WECA is pleased to reintroduce our members to our Industry Partner, Simpro Software. Get reacquainted with Simpro Software below:

A Brief Overview of Simpro Software’s History

Simpro was founded in Brisbane, Australia in 2002 with the goal of providing a comprehensive software solution for the trades and field service industries. Today, Simpro has grown into a global leader, serving over 8,500 customers and managing more than 14 million jobs annually across industries such as electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and security.

Simpro’s Services and Solutions

Simpro offers an all-in-one, cloud-based field service management platform designed to streamline operations for trade and field service businesses. Our solutions include job management, scheduling, asset tracking, estimating, invoicing, inventory management, and reporting. With Simpro, businesses can automate repetitive tasks, improve team productivity, and drive growth by gaining full visibility into their operations.

Simpro’s Services and Solutions vs. Their Competitors’ Services and Solutions

Simpro differentiates itself through its comprehensive approach, integrating job management, field mobility, and operational insights into one platform. Unlike competitors that may focus solely on specific functions like financial management or CRM, Simpro offers a holistic solution tailored for trade businesses. Features like real-time data synchronization, automated workflows, and scalability ensure that Simpro meets the needs of growing businesses. Additionally, Simpro’s mobile app empowers technicians in the field with access to critical job information.

How WECA Members Can Benefit from Simpro’s Services and Solutions

WECA members can benefit from Simpro by streamlining their operations, reducing manual processes, and improving both efficiency and profitability. Simpro helps contractors manage complex projects, maintenance contracts, and service jobs with ease. With features like automated quoting, invoicing, and real-time communication between office and field teams, Simpro enables contractors to focus on growing their businesses while delivering excellent service to their customers.

Why Simpro Partners with WECA

Simpro recognizes WECA as a leading association for electrical and low-voltage contractors, industries that align closely with Simpro’s core customer base. By partnering with WECA, Simpro aims to provide its innovative solutions to a network of contractors who are committed to excellence, safety, and growth. This partnership represents an opportunity to support contractors as they navigate industry challenges and adopt new technologies to stay competitive.

Want to Utilize Simpro’s Services and Solutions? Here’s How:

WECA members interested in utilizing Simpro’s services and solutions can contact Joey Commons, Account Executive, at johanna.commons@simpro.us. Additionally, Simpro’s team is happy to provide demos, answer questions, and discuss how Simpro can support your business’s needs.

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Simpro Software Resources for Southern California WECA Members Affected by the Wildfires:

“During this challenging time, as Los Angeles works to recover from the catastrophic wildfires, Simpro is standing strong with the community.

We are offering support by:

·        Pledging $50,000 to help Simpro customers affected by the fires.

·        Offering a 50% discount on software fees for the first 12 months to any new California-based customers.

If you’re a California business or customer affected by the fires, please visit our website to learn how we can support you.”

Balanced Budget? David Crane, President of Govern for California, recently wrote about California’s “balanced budget”. He gave WECA permission to republish his observations.

Last Monday, Governor Newsom issued a press release previewing a "balanced" budget for 2025-26, so imagine our surprise when his proposed budget released today disclosed that balance was achieved by transferring $7.1 billion from the Rainy Day Fund. In your household do you consider your budget balanced if you dip into savings to cover a deficit? We don’t. In fact, when the Monday press release extolled that "state revenues are up by $16.5 billion," we expected the proposed budget would not only not draw from the Rainy Day Fund, but also would pay back $4.9 billion taken from the Rainy Day Fund last year. It’s misleading to characterize such a budget as "balanced", and worrisome that Newsom keeps taking money from the Rainy Day Fund when the economy and stock market are vibrant and reserves might be needed more than ever. We’re still reading through the document and will have more to say, but this is not a good start.

Crane followed up with additional analysis:

Governor Newsom’s proposed budget includes a paragraph entitled “GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY AND COST SAVING MEASURES”, but the measures mentioned there are a tiny fraction of the inefficiencies and costs added under Newsom. E.g., in the year Newsom took over from Jerry Brown, the Executive Branch hosted 211,000 jobs on whom the state spent $19.5 billion in salaries.

Since then, Newsom has expanded staffing and salaries in favor of public sector unions that are also his political supporters, with the result that the proposed budget shows staffing up 21% and salary spending up 44% to $28.1 billion per year.

Schedule 6 of the budget, which includes State employees outside the Executive branch, shows a sharp drop in efficiency. E.g., employees per 1,000 population is up 17% and General Fund expenditures per Capita are up 65%. Have public services per Capita improved at all — much less 65% — since Newsom took office?

Another contributor to declining efficiency is rising spending on benefits for retired employees, another Newsom supporter. E.g., spending on Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) is up 74% and takes more than $4 billion per year from the General Fund. California's OPEB benefits are multiples of those provided by other states. On top of that is pension spending of $14 billion, up 46%. The same issues handicap efficiency in schools, colleges, universities, cities, counties and other agencies funded and governed by the state.

As with his untruthful claim of a balanced budget, Newsom’s claim about an efficient budget is misleading.

Learn more about Govern for California here and consider supporting their work.

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More Pain for Employers The Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) released “Fixing Unemployment Insurance,” finding that the “anticipated annual shortfalls” between revenue and benefits paid out “will add to the state’s looming $20 billion outstanding federal UI loan” and “expects the loan to grow by billions of dollars before federal surcharge UI taxes are high enough for the state and employers to begin making progress toward repaying the loan.” The LAO recommends the legislature “increase the taxable wage base” on which employers are required to pay UI taxes, from a maximum of $7,000 to $46,800, which would “place California among the ten states with taxable wages bases above $40,000 and all other Western states,” but notes “this step alone would not be sufficient to address the state’s solvency problems.”

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Litigation Filed to Enjoin SB 399 Prohibiting Mandatory Meetings During Union Organizing On January 1, 2025, Senate (SB) Bill 399, went into effect in California, which joined other states, including Illinois, Connecticut, Hawaii, New York, and Oregon, in enacting statutes that prohibit “captive audience” meetings, similarly limiting employers’ ability to conduct mandatory meetings on religious or political matters, including a labor organization. Several business groups have filed a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of SB 399 and seeking declaratory and injunctive relief. The lawsuit, filed in the Eastern District of California, argues that the law infringes on employers’ rights to free speech and equal protection under the First and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution. The plaintiffs contend that SB 399 discriminates against employers’ viewpoints on political matters and restricts the content of their communications with employees. They argue that the law stifles employer speech and is preempted by the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), which protects employer free speech under Section 8(c). Story

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Falls and Construction Lead in Workplace Fatalities





 

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Senator Hawley Circulating Framework for Labor Reform Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) is circulating a framework for potential labor law reform legislation. The framework calls for:

• notice posting requirements on employees’ collective bargaining rights;
• safety provisions for warehouse workers, including a prohibition against work speed quotas;
• banning captive audience meetings;
• ambush elections within 20 business days;
• a 10-day time period for the employer and union to begin negotiating following a representation election; and
• civil penalties, increased damages, and employees’ right to seek remedies in court if the employer violates the NLRA.

Hawley and the Teamsters are sharing the framework with Senate offices, looking for additional support. Hawley’s comment to the press regarding the framework was that he “look[s] forward to advancing meaningful legislation for working people this Congress.” While it’s difficult to weigh in on the consequences of the proposal without seeing actual legislative text, these concepts could trigger First and Seventh Amendment concerns.

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Higher OSHA Penalties Kick-in This Week The Department of Labor last week announced its annual inflation adjustments to OSHA civil penalties for 2025, taking effect for violations issued on or after Jan. 15, 2025. Below are the maximum penalty amounts:


 

·       State plan workplace safety agencies are required to increase their maximum penalties in alignment with OSHA’s penalty increases to maintain at least as effective penalty levels.

·       Other DOL civil penalties are similarly increasing. More information can be found in the final rule.

READ MORE

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SOMAH Decision Workshop, February 11, 2025, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. PT The SOMAH Program will host a workshop in compliance with the California Public Utilities Commission’s (CPUC) Final Decision D.24-11-006. This workshop will provide an opportunity to explore upcoming program changes and engage in discussions on key topics, including:

·      New incentive levels for paired storage systems

·      Potential impacts on tenant benefits, budgets, and SOMAH goals

·      Updated safety rules for storage installations

·      Alignment with SGIP rules and incentives

·      Opportunities for prior SOMAH applicants to enhance existing systems with storage

·      Strategies to achieve SOMAH’s 300 MW target

Register

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Former EEOC Commissioner and Acting WHD Administrator Announced as Pick for Deputy Secretary of Labor On January 14, 2025, President-elect Trump named former U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Commissioner Keith Sonderling as his pick for deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). This is a significant appointment as it places an experienced labor and employment attorney, who has served in both the EEOC and DOL, as second-in-command under the previously announced Secretary of Labor pick Lori Chavez-DeRemer. Sonderling began his career as a management-side labor and employment attorney in his native state of Florida. After spending nearly 10 years in the private sector, he joined the DOL in the first Trump administration. There he held several roles, most notably serving as the acting and deputy administrator of the Wage and Hour Division (WHD). In 2020, Sonderling was tapped to become one of five commissioners at the EEOC. He was strongly supported by the business community and confirmed by the U.S. Senate with bipartisan support. He finished his tenure at the EEOC in August of 2024. Story

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Lawsuits Dangle Compensation Lure to California Wildfire Victims While the cause of the Southern California wildfires is still under investigation, several lawsuits have been filed claiming utility equipment is responsible for one of the largest blazes. Attorneys working with ClassAction.org are now looking to file a class action lawsuit on behalf of people who were injured by or suffered losses due to the wildfires, including the Palisades, Eaton, Kenneth, Hurst, Lidia and Sunset fires. Those who were forced to evacuate, who were injured, whose homes were damaged, whose businesses were impacted, or had a sleepless night because they worried about fires may be able to take action. Looters gotta loot!

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Higher Electricity Costs Expected Electricity bills in California — already among the nation’s highest — could soon skyrocket. In addition to killing two dozen people and destroying at least 12,000 structures, the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles have also damaged the region’s electrical system, writes Politico. “Ultimately, ratepayers will foot the bill,” said Travis Miller, a utilities analyst at Morningstar. And that is just one of the expected costs to residents. “Customers face a triple whammy here, with potentially higher insurance costs, higher utility bills and the recovery from property damage they suffered,” Miller said. The total damage from the fires is expected to rise north of $250 billion—making it one of the nation’s costliest disasters.

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Cal/OSHA’s Workplace Violence Plan Since July 2024, California employers have been working under the requirements of SB 553 for workplace violence (WPV) prevention. After several years of planning to enact a new Cal/OSHA regulation, the Division of Occupational Safety and Health will take the next steps in the new year to combine the law with its own vision. That work officially begins on January 24th, 2025, with an advisory committee meeting via video conference. SB 553 requires DOSH to forward a rulemaking proposal to the Standards Board by the end of 2025. The Board must adopt a regulation by the end of 2026.

Please join us in congratulating those re-elected and newly elected to the 2025 WECA Board of Directors!

Serving a three-year term:

Jason Blum

Tim Bosley

John Pavletich

Leslie Schlaegel

View the complete rosters of the WECA Boards of Directors and Trustees

Please join WECA in congratulating WECA Arizona Member Contractor K2 Electric on making the Phoenix Business Journal's 2024 Arizona Corporate Excellence (ACE) Fastest Growing Companies list!

K2 Electric announced the honor on social media, stating:

"K2 Electric is thrilled to announce that we ranked No. 8 on the Phoenix Business Journal's 2024 Arizona Corporate Excellence (ACE) Top Fastest Growing Company list! This recognition highlights the dedication, innovation, and teamwork that drive our success. Thank you to our incredible team for making this achievement possible."

Our job board currently serves California, and exists for:

• Talented electricians
• Low voltage technicians
• Electrician Trainees
• Industry employees (including office personnel)
• And the Member Contractors who want to hire them

Access this free, no-obligation service provided by WECA to post a position to help you find your next great employee today!

You can also view active resumes as part of your Member Contractor benefits.

Post a job today!

WECA Government Relations Director Rex Hime Celebrates WECA Relationship with the Central Valley Business Federation (BizFed)

An Ally in Advocating for Fair and Open Competition in the Construction Industry

WECA's Government Relations Director Rex Hime helped the Central Valley Business Federation (BizFed) celebrate their successful 2024 at their Holiday Lunch and Board Meeting in Visalia, CA in December.

Rex reflected on BizFed's successful year in the following statement:

"Co-chairing both BizFed Central Valley's Advocacy Committee and PAC this past year has been a pleasure. BizFed Central Valley is a great ally to WECA, acting as a megaphone advocating for fair and open competition in the construction industry, along with business issues across the board. Happy to be involved with a powerful group of movers and shakers and looking forward to the battles in 2025!"

For California Member Contractors:

If you employ Apprentices, Electrician Trainees and/or Journeyperson Continuing Education students who have been affected by the California wildfires or power outages, and you have any questions or concerns about their progress, please contact WECA for clarification about accommodations for your employees' situations at 877-444-9322.

Please watch your email closely for further updates from WECA as the wildfire situations change; apprenticeship classes at our WECA facilities in Southern California are not affected at this time.

For Electrician Trainees and Journeyperson Continuing Education students affected by wildfire evacuation orders and/or power outages:

WECA will accommodate course make-up requests for currently enrolled Electrician Trainees and Journeypersons, in addition to course refunds or transfers, and waive all associated fees for those whose homes are affected by fires or evacuations. Please contact WECA at 877-444-9322 to get started.

Please note the following information for WECA students affected by power outages:

WECA is still running all scheduled GetWired webcasts, GetWired labs (whether scheduled for onsite or online), Live Online 2-Day Exam Prep classes, and all other instructor-led class instances at this time. Students should plan to attend class as normal.

Students who are unable to attend a scheduled webcast due to a power outage at their residence, and who cannot attend the class instance from an alternate remote location (which is encouraged), can contact WECA to arrange a class make-up. WECA will cross-check the student's address with outage maps or otherwise request proof of the outage before accommodating the make-up; this accommodation is for students living in power outage areas only.

Please contact WECA at 877-444-9322 if you must miss a scheduled webcast due to an outage and wish to request a make-up class instance.

Please watch your email closely for further updates from WECA; if the power outage maps are expanded, classes may be further affected.

What Does the 2024 Election Mean for Contractors? With the holidays behind us and the inauguration ahead, some business owners and managers wonder what the election means for the next few years. I have highlighted several key things WECA Government Relations will be focused on:

Cabinet Appointments Some were surprised when President-elect Trump (hereafter referred to as DJT) announced that the girlfriend (ex-girlfriend?) of Don Jr., Kimberley Guilfoyle, would become Ambassador to Greece. Having a dad in the White House comes in handy when it’s time to change your dance card, as Don Jr. seems to have moved on—much like Gavin Newsom did when he divorced Guilfoyle in 2006. More troubling is DJT’s announcement that former one-term Oregon Representative Lori Chavéz-DeRemer would be Secretary of Labor. Chavéz-DeRemer served as mayor of Happy Valley, Oregon, from 2011 to 2019. She is the first Republican woman to represent Oregon in the House. Voters in Oregon’s 5^th district had second thoughts and replaced Chavéz-DeRemer with Democrat Janelle Bynum in November. The race was considered one of the most competitive in the US House and drew more than $26 million in outside spending. The race was called for Bynum on Friday, November 8th. So, why the concern? Chavéz-DeRemer was often the lone Republican supporter of various pro-union bills in Congress, including the PRO Act (card check) and comes to the Trump camp with strong union support, and healthy skepticism from business groups, and Republicans.

PRO Act/Card Check As mentioned above, Chavéz-DeRemer didn’t just support the PRO Act, but cosponsored it. Additionally, Missouri Senator Josh Hawley recently offered that he wants to see a business-friendly PRO Act. He didn’t explain what that meant, but Hawley said that he no longer supported right to work—which bars unions and employers from requiring workers to pay dues as a condition of employment. This was a significant change for Hawley, who backed the policy when he was running for office in 2016. And it’s part of a broader attempt by the Republican incumbent to appeal to union members in the run-up to the Nov. 5 election. “If those people don’t pay dues but get the benefit of the contract, that’s not fair,” Hawley said.

Tariffs DJT has announced across the board tariffs on “day one.” As Construction Dive observed, “For commercial builders and their clients, that could spell major price hikes. While much about the plan remains uncertain, industry leaders are already bracing for its potential impact. The scale of the tariffs—and how rigorously they are enforced—will determine how deeply construction is affected. Broad enforcement could disrupt construction by increasing the costs of materials from specific countries, potentially delaying or deferring projects altogether. Products imported from China, including lower-cost commodity items such as certain metals, coatings, plumbing components and HVAC parts, could see significant price increases.”

“Heading into 2025 it’s unclear if prices will remain so well-behaved,” said Anirban Basu, chief economist of the ABC, in a statement. “The next administration’s trade policy increases uncertainty regarding construction materials costs. Beyond the implications of potential tariffs, input prices may rise in the short term if purchases rush to import materials prior to the implementation of those policies,” he added. “Construction is more reliant than most industries on imported materials, parts and components,” said Ken Simonson, the top economist for AGC. “Because the industry is so diverse and obtains materials mainly through intermediaries rather than importing directly, it’s impossible to estimate the share of construction purchases that go for imports. Also, it varies by location as to whether contractors are using domestically sourced or imported materials such as lumber, steel or cement,” he added. Simonson recalled when then-President Trump enacted 25% tariffs on steel and 10% on aluminum, which was followed by domestic producers raising prices and contractors experiencing supply chain problems. It’s not clear yet which items will be subject to tariffs and the effects, but another danger is the knock-on effects as other countries threaten to enact their own tariffs in retaliation, he added. “Both the tariff-induced price increases and the responses are likely to be damaging to construction firms and to the demand for construction,” Simonson said.

Deportations In Texas, California, New Jersey and the District of Columbia, immigrants make up more than half of construction trade workers, according to Riordan Frost, a senior research analyst at the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies. Undocumented workers make up an estimated 13% of the construction industry—more than twice that of the overall workforce, according to a recent estimate from Pew Research Center.  Trump, a former real-estate developer himself, has said he would support the construction industry by easing regulations and allowing more building on federal land. But many economists and builders say the loss of the immigrant workforce would drive up the cost of wages for some positions and leave others unfilled. What should California contractors do? A Google search returns many suggestions, but all business owners should consult with California-based attorneys with immigration knowledge and subs should consider a conversation with your GCs about site access and their rights and responsibilities.

PLAs President George W. Bush issued two executive orders related to a prohibition on federal funding for construction contracts that included a requirement for contractors to sign a Project Labor Agreement with trade unions. The first executive order—Presidential Executive Order 13202, signed on February 17, 2001—received national news coverage and Congressional attention. Long-time merit shop supporter Kevin Dayton wrote about these EO’s in 2017.

On February 6, 2009, President Obama issued Executive Order 13502, Use of Project Labor Agreements for Federal Construction Projects (“EO 13502”). The Executive Order encouraged federal agencies to use union-only project labor agreements (“PLAs”) on construction projects, the cost of which exceeds $25 million.

In his first term, President Trump, unlike his Republican predecessor, took no action to repeal 13502. Instead, agency heads took not-widespread action to require PLAs on their projects. This changed in February 2022 when President Joe Biden issued EO 14063, which required federal agencies to “use project labor agreements in large-scale construction projects to promote economy and efficiency in the administration and completion of Federal construction projects.” The rule defines a large-scale construction project as a “federal construction project within the United States for which the total estimated cost of the construction contract to the Federal Government is $35 million or more.”

So, what will President Trump do in 2025? Will he repeal 14063? That may not suffice inasmuch as the Biden administration took additional steps to enforce the EO by issuing new regulations that won’t be automatically repealed by a new EO.

Apprenticeship, Workforce Development The National Apprenticeship Act of 1937 (also known as the Fitzgerald Act), established the Department of Labor's role to safeguard the welfare of apprentices, ensure equality of access to apprenticeship programs, and provide integrated employment and training information to sponsors. Many believed the Act was outdated and on February 5, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 447, the National Apprenticeship Act of 2021, reauthorizing the 1937 program. The bill died in the Senate. The 118^th Congress tried again in 2023 with H.R. 2851 and S. 2122, but neither advanced. Will Chavéz-DeRemer and President Trump make renewal a priority?

WIOA Reauthorization The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) expired in 2020, leaving workforce development agencies in a state of limbo. Federal funding for workforce programs has declined by 45% over the past two decades, and in the absence of updates, workforce systems are struggling to meet the economic and employment challenges of today. Despite bipartisan support, differences between House and Senate proposals and tight legislative timelines have delayed reauthorization since WIOA expired in 2020. A bipartisan compromise bill will be in play but faces hurdles for passage. Impact of New Congressional Leadership in 2025: Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI) will replace Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) as chair of the House Education and Workforce Committee. This leadership shift, coupled with competing legislative priorities, could further complicate reauthorization efforts. Politico reported that a bipartisan deal to reshape WIOA was a casualty of the conservative-led revolt over a temporary funding package that fell apart late last year. “Language reauthorizing the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, known as the A Stronger Workforce for America Act, was excluded from the slimmed down bundle brokered by House Republicans, according to the bill’s text. The legislation had been included in a vastly more expansive $100 billion package that was loaded with policy items that went beyond continuing to fund the government until next March. Those add-ons drew opprobrium from conservatives online, Elon Musk, and ultimately President-elect Donald Trump. Trump appeared to bless the newer package unveiled Thursday, which includes an extension of the debt limit he demanded, though it remains to be seen whether it can ultimately pass Congress.”

Why is WIOA reauthorization important to California contractors? California law that regulates how the state spends WIOA grants for pre-apprenticeship training in the building and construction trades fund programs and services must “follow the Multi-Craft Core Curriculum implemented by the State Department of Education for its pilot project with California Partnership Academies.” Who controls the Multi-Craft Core Curriculum? The State Building and Construction Trades Council!

2026 Election And because the 2024 election is just over, WECA Government Relations is already looking ahead to 2026 (as we assume so is everyone else who enjoys politics). Obviously. The party in the White House historically loses ground in mid-term elections, but will this trend continue? If it does, it could make the next two years of President Trump’s second term more difficult. It will also be the election for Governor of California with Gavin Newsom termed out. Senate Candidate Katie Porter is preparing to run and many on the left believe that soon to be ex-vice president Kamala Harris would be an excellent Governor candidate; many Republicans agree and would enjoy her being nominated. Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis has suggested her background as a housing developer as uniquely preparing her to help California build its way out of an affordability crisis. Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, who grew up relying on public assistance, said he would fight for working people. Former Controller Betty Yee asked voters to consider her nearly 40 years in public service taking on big interests and solving problems. Former state Senate leader Toni Atkins said she was the candidate most ready to hit the ground running on day one, because of her record of accomplishment on all these issues in the Legislature. Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who tried tacking to the center in an unsuccessful gubernatorial bid against Newsom in 2018, is also thinking about the race. At least two top Democrats are reportedly still considering whether to enter the race later: Attorney General Rob Bonta and U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra.

Also, in the mix: Stephen Cloobeck, who made his fortune selling timeshares. He sold the firm in 2016. This is Cloobeck’s first run for public office, but not his first foray into politics. Cloobeck is a longtime donor and fundraiser for Democrats and philanthropic causes. He backed Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa in the 2018 California governor’s race, along with former federal prosecutor Nathan Hochman’s successful bid for Los Angeles County district attorney in the 2024 election.

Among Republicans thinking about the race: Chad Bianco, Riverside County Sheriff; Lanhee Chen, Stanford University professor and public policy expert; Brian Dahle, former state senator, and Steve Hilton, conservative commentator.

It will be a busy year!

Payback is a Bitch State lawmakers dealt California's card room industry a bad hand, passing legislation that allows its competitor, tribal casinos, to sue card rooms. As payback, card rooms spent millions of dollars to oppose four lawmakers who were key to the law's passage - and three lost their races.

As CalMatters explained, card rooms spent more than $3 million targeting four legislators:

·        Josh Newman of Fullerton, who lost his Senate seat;

·        Evan Low of Cupertino, who lost a race for Congress;

·        Brian Maienschein, who unsuccessfully ran for San Diego city attorney;

·        Republican Assemblymember Laurie Davies of Oceanside, who won reelection by only 3,870 votes (out of a total of 230,546 votes).

The defeat of Newman, who introduced the card room bill, is notable given that he was an incumbent Democrat who lost to a Republican, marking the first time since 1980 that a GOP lawmaker flipped a Democratic Senate seat in a presidential election. He was also targeted by a typically Democratic-friendly University of California workers union after he did not support a bill it backed in the Legislature. But in doing so, the union may have helped elect a Republican who has a history of opposing organized labor. Newman has already formed a campaign committee to run again in 2026. Story

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New Notice Published to Comply with Labor Code Section 1102.8 Pursuant to Assembly Bill (AB 2299), the Labor Commissioner was required to develop a model list of employee rights and responsibilities under existing whistleblower laws. The Labor Commissioner had previously issued a sample notice which included a disclaimer that the Labor Commissioner did not guarantee its posting fulfilled the requirements of California law. Recently, the Labor Commissioner published an updated notice and confirmed this notice meets the requirements of Labor Code section 1102.8(a)-(b). Employers should ensure they are using the updated notice effective January 1, 2025. More

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Former Amazon Exec Reportedly Eyed to Lead Trump’s OSHA

• Multiple news outlets have reported that former Amazon executive Heather MacDougall is among those under consideration to run OSHA.
• However, the reports also noted that there is no indication that President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team has begun to seriously consider candidates for the role.
• According to the reports, MacDougall oversaw workplace health and safety at Amazon, the country’s second-largest private employer, from 2019 to 2022. During that period, Amazon faced criticism from workers, labor advocates and some lawmakers for high injury rates and its coronavirus response in warehouses.
• Amazon said in July that the company’s recordable injury rate has improved significantly since 2019. More

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California Updates Paid Sick Leave FAQs: What Employers Need to Know The California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) has released updated guidance clarifying how the state’s latest statutory enactments will impact employers’ paid sick leave obligations.  Specifically, as we reported here, Assembly Bill (AB) 2499 and Senate Bill (SB) 1105 expand the permissible reasons for which employees can use paid sick leave. The updated FAQs now explain that, in addition to existing uses of paid sick leave, employees may take paid sick leave for other reasons. Story

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Senate Rejects Lauren McFerran’s Nomination to the NLRB On December 11, 2024, the Senate voted against ending debate on the nomination of Lauren McFerran to serve another term on the National Labor Relations Board. The final vote was 49-50. Two Senators who caucus with the Democrats voted against the nomination - Joe Manchin (I-WV) and Kirsten Sinema (I-AZ). Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS) did not vote. This is seen as a major win for the business community. McFerran’s tenure as Chair of the Board throughout the Biden administration has included severe criticisms from federal courts, Congress, and the Board’s own Office of the Inspector General. Moreover, the policies she has pursued while leading the agency have been rejected by the courts and Congress on a bipartisan basis. If confirmed, McFerran would have locked in Democratic control over the NLRB until August 2026, essentially blocking President-Elect Trump from controlling the agency’s policy agenda for over a year and a half into his second term in office. The Board will now remain with a 2-1 Democratic majority until President-Elect Trump nominates – and the Senate confirms – two new Board members to fill the current vacancies.

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Trump Throws Support Behind Longshoremen's Union in Port Automation Dispute With an economy-crippling strike expected to resume at East and Gulf Coast ports on January 15th—a mere five days before President-elect Trump returns to the White House—Trump announced his support for the International Longshoremen’s Association in its fight against automation with the U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX). In a Truth Social post on Thursday evening, Trump announced that he had met with ILA President Harold Daggett and his son, ILA Executive Vice President Dennis Daggett, and announced his support for the union and its members. “I’ve studied automation and know just about everything there is to know about it,” Trump stated on Thursday. “The amount of money saved is nowhere near the distress, hurt, and harm it causes for American Workers, in this case, our Longshoremen.” Read Trump’s post in full here.

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96.5% of New Jobs in California Were Government Jobs The Hoover Institution reported, "It is well known that California has been among the worst-performing states in the country in terms of job growth. But the latest statistics show that nearly all jobs that are being created in California are government jobs. Between January 2022 and June 2024, total California jobs grew by about 156,000, with government jobs accounting for 96.5 percent of that growth." Please click here to read the full article.

In November, WECA Arizona and WECA Arizona founding Member Contractor Corbins attended the 62nd annual David B. Hollis Outstanding Apprenticeship awards ceremony in Litchfield Park, AZ to celebrate WECA Arizona Commercial Electrical apprentice and Corbins employee Cody Cole receiving a 2024 Outstanding Apprentice of the Year award.

Congratulations, Cody -- we are proud of you for representing WECA excellence in Arizona!

WECA’s new San Diego-based Apprenticeship instructor Emil Remo is proof that there are many routes to a successful career in our industry.

Emil originally studied music in college and subsequently pursued a career in music. However, his father’s lifelong career as an electrical engineer ultimately inspired Emil to pursue a different sort of career.

“My music career income wasn’t stable, and I remember my father saying I should give the electrical/low voltage industry a try someday,” says Emil. “So, in 2018, I took my dad’s advice and began trade school at the Orange County Electrical Training Institute. I graduated from there as a Journeyman Telecommunications Technician.”

Over the years, Emil heard through the grapevine that WECA’s apprenticeship program was like no other, and when an instructor job opening became available, he decided to apply to join the WECA organization.

For Emil, his industry career – including his new foray into teaching – is all about seeing what you've created.

“I know that many years down the road, when I have grandchildren, I will tell them, ‘See that building?’ I helped make that building, and that ride in Disneyland, and the Fiesta Village at Knotts Berry Farm, and more.”

“What I love about teaching is seeing that ‘aha’ moment in each student’s eyes when they learn something new or see something they already know from a different perspective,” continues Emil.

As an instructor, Emil embraces the philosophy of continually learning and evolving.

“Learn from your mistakes, serve by example and serve those that depend on you, be a better version of yourself than yesterday each day, and when opportunity knocks, reach out and grab it,” says Emil.

When not at work, Emil keeps busy! He enjoys cooking Filipino food, playing instruments like the guitar, piano, flute, and alto saxophone, singing karaoke, walking in nature, participating in 5k and 10k runs, and spending time with his wife and son.

We’re excited you’ve joined the WECA apprenticeship instructor team, Emil—thanks for striving to uphold the excellence that our programs are known for across the Western United States!

WECA is excited to announce a new way students can take GetWired 303, the eleventh class in WECA's Path to an Electrician Trainee Program Certificate!

For students who would prefer to take this course at their own pace, on their own time, we're now offering a fully self-paced online option, just like we've been offering for earlier courses in the GetWired series! Students who might prefer this format include:

• Students with job, childcare, or other obligations preventing them from taking the instructor-led scheduled courses in the evenings
• Students who would benefit from being able to review the material at a slower pace, such as students for whom English is a second language
• Students who just prefer to work on the coursework at times and places when it works best for them

WECA's new GetWired 303 Self-Paced Option is an entirely online, self-paced alternative version of our GetWired 303 course, which builds on the skills learned in GetWired 301 and 302 by getting experience planning commercial electrical installations. Identify needed resources, job specifications, applicable codes, and information from the owner/architect, and AHJ and coordinate them all with specific blueprints. You will work on three independent projects, including:

• Assignment 1 - Job pre-planning
• Assignment 2 - Preliminary electrical room layout
• Assignment 3 - Plan conflict-free electrical installations

Next, you will explore Electronic Components, Electronic Circuits, and the Electrical Theory that underpins them.

This course is not for beginners. Students who enroll in GetWired 303 should:

• Have basic blueprint reading experience (including A, C, L, M, P, and E sheets)
• Have experience using construction documents and electrical specifications (equipment cut-sheets, submittals, electrical contracts, RFI, change orders, and more)
• Have a good understanding of electrical theory
• Have considerable experience using the National Electrical Code (NEC)
• Total class hours available: 32
• Standard Tuition Fee: $349

If all of this sounds like it would work for you,

enroll in GetWired 303 Self-Paced Online today!

Think you'd prefer being able to interact with an instructor and learn along with other students?

Enroll in the January instance of instructor-led GetWired 303 here!

Got plans this January?

WECA's convenient, four-year, instructor-led, primarily-online program is the independent alternative to apprenticeship and readies students to take the California General or Residential Electrician Certification exam.

Is 2025 the year you do this thing?

More electrician trainees in California choose WECA's well-regarded program over any other school. See why:



Get started with online enrollment here or give us a call at 1-877-444-9322 to talk through your plan and get any questions answered.

During National Apprenticeship Week 2024, WECA offered Open Houses at many of our apprenticeship training facilities in California and Arizona, and participated in an Apprenticeship Summit in Utah.

Please enjoy this video with one last look at our Open Houses--attendees had the opportunity to learn about the apprenticeship path to becoming an electrician and the many benefits of being in a WECA program. Additionally, participants got a preview of what WECA classes are like through guided tours of our learning labs and classrooms, featuring the latest learning technologies. 

It's the most wonderful time of year ... to win some quick cash! All you have to do is log in to SmartDollar and update your financial progress (that's debt paid and dollars saved) by December 31st!

We want to celebrate all the hard work you've done this year and the money goals you've hit. Here are the cash prizes you could win:



Update your financial progress here.

------------------------------------------

Not yet signed up for SmartDollar? No worries -- getting started is easy! Learn how below.

SmartDollar is a financial wellness benefit for WECA apprentices. We announced our partnership with the Dave Ramsey-founded online financial wellness platform in January, 2021 to provide our apprentices with a sound foundation in personal finance management. This benefit is available to all WECA apprentices free of charge. Not yet signed up for SmartDollar? No worries -- scroll to the bottom of this article for instructions!

What is SmartDollar? SmartDollar is a step-by-step approach to handling money with the number-one authority in personal finance, Dave Ramsey. More than 4.5 million people have started on Dave's plan and taken control of their money, and you can too! SmartDollar will equip you to get out of debt, on a budget, and on your way to a strong financial foundation.

The average person pays off $9,405 of debt and saves $6,127 in the first twelve months, and you can too!

"This program is powerful yet simple to understand. The Baby Steps make understanding how to win with money easy! Dave's lessons are fun, informative, and incredibly encouraging. It really doesn't feel like I'm taking a financial course. It's more like learning finances from a good friend...or a financially savvy stand-up comedian! The online tools are fantastic as well, and I love being able to 'ASK DAVE' any question and do my budget online. Love it all!" - Recent participant

With SmartDollar, you'll learn how to...

• Jump-start your money
• Knock out debt
• Secure your dream home
• Retire in style
• Demystify your credit score

How does SmartDollar work? With so many ways to engage in SmartDollar activities and content, SmartDollar Points have been designed to encourage users to establish true behavior change. (Check out the graph below for a quick rundown). The greater the importance and required time of each activity, the greater the amount of points that can be earned. For example, each Core Lesson video completed is worth 250 points. Completing a shorter Deep Dive video is worth 50 points. Tracking a transaction in EveryDollar is only worth 20 points, but users are encouraged to track all their financial transactions with no points limitations. These example activities are key for building the confidence you need to reach your financial goals.







 

Taking advantage of your free financial wellness benefit, SmartDollar, is easy!

To set up your account after accessing your dashboard, click either of the links shown as highlighted in the screenshot to the right of this paragraph. You'll be taken to a page with a SmartDollar enrollment link, where you will be able to set up immediate access to this important benefit.

Ready to get started?

Login to your GOWECA dashboard

In November, WECA Arizona and WECA Arizona founding Member Contractor Corbins attended the 62nd annual David B. Hollis Outstanding Apprenticeship awards ceremony in Litchfield Park, AZ to celebrate WECA Arizona Commercial Electrical apprentice and Corbins employee Cody Cole receiving a 2024 Outstanding Apprentice of the Year award.

Congratulations, Cody -- we are proud of you for representing WECA excellence in Arizona!

During National Apprenticeship Week 2024, WECA offered Open Houses at many of our apprenticeship training facilities in California and Arizona, and participated in an Apprenticeship Summit in Utah.

Please enjoy this video with one last look at our Open Houses--attendees had the opportunity to learn about the apprenticeship path to becoming an electrician and the many benefits of being in a WECA program. Additionally, participants got a preview of what WECA classes are like through guided tours of our learning labs and classrooms, featuring the latest learning technologies. 

Dear WECA Member Contractors,

There's only one day left to cast your ballot for the 2025 WECA Board of Directors. If you are the primary contact for your organization with WECA, and have not yet voted, please check your inbox for your ballot.

Please cast your ballot by 11:59 PM, December 13, 2024.

Thank you to all our members who have already voted!

The WECA staff would like to thank the members of the 2024 WECA Board of Directors for their continued commitment to the merit shop electrical industry member contractors and their employees.

Dear WECA Member Contractors, Industry Partners, and Supporters,

WECA is proud to announce the Arizona Graduating Class of 2024!

Our Commercial Electrical Apprentices in the Class of 2024 have successfully completed their education with WECA.

Help us honor their achievement with your sponsorship of their graduation event on:

Saturday, February 8, 2025 from 6:30 to 9:30 PM

The Grand Ballroom

DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Phoenix Airport

320 North 44th Street

Phoenix, AZ 85008

Help us make their graduation memorable--your sponsorship can allow you and members of your team to attend the graduation event, which is especially meaningful for grads if you're their contractor. Plus, you can meet WECA instructors and staff, other member contractors, and electrical industry supporters as well. Sponsorship packages at different levels may include tickets to attend the graduation, ads in the graduation program, recognition of your sponsorship during the ceremony, mention of your support on our website, in our newsletters, and over social media.   

Please consider the sponsorship opportunities at the link below, and thank you for your support of electrical training, apprenticeship, and workforce development for Arizona!

Sincerely,

The WECA Graduation Team

Reserve your sponsorship package

California Adopts New Lead Exposure Regulations

On February 15, 2024, the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board voted to approve proposed amendments to Cal/OSHA’s Lead Standards (California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 8 (T8), Sections 1532.1 (for the Construction Industry) and 5198 (for General Industry).

The approved amendments for T8 CCR 1532.1 and T8 CCR 5198 were filed with the California Secretary of State on April 8, 2024, and will be enforced starting January 1, 2025.

Employers should review their existing procedures and programs and the guidance resources provided by the State to ensure that workers are protected.

The Cal/OSHA webpage only provides an overview — not all the requirements — of T8 CCR sections 1532.1, 5155, and 5198. The information provided is not meant to be a substitute for, nor a legal interpretation of, the regulations. Readers are cautioned to refer directly to sections 1532.1 and 5198 for detailed information regarding the regulation's scope, specifications, exceptions, and other requirements that may apply to their operations.

The website includes specific Occupational Lead Exposure Prevention for the Construction Industry:

• Cal/OSHA Occupational Lead Exposure Prevention in the Construction Industry – New information and materials related to the Cal/OSHA Lead in Construction standard.
• Lead Work Notification – New information on lead work notification.
• Lead Exposure Assessment & Incident Reporting – New information on reporting lead exposure.
• Educational Materials and Other Resources – New fact sheets, videos and fillable written safety plans.
• Coming soon will be Frequently Asked Questions About Lead in Construction – FAQs on Occupational Lead in Construction Industry and more.

WECA will provide updates as they become available.

—

Elections Have Consequences, and How! [From various sources including Labor Union News]

Following President-Elect Trump’s pick of Lori Chavez-DeRemer — a one-term, pro-union Republican member of the House of Representatives — as his Secretary of Labor at the urging of Teamsters president Sean O’Brien, Bloomberg’s Josh Eidelson penned a piece about the nomination recently. While the article itself covered her nomination overall, many readers may have missed a one-line statement about the now (presumably) doomed Protecting the Right to Organize Act (aka PRO Act), which is this:

The bill went nowhere in the Republican-controlled House and fared little better in the narrowly Democratic Senate, though the Teamsters are working with US Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri, a Trump ally, to develop a more GOP-friendly alternative.

If a more “GOP-friendly alternative” to the PRO Act exists, it is hard to see where.

As written, the PRO Act has many provisions that are anathema to most of the business community and millions of Americans who earn their living as independent contractors.

Within the existing version of the PRO Act are such provisions as:

·        The elimination of "right-to-work” states, which would require millions of workers to pay union dues or agency fees or be fired from their jobs

·        Dictating wages and benefits upon unionized private-sector businesses through government-mandated arbitration 120 days after becoming unionized.

·        Foisting the so-called ABC Test on independent contractors and the businesses that use them. The ABC Test is what California’s AB5 codified in 2020 (when it went into effect), resulting in thousands of independent contractors in California losing their income. If put into effect at the national level, it may, in practical terms, "kill” the gig economy.

·        Allow unions to unionize so-called “micro-units” (such as an employer’s individual departments or specific job classifications)

·        Change the definition of “joint employment” and force businesses, including franchisors and franchisees, to alter their structures or face liability

There is more to the PRO Act than that which is listed above.

However, regardless of politics, it seems almost impossible for a compromise bill that would please Mr. O’Brien and his union cohorts and be “GOP-friendly” to the extent that it will not cause injury to businesses and the American workforce.

Engineering News-Record took a slightly less jaundiced view of Chavez-DeRemer, calling her a “US Lawmaker With Bipartisan Voting Record.” Their article quoted House GOP Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) who praised the nomination, posting on social media that “Lori will be a fierce advocate for our country’s incredible workforce as she executes” the incoming administration’s agenda. And Mark Takano (D-Calif.) also praised the nomination, saying "I served with her on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce and her support of the Protecting the Right to Organize Act is indicative of her willingness to stand with working men and women.” However, ABC, one of the few construction trade groups that endorsed Trump, raised the nominee’s support for pro-union policy as a concern. “We are interested in understanding Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s views on the Protecting the Right to Organize Act and other issues ... as she embarks on her confirmation process,” Kristen Swearingen, vice president of legislative and political affairs, said. ABC-affiliated Coalition for a Democratic Workplace stated alarm over the appointment.

CDR narrowly lost a swing seat in Oregon in November but, according to the San Joaquin Valley Sun, “managed to wow the 45th and 47th President in an interview at Mar-A-Lago, simultaneously picking up critical endorsement from a surprising corner: the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.”

The appointment is also a surprise win for the San Joaquin Valley, with Chavez-DeRemer's longtime ties to the region – including her alma mater Fresno State – getting national play heading into Trump's return to Washington.

—

Workers Compensation Mandate: Change in 2025?

Roofers have been mandated to have workers comp for many years, but recently, the legislature amended Business and Professions Code (BPC) §7125 to require additional contractors to always have a certificate of workers’ compensation (WC) insurance or certificate of exemption on file with the CSLB as a condition of licensure. A contractor may file an exemption if they certify they have no employees. Five license classifications are precluded from filing an exemption. They must have WC on file regardless of whether they have employees (C-8 Concrete, C-20 Warm-Air Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning, C-22 Asbestos Abatement, C-39 Roofing, and D-49 Tree Service contractors). All licensees, regardless of classification or whether they have employees, will be required to hold WC insurance beginning January 1, 2028. But a change may occur in 2025. More

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Labor Department Releases Guide to Combat Harassment in Construction

• The U.S. Department of Labor has released a new guide focused on combatting harassment in construction.
• Issued by DOL’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), the guide is aimed at helping federal contractors understand the agency’s jurisdiction, clarifying what constitutes harassment and providing information to workers who may experience harassment, OFCCP announced Nov. 21.
• The agency had been planning to release the guide for several months as part of the White House’s National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality, a DOL spokesperson told Construction Dive. “OFCCP developed this guide for employers and workers because harassment in construction remains a common issue,” the spokesperson said via email.

More

—

What to Do If Immigration Agents Come to Your Job Site Last month, President-elect Donald Trump named Tom Homan, former acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as his “border czar.” Homan has promised that the incoming administration will increase workplace raids as part of its broader immigration plan. It’s not clear yet which industries would be most affected, but there are clues from Trump’s first term. More

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OFCCP Reinstates the Federal Government Construction Contractor and Subcontractor Monthly Employment Utilization Reports On November 25, 2024, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) announced it was reinstating the revised Monthly Employment Utilization Report (CC-257). Employers with a federal construction contract or subcontract and/or federally assisted construction contract or subcontract in excess of $10,000 must complete and submit monthly Form CC-257 reports to OFCCP. The first report will cover the calendar month of March 2025 and is due April 15, 2025. More

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Wage theft in construction? CalMatters reports “Attorney General Rob Bonta is getting tough on wage theft on behalf of allies in organized labor. At a [recent] press conference in Los Angeles, Bonta announced a felony complaint against US Framing West, a Kentucky-based wood framing company, and two of its employees, alleging 31 counts of grand theft, payroll tax evasion, prevailing wage theft, and filing false documents. Bonta: “For some reason, US Framing West seems to think it can operate outside the prevailing wage laws of California. I’m here with a simple message: They cannot. No company can.” As CalMatters Inland Empire reporter Deborah Brennan explains, US Framing West secured several jobs on large construction projects in California between 2018 and 2022, subcontracting out the labor to unlicensed operators who allegedly underpaid workers by tens of thousands of dollars. Bonta also accused the company of failing to pay more than $2.5 million in state payroll taxes over that period. Notably, the case came to the attorney general’s office through complaints from construction unions. Lorena Gonzalez, president of the California Labor Federation, appeared alongside Bonta at Tuesday’s press conference, where she called for jail time for wage theft violations. Tending to that relationship is smart politics for Bonta, who is expected to soon enter the 2026 race for governor. In an already crowded and largely undefined field, winning the backing of organized labor could offer a significant boost.

—

Overturning Precedent: NLRB’s Game Changing Decisions and the Impact on Employers This podcast features an in-depth discussion with Littler attorneys Maura Mastrony and Jonathan Levine about recent decisions from the National Labor Relations Board that overturned decades of precedent and what employers might expect moving forward. Podcast

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District Court Vacates Biden’s Overtime Final Rule On November 15, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas vacated and set aside the Department of Labor’s (DOL) overtime final rule. The rule is now invalidated nationwide. The final rule made three changes to the overtime regulations, all of which are more fully explored in a previous post:

·        Increased the minimum salary threshold and highly compensated employee (HCE) threshold on July 1, 2024;

·        Increased the thresholds again on January 1, 2025; and

·        Implemented triennial automatic updates to both thresholds.

The decision vacated all three provisions.

—

New Face at the Contractors State Licensing Board: Josef Preciado, Sacramento, Democrat, economic and small business representative III at Sacramento Municipal Utilities District since 2024. Salary: $100 per diem.

—

California Law Imposes New Disclosure Obligations on Employers Conducting Voluntary Child Labor Audits On September 22, 2024, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law Assembly Bill 3234 (“AB 3234”), which requires employers to disclose the results of audits on child labor practices. Specifically, effective January 1, 2025, AB 3234 requires employers that “voluntarily” conduct a “social compliance audit” to determine whether child labor is involved in the employer’s “operations or practices” to publish the audit findings on the company website. AB 3234 offers very little guidance on these disclosure duties. Indeed, it leaves critical compliance details unclear, including, for example, the deadline for posting reports after an audit, the jurisdictional scope of where the audits occurred, how long the report must remain online, and any penalties for non-compliance. We may see guidance from the California Labor Commissioner clarifying these and other unclear points. Until then, employers will face the difficult task of complying with an ambiguous law. More

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The Power of Money in Politics A courageous Foster City councilmember recently wrote about tainted government. He observed, “We can learn firsthand the value or return on investment that can be gained by special interest groups that fill coffers of political candidates. Construction trades are heavily involved financially in political elections, even at the local level. Let’s be honest, endorsements and financial support given by special interests come with an expectation. To think otherwise is simply naive.” Article

Behind the Scenes at WECA's National Apprenticeship Week 2024 Open Houses in Sacramento, Fresno, San Diego, and Phoenix

Also, at the Apprenticeship Utah Summit

And that's a wrap on National Apprenticeship Week 2024! Our Open Houses in celebration of National Apprenticeship Week 2024 were incredibly successful thanks to the hard work and dedication of WECA staff, support from our community partners, and engagement from attendees exploring future careers in the electrical industry.

San Diego Open House

WECA held its first Open House on November 19th at our San Diego Training Facility. There, instructors led by Don Williams engaged attendees in discussions about apprenticeship and conducted hands-on demonstrations of labs that apprentices encounter and complete during their apprenticeship program.





Sacramento Open House

Our second Open House was held on November 20th at our Sacramento/Rancho Cordova Training Facility. This Open House was hosted by Diane Trotter, Workforce Development Supervisor, and James Hall, Randy Rivera, Bob Boling, and John Arias, Apprenticeship instructors. Hershel Baser, Jr., an Apprenticeship Consultant with the California Division of Apprenticeship Standards, also attended and spoke about how WECA is "one of the best apprenticeship programs out there."

According to Diane, "Our event was standing-room-only and full of participants that asked great questions. There were lots of great moments, but the two I would highlight were the demonstrations that our instructors were able to provide and having third-year apprentices speak. James and Randy did a great job getting and keeping the audience engaged, and showed some great examples of the types of activities we teach at WECA. We were also able to have third-year apprentices Cristian Gonzalez and Kevin Mendez speak. They both described their path to becoming an apprentice at WECA, and answered questions from the room. This is always a big hit with attendees, getting firsthand knowledge of what it is to be an apprentice is very valuable."











Fresno Open House

Our third and fourth Open Houses were held on the same day -- November 21st -- at our Fresno Training Facility and our Phoenix Training Facility, respectively. Rex Hime, Government Relations Director, and George Leach and Jaron Stroud, Apprenticeship instructors, hosted the Fresno Open House. We were very gratified to have so many community partners attend our Fresno Open House. We would like to thank Will Oliver (President/CEO of the Fresno County Economic Development Corporation), Vong Mouanoutoua (Clovis City Councilmember), Camaleh Saleh (Student Assistant for the Maddy Institute), Greg Newman (President/CEO of the Clovis Chamber of Commerce), Guadalupe Cruz (Assistant Director of the Maddy Institute), Shannon Major (Field Representative for the office of Senator Shannon Grove), Alina Alonzo (Maddy Institute intern for the office of Senator Shannon Grove), Gena Behrens (Chief Operating Officer of the Fresno Chamber of Commerce), Victoria Mosby (Research Analyst for the Fresno Chamber of Commerce), and Clint Olivier (President/CEO of the Central Valley Business Federation) for attending and supporting workforce development in the Central Valley.

Rex says, "I am extremely grateful for the diverse group of Central Valley leaders that joined us on Thursday for WECA's Fresno National Apprenticeship Week event. Community involvement plays a crucial role in creating diverse pathways to success, especially through apprenticeship, by providing individuals with hands-on skills, mentorship, and opportunities to thrive in high-demand careers, and ultimately fostering economic growth and long-term stability for all."







Phoenix Open House

Meanwhile, our Phoenix Open House was hosted by Heath Anderson, Arizona's Outreach and Workforce Development Specialist, and Keith Smart, Apprenticeship Manager and instructor. Many Phoenix community partners also attended this Open House, such as Stacey Travers (Arizona State Representative), Tom Cole (Director of the Arizona Registrar of Contractors), Joann Bueno (Director of the Arizona Office of Apprenticeship), and Shelley Seitz (Interim Director of the Center for Workforce Development for Grand Canyon University).

Heath shared his appreciation for the Phoenix business and workforce development communities attending the Open House, stating that "We appreciate the support of our community partners in teaming up with us on workforce development in Arizona."







Apprenticeship Utah Summit

Last, but not least, WECA celebrated National Apprenticeship Week in Utah by attending the 2024 Apprenticeship Utah Summit on November 19th at the Salt Mine Productive Workspace in Sandy, UT. Christine Hall, WECA Chief Operations Officer, was a panelist at the summit and shared ideas, information, and resources with attendees on expanding Apprenticeship in Utah. At the event, Christine was also excited to support Pat Miller, the State Director for the Utah Department of Labor, as she received the Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions to apprenticeship in Utah.

Thank you, everyone, for your continued support of and interest in National Apprenticeship Week! It is always gratifying to promote the benefits of apprenticeship within our communities and inspire future generations of electricians and low voltage technicians to pursue apprenticeship with WECA.

WECA Member Contractors: Please Take a Quick Moment to Cast Your Ballot Today for the WECA Board of Directors Election for 2025

Check Your Email: Ballot Instructions Within

Deadline: Dec. 13th
 

Dear WECA Member Contractors,

It's time to cast your ballot for candidates for the 2025 WECA Board of Directors. If you are the primary contact for your organization with WECA, and have not yet voted, please check your inbox for your ballot.

Please cast your ballot by December 13, 2024.

Thank you to all our members who have already voted!

The WECA staff would like to thank the members of the 2024 WECA Board of Directors for their continued commitment to the merit shop electrical industry member contractors and their employees.

Save the date! WECA's 2024 Commencement Ceremonies for our Arizona Graduating Apprenticeship Class of 2024 will be held on February 8th!

Please watch your inboxes for more details as this event draws closer. We look forward to celebrating the hard work and accomplishments of our graduates with you!

WECA Arizona recently had the honor of supporting Janet and Lisette Amaya -- sisters and WECA Arizona Commercial Electrical apprentices, employed by WECA Arizona Member Contractor Corbins -- while they spoke at the Phoenix NAWIC chapter meeting at Grand Canyon University on Oct. 22.

Janet and Lisette both came to Corbins and WECA through Grand Canyon University's Pre-Apprenticeship program, stating that they both saw Grand Canyon University's program as a great opportunity to establish electrical industry careers.

Attendees were impressed by Janet and Lisette's stories, and even more so by their enterprising yet humble attitudes. Janet and Lisette both noted that they are proud of the work they do, and enjoy reaping the rewards that come from their hard work. Janet and Lisette enjoy sharing their stories with women audiences in a bid to encourage other women to seek opportunities in the electrical industry.

WECA and Corbins are proud of Janet and Lisette's accomplishments, and eagerly look forward to their continuing contributions to Arizona's electrical industry -- which includes welcoming the future women they will likely inspire to pursue electrical industry careers.

There Is Still Time to Join WECA at an Apprenticeship Programs Open House in Celebration of National Apprenticeship Week 2024

There Are Two Open Houses Left: Fresno and Phoenix

Already an Apprentice? Share This Opportunity with Someone You Know





Download this flyer

This November, WECA is celebrating National Apprenticeship Week 2024 with Open House events at four of our Apprenticeship Training Facilities! We have already hosted two Apprenticeship Programs Open Houses, and have two more left this week: one in Fresno, CA and one in Phoenix, AZ. Please join us at one of these two remaining locations for a fun and informative event that just might be your first step into your future career!

At a WECA Apprenticeship Program Open House, you'll learn more about WECA's three state and federally-approved Electrical (Commercial Electrical and Residential Electrical) and Low Voltage (Sound and Communications Installer-Voice Data Video and Fire Life Safety) Apprenticeship programs, focused on whichever are offered at the facility you're visiting. (Commercial Electrical is offered at all facilities.) Tour WECA's training facilities, see lab demos, meet WECA instructors and staff, get your individual questions answered, learn about the application process, and more! We encourage you to pre-register for your event ahead of time to secure your spot, but will also accept walk-ins on the day of the event if space allows. Pre-registration will allow you to receive event reminders and updated event information.

Apprenticeship means you get paid to learn. It's a path to a great, skilled career, without having to take on any college debt.

Please RSVP here for your preferred Open House

Introducing the Next Self-Paced Online Option for Our GetWired Electrician Trainee Program Series:

GetWired 302: Self-Paced Electrical Work for Commercial Construction from the Ground Up, Part 2

Take It on Your Own Time, at Your Own Pace!


 

WECA is excited to announce another way students can take GetWired 302, the tenth class in WECA's Path to an Electrician Trainee Program Certificate!

We've long offered GetWired 302 as an instructor-led online course. And we still do!

But for students who would prefer to take this course at their own pace, on their own time, we're now offering a fully self-paced online option, just like we've been offering for earlier courses in the GetWired series! Students who might prefer this format include:

• Students with job, childcare, or other obligations preventing them from taking the instructor-led scheduled courses in the evenings
• Students who would benefit from being able to review the material at a slower pace, such as students for whom English is a second language
• Students who just prefer to work on the coursework at times and places when it works best for them

WECA's new GetWired 302 Self-Paced Option is an entirely online, self-paced alternative version of our GetWired 302 course, take students through construction of a commercial building from underground work through construction and finish work. Students will use genuine construction plans (digital blueprints) and related documents to learn how to coordinate documents, work with other trades, and identify ways to save money through careful planning.

Course topics include:

• Public utility requirements
• Electrical room layout
• Floor types and planning conduit runs
• Parking garage lighting
• Large conduit systems and parallel conductor ampacity
• Busway systems
• Commercial load calculations
• Lighting fixtures and wiring methods
• Branch circuits and raceways
• Electrical for elevators and water heater
• Electrical finish work

A 2020 NEC book, a set of digital blueprints and a digital student resource booklet are required for this course. The digital blueprints and the student resource booklet, pre-loaded on a complimentary mobile tablet, are included in the cost of the tuition. 

• Total class hours available: 43.5
• Standard Tuition Fee: $399

If all of this sounds like it would work for you,

enroll in GetWired 302 Self-Paced Online today!

Think you'd prefer being able to interact with an instructor and learn along with other students?

Enroll in an upcoming instance of the original GetWired 302 (with online lab) here!

Need a Class for Your Electrician Trainee Cert? Or Just Looking for Some Fun Journeyperson Continuing Ed?

Enroll in Basic Motor Controls, Part 2

Choose from Dec. 14th & 21st Class in Sacramento

or Dec. 14th & 21st Class in San Diego

Get further hands-on experience building control circuits for motors.

In this onsite, lab-based course, Basic Motor Controls Part 2, working on a motor controls training board with up to one other student partner, you will learn about and gain experience with:

• Sequential starting of multiple motors
• Control relays and their common applications
• Timers and timing logic -- for example, on delay, off delay, etc.

Total class hours available: 16

Standard tuition fee: $229

Learn more about and enroll in Basic Motor Controls Part 2, which runs Dec. 14th & 21st in Sacramento and San Diego

Have questions or need assistance? Call us at 877-444-9322 or email us at info@goweca.com.

WECA Arizona attended the Southern Arizona Construction Career Days (SACCD) event in Tucson, AZ on October 23rd and 24th. SACCD's mission is to increase awareness about construction industry careers amongst Arizona middle school and high school students, and they accomplish this through educating students and providing them with career-enhancing opportunities.

4,057 students from across Arizona were in attendance at the event. WECA Arizona was proudly joined at the event by three WECA Arizona Commercial Electrical apprentices: Nicholas Henkel of WECA Arizona Member Contractor Mountain Power, and JT Dolinich and Jordan Herrick of WECA Arizona Member Contractor K2 Electric.

Nicholas, JT, and Jordan will all be graduating from WECA Arizona's Commercial Electrical Apprenticeship Program in February, and all have additionally reached the rank of foreman within their respective companies.

Nicholas, JT, and Jordan captivated students and teachers alike with their stories, and spoke highly of their time in the WECA Arizona Commercial Electrical Apprenticeship Program.

WECA Arizona also enjoyed a surprise visit from Tom Cole, Director of the Arizona Registrar of Contractors. Tom's team provides a great deal of support for workforce development in Arizona, so it was great to be able to thank him for his team's hard work and support in person!

Thank you for having us, Southern Arizona Construction Career Days! We are already looking forward to next year's event!

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Arizona Construction Career Days

WECA Arizona was also in attendance at the Arizona Construction Career Days (AZCCD) event on November 7th and 8th in Phoenix. AZCCD aims to introduce high school students and counselors to careers in the construction industry.

More than 60 contractors, associations, and training partners met with 4,086 students. WECA Arizona was joined at the event by WECA Arizona Member Contractors Corbins, PCL, Brycon, and Fluor. The WECA Arizona Member Contractors were instrumental in sharing their experiences and opportunities with attendees. 

WECA Arizona was also pleased to have visits from the Arizona Office of Apprenticeship, the Arizona Registrar of Contractors, Grand Canyon University, the National Association of Women in Construction, and the City of Phoenix. 

Thank you for having us at the event, Arizona Construction Career Days! We had a great time and are already eager for next year's event!

Are you looking to hire Electrician Trainees? We have qualified individuals throughout California looking to get referred to a WECA Member Contractor through our Student Referral Service!

Electrician Trainees currently enrolled in the WECA ET Program are available for work in the following counties:

• Alameda
• Calaveras
• Colusa
• Contra Costa
• El Dorado
• Fresno
• Humboldt
• Imperial
• Kern
• Kings
• Los Angeles
• Madera
• Marin
• Mariposa
• Merced
• Monterey
• Napa
• Nevada
• Orange
• Placer
• Riverside
• Sacramento
• San Bernardino
• San Diego
• San Francisco
• San Joaquin
• San Jose
• San Mateo
• Santa Clara
• Santa Cruz
• Sonoma
• Stanislaus
• Sutter
• Tulare
• Tuolumne
• Ventura
• Yolo
• Yuba

WECA's Student Referral Service is a free job referral service that introduces our current Electrician Trainee, Journeyperson, and WECA-grad job seekers to Member Contractors in order to help Members meet their staffing needs.

This service provides additional customer service by having WECA staff supply you with hands-on referrals. In other words--we take some of the hard work off your plate! The Student Referral Service refers employees to you, and you hire them directly.

To receive referrals from WECA's Student Referral Service, please contact the WECA Client Services Team at (877) 444-9322.

At Next Week's Apprenticeship Programs Open Houses in Celebration of National Apprenticeship Week 2024 (Nov. 17-23)

They Can Choose from Open Houses in Sacramento, Fresno, San Diego, and Phoenix





Download this flyer to share with your employees

This November, WECA is celebrating National Apprenticeship Week 2024 with Open House events at four of our Apprenticeship Training Facilities!

Please encourage your employees to join us at our Sacramento, Fresno, San Diego, or Phoenix locations for one of these fun and informative November events that just might be their first step into their future career!

At a WECA Apprenticeship Program Open House, attendees will learn more about WECA's three state and federally-approved Electrical (Commercial Electrical and Residential Electrical) and Low Voltage (Sound and Communications Installer-Voice Data Video and Fire Life Safety) Apprenticeship programs, focused on whichever are offered at the facility you're visiting. (Commercial Electrical is offered at all facilities.) 

Attendees can tour WECA's training facilities, see lab demos, meet WECA instructors and staff, get their individual questions answered, learn about the application process, and more!

We encourage them to pre-register for their chosen event ahead of time to secure their spot, but will also accept walk-ins on the day of the event if space allows. Pre-registration will allow them to receive event reminders and updated event information.

Apprenticeship means getting paid to learn. It's a path to a great, skilled career, without having to take on any college debt.

Share this link with employees -- they can RSVP for their chosen open house here!

Members of WECA's Curriculum Development and Educational Media teams recently attended DevLearn 2024 (North America's largest learning technology event) in Las Vegas.

This annual conference and expo gives our teams the opportunity to level up their skills in managing, designing, and developing cutting-edge learning tech by diving deep into topics like instructional design, AI, VR, and more, and allowing them to interact with the latest learning tech from leading industry suppliers and solution providers.

WECA is committed to continuously developing the interactive and innovative learning solutions that keep WECA apprenticeship and training programs at the forefront of our industry.

Gavin Newsom Convenes Legislative Session to Resist Trump Governor Gavin Newsom announced Thursday that he is calling a special session of the Legislature to strengthen the state’s legal defenses against President-elect Donald Trump. Newsom said Trump’s campaign statements and first-term policies on abortion, electric vehicles, immigration, and disaster aid warranted immediate legislative powers ahead of lawmakers' planned return to Sacramento. Lawmakers are already scheduled to return to Sacramento at the start of December to prepare for next year's session. Newsom's proclamation calls explicitly for the special session to authorize more funding for Attorney General Rob Bonta and state agencies to combat Trump's actions. Newsom billed it “the first of several actions” he and lawmakers would take against Trump. Legislative leaders issued statements in lockstep with the governor. “California has come too far and accomplished too much to simply surrender and accept his dystopian vision for America,” state Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire said in a statement. “Voters sent a clear message this election, and we need to lean in and listen,” Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas said. “But we also must be prepared to defend California values, no matter the challenges ahead.”

California Business Roundtable President Rob Lapsley issued the following statement in response to the special session: 

“On Election Day, California voters rejected attacks on Prop. 13 (Prop. 5), rejected increasing the minimum wage (Prop. 32) and rejected attempts to drive up the cost of housing even higher (Prop. 33). Cost of living was clearly on voters’ minds not just in California, but across the nation, and voters are demanding that leaders focus on affordability first. [A] special session should focus on addressing issues like the imminent gas price increase through the state’s renewal of the Low Carbon Fuel Standard, the 108% increase in residential electricity prices since 2010, the ongoing homeowner’s insurance crisis, the ongoing housing crisis, and other costs directly affecting family budgets and Californians’ ability to live and thrive in this great state.”

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Four Employment Actions to Expect Under a Second Trump Presidency Littler predicts the new Trump administration will have at least four fundamental policy shifts starting inauguration day.

1.     Immigration enforcement raids will be back on the table.

2.     Agency chairs will be replaced.

3.     Regulatory activity will slow considerably.

4.     Limitations on DEI could be put in place.

Story

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Election News

California State-Wide Race

Adam Schiff Easily Wins U.S. Senate Schiff, a Burbank Democrat, cruised to victory in California’s U.S. Senate race against Steve Garvey, a former Los Angeles Dodger/ San Diego Padre seeking to become the first Republican elected statewide in 18 years. Schiff won a six-year term to replace Sen. Laphonza Butler, who opted not to run herself after she was appointed following the death of Dianne Feinstein, who held the seat for more than 30 years. Schiff also defeated Garvey in a separate but simultaneous race to fill the remainder of Feinstein’s term, which expires in early January. That gives him a head start in seniority over other newly elected U.S. senators.

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California District Races

California’s 41st Congressional District The highly competitive U.S. House race in Riverside County between Republican Rep. Ken Calvert, the longest-serving GOP member of California’s congressional delegation, and Democrat Will Rollins, a former federal prosecutor, is still too close to call. The race between Calvert and Rollins to represent California’s 41st Congressional District, which stretches from the sprawling city of Corona to the resorts and golf courses of the Coachella Valley, had been considered a toss-up. It was one of several California races seen as influential in determining which party will control the U.S. House of Representatives next year. At press time, Calvert leads by 2-1/2% (7,000 votes).

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47th Congressional District The race between Republican Scott Baugh and Democratic State Sen. Dave Min for the open House seat in coastal Orange County remains too close to call as votes continue to be counted. California’s 47th Congressional District is currently held by Democratic Rep. Katie Porter, who will be leaving Congress in January. Her decision not to seek reelection and to run for the U.S. Senate, a bid that fell short in the March primary, kicked off a passionate competition to replace her. Porter narrowly beat back a challenge by Baugh in 2022. At press time, Baugh leads by .4% (1,200 votes).

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49th Congressional District The race between Democratic Rep. Mike Levin and his Republican challenger Matt Gunderson for California’s 49th Congressional District in San Diego and Orange counties remains too close to call. The 49th District was one of six tight congressional races in California that could help determine which party controls the U.S. House of Representatives. Last month, the Cook Political Report moved the district race from “likely Democratic” to “leaning Democratic,” a sign of the concerted effort by Republicans to flip blue seats. At press time, Levin leads by 2% (5,200 votes).

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45th Congressional District The competitive race between Republican Rep. Michelle Steel and Democratic challenger Derek Tran for an Orange County swing district remains too close to call. Steel, 69, and Tran, 44, went head-to-head in one of the nation’s tightest contests for the U.S. House of Representatives. At press time, Steel leads by 4% (10,200 votes).

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13th Congressional District Once again, Rep. John Duarte (R–Modesto) and former Asm. Adam Gray (D–Merced) are locked in a close battle for the 13th District. Duarte won the race two years ago by less than 600 votes and has a cushion of over 3,000 (2.8%) at press time. 

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22nd Congressional District Rep. David Valadao (R–Hanford) won his seat against former Asm. Rudy Salas (D–Bakersfield) two years ago by three points. Valadao has jumped out to a significant 10% (10,000) lead in the 22nd District, but incoming votes from Kern County could tighten the race in the coming weeks.

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9th Congressional District Initial returns prove that Stockton Mayor Kevin Lincoln could defeat Rep. Josh Harder (D–Tracy) despite Democrats holding an 11-point advantage in voter registration in the 9th District. At press time, Harder leads by 1.4% (2,000 votes).

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21st Congressional District Rep. Jim Costa (D–Fresno) has the advantage of being in a district that favors Democrats by nearly 14 points. However, challenger Michael Maher is only around 1,000 (.8%) votes behind Costa, seeking his 11th term in Congress. The last time Costa came close to losing was in 2014 when he bested Johnny Tacherra by 1.4 points. 

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8th Assembly District Former Congressman George Radanovich (R) and David Tangipa (R) are running in this open seat. Tangipa leads by 8,000 votes at press time (5%).

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32nd Assembly District In this interesting race, Congressman Vince Fong was re-elected to his former Assembly seat and won re-election to his house seat. Since he can’t hold both seats, a special election will be held in 2025.

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75^th Assembly District Former San Diego City Councilman Carl DeMaio, who toured the San Diego WECA facilities earlier this year, won big in his race for the California State Assembly. DeMaio’s 60%-40% win will send a bold, articulate, passionate defender of free enterprise to a building that could benefit from that knowledge.

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19^th Senate District State Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh will defeat Councilmember Lisa Middleton, who voted to pass a PLA at the City of Palm Springs, as a springboard for higher office. It doesn’t appear to have worked, as Ochoa Bogh leads 53.3% to 46.7%, with a lead of over 16,000 votes. Senator Ochoa Bogh visited our WECA Training Facilities in Riverside last year.

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Orange County Supervisor Senator Janet Nguyen, a great supporter of the merit shop in the State Assembly, State Senate, and as a former County Supervisor, will return to the Board with WECA’s support; Nguyen cruised to a 63% to 36% victory to replace Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do, who resigned last month and pled guilty to accepting more than $550,000 in bribes to direct millions of dollars meant for COVID relief during the pandemic to a family-connected nonprofit.

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In Irvine, WECA-supported candidate John Park is leading in his race by only 91 votes! You might remember John Park’s visit to the OC Ironworkers HQ with Assemblyman Phillip Chen earlier this year. (Park refused to sign their PLA pledge.) But if that holds, we might pick up two seats and re-elect our one Irvine Councilman who voted against the PLA, Mike Carroll. So, Mike Carroll was re-elected to Irvine City Council, District 4. In District 3, WECA-supported candidate James Mai is going to win. That is a pickup for the merit shop. Because Democrat Farrah Khan did not run for re-election after losing her bid to move up to OC Supervisor and because Tammy Kim ran against Larry Agran for Mayor, we ended up retiring two Councilmembers who voted for the PLA. They replaced Farrah Khan and Tammy Kim, who voted for the PLA. Larry Agran also voted for the PLA, but still won to replace Farrah Khan as Mayor.

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In Costa Mesa, WECA supported candidate Jeff Pettis (who you might remember from his YouTube videos about the union donations behind the Council pushing for a PLA), leading in his race with only 287 votes! But if that holds, we might pick up a seat and defeat Democrat Councilman Jeff Harlan, who voted for the PLA in the city. So did Mayor John Stephens, but he looks like he will win against James Peters, who we supported. He has a 1200+ lead right now. And it looks like we will replace our one anti-PLA vote with another anti-PLA, pro-merit shop candidate, with Mike Buley replacing Don Harper, who chose not to run for re-election.

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Fresno County Board of Supervisors There will also be two new Fresno County Supervisors, with challengers defeating incumbents. On election night, Garry Bredefeld, current Fresno City Councilmember, defeated Supervisor Steve Brandau. Supervisor Sal Quintero lost his race to challenger and Fresno City Councilmember Luiz Chavez.

District 2

Steve Brandau (Inc.)                                         21,778              43.55%

Garry Bredefeld                                                27,964              55.92%

District 3

Sal Quintero (Inc.)                                            9,947                45.20%

Luis Chavez                                                   11,961               54.35%

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Kern County Board of Supervisors, District 2

Candidate                                                          Votes               Percent

Kelly Carden Jr.                                                2,670                10.13%

Dale Cisneros                                                    5,553                21.07%

Ben Dewell                                                       3,021                11.46%

Pete Graff                                                         2,025                7.68%

Bernita Jenkins                                                  4,375                16.60%

Chris Parlier                                                      8,715                33.06%

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Fresno City Council, District 6

Candidate                                                          Votes               Percent

Roger Bonakdar                                                10,343              49.13%

Nick Richardson                                               10,662               50.65%

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Other States

Votes are still being tabulated in Arizona and Utah, but for now, here is how some races look.

·        Utah Senator John Curtis leads in election results with 62% of the vote. Caroline Gleich is in second with 32%. Congressmembers Blake Moore (01) and Celeste Maloy (02) are in the lead, with about 60% of the votes coming in.

·        Utah Governor Spencer Cox is also in a great position to win re-election with about 55% of the vote, and the closest opponent is currently at 30%.

·        Arizona has a big Senate race between Kari Lake and Ruben Gallego. Gallego is currently in the lead with 50.1%, a 52,000-vote lead.

·        Proposition 140 in Arizona would have called for open primary elections, but that measure failed.

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City Attorney: Perhaps experience matters – or at least experience that gets you a good ballot title does. Heather Ferbert, a chief deputy city attorney, sailed past Assemblymember Brian Maienschein in the San Diego City Attorney race. Ferbert led Maienschein by around 12 points early Wednesday morning. Though the race divided councilmembers, Maienschein had the support of most labor unions, the mayor, and the county’s Democratic party.

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Some Cities Convinced Voters to Pay More Taxes Several cities appear to have passed tax increases, but San Diego’s sales tax increase, Measure E, remains too close to call. As of 1 a.m., the county had “yes” at 49 percent of the vote – just more than 7,900 votes back out of more than 346,000 counted so far. With each count update, the yes side gained ground. All of San Diego’s City Councilmembers supported the proposed tax increase. So far, San Diegans are rejecting a countywide measure to raise the sales tax by half a cent to pay for transportation projects. But as of 1 a.m., the vote was too close to call with 52 percent of voters casting ballots against Measure G, and 48 percent in favor – a difference of 37,388 out of nearly 900,000 votes counted. 

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Please watch for our next bulletin back in this space on Thursday, December 5th. We wish you all a joyful holiday.



 

WECA Arizona recently had the honor of supporting Janet and Lisette Amaya -- sisters and WECA Arizona Commercial Electrical apprentices, employed by WECA Arizona Member Contractor Corbins -- while they spoke at the Phoenix NAWIC chapter meeting at Grand Canyon University on Oct. 22.

Janet and Lisette both came to Corbins and WECA through Grand Canyon University's Pre-Apprenticeship program, stating that they both saw Grand Canyon University's program as a great opportunity to establish electrical industry careers.

Attendees were impressed by Janet and Lisette's stories, and even more so by their enterprising yet humble attitudes. Janet and Lisette both noted that they are proud of the work they do, and enjoy reaping the rewards that come from their hard work. Janet and Lisette enjoy sharing their stories with women audiences in a bid to encourage other women to seek opportunities in the electrical industry.

WECA and Corbins are proud of Janet and Lisette's accomplishments, and eagerly look forward to their continuing contributions to Arizona's electrical industry -- which includes welcoming the future women they will likely inspire to pursue electrical industry careers.

Happy Halloween, everyone!

The WECA Team celebrated in spooktacular fashion (as always!) and wishes you a delightfully haunting celebration of your own!

P.S. Can you spot the winner of this year's costume contest?

(We are so jelly of Assistant Apprenticeship Registrar Heather Myers' costume, which won the contest!)





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And, of course, no WECA Halloween is complete without Insurance Administrator Cindy Cormier's wickedly good Halloween decor!

At an Upcoming Apprenticeship Programs Open House in Celebration of National Apprenticeship Week 2024 (Nov. 17-23)

They Can Choose from Open Houses in Sacramento, Fresno, San Diego, and Phoenix

























 

Download this flyer to share with your employees
 

This November, WECA is celebrating National Apprenticeship Week 2024 with Open House events at four of our Apprenticeship Training Facilities!

Please encourage your employees to join us at our Sacramento, Fresno, San Diego, or Phoenix locations for one of these fun and informative November events that just might be their first step into their future career!

At a WECA Apprenticeship Program Open House, attendees will learn more about WECA's three state and federally-approved Electrical (Commercial Electrical and Residential Electrical) and Low Voltage (Sound and Communications Installer-Voice Data Video and Fire Life Safety) Apprenticeship programs, focused on whichever are offered at the facility you're visiting. (Commercial Electrical is offered at all facilities.) 

Attendees can tour WECA's training facilities, see lab demos, meet WECA instructors and staff, get their individual questions answered, learn about the application process, and more!

We encourage them to pre-register for their chosen event ahead of time to secure their spot, but will also accept walk-ins on the day of the event if space allows. Pre-registration will allow them to receive event reminders and updated event information.

Apprenticeship means getting paid to learn. It's a path to a great, skilled career, without having to take on any college debt.

Share this link with employees -- they can RSVP for their chosen open house here!

WECA Member Contractors: Stay Compliant with Prevailing Wage Requirements in California, Arizona, and Utah with U.S. Department of Labor's Upcoming Two-Day Davis-Bacon Prevailing Wage Webinars

Choose from Webinars on Nov. 13-14, 2024; March 18-19, 2025; Jun. 25-26, 2025, and Sept. 24-25, 2025



 

Content courtesy of: U.S. Department of Labor

The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division will offer compliance seminars for contracting agencies, contractors, unions, workers and other stakeholders on the requirements for paying prevailing wages on federally funded construction and service contracts.

Part of the continuing effort by the division to increase awareness and improve compliance, the two-day seminars will offer sessions on the labor standards protections in the Davis-Bacon Act and the Service Contract Act, including how the department sets and administers prevailing wages and other topics. Participants can choose among the sessions offered either of the two days.

The upcoming seminars are scheduled on Nov. 13-14, 2024, and from March 18-19, June 25-26, and Sept. 24-25, 2025.

The seminars are free to attend but registration is required. Additional information and a link to the online seminars will be sent to registered participants.

For additional information on prevailing wage compliance, the division also has an updated video library on the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts, the Service Contract Act and various executive orders.

Register now.

Where the 2024 Presidential Candidates Stand on Construction’s Top Issues As the 2024 presidential election nears, the platforms of the major parties’ candidates have emerged — and there’s no shortage of policy stances that affect construction execs. Following is a look at where former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris — and, in some cases, their respective running mates, Ohio Sen. JD Vance and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz — stand on issues impacting construction. Story

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A Labor Dispute Inside the Department of Labor? Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su—whom Politico dubs “the union whisperer” has been accused of “bad faith” by her staff’s union within the U.S. DOL. The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which represents 7,500 Department of Labor employees through its National Council of Field Labor Locals (NCFLL), is “calling on the department to stop bad faith delay tactics and negotiate employee telework proposals in good faith.” Story

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California Coastal Commission’s Political Retribution Against Elon Musk I’ll admit that while I admire Musk’s apparent genius ability to build stuff that others can’t, he sometimes seems a little mercurial. That said, even GGN sided with Musk in a recent action at CCC. The Pacific Legal Foundation covers the story.

“On Tuesday, SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk filed a federal lawsuit against the California Coastal Commission. The past week has been a mix of successes and setbacks for Musk, who celebrated the victorious test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket on Sunday, just days after the California Coastal Commission put the kibosh on plans to launch more rockets from the California coast. His lawsuit is challenging this decision and asks the court to bar the CCC from regulating the program.

The Falcon 9 rocket launch program has been enthusiastically supported by both the Air Force and Space Force, both of which assured the CCC that their respective organizations would closely monitor the impacts the rocket launches may have on nearby wildlife. The CCC’s official duties include overseeing ‘plans and regulates the use of land and water in the coastal zone.’ However, by their own admission, the decision to reject the Falcon 9 program appears to be less about wildlife concerns and more about Musk’s personal political opinions.

Citing a reason for their rejection, Commission Chair Caryl Hart stated, ‘We’re dealing with a company, the head of which has aggressively injected himself into the presidential race.’” Full story

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If Trump Wins, Will He Fire the NLRB's General Counsel on Day One? Peter List, Editor of Labor Union News, recently opined that “If Donald Trump wins the election, he could fire National Labor Relations Board General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo on day one (Inauguration Day), just as Joe Biden fired Abruzzo’s predecessor Peter Robb on Inauguration Day in 2021. Ironically, if Trump were to win and subsequently fire Abruzzo, Abruzzo’s own legal arguments that the President of the United States can fire NLRB General Counsels may hamstring any arguments to stop her firing. ‘A unanimous three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said federal labor law only shields the five members of the board from being removed at will and not the general counsel, who acts as a prosecutor,’ Bloomberg reported last year. Though the US Supreme Court remanded the matter back to the Fifth Circuit for reconsideration in light of the recent end to the Chevron doctrine, the firing was also affirmed by the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit as recently as August. So, presuming the General Counsel’s position is not shielded from being fired “at will” (thanks to GC Abruzzo’s own arguments), the question posed is whether Trump will a) fire GC Abruzzo on day one or b) he will wait or c) not fire her at all. Story and poll

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Who Will Lead DOL? Politico reports, “Julie Su’s status as a non-confirmed agency head means that Republicans are likely to vote down her nomination to lead the Labor Department if Harris wins. Trump could also take the DOL in a pro-business direction should he return to the White House. Here are the potential nominees we’re eyeing depending on if Harris or Trump wins.

If Harris wins: Harris could tap Sen. Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.) — who declined to run for her seat in 2020 — due to her experience as a former leader at the Service Employee International Union.

Maryland Department of Labor Secretary Portia Wu is another contender. She built her national profile by creating a paid leave system for workers impacted by the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse. Wu also worked in the Obama-era DOL in the Employment and Training Administration.

If Trump wins, he could call on Patrick Pizzella, a pro-business figure previously serving as DOL’s deputy Labor Secretary.

He could also pick Virginia Labor Secretary Bryan Slater, who worked in Trump’s Transportation Department and as a labor liaison in the Bush administration.”

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California Legislative Year-End Review: Preparing Employers for 2025 California’s busy legislative year has come to an end, with Governor Gavin Newsom signing several new laws that will impact Golden State employers. Here, we summarize the laws expected to have the greatest impact on California employers in 2025. Unless otherwise noted below, these new laws take effect January 1, 2025. Story

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Heat Pumps Were Supposed to Help Save the Planet. But They’ve Run into a Bump. Sales of solar panels, batteries, and electric vehicles have soared over the last few years — helping to slow global warming and take dangerous pollutants out of the atmosphere.

But one technology critical to fighting climate change is lagging, thanks to high interest rates, rising costs, misinformation and the cycle of home construction. The adoption of heat pumps, one of the primary ways to cut emissions from buildings, has slowed in the United States and stalled in Europe, endangering the switch to clean energy. Story

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“Your Child Was Absent Today.” Do you remember those calls from the attendance office when your son or daughter missed school and the subsequent dinner-time conversation, which usually began with “So, how was school today?” No one calls home when a Legislator misses work, as CalMatters discovered. “Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes, a Democrat from Corona who is running for state Senate, missed about two-thirds of her votes this year — 1,647 of 2,510 voting opportunities she had based on her committee assignments and floor sessions. In most cases, the missed votes came from two “excused” absences during busy times of the year — once for a death in her family, and once due to illness after attending the Democratic National Convention in August, according to her staff. Six other legislators missed more than a quarter of their votes this year, most involving excused absences for illness or family matters, according to an analysis of voting data from CalMatters’ Digital Democracy. Story

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California’s Freelance Worker Protection Act Imposes New Requirements for Engaging Independent Contractors Following other states and cities across the nation, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 988, the Freelance Worker Protection Act (FWPA), into law on September 28, 2024. This new law aims to provide greater protections to freelance workers (e.g., “independent contractors”). Codified at California Business & Professions Code Section 18100 et seq., the FWPA imposes requirements on individuals and companies that hire freelance workers for specified “professional services.” Individuals and companies should familiarize themselves with these new obligations, the implications for their businesses, and the potential risks of non-compliance. Learn More

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DOL Issues Guidance on AI and Worker Well-Being Best Practices On October 16, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published Artificial Intelligence and Worker Well-Being: Principles and Best Practices for Developers and Employers. This document expands upon guidance released in May that focused on eight AI “Principles.” The new guidance now includes “Best Practices” intended to be a roadmap for developers and employers to implement these eight Principles. The DOL envisions that the Principles and Best Practices, in combination, will enable developers and employers “to harness AI technologies for their business while ensuring workers benefit from the new opportunities and are shielded from potential harms." Learn More

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Annual Employment Law Update Cook Brown, LLP invites its clients to join them at their complimentary Annual Employment Law Update. During this session, Cook Brown attorneys will provide an overview of key legislative and regulatory changes, as well as court opinions impacting California employers on a variety of topics, including:

·        PAGA legislative reforms

·        Statutory ban on specific work meetings with your employees

·        Changes to time off for victims of violence  

·        Drivers’ license discrimination protections

·        Intersectionality as a protected class

·        Paid Family Leave updates

·        New indoor heat regulations

·        Update to workplace violence safety requirements

Cook Brown partners will also share their knowledge of the latest litigation trends impacting employers in California and the best practices to keep your workplaces working.

When: November 14, 2024, 9:00 – 10:15 am

Where: Zoom webinar

REGISTER

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SOMAH Public Forum If solar is in your business plan, and you are unfamiliar with Solar On Multifamily Affordable Housing (SOMAH), you may want to participate in the last SOMAH Public Forum for 2024. They’ve reduced the number of forums held each year, so each one is an essential opportunity for you to catch up on program activities and progress — and let your ideas and interests be known. Your feedback is valuable in helping guide SOMAH's future, so register now to join your peers and the program team for this year-end event on October 29, 2024, from 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. PT. Register here.

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WECA Government Relation Voters Guide. The WECA Government Relations Committee released a guide for the November election. It is available here for WECA members. (Log in to your WECA Member Dashboard to access.)