Below is the monthly wrap-up for July, covering important news, resources, and opportunities for members. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us with questions or for support. We are here for you and your team. Today is the last day to register for the 2022 UCON BBQ & Chili Cookoff, August 4!
Get tickets
Labor Relations & Member Services
- UCON Ratifies 2022-2025 OE12 Master Agreement. A bulletin was sent out to OE12 signatories with details on key modifications for the MLA. 2022 rates were also sent out earlier this week.
- Learn About New Master Agreements. UCON will hold three webinars to review and answer any questions about the new Master Agreement terms that will impact your company: Laborers (N. CA) Aug 1 | Laborers (S. CA) Aug 8 | OE12 Aug 17.
2022 Union Rate Sheets Now Available. Rate sheets for all of UCON’s Master Labor Agreements can be found in our Contractor Resources Library. A few specialty agreements are still being negotiated, and those rate sheets will be posted when they become available.
New OE3 MOUs Executed. UCON and the OE3 craft committee recently negotiated three new MOUs to enhance OE3-signatory competitiveness and create a more level playing field for the industry - Statutory Claims/PAGA Waivers, Tree Removal Classifications, and Crane Manning Language.
UCON Specialty Agreement Negotiations Underway. UCON craft committees met this week with the Laborers (Northern CA) to discuss the Traffic Control / Highway Improvement and Landscape Agreements, and with the Laborers (Southern CA) on the Landscape Agreement. Members will be notified as new agreements are completed.
Advocacy & Government Relations
Governor Newsom Signs UCON Bill Making 5% Retention Permanent. On July 19, Governor Newsom signed UCON legislation, AB2173, making 5% retention a permanent law in CA. Our bill was authored by Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris (AD 74, Costa Mesa).
- UCON Urges Agencies to Provide Financial Relief to Contractors for Unprecedented Material Cost Increases. UCON is encouraging contractors to send letters to agencies you’re working for, encouraging them to provide financial relief for material cost increases on fixed price contracts. Template letters can be found on UCON’s Grassroots Advocacy webpage.
- UCON Continues Fight to Provide Financial Relief to California’s Construction Businesses for the Cost of Mandated COVID Paid Leave. We encourage you to write to Governor Newsom and urge his support of a grant relief program that would help reimburse some contractors for the extraordinary costs of COVID mandated Paid Leave.
$85 Million in Tax Credits Available for California Businesses. The California Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) has up to $85 million in tax credits available to award businesses that want to locate in California or stay and grow in the state.
California Ballot Initiative to Repeal PAGA Qualifies for 2024 Ballot. The California Secretary of State announced on Friday, July 22, 2022 that a measure to replace the California Labor Code Private Attorneys General Act of 2004 (“PAGA”) qualified as an eligible statewide ballot measure for the November 2024 General Election ballot.
SCOTUS Refuses to Hear AB 5 Lawsuit Appeal. The preliminary injunction on enforcement of AB 5 for certain motor carriers is now overturned. See UCON’s AB 5 Overview & FAQ. The construction carve for independent trucking remains in place until 2024. Ensuring a pathway for contractors to utilize independent truckers remains UCON's top priority.
Heat Illness Prevention. As temperatures rise across the state, read how you can keep your team safe and healthy, and stay in compliance under CalOSHA's Heat Illness Prevention Standards.
- UCON R.E.A.L. Safety Awards. Recognizing Excellence, Awareness & Leadership in Safety. The safety awards program has been developed to highlight the importance of safety in our industry, as well as to honor some of the safest contractors in our association. Read more about the winning organizations in the July 2022 issue of the UCON magazine.
- Underground Safety Board Workshop on Potholing and Facility Location. Thursday, August 4, 3 PM - 5 PM, via Zoom.
Join the next UCON Safety and Insurance Meeting. Join UCON for the next Safety and Insurance meeting on Wednesday, September 14, 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM (via Zoom). Contact Julie Hinge.
California Department of Technology (CDT) is seeking input from experienced telecommunications construction firms to help inform the planning and structuring of a competitive bid process that will facilitate the construction of approximately 10,000 route miles of middle-mile fiber-optic infrastructure. To participate, please complete this anonymous survey by Friday, August 5, 2022. Register for a discussion forum on Wednesday, August 10, 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM. Contact: CDT directly
Join UCON's LA METRO Meetings. UCON encourages contractors who work for LA METRO to join our upcoming liaison meetings taking place on Wednesday, August 10, 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM. Contact Dave Jenkins.
UCON Contractor-Caltrans Liaison Meetings. Caltrans Contractors are encouraged to register to attend the next Caltrans-Contractor Liaison meeting, Tuesday, August 30, from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Contact Julie Hinge
Last call to register for UCON's Annual BBQ and Chili Cookoff! Registration closes TODAY! UCON’s iconic annual industry BBQ will be held at the Alameda County Fairgrounds, Thursday, August 4, 4:30 PM – 8:00 PM. We hope you can join us for this
one-of-a-kind event.
Join us for our 2022 Summer Beach Bash on Huntington Beach. Don’t miss this epic evening of tequila tastings, live music, friends, and great food at The Huntington Beach House. Bring your team and mix and mingle with UCON staff, members, and partners while you watch the sun set into the Pacific while sipping handcrafted cocktails on our own private beach.
SOLD OUT! UCON and Twining Inc.’s 3rd Annual Fundraiser Golf Tournament on August 29 at the Huntington Club in Huntington Beach will raise money for Construction Angels, a non-profit providing immediate financial assistance and grief counseling to the children and spouses left behind when a construction worker has a fatality on the job site.
Sal Rubino Golf Classic – Register Now! UCON’s Annual Golf tournament is back on September 9, 2022 at Bayonet & Blackhorse Golf Course in Seaside. The iconic Sal Rubino Golf Classic has offered our members a chance to connect outside of the office since 1989.
Professional and Leadership Development
View UCON's complete 2022 Professional & Leadership Development Course Catalog. Below are upcoming UCON courses offered to members and your teams. Please be sure to spread the word and share these opportunities to learn, develop and sharpen valuable skill sets. Register now for Fearless Field Leader in S. CA. Transform your Superintendents and Foremen into outstanding, professional leaders and managers! This in-person class is one of UCON’s highest-rated courses and will give your field leaders the strategies they need to succeed. This class is in Cerritos, CA and space is limited to 50 people.
Learn the Strategies for Effective Virtual Leadership. Your virtual audience is more easily distracted, and hybrid meetings create challenges. UCON’s course on Effective Virtual Leadership takes place on Tuesday, August 16 and will give you proven techniques to help lead your next virtual meeting, training, sales pitch, and up-level your presentations.
Do you want to be indispensable? UCON presents How to Make Yourself Indispensable and Build a Career on Thursday, August 18 in which you will learn to craft a realistic career goal, understand where you are in your career journey and figure out the roadblocks to achieving your goals.
What are your biggest questions around Certified Payroll? Join UCON and the FFC on Tuesday, August 30, as we walk attendees through finding prevailing wage determinations, completing necessary forms, and accessing essential resources. In addition, this class addresses the common pitfalls and compliance requirements of Labor Code 1776 along with apprenticeship requirements.
UCON July Magazine. The Safety Issue. UCON’s July magazine is now available, and features UCON's R.E.A.L. Safety Award Winners. Check it out!
Congratulations to UCON’s 2022 Scholarship Recipients! The Scholarship Committee awards a total of $50,000 to 13 exceptional students this year.
Important Contract Administration Funds Change: Beginning in August, Contract Administration Funds for July 2022 hours will no longer be paid directly to United Contractors. Instead, funds will be submitted to the applicable Union Trust Funds with your other fringes. The contribution forms from the Trust Funds will reflect this change. Contact Emmy McConnell.
Download the UCON App. and gain access to courses, virtual events, networking, and more. Available in the App and Google Play Store. Download today, and bring UCON with you, wherever you go.
Welcome new UCON Members! UCON welcomes new contractor member Bay Engineering LLC. We look forward to serving you!
UCON empowers, advocates for, and supports California’s union contractors. We are relentlessly committed to serving the needs of our members while building the next generation of industry leaders. Learn more at UnitedContractors.org. Contact UCON at memberinfo@unitedcontrators.org.
|