BAC Executive Council Continues Focusing on Union Growth

Organizing and growth have been the Union’s first, second, and third priorities for the past three years. At the recent BAC Executive Council meeting in March, BAC President James Boland announced that BAC Locals and ADCs signed over 80 new contractors in 2018.

“That doesn’t include contractors who were already signed in Local unions or contractors who signed PLAs or one-job agreements, or about 20 new companies who have yet to report hours. No, that’s over 80 signatories who are completely new to BAC, who are paying wages and benefits to our members today, and who were brought in by your efforts,” BAC President Boland said to the Executive Council in his opening remarks. “Let’s keep up the good work, let’s keep organizing, and let’s show the industry that BAC is here to stay.”

The Council also welcomed a line of honorable guest speakers, including U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI); U.S. Representative Pete Aguilar (D-CA); California Secretary of State Alex Padilla; AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler; Dr. David Weil, Dean of the Heller School for Social Policy and Management, and Thomas Frank, Author of Rendevouz with Oblivion: Reports From A Sinking Society. 

U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) spoke to the BAC Executive Council. “To reward and respect the working people with dignity, we must defend the laws on the books and invest in infrastructure that includes public school construction," Senator Baldwin said to the BAC Executive Council. “Even though my recent election is behind me, I pledge to continue working on the presidential race, working on the Senate races across the country, and working with all of you, so we can have the change we need to see so that we finally reward and respect the dignity of hard work.”

California Secretary of State Alex Padilla emphasized the importance of voting. “If we don’t get involved in politics and don’t do everything we can to register our families, our friends, our coworkers and our neighbors to vote, we will continue to be a target. That’s what the immigration community is working against now and that is what the organized labor is working against now… When you have more champions of getting working people to register to vote and cast their votes easily, it will make a big difference for the policy priorities and the agenda for working families across the country.”

U.S. Representative Pete Aguilar (D-CA) praised the efforts that BAC members are making in advocacy. “I am here to listen to you and to hear what your priorities are. You are represented incredibly well in Washington, D.C. and your team has been amazing to communicate to our Democratic Caucus on your priorities of your members,” said Aguilar.

The Council also joined BAC signatory contractors for the Joint Labor Management meeting where attendees heard from a line of inspiring speakers, including IMI President Caryn Halifax; IMI Co-Chair Mike Schmerbeck; Bob Arnold, IMTEF National Director of Apprenticeship and Training; Anirban Basu, Chairman and CEO of the Sage Policy Group; David Williamson, Managing Director of Bernuth & Williamson; and Darrell Roberts, Executive Director of Helmets to Hardhats.