Western Electrical Contractors Association, Inc.

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Thursday, December 12, 2019

Contech leaders meet with Trump to talk tariffs, labor and mandatory tech
Construction and manufacturing leaders had their say in Washington, D.C., in recent weeks, both at the White House and on Capitol Hill. Topics ranged from the importance of apprenticeships, the need for deregulation, the effects of President Donald Trump's steel tariffs and technology's role in infrastructure projects. [Construction Dive] Story
 
Trump Pushed Contract Giving CBP Union More Power: "President Trump urged his top border security official to finalize a new labor contract with the Border Patrol union just weeks before the deal was signed in September, an agreement that significantly increased the number of union officials allowed to collect a government salary without performing patrol duties," according to The Washington Post. The contract "expands the number of border agents whose roles as union officers allow them to engage in partisan political activity," they write. Current and former officials were unhappy with the contract, "saying it gives the union dramatically more power while providing Trump a large new corps of surrogates to amplify his immigration message." President Trump's advocacy on behalf of any federal union is surprising, considering he issued three executive orders to limit the activities of federal unions. Current and former officials told the Post they "considered it a reward to [union chief Brandon] Judd, who endorsed Trump in 2016 and has since emerged as a fierce and dependable advocate for the president's border policies." [Politico]
 
The Never Ending Calderons "When Assemblyman Ian Calderon (D-Whittier) announced last week he was giving up his seat to spend time with family, it presaged the end of an era: Calderons have represented southeastern Los Angeles County for years in the Legislature. Ian Calderon followed his father Charles and his uncles Tom and Ron (the latter two pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges). But it turns out voters will have a chance to keep the 57th Assembly district in the family: Lisa Calderon, Ian's step-mother, has filed to run for the seat. Whoever wins is likely to be a Democrat given the party's overwhelming registration advantage, so the election is unlikely to affect the balance of power in Sacramento [Politico]
 
PLA Ban Repeal Approved for Vote The Chula Vista City Council placed a repeal of Prop G, the WECA supported 2010 measure banning PLAs for city projects, on the March ballot [Union-Tribune] Story.

Business Groups Bring Legal Challenge to California's Prohibition on Mandatory Arbitration Agreements A coalition of business groups led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce just filed a lawsuit against California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and other state officials seeking to block AB 51, a recently passed statute which will make it unlawful for California employers to require employees to sign arbitration agreements beginning January 1, 2020. Story