California one of the few states requiring employers to provide bereavement leave. Story

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The Basics of Community Solar Projects and Their Application to Multifamily Projects In recent years, the share of energy produced in the United States through solar photovoltaic (PV) technology has increased exponentially. In 2008, installed solar capacity totaled a mere 0.34 gigawatts, but that figure has now reached 134 gigawatts. One type of solar facility that has contributed to this dramatic growth is community solar projects (CSPs). The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory defines a community solar project as a “distributed solar energy deployment model that allows customers to buy or lease part of a larger, off-site shared PV system.” The owner or developer of a CSP receives payment from customers “subscribing” to the CSP in exchange for certain economic, environmental, and social benefits. Story

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Opinion: Utah Sen. Mitt Romney Has a Plan That Is Pro-Business, And Pro-Climate Romney recognizes that climate action and business do not need to be enemies on the national stage. Story

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In a possibly related story, Utah’s Largest Coal Company Gives up on Coal Canyon Fuel Co. LLC will relinquish two mining leases and apply the social cost of carbon in the environmental analysis of a third lease as part of a settlement agreement reached last week with environmental groups and the federal government. The agreement comes as the Biden administration weighs a hike in the social cost of carbon — a metric for calculating the monetary damages caused by greenhouse gas pollution — and amid continued debate over fossil fuel production on federal land. Story

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Could “No Labels” make a big difference in the 2024 election? The Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes announced that the national group No Labels submitted enough signatures to qualify in the state as a recognized political party - and just in time for the 2024 cycle. In a state where ultra-close statewide races have become the norm, politicos wonder if the No Label-ers could swing key contests next year for U.S. Senate, the White House, and more. Opinions differ. Secretary Fontes, a Democrat, believes No Labels candidates will bleed the GOP of support from traditional Republicans who’ve become alienated by MAGA messaging. Arizona Republic columnist Laurie Roberts isn’t so sure, arguing instead that No Labels will benefit Donald Trump (or any other GOP nominee) by playing the “spoiler” in next year’s race for Arizona’s presidential electoral votes. Nationally, Democrat think tank Third Way is sounding the alarm and warned that President Joe Biden’s narrow 2020 victory was powered, in part, by his support from independent and third-party voters. New Labels threatens to steal that support, Third Way writes, and could be determinative in swing states where “even a paltry third-party performance would put 79 Biden electoral votes at risk.” Perhaps the most intriguing possibility for No Labels involves Democrat-turned-Independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema. Adopting the political party as her new home would not only mean far fewer signatures for her to gather in qualifying for the 2024 ballot, but it also could provide her access to No Labels’ deep pockets, data modeling, and other party infrastructure. These are the kind of resources she gave up when she left the Democratic party in late 2022 - and could make her more formidable in a potential three-way General Election showdown against Democratic U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego and a GOP nominee. [Veridus LLC]

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ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Governor Newsom is skipping the annual State of the State address and going on the road, writes POLITICO. Fresh off an easy reelection, Newsom has decided to forego a formal speech at the state Capitol and will instead lay out his agenda with a round-the-state series of events starting today in Sacramento. “He’s not interested in the pomp of the State of the State speech,” said political adviser Sean Clegg. “He wants to get a spotlight on these issues he’s going to talk about rather than getting up there and doing the laundry list.” Newsom will shine that spotlight as he rides political momentum into his second term. He overwhelmingly defeated an attempted recall in 2021 and then cruised to victory last November. Republicans who argue the governor has failed to allay pressing issues like homelessness and poverty have little power to impede his agenda in a Democrat-dominated Legislature.

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Su for Labor? A potential promotion for former California labor chief Julie Su got even more contentious, as labor advocates squared off with conservative critics. Republicans and business advocates gathered in front of the state Capitol to blast Su’s nomination as U.S. Secretary of Labor over a laundry list of concerns. Those include support of a fast food labor regulation law that the industry is trying to kill in the 2024 election, a contract worker reclassification law that Uber, Lyft and others have so far blocked at the ballot box and in the courts, and a pandemic unemployment meltdown that delayed worker benefits while the state lost as much as $30 billion to fraud.

• Kevin Kiley, a new member of Congress and former Assemblymember from Rocklin: “I am urging President Biden in the strongest terms to immediately withdraw Julie Su’s nomination. To say that Su failed in her previous role… is an extreme understatement.”
• Tom Manzo, founder of the California Business and Industrial Alliance: “California is “over-regulating small, medium, large-sized businesses who cannot survive in this climate. And the last thing we need to do is export her policies to the United States.”

Backing Su are major labor unions, including SEIU and the California Labor Federation. They released a joint statement calling on the U.S. Senate to move ahead with her confirmation hearing after Biden nominated her last month. Supporters tout Su’s record as a civil rights attorney and policy efforts like ramping up California wage theft investigations.

• The union statement: “Su is universally respected for her competence and dedication. She has demonstrated a lifelong commitment to upholding workers’ rights and has worked collaboratively with high-road employers to support efforts to improve job quality.”

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Language Guides for Contractors The Contractors State License Board (CSLB) has begun publishing Spanish-language versions of its licensing exam study guides. All study guides can be downloaded for free on the Examination Study Guides page of the CSLB website. As of March 15, 2023, the following exams have study guides also available in Spanish:

• B-2 – Residential Remodeling Contractor
• C-2 – Insulation and Acoustical
• C-4 – Boiler Hot Water Heating and Steam Fitting
• C-5 – Framing and Rough Carpentry
• C-9 – Drywall
• C-22 – Asbestos Abatement
• C-29 – Masonry
• C-31 – Construction Zone Traffic Control
• C-32 – Parking and Highway Improvement
• C-33 – Painting and Decorating
• C-34 – Pipeline
• C-35 – Lathing and Plastering
• C-36 – Plumbing
• C-38 – Refrigeration
• C-39 – Roofing
• C-42 – Sanitation Systems
• C-43 – Sheet Metal
• C-45 – Sign

The Spanish study guides for the remaining exams will be released over the next few weeks. In addition, CSLB is in the process of getting 10 exams translated into Spanish, including the Law and Business; B – General Building; C-8 – Concrete; C-9 – Drywall; C-15 – Flooring and Floor Covering; C-27 – Landscaping; C-33 – Painting and Decorating; C-36 – Plumbing; C-39 – Roofing, and C-54 – Ceramic and Mosaic Tile. This process is expected to be completed later this year. For these exams, Spanish-speaking applicants will take the exam in Spanish rather than using a CSLB-approved translator. Spanish-speaking applicants can still use a translator for the remaining exams that are not being translated.


 

WECA Phoenix Gets a New Councilperson Unofficial results show two City Council candidates endorsed by Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego as the winners in Tuesday’s runoff election. The election was required by law because no candidate received a majority of votes last November. The race for Phoenix City Council District 8 is historic. Kesha Hodge Washington, an attorney from Laveen, is on track to become the first African American woman to serve on the Phoenix City Council. “I find it exciting because I do understand the value of representation at the table, but I’m also committed to ensuring that I’m representing the entirety of the district. I don’t want any demographic to feel that I am not representing them,” she said. Story

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Arizona Housing Bill Rejected by State Senate Over Affordability, Local Control Worries The Arizona State Senate on Monday failed to pass a bill that would have mandated local zoning reforms to encourage the development of lower-cost starter homes. Almost half of Senate Republicans and nearly all Democrats voted against Senate Bill 117 in a 20-9 vote. According to local news reports, those voting against it largely opposed the measure over concerns that it would excessively limit local control and lacked affordable housing requirements. Gov. Katie Hobbs-D, also opposed the bill, telling reporters in February that she didn’t support “a one-size-fits-all approach” to address the state’s growing affordable housing and homelessness crises. Story

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Because California Apparently Has Enough Water, the Biggest Dam Removal Project in US History is Set to Start in California, Oregon Preconstruction work is underway on the largest dam removal and river restoration project in U.S. history. The $450 million project will take out four hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River in Oregon and California to restore habitat and passage for migrating fish. Omaha, Nebraska-based Kiewit is the prime contractor, while Knight Piesold, headquartered in South Africa, is the civil prime design partner on the project. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved the project in November 2022, and it is set to wrap up in 2024. Story

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EVITP Requirement in Oregon On the heels of the Biden Administration’s refusal to adopt a nationwide mandate for EVITP certification for all level two and above EV charger installations, Oregon State Senators Wagner, Lieber, and Representative Fahey have introduced SB 582 to impose a state requirement like AB 841 in California. Portland General Electric, Climate Solutions, and the Sierra Club all testified in favor of the bill last week.


 

And Finally, a Bill to Streamline Water Storage Projects in California AB 66 would require the Natural Resources Agency, and each department, board, conservancy, and commission within the agency, to approve the necessary permits for specified projects that meet certain employment conditions within 180 days from receiving a permit application and would deem those permits approved if approval does not occur within this time period. What employment conditions, you ask? Most readers will not be surprised to read that to qualify for this permitting process, the project must be subject to a PLA. What you might be surprised about is who the authors of the bill are.

·        Assembly Member Devon Mathis (R-Porterville)

·        Assembly Member Juan Alanis (R-Modesto)

·        Assembly Member Philip Chen (R-Yorba Linda)

·        Assembly Member Diane Dixon (R-Newport Beach)

·        Assembly Member Heath Flora (R-Modesto), [Modesto has two Assembly members?]

·        Assembly Member James Gallagher (R-Yuba City)

·        Assembly Member Tom Lackey (R-Palmdale)

·        Assembly Member Low (D-Campbell), [Really, only one Democrat?]

·        Assembly Member Marie Waldron (R- Valley Center)

·        Senator Brian Jones (R-Santee)

None of the Republicans would explain why they were supporting a PLA bill.

 

 

Please join us in congratulating the following WECA Member Contractors in making the Sacramento Business Journal's Top Electrical Contractors list!

• Royal Electric Company
• Rex Moore Group Inc.
• Barnum & Celillo Electric Inc.
• Helix Electric Inc.
• North State Electrical Contractors Inc.
• Butterfield Electric Inc.
• Vasko Electric Inc.
• Alessandro Electric Inc.
• Bosley Electric Co.
• K S Telecom
• Garrahan Electric Inc.

Thank you, everyone, for exemplifying WECA excellence in the Sacramento region and beyond!

 

Please join us in congratulating the following WECA Arizona Member Contractors in making the Phoenix Business Journal's Top Electrical Contractors list!

• Corbins
• K2 Electric
• Specified Electrical Contractors, Inc.

Thank you, everyone, for exemplifying WECA excellence in the Phoenix metro and the state of Arizona!

Please join us in congratulating WECA Member Contractor Imperial Electric Service (owned by WECA alumni Windell Pascascio) for winning the Gwen Moore Diversity Award from Southern California Edison! Congratulations, Imperial Electric Service and Windell -- thank you for being a pillar of WECA's caliber and diversity in Fresno and the Central Valley!

 

WECA's solar energy contractors are shining bright this year!

Please join us in congratulating WECA Member Contractors SunPower and GAF Energy for making CNET's Best Solar Companies of 2023 list. Congratulations to both on leading the way in sustainably powering our communities!

See Our Recap Video and Pictures Below


 

WECA held our first "Jump Start Your Career" fair at our Fresno training facility (which serves Fresno and the greater Central Valley region) on February 22nd.

Diane Trotter, WECA's Workforce Development Supervisor, reports that the event had a "solid turnout with many eager career seekers."

Ana Lopez, ET/Journeyman Program Manager, and Trisha Hughes, Client Services ET/CE Specialist, shared information about the Electrician Trainee Program during the event and helped attendees get a "Jump Start" on their electrical careers.

"All attendees were so grateful to have them there and to learn more about this pathway," says Diane.

Meanwhile, George Leach and Jaron Stroud, the Apprenticeship instructors at WECA's Fresno training facility, made sure that attendees got some "real hands-on questions" answered and showed off their electrical knowledge!

Additionally, Rex Hime, WECA's Regional Relationship Manager for Fresno, Don Black, Apprentice Training, IT, and Facilities Director, and Wendy Flanagan, Assistant Director of Apprenticeship, were on hand to answer attendees' burning questions, make them feel welcome, guide them to the right spot within the fair, and made sure that our participating Member Contractors had everything they needed.

Rex says, "The event captured the value of being a WECA member or student in a bottle. Our enthusiastic applicants got hands-on experience with what their education in Fresno would look like, witnessing live workshops from WECA's Fresno instructors. Participating members were also thrilled to meet potential future employees. The event gave them a venue to put a name to a face and see the determination of the Central Valley's future electricians. I was delighted with all the preparation and professionalism displayed by our attendees, and our member contractors felt the same way. Jump Start was a successful catalyst to strengthen Central Valley's electrical workforce, which is beneficial to all of us at the end of the day."

Many of WECA's Member Contractors participated in the career fair. Chad Leger of Rex Moore Group says, "Rex Moore's partnership with WECA is great. We love WECA because WECA turns out some of the best talent there is; WECA turns out great apprentices. We like to take those apprentices and turn them into leaders."

Richard Markuson of WECA Government Affairs also stopped in to show his support for the educational and member services provided by the Fresno training facility for the greater Central Valley region.

And last, but not least, Jeff Jaramillo, WECA's Content and Event Producer, compiled footage of the event (seen above) and interviewed attendees.

"It was great to see everyone!", concludes Diane.

WECA would like to thank our attendees for their interest and participation and our participating Member Contractors for helping expand the electrical workforce in Fresno and the Central Valley!

Introducing the Next Self-Paced Online Option for Our GetWired Electrician Trainee Program Series:

GetWired 201: Self-Paced Introduction to Alternating Current, Branch Circuits, and Feeder/Service Calculations

Your Employees Can Now Opt to Take This Course On Their Own Time, At Their Own Pace!


 

WECA is excited to announce another way students can take GetWired 201, the fifth class in WECA's Path to an Electrician Trainee Program Certificate!

We've long offered GetWired 201 as an instructor-led online course. And we still do!

But for students who would prefer to take this course at their own pace, on their own time, we're now offering a fully self-paced online option, just like we've been offering for the GetWired 100 series! Students who might prefer this format include:

• Students with job, childcare, or other obligations preventing them from taking the instructor-led scheduled courses in the evenings
• Students who would benefit from being able to review the material at a slower pace, such as students for whom English is a second language
• Students who just prefer to work on the coursework at times and places when it works best for them

WECA's new GetWired 201 Self-Paced Option is an entirely online, self-paced alternative version of our GetWired 201 course, which reviews content covered in GetWired 104 and expands on theories and applications taught in the 100 series. You will gain practice in making a variety of calculations for:

• Branch circuit loads for single and multi-family dwellings
• Service entrance conductors using optional methods
• Peak to peak voltage

Course topics include:

• Finding information in the NEC
• Conductor comparisons and resistance
• Branch circuits and feeders
• Make up and box fill calculations – hand-on-lab
• Introduction to service calculations
• Magnetic induction
• Dwelling load calculations
• Services

GET WIRED! 201 Self-Paced includes project-based learning designed to help you develop on-the-job skills you need to be an expert electrician.

• Total class hours available: 36
• Standard Tuition Fee: $339

If all of this sounds like it would work for your employees,

have them enroll in GetWired 201 Self-Paced Online today!
 

Think your employees would prefer being able to interact with an instructor and learn along with other students, on a schedule two evenings a week, including one onsite in-person lab on a Saturday?

Have them enroll in an upcoming instance of the original GetWired 201 here!

 

Or, would your employees prefer to interact with an instructor and learn along with other students, on a schedule two evenings a week, but with an instructor-guided online lab experience on one of those evenings?

Have them enroll in an upcoming instance of the online evening instructor-led GetWired 201 with an online lab here!

 

Please join us this April for WECA's open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony for our new, state-of-the-art training facility in Woods Cross, Utah! All are welcome!

When: April 12, 2023 from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Where: 2511 S. Redwood Rd., Ste. 22

Woods Cross, UT 84087

• Enjoy food and libations
• Tour our new facility
• Meet WECA instructors, staff, members, students, board members, and members of the Salt Lake City and greater Utah electrical industry and community
• Learn about WECA and how the association serves electrical contractors and the industry
• See how our apprentices learn--including the new technology and innovative training tools used in WECA's apprenticeship learning labs!

We look forward to seeing you there! Please take a moment to RSVP:

Register for our Utah open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony

Dear WECA California Member,

The new 2023 private wage sheets (effective March 2, 2023) are available on our website.

Please visit the Wage Section of our Member Forms and Resources page to view applicable private wages.

These sheets are additionally linked from your secured member dashboard, to which you can login at GOWECA.COM, underneath your prevailing wage determination links.

Sincerely,

The WECA Team

WECA Member Contractors:

Need help navigating the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)? WECA has compiled a comprehensive guidance page, which we will regularly update as new information becomes available.

Access the IRA guidance here.

 

Content courtesy of: California Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety, Underground Safety Board Planning and Design Committee

Got 5 minutes? The Underground Safety Board's Planning and Design Committee is developing a design ticket and needs input from designers and operators regarding the planning and design process.

To access the surveys, please visit Planning and Design Surveys | Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety (ca.gov).

The surveys can be completed via your mobile device or computer. The surveys will run until COB March 17th.

Thank you for taking the time to provide a response and valuable information!

California State Bat We mentioned recently that California is poised to have a state mushroom. Existing law establishes the state flag and the state’s emblems, including, among other things, the California redwood as the official state tree and the California gray whale as the official state marine mammal. SB 732 (Menjivar-D), when enacted, would establish the pallid bat (antrozous pallidus) as the official state bat!

Admittedly the pallid bat sounds pretty cool (and is cute):  


 

·        Bats eat many pest species, including those contributing to health risks, such as mosquitoes, wasps, and flies. A female bat nursing her young will eat more than two-thirds of her body weight in insects and arthropods every night.
·        Bats provide more than $1,000,000,000 worth of pest control to California agriculture.
·        Bats eat bark beetles and wood borers, reducing wildfire risk in California forests.
·        Bats can live up to 40 years and typically raise just one pup a year. This low birth rate makes their populations particularly vulnerable to disruptions like humans encroaching on their habitat and climate change.
·        The pallid bat is as diverse as Californians – pallid bats live in California’s deserts, oak woodlands, coastal redwood forests, and high up into the pine forests of the Sierra Nevada mountains. They live in social colonies and have a rich language of calls to communicate with one another. The food they eat and the way they catch it varies both within and between different communities of pallid bats around the state.
·        Naming antrozous pallidus as the official state bat of California will help promote the appreciation, study, and protection of bats in this state.

Thanks, Senator Menjivar!

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Amazon Closes, Cancels More Warehouses as Cost-Cutting Persists Amazon has canceled, closed, or delayed 99 facilities, impacting nearly 32.3 million square feet of active or planned ground-level space in 30 states, Marc Wulfraat, president and founder of MWPVL International, said in a Feb. 24 email. In September, the firm recorded 66 impacted facilities totaling 24.6 million square feet of ground-level space. Story

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CHIPS Act Funding to Open as US Plans Semiconductor Manufacturing Clusters The United States will open its first round of applications for CHIPS and Science Act funding for manufacturing facilities next week, Commerce Sec. Gina Raimondo said during a speech at Georgetown University on Thursday. The pot of $39 billion in federal funding is meant to incentivize semiconductor manufacturers to build sites in the United States, Raimondo said. More funding will be released for supply chain and R&D operations in the coming months. The Wall Street Journal and others have noticed “Chip makers will also have to pay construction workers prevailing wages set by unions and will be “strongly encouraged” — i.e., required — to use project labor agreements (PLAs), which let unions dictate pay, benefits and work rules for all workers. States restricting PLAs may have to change their laws if they want to benefit from the federal largesse.” Story I know you were as shocked as I am about that. “Any applicant that does not commit to using labor agreements will need to submit a construction workforce continuity plan to demonstrate exactly how it would ensure projects stay on schedule. Funding recipients that request more than $150 million in direct funding also must submit plans to provide construction and facility workers with access to affordable, reliable and high-quality childcare,” Commerce officials announced.

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Rooftop Solar Advocates Request New CPUC Hearing Rooftop solar advocates opposed to the California Public Utilities Commission’s (CPUC) recent decision to cut the amount new solar users will be compensated for supplying power to the grid are petitioning for a chance to be reheard. Following months of hearings in 2022 that included hours of public comment mostly against the CPUC’s decision, attorneys for two groups filed requests with the CPUC for a chance to argue again. Tri-Valley advocates of rooftop solar agreed that the CPUC should revisit its decision. In a 25-page application for rehearing filed Jan. 17, Michael Boyd, president of Californians for Renewable Energy (CARE), accuses California Gov. Gavin Newsom of conspiring with CPUC board members to violate state and federal antitrust measures that benefit the state’s three largest public utilities, including Pacific Gas & Electric, which serves Northern California. Story

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Sacramento Bee Notices State Building and Construction Trades Council Stymies Construction of Housing “The State Building and Construction Trades Council of California, backed by the California Labor Federation, insists that lawmakers require developers to use a ‘skilled and trained’ workforce made up of largely union workers. On the other side, the California Conference of Carpenters supports a prevailing wage requirement — typically the union rate — rather than limiting which workers builders can hire.” Story

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Californian Julie Su Tapped to be Labor Secretary President Joe Biden introduced Julie Su as his pick to succeed Marty Walsh as labor secretary when Walsh leaves the administration later this month. Biden lavished praise on Su – Walsh’s deputy – who will serve as acting secretary once he goes to lead the NHL Players' Association, for her legal career representing low-wage and immigrant workers and her years of experience overseeing labor laws in California. The president also said Su, the daughter of Chinese immigrants, exemplifies the American dream and that “She’s committed to making sure that dream is in the reach of every American.” Su could face a familiar gig worker fight if confirmed as labor secretary, said the San Francisco Chronicle: Republicans previously opposed Su’s confirmation as deputy secretary of the Labor Department in 2021. She was confirmed on a party-line vote, with 50 Democrats voting in favor and 47 Republicans opposing. During that confirmation battle, Senate Republicans repeatedly raised the multi-billion-dollar scandal that engulfed California’s Employment Development Department, in which the state improperly paid jobless benefits to fraudsters.

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Fall Back No More? Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) reintroduced his bill to make daylight saving time permanent, which snuck through the Senate in a surprise last year but died in the House. Rubio has a bipartisan group of 11 co-sponsors in the upper chamber, and Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) is introducing a House version of the bill. Will it meet a different fate there with Republicans in charge this year? PSA: You still have nine days of early-morning sunshine — clocks spring ahead at 2 a.m. on March 12. Story Last year, the Washington Post (Bob Bartlett's newspaper of choice) said about Rubio’s previous effort, “Sleep experts widely agree with the Senate that the country should abandon its twice-yearly seasonal time changes. But they disagree on one key point: which time system should be permanent. Unlike the Senate, many sleep experts believe the country should adopt year-round standard time.” Story

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News from our Friends at Coalition for a Democratic Workforce (CDW)

PRO Act Reintroduced On February 28, Congressional Democrats reintroduced the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act (HR 20, Senate companion does not yet have a bill number). The bill is a wish list of radical labor policies that would infringe on workers' and employers’ rights, diminish opportunities for entrepreneurs and small business owners, and devastate the economy. CDW’s statement on the news can be read here. CDW will send a letter to all members of Congress urging them to oppose the legislation.  

Senate HELP Planning Hearing on Union Organizing The Senate HELP Committee is planning to hold a hearing on “defending the right of workers to organize unions free from illegal corporate union-busting” on March 8. It will likely circle around the PRO Act, so CDW will send a letter to the committee on the bill's dangers and highlight past letters sent to the committee.

Sen. Sanders to Subpoena Starbucks CEO On March 1, Sen. Sanders announced the HELP Committee would hold a hearing to authorize the issuance of a subpoena to Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, requiring him to come before the committee and provide testimony on the company’s tactics against union organizing in their stores. Sanders also seeks seemingly blanket authorization for committee investigations into “violations of federal labor law by major corporations.”

CDW Sends Letter to Congress Calling for Aggressive Oversight over NLRB, General Counsel On February 27, CDW sent a letter to both House and Senate labor committees urging them to conduct extensive oversight over the Board and General Counsel Abruzzo for their actions “promoting changes that are contrary to the bedrock principles of our democracy, like free speech, open debate, the right to cast a vote privately, and the promise of a workplace free from harassment.” The letter can be found here. 

Board Issues Decision on Severance Agreements On February 21, the Board issued its decision in McLaren Macomb, establishing that employers cannot offer employees severance agreements that require employees to waive their rights under the NLRA. The decision states that the “mere proffer” of a severance agreement that conditions receipt of benefits on the “forfeiture of statutory rights” violates workers’ collective bargaining rights. The decision overturned two Trump-era decisions, Baylor University and IGT, which broadly permitted employers to include confidentiality and non-disparagement provisions in severance agreements. The Board did not request amicus briefs in this case, despite the decision overturning precedent and making a significant change to policy. More on this policy here.

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Who’s Running for POTUS? Five noteworthy presidential candidates have declared for 2024 – nine fewer than this point in the 2020 cycle. Last week, Ballotpedia added two noteworthy 2024 presidential candidates to the list: entrepreneur and author Vivek Ramaswamy (R), and author and 2020 presidential candidate Marianne Williamson (D). The total tally currently stands at five noteworthy 2024 presidential candidates. Ramaswamy joins former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley (R), former President Donald Trump (R), and former Montana Secretary of State Corey Stapleton (R) in the Republican primary. Williamson is the first Democratic candidate to have declared a campaign for the nomination. President Joe Biden (D) has not officially announced whether he intends to run for a second term.

At this point in the 2020 cycle, 14 noteworthy candidates had announced their campaigns:

·        Jan. 20, 2017: Donald Trump (R)

·        Aug. 10, 2017: John Delaney (D)

·        Nov. 6, 2017: Andrew Yang (D)

·        Jan. 1, 2019: Tulsi Gabbard (D)

·        Jan. 12, 2019: Julián Castro (D)

·        Jan. 15, 2019: Kirsten Gillibrand (D)

·        Jan. 21, 2019: Kamala Harris (D)

·        Jan. 23, 2019: Pete Buttigieg (D)

·        Jan. 28, 2019: Marianne Williamson (D)

·        Feb. 1, 2019: Cory Booker (D)

·        Feb. 9, 2019: Elizabeth Warren (D)

·        Feb. 12, 2019: Amy Klobuchar (D)

·        Feb. 19, 2019: Bernie Sanders (I)

·        March 1, 2019: Jay Inslee (D)

Biden, the eventual Democratic nominee and supposed winner of the 2020 presidential election, announced his candidacy on April 25, 2019. In the 2016 election cycle, no noteworthy candidates had launched their campaigns as of March 1, 2015. The first announcement came on March 23 from Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas). Hillary Clinton (D), the eventual Democratic nominee, announced her campaign on April 12, 2015. Trump, the eventual Republican nominee, announced his candidacy on June 16, 2015.