Los Angeles Federation of Labor 2007 Delegates Congress

The Los Angeles Federation of Labor 2007 Delegates Congress took place on December 3rd at the Hyatt Regency. This was only the second time such an event has taken place in Los Angeles. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa gave the opening remarks. He spoke of the late Miguel Contreras being present at the previous Delegates Congress in 2004. The mayor spoke in favor of a living wage saying, “we should reward work not punish it”. He reaffirmed his support for the 8 project labor agreements currently in force in the city of Los Angeles. There were approximately 1000 delegates in attendance. The theme for this delegates congress The Fight for Good Jobs.

Sign Spinners Need a Union

Ever wonder how much a sign spinner makes? You’ve no doubt seen them; young, athletic people with signs performing acrobatic maneuvers to direct attention to residential developments, etc… This type of advertising has really caught on and is being used nationwide. There are countless videos on YouTube highlighting these workers skills. The best sign spinners compete against each other in an annual competition that takes place in San Diego, California. Starting pay is around $10 per hour with no benefits. Sign spinners move up in small increments of pay as they learn new tricks though an instructor can earn considerably more. It’s a fun job according to the people I spoke with and contrary to what you might think the workers themselves feel there is a real future in it. Sign spinners endure ridicule from passers by; it’s seasonal work, very physical, involves a certain amount of cuts and, they have no union representation.

Boycott Circuit City

Remember back in April when Circuit City fired 3,400 employees “allowing” them after ten weeks to reapply for their former position at lower pay? That didn’t stop these holiday shoppers in Woodland Hills. They showed up on the day after Thanksgiving to grab home electronics at cut-rate prices. The line went all the way around the corner of the building. Anything to save a buck seems to be their motto. Isn’t it disgusting how little regard some people have for workers these days? I hope you will join me in boycotting Circuit City this Holiday Season.

Happy Holidays!!!

Black Thursday at Kmart

Thanksgiving Day; While most workers in America prepared for a traditional feast with family, Kmart employees braced for record amounts of shoppers. The chain decided to break with tradition this year and stay open on Thanksgiving in order to lure shoppers and increase profits. Employees were offered overtime pay (Time and one half) to work the Holiday according to one manager. A line formed in front of the Northridge, CA store as early as 4am. Shoppers who braved the early hours at another location in Simi Valley reported being informed that store would be open but would not honor the advertised sale prices because the store is scheduled to be closed down soon. Many of those customers raced to the Northridge location only to find themselves at the end of a line that had grown to over a hundred people.

The big attraction at today’s sale was the Nintendo Wii video game console, the 32 inch LCD TV and the GPS Navigation system. There were a total of 7 Wii’s available which were snatched up by the first 10 or so shoppers. Employee’s distributed tickets to those in the front of the line insuring they would have first opportunity at the sale items. Cookies were given out to all the shoppers. A few people cut in line, but for the most part the crowd was orderly.

Once inside the store, most shoppers headed to the electronics department where they stood in another line to pick up and purchase their items. One employee said he had never seen so many shoppers at one time. Friday’s sale (aka: Black Friday) will no doubt be another door buster but don’t expect to find a Nintendo Wii, the same employee informed the crowd he doesn't expect another shipment until after Christmas.

Judging by today’s results it’s not hard to imagine that Thanksgiving Day Sales may one day replace Black Friday.

Ellen Bows to Pressure Cancels New York Taping

They’re talking about it on the picket line at NBC Studios in Burbank, and all across the country. The latest development in the Writer’s strike is that Ellen DeGeneres will not be taping her show in New York as planned. A huge protest was being scheduled there by the union. Ellen may have miscalculated the amount of negative press she would receive after crossing the picket line here.

Writers to Ellen: "You're a Wormy Scab!!!"

Ellen DeGeneres’ decision to sneak in the back gate at NBC Studios in order to cross the picket line isn’t sitting well with many union members. The Teamsters and Screen Actors Guild have joined with the Writers in solidarity. Writers for the Ellen DeGeneres Show continue to strike for fair compensation from DVD sales and internet distribution.

Not all Hollywood stars have turned a deaf ear to their coworkers. According to Joe Medeiros, Head Writer for the Tonight Show, Jay Leno and others continue to stop by daily to lend their support for the Writers.

If cars passing by and honking is any measure of support then there is definitely a lot of support for the writers.

Mayor Speaks About Writer's Strike

This video of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was taken at the Habitat for Humanity Project on Friday November 2, 2007. It's approximately 2 minutes in duration. There is a short clip at the end of former President Jimmy Carter and the Mayor building an affordable home. Enjoy!

Pro Union Consulting Sees Growth

Pro Union Consulting L.L.C. is the brainchild of founder and President Matt Kolbinky. Services include training for union members interested in becoming successful signatory contractors. In the early days of the company services were offered only to union electrical workers however interest in the training has increased by other trades convinced that growing contractors from their own members is the key to expanding union market share. Demand has increased and Pro Union Consulting has expanded to include additional trades such as plumbers, pipe fitters and iron workers. The effect of well trained, highly skilled workers being encouraged to become profitable signatory contractors has had a great effect on the construction industry and organizing. Kolbinsky’s training has already resulted in the creation of 50 union contractors to date and he has set a goal of 1000 union contractors within 10 years.

LA Mayor Shows Support for Habitat Project

Though the media seemed more interested in getting the mayor to comment on the strike by the writers union, Antonio Villaraigosa put on the tools and helped build a home in South Los Angeles. Working together former President Carter cut the siding to size and Antonio installed it using a nail gun. The Mayor’s staff looked nervous as he climbed the scaffolding but he looked like he had done it before. At one point the mayor teased Carter about working too slowly. It seemed like the former President wasn’t listening but then he smiled and laughed which reminded me of an apprentice messing with a journeyman. Afterwards Antonio thanked the union electrical workers for their continued support of the project.

Jimmy Carter Building Homes in South LA

Former President Jimmy Carter was at the South Los Angeles Habitat for Humanity project today. Though busy installing siding he was kind enough to stop for a picture with me. City Council Members Janice Hahn and Eric Garcetti were both at the site as well along with 200 or so volunteers.

Habitat Habit

There were far more volunteers today then previous days. Over 20 union electricians at the South LA project alone including 2 retirees. Work continued but at a much faster pace. The solar panels are nearly completed. Some of the families who will eventually be owners were there to help as well.

Habitat for Humanity in LA

Former President Jimmy Carter is in Los Angeles this week to celebrate the opening of more Habitat for Humanity homes. The newly built homes will feature state of the art photovoltaic systems installed by members of the electricians union. Roofers put the final touches on the roofs today.

You Heard It Here First

On June 10th in a blog post entitled “The End of Journey?” I alerted readers about rumors of Journey Electrical Technologies, Inc. having financial troubles. Contacts at wholesale houses said large sums of money were allegedly owed suppliers so future deliveries would only be made C.O.D. I spoke to the workers on the job sites. For the most part the workers seemed unconcerned, which didn’t surprise me. I’ve seen this happen before. The workers are always the last to know. They said, “That’s old news” and “our foreman says everything is fine”.

Bounced checks were just “accounting errors”.

Trailers recalled to the shop meant “they’re making repairs”.

Lack of material just meant “everyone has to make due”, etc……

Well apparently everything wasn’t “fine”. Industry insiders say that as many as 200 employees were told Friday that they no longer have a job with Journey.

Remember- you heard it here first.

2007 Membership Development Conference

The Membership Development Conference in Atlanta, Georgia was a huge success. The conference was held on October 15- 17 and there were over 1400 union organizers from the U.S. and Canada in attendance.

On Monday Gene Morrill from the National Labor College gave a great presentation on communicating with unrepresented workers. Organizers were challenged to approach Gene on stage posing as an unrepresented worker and try to persuade him to accept a better life for himself.

On Tuesday my favorite training session was the Developing New Contractors session by Matt Kolbinsky president of Pro Union Consulting, Inc. His company trains union members to become successful union contractors. To date Pro Union Consulting is credited with creating 50 new construction contractors and has set a goal of creating 1000 within 10 years. I have no doubt that this number will be far exceeded.

On Wednesday motivational speaker Gary Zelesky took the stage and challenged everyone to say YES to their passion. If you’ve ever seen Gary, you know just how funny he can be. I purchased his new book when I got home. The book is entitled “The Passion Centered Professional- How to Go from Having Just a Career to Having a Life”. It’s not even out yet and I have no doubt it’s going to be great! I recommend everyone pre-order a copy at his website.

Overall the conference was great! The sound system was amazing. The training sessions were informative and the mood was upbeat.

Going Going Green

I've been meaning to do it for awhile now; join the Sierra Club that is. I finally went ahead and did it. For the last 6 months or so I've been participating in Apollo Alliance meetings and providing input on how to promote green union jobs and support the creation of a green career ladder. We're making progress. So it just makes sense that I would become a member of the Sierra Club. It's a great organization. Have you been putting it off and waiting for someone to invite you to make the move? Consider this an invitation.

Where The Hell Is OSHA?

"In my opinion the Broadstone project at 1st Street and Beaudry in downtown Los Angeles is the most dangerous construction project in town." Safety seems to be ignored for the purpose of completing the project before the fall 2007 deadline.

Be careful if you find yourself working on this construction site. Workers regularly throw heavy objects from up high and materials have been seen stacked in the street blocking easy exit. Trucks pull out of the driveway at a high rate of speed without flag persons and temporary cords are strewn throughout the job at shin level. Some balconies do not have handrails at this stage of the job. Also watch for improper use of barricade tape warning of hazards as they may be using "caution tape" where "danger tape" would be more appropriate. If this job gets completed without a major accident it will be close to a miracle in my opinion.

Just because OSHA has been rendered impotent by the Bush Administration doesn't mean you shouldn't register a complaint. It's still a good idea to document safety violations by filling out an OSHA Complaint Form. At some point even OSHA will have to pay the contractor a visit. Let's hope OSHA visits this jobsite before a major accident occurs. Please take a moment to watch this short video.

Did Wal-Mart Rip-Off Union Slogan?

This week Wal-Mart rolled out its new marketing slogan after 19 years of the infamous “Always Low Prices, Always” campaign. Their “Save Money, Live Better” slogan seems like a rip-off of the Labor movement’s “Live Better, Work Union” motto which has been used on everything from bumper stickers to
t-shirts and banners for as long as I can remember.

What will the company come up with next? The slogan “Union Yes” bastardized to say “Wal-Mart Yes?” I can see it now; red, white and blue with a checkmark in a box. Let's be glad they didn’t go with “Live Better, Work Wal-Mart” though no one would buy that garbage. I suppose they could have tossed around the idea of a jingle, instead of "Look for the Union Label" it would be "Look for the Wal-Mart Label."

If it wasn’t so blatant it would be funny and yet I didn’t hear one reporter mention it on the news this week. The media wouldn’t risk losing precious advertising dollars from the World’s largest retailer.

It seems to me that Wal-Mart tried to save a few bucks on their own advertising budget. Replacing the tired “Always Low Prices, Always” slogan after 19 years was probably a good idea, since everyone equates low prices with cheap labor and dead-end jobs. The idea of cheap imported goods lost some appeal with pets being poisoned and kids being endangered by lead paint and loose magnets. Even the free-trade crowd lost a little fervor over these latest incidents. Child labor and sweatshop conditions, they could live with as long as it took place overseas, but poison their cat and things have finally gone too far.

How blatant can you get though? Whose idea was it to take half a slogan from the most vocal group to speak out against the corporate giant and then make it theirs? It’s mind boggling! I’d be willing to bet some marketing geek stuck in traffic saw a “Live Better, Work Union” bumper sticker and said, “I’ve got it!"

The fact is people shop at Wal-Mart because they have to. It’s not about living better. No one wants to shop at Wal-Mart. People end up in Wal-Mart because they have cheap crap for less money. It’s not about living better. It’s about scraping by. That’s why I predict this latest strategy of Wal-Mart’s will fail.

What do you think? Did Wal-Mart rip-off the slogan? How long do you think this new campaign will last?

Labor Day Solidarity Parade

Marchers in this year’s Labor Day Parade learned just how hot it can get in Wilmington. Temperatures reached 105 degrees along the parade route causing many spectators to seek shelter in the shade. Some parade goers even watched from the comfort of their air conditioned cars. The event attracted unions from throughout Southern California and included marching bands, floats, classic cars and proud union members walking with their families. The parade route traveled along Avalon Blvd. through a working class neighborhood to Banning Park and culminated in a picnic and rally. The Labor Solidarity March is a fun filled annual event that gets little attention from the news media.

Company Helps Identify Market Share

Dr. Stephen T. Staneff, President of Construction Data and Research, Inc. recently gave a presentation in Las Vegas, Nevada where he described the service that CDR provides. The experts at CDR perform analysis of the electrical construction industry to identify opportunities for growth. The information they provide can be used by union organizers to track market trends and competitors in their areas. Check out their website at: http://www.constructiondatares.com/

Veteran Trade Unionist Retires

Cecil Wynn was honored at the Luxor Hotel and Casino on August 25, 2007 for his hard work and dedication to the organized labor movement. Over a hundred guests attended a banquet celebrating Wynn’s career, with several prominent speakers sharing stories of his courage and enthusiasm. The former Local 357 Business Manager went on to work as an International Representative for many years and helped pioneer union organizing as it is today.

Bad Bosses Beware!

There are some great websites dedicated to bad bosses and they’ve been getting a lot of press lately. Take for instance the AFL-CIO’s Bad Boss Contest where workers are encouraged to tell their horror stories. Participants win trips and other great prizes, but more importantly empower themselves by sharing their stories. Do you have a bad boss? Go ahead and tell your story. It may make you feel better.

BBQ at LA Fed Delegate Meeting

On Tuesday the LA Federation of Labor Monthly Delegate Meeting was held at the Professional Musicians Local and featured a barbeque for all in attendance. Over a dozen volunteers from the electricians union helped prepare and serve the food. Maria Elena Durazo, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the LA County Federation of Labor was there as well as approximately 120 delegates.

Schwarzenegger to Take Away Workers Lunch Breaks

Conservative lawmakers are at it again, launching more attacks against workers over the issue of lunch breaks. If it seems like we just went through this scenario a few years ago, you are right. Similar attacks in 2004 and 2005 were deflected when outraged union members stood up to powerful industry lobbyists. At that time the Governor and his cronies were forced to withdraw their anti-worker proposals. You can help stop their latest attack by writing a letter to:

The Division of Labor Standards Enforcement
PO Box 420603
San Francisco, CA 94142

Let the DLSE know that California workers will not be denied their lunch breaks and that employers who refuse to provide time for a lunch break should be forced to compensate workers with overtime pay.

Possible Buyer for Powerco Electric

Industry insiders have speculated that Powerco Electric Corporation will soon be bought out by Sylmar based Tutor-Saliba, Corporation in a deal that would further boost Tutor-Saliba’s ability to dominate public works construction projects. The two companies’ are listed as working on the new Police Headquarters Facility in Los Angeles which will replace the old Parker Center. Powerco Electric Corporation is a union shop.

Wal-Mart Workers Owed Back Pay

I read with interest the Reuters story by Nichola Groom and Brad Dorfman about Wal-Mart repaying nearly $4,000,000.00 to employees in California for “underpaid overtime”. Of course the employee’s weren’t overpaid. Would that ever happen at Wal-Mart?

The giant retailer was charged nearly $200,000.00 in penalties. That’s a pretty big fine, but to a monster like Wal-Mart it’s a slap on the wrist.

The story was really disappointing. Groom and Dorfman let Wal-Mart off the hook without even one opposing view sited. It reads like a Wal-Mart press release. In fact, I would guess that they probably read a press release and said to themselves, “let’s just use this and call it a day”. The least these two crack reporters could do is track down a few Wal-Mart workers and ask their opinion. Here’s a short list of questions they might want to consider next time:

For Angela Bradstreet, Labor Commissioner

• When you say “out of compliance”, you mean” breaking the law” right?


• Did Wal-Mart underpay their workers on purpose? (I know the answer to this one)

For John Smiley, Wal-Mart Representative

• Why should the public believe anything you say?


• Were any top-executives underpaid? (I know the answer to this one too)

To the Wal-Mart workers

• Were you aware that you were underpaid for overtime?


• Do you think Wal-Mart underpaid you on purpose?


• Did you ever discuss these problems with your supervisors or coworkers?


• Do you feel this is a fair settlement?


• Do you think this will have any effect on how Wal-Mart does business in the future?


• How has being underpaid affected your quality of life?

What questions would you like to see asked? Do you think the penalty was enough to discourage Wal-Mart from underpaying workers in the future?

Nonunion Retirement Crisis

In 2006 just 14% of nonunion workers in America had employer provided pension coverage. When you compare this with the 68% of union workers it’s not hard to see how one decision can make a world of difference in a person’s life. More and more employers are shifting the burden of retirement to employees. With the Bush administration pushing for the replacement of traditional pension plans with self directed 401K plans, you have to wonder, “What will happen to the workers who outlive their retirement savings?” Will nonunion workers be forced to work additional years? How does such a move affect the quality of a person’s life?



A recent study out of Boston College showed that 401K plans return less on investments than traditional pension plans. Are studies like these going unnoticed by workers at so called “merit-shops?” There’s a blog post on the AFL-CIO website written by Tula Connell entitled, A Key Solution to America’s Shrinking Middle Class: Union Membership. I would recommend that anyone considering working for a nonunion employer especially in the construction industry, read this article before making such a decision. All too often, people put off planning for their retirement until it's too late.

Paltry Minimum Wage Increase for U.S. Workers

Workers in America should be up in arms over the paltry minimum wage increase passed by Congress today. Only $5.85 per hour up from $5.15 per hour at a time when gas is over $3.00 a gallon is just plain cruel. The minimum wage should be at least $10.00 per hour. Minimum wage workers today are stuck in a vicious cycle of hopelessness and poverty perpetuated by Republican members of Congress. The Republicans blocked increases every step of the way for ten long years and they need to be held accountable. Many states have long given up on the federal government to step up to the plate and set a decent minimum wage. Some states have taken it upon themselves to pass increases over and above the federal level because those leaders realize that like the saying goes, “an injury to one is an injury to all.”

I find myself asking the same question day after day, “What happened to this country?”

Workers Claim Brinderson Forcing Employees to Sign-Up with Phony Union

Is Brinderson Construction up to no good again? It appears so. The LA/OC Building & Construction Trades Council has been receiving calls claiming that the company has formed an alliance with the phony, sham union the International Union of Petroleum & Industrial Workers (iupiw aka A-SCAM!) and is threatening employees with termination if they don’t join! Some say the iupiw owners do whatever the companies want and have been charged with fraud by the federal government for selling bogus health plans. Is this just another attempt by Brinderson to block the voice of the workers? Will enough employees’ come forward to thwart Brinderson’s desperate attempt? Let’s hope so.

Here’s what the workers can do:

Sign a Representation Card with a legitimate labor organization so they can negotiate a strong contract

Refuse membership in the phony IUPIW

File a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board for an election to cancel the IUPIW contract

Union Organizer Abducted by Iranian Government

Tuesday July 10th Tehran- Suspected government assailants attacked and abducted union organizer and president of the Bus Drivers Union, Mansour Osanloo. The attackers continued to beat Osanloo as he was driven away in an unmarked car (Read more here). Please join me in protesting this despicable act against a fellow labor activist by sending a protest letter AND signing a petition online. Amir Taheri of the Prairie Pundit calls Osanloo “Iran’s Lech Walesa”. Violent acts against labor leaders seem to be on the rise. We cannot allow this to continue.

The end of the Journey?

Industry insiders speculated this week that Journey Electrical Technologies Inc. a nonunion electrical contractor may be heading for bankruptcy. I can hardly control my grief (satire). Some say that the company is late in paying wholesale houses for materials and creditors are tired of being taken for a ride. Employee’s at a project in Burbank, California reported hearing the same rumor a few weeks back but were assured everything is fine. Aren’t the employee’s always the last to find out? Is this the end of the road for Journey? If so, what led to their demise? Is this a good thing for the industry? Here's your chance to chime in.

Online Workers of the World Unite!

The plight of the online workers of the World took center stage recently with a story by Julian Dibbell of the New York Times Magazine. In the story Dibbell describes the working conditions of the exploited Chinese workers known as “Gold Farmers” hired to play video games in horrendous sweatshop like conditions for slave wages. Watch a video highlight here. It brought bloggers like Shai Sachs and Zack Exley to ask the question. “Could a labor union or guild be formed to help the exploited workers?” What form would it take? The limitations of such an idea are obvious of course. What do you think? Is any existing labor organization ready to take on such a challenge?

Victory for Sheriff’s Union

Now that Paris Hilton has been returned to jail to serve the rest of her sentence, members of the Association of Los Angeles Deputy Sheriff’s can rest easy knowing the wealthy socialite will not receive any special treatment for her celebrity status. It’s pretty clear this latest incident with all its twists and turns spells the end of Sheriff Lee Baca’s career. He did a pretty good job of defending himself at the press conference on Friday, but with politicians all over the city criticizing his decision to release her early he’s toast. Does the ALADS have a recommendation for his replacement? What other missteps has Sheriff Baca made that upset ALADS members? Will Baca’s replacement mean higher pay or increased benefits for ALADS rank and file?

As one person commented on my earlier post, “Such a move by management makes life more difficult for the union members while they're doing their jobs.” I think we can all agree on that point. It must have been pretty tough being a Los Angeles Sheriff these last few days. Will this incident have any lasting effect for the members of the sheriff’s union?

Sheriff's Union vs. Paris Hilton????

Paris Hilton was reassigned to house arrest this morning due to unspecified medical reasons. Almost immediately after her release President Steve Remige of the Association of Los Angeles Deputy Sheriff’s accused Sheriff Lee Baca of giving Miss Hilton preferential treatment. We never hear politicians protesting the early release of gang members and other violent criminals due to jail overcrowding. Why get excited when a celebrity is released early for health problems? Is there something I'm missing? Miss Hilton has already served five days in jail, will be required to wear an ankle bracelet, and be under house arrest for 40 days. How will accusing Sheriff Lee Baca help the members of ALADS? Do the members agree this is an issue worth pursueing?

What Makes a Great Flyer

A colleague contacted me this week requesting copies of my best flyers. She wanted to protest a local contractor hiring uncertified electricians and needed ideas. It got me to think, “What makes a great flyer?”

Here’s what I came up with. Let me know what you think.

• A great headline
• Brief description of the problem
• A simple request of the reader
• An emotional photo or illustration
• Quality of the paper
• Size, color, shape
• One line disclaimer

McDonald’s New Labor Problem

I was driving home from church when my 9 year old son noticed that McDonald’s was flying the American Flag upside down. I turned the car around and decided to find out why? When I asked the manager she said, “Oh my God!”

She directed an employee to go out and fix it. Still, I can’t help but think this is a sign of a larger problem. Was this just a simple mistake or did the employee not know the flag was upside down? Why did it take over an hour and a half for someone to bring it to their attention? Does McDonald’s need to incorporate flag etiquette into their employee training? What do you think?

Lawsuit by Fired Circuit City Workers

The lawsuit against Circuit City by three of the fired employees alleges age discrimination. It makes since that workers with greater lengths of service were likely the highest paid and probably older workers as well.

What kind of a slimy management team would do that? Firing 3,400 employees “allowing” them to reapply after 10 weeks for their former position at lower pay is such an insult. Morale must be at an all time low at Circuit City.

I will never shop at Circuit City again.

Will you?

Is There a Future for Union Organizing?

I disagree with futurist and author Alvin Toffler, who recently predicted that the job of Union Organizer will disappear 20 years from now (By 2027). He was quoted on Forbes.com as also saying, “The labor movement has not come to terms with the knowledge economy at all.”

It’s just not true. The quality of union apprenticeship training has never been better. The building trades are heavily invested in their member’s education. Journeyman upgrade classes are packed with members who want to stay ahead of the industry. Innovation is encouraged; just look at the unions that are training their member’s to become contractors in expanding markets, like the electrical workers are with solar power.

That’s why I started this blog. To discuss the issues we face in construction organizing.

Here’s my prediction: I think progressive labor unions like those of the building trades who encourage innovation are going to come to terms with the value of organizing and rise to dominate the labor movement.

It does make one think though…… Have we invested enough in education? What skill sets will construction workers be required to have in 2027? What challenges will we face in the future?