All contractors who bid and perform on public works projects in California need to complete or renew registrations with the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) by June 30, 2019. Renewals opened at the beginning of May, and contractors can now opt to renew for up to three fiscal years. For more information, visit the DIR’s Contractor Registration page by clicking here.

The NorCal NECA/IBEW Local 595 Joint Safety Committee is pleased to announce the 2019 Safety Excellence Award Program established to recognize excellence in safety demonstrated by NorCal NECA member contractors and IBEW Local 595 electricians/technicians.

Please refer to the Safety Excellence Award page of the NorCal NECA website for more information and to submit your entries. Submissions must be received by September 27, 2019. Please contact Juanita Mitchell at the Chapter office if you have any questions.

Negotiations for the Local 595W Inside Construction Agreement concluded with the Local 595W membership ratifying Management’s Final Proposal on May 30, 2019. The four-year agreement will commence on June 1, 2019, with a $4.12 increase which was allocated as follows:

• $3.05 to the Wage
• $1.00 to the DB Pension
• $0.04 to the JATC
• $0.03 to the Alameda ECT

Please go to the Labor Agreement page on our website to obtain the updated Cost Data Sheet. A copy of the updated Agreement will be provided in the coming weeks. Please contact Scot VanBuskirk with the Chapter office should you have any questions.

The NECA Show is the #1 Trade Show of its kind in the electrical construction industry. NECA is proud to present the largest gathering of manufacturers and distributors showcasing thousands of solutions contractors need to save time and money on the job, and grow their business. The trade show floor is a virtual classroom, providing the latest technological advances in such areas as power supply, security, tools, integrated building systems, lighting and controls, solar/PV, energy storage, other energy markets and so much more.

Te register for the Convention, follows the below instructions:

• Log into the NECA Registration & Hotel Booking Website with your individual ID and Last Name.
  • NOTE; please contact the Chapter office if you do not know your individual ID.
• Once logged in, you as a Chapter member, will automatically be placed into your chapter room block. If you are a member of multiple Chapters, you will be able to select the Chapter with which to proceed.

If you would like assistance with registration and travel, please contact Julie Russell with the Chapter office.

NECA continues to make headway on Capitol Hill as another one of NECA’s top legislative priorities, allowing 529 savings plans to be used in apprenticeship programs, passed through the House of Representatives on May 23, 2019. The provisions were included as part of a larger legislative package making the most significant changes in retirement savings policy in more than a decade.

The bill passed the house on two prior occasions last Congress only to have the Senate fail to act on the legislation. This new version is expected to be considered by the Senate in the next several weeks.

The Solano/Napa Counties Apprenticeship held its graduation for the 2019 Apprentice class at the Napa Elks Lodge on May 30, 2019. The evening started with speakers Jack Paulson (Solano/Napa Training Director), Kevin Coleman (Business Manager, IBEW Local 180), Scot VanBuskirk (NorCal NECA). The 2019 Outstanding Inside Apprentice Award was presented to Sean Campbell, along with a $1,000 check from the Electrical Contractors Trust of Solano/Napa Counties.

The 2019 Inside Graduates are listed A – Z: Sean Campbell, Curtis Deschaine, Jonathan Douma, Archie Faulk, Matthew Ghrist, Brendon Mason, Todd Nalley, William Nicholls, Jay Seagar, Michael Valderrama and Shayne Van Zeyl.

NorCal NECA was well represented at the annual Legislative Conference held last week in Washington, D.C. Contractors Steve and Charlotte Hanson (SD Electric, Inc.), Kurt and Nadia Brinkman (Intrepid Electronic Systems, Inc.), Greg Long (Long Electric Company), Collin Weiner (CalEnergy Electrical Corporation), and John Dillon (Hamilton & Dillon Electric), along with Andre Gardner (NCECI), and NECA staff members Pete Butler, Juanita Mitchell and Greg Armstrong were able to strengthen relationships with our experienced representatives, as well as meet with new members of Congress who are part of the largest freshman group in US History!

Our group met with nine members of Congress and one of the key meetings was with Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA), who has offered to assist in our efforts to improve Local Business Preference on federal sites such as Travis and Beale Air Force Bases. As Chairman of the Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee, Congressman Garamendi is also offering to propose policy suggested by Andre Gardner to ensure employers on federal projects properly classify their workers and provide workers’ compensation insurance. We will be working with our National NECA Government Affairs staff, as well as Congressman Garamendi’s office to move these policies forward.

Our group also promoted passage of HR-2344, a bill designed to further reform change-order policies by requiring immediate payment of at least 50% of change-order billings. Also, in regards to change-order and prompt payment laws, Chapter President Greg Long received special recognition from Congressman Don Bacon (R-NE) for his advocacy and testimony in support of HR-4854, a law that recently passed relating to transparency in change-order policy. Other key issues we covered were Infrastructure and Transportation, tax policy and pension plan reform. A huge thank you to those that attended and participated in our democracy.

Effective June 1, 2019, the following increases will go into effect. Please be sure to download the updated cost data sheets from the Labor Agreement section of our website.

Alameda County, IBEW Local 595W

• The Local Union 595W membership allocated it’s $4.12 increase effective June 1, 2019, as follows:
  • $3.05 to the Wage
  • $1.00 to the DB Pension
  • $0.04 to the JATC
  • $0.03 to the Alameda ECT

Mariposa/Merced/Stanislaus/Tuolumne Counties, IBEW Local 684

• The Local Union 684 membership allocated it’s $2.50 increase effective June 1, 2019, as follows:
  • $0.34 to the Health & Welfare
  • $0.10 to the Pension Plan A
  • $0.10 to the Pension Plan B
  • $1.96 to the Wage

Napa and Solano Counties, IBEW Local 180

• The Local Union 180 membership allocated it’s $2.10 increase effective June 1, 2019, as follows:
  • $1.95 to the Wage
  • $0.10 to the Training Facility Fund
  • $0.05 to the LMCC

San Joaquin and Calaveras Counties, IBEW Local 595E

• The Local Union 595E membership allocated it’s $1.50 increase effective June 1, 2019, as follows:
  • $1.25 to the Wage
  • $0.25 to the DB Pension

Updated Cost Data Sheets can be found on the Labor Agreement section of our website.

Negotiations for the Local 180 Inside Construction Agreement concluded with a settlement ratified by the members of Local 180 on April 18, 2019. The five-year agreement will commence on June 1, 2019, with a $2.10 increase which will be allocated by the membership on May 16, 2019. Click here to view a summary of the settlement.

A copy of the updated Agreement and cost data sheet will be provided after the allocation meeting. Please contact Scot VanBuskirk with the Chapter office should you have any questions.