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Season 3, Episode 68

Renewables energy projects, and infrastructure investment propel union construction in California

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Guest Name:


Treston Shull

Guest Website:


www.liunalocal324.org

Guest Social Media:


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Supportive Documents:


Laborer’s International Union of North America (LiUNA) Local 324 Vice President and Business Representative Treston Shull joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast and discussed why now is an exciting time for unions in California thanks to a construction economy buoyed by renewable energy projects and the upcoming Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Local 324 is one of the largest territorial locals in California, spanning eight counties and representing about 5,000 members. Due to an expanding work forecast, the Local hopes to grow to 6,500 members by the end of the year, he said.

Renewable energy is the hot market in a state largely controlled by union affiliated signatory contractors, Shull said. Developers and project managers understand California is a different breed compared to other states, and know there are numerous advantages to working with unions. There is little non-union competition for wind farm work or solar industry, he added.

Shull also discussed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which will bring $45 billion in new construction to California. He talked about how Local 324 is expanding its apprenticeship program to meet the demand, with around 800 apprentices currently enrolled.

Shull then mentioned California Assembly Bill 5. This legislation protects workers from misclassification. Since the law was passed, there has been a monumental decline of independent contractors on construction projects, he added.

Listen to the entire episode to learn more about these topics:


America’s Work Force is the only daily labor podcast in the US and has been on the air since 1993, supplying listeners with useful, relevant input into their daily lives through fact-finding features, in-depth interviews, informative news segments and practical consumer reports. America’s Work Force is committed to providing an accessible venue in which America's workers and their families can hear discussion on important, relevant topics such as employment, healthcare, legislative action, labor-management relations, corporate practices, finances, local and national politics, consumer reports and labor issues.

America’s Work Force Union Podcast is brought to you in part by our sponsors: AFL-CIO, American Federation of Government Employees, American Federation of Musicians Local 4, Alliance for American Manufacturing, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes-IBT, Boyd Watterson, Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, Communication Workers of America, Mechanical Insulators Labor Management Cooperative Trust, International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Local 50, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Crafts, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 6, Ironworkers Great Lakes District Council, Melwood, The Labor Citizen newspaper, Laborers International Union of North America, The National Labor Office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield, North Coast Area Labor Federation, Ohio Federation of Teachers, United Labor Agency, United Steelworkers.

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