Sims Metal Management (SMM) buys and processes scrap metal from business, other recyclers and the general public. With over 250 processing facilities in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia, they recycle ferrous and non-ferrous metals. SMM is the world’s largest recycling company operating on five continents.

SMM six different locations here in the Bay Area and Central Valley that can offer a BONUS on material. All members have to do is give Bill Ledwell a call at (408) 494-4261 prior to delivery and he will insure you are well compensated. For more information, please visit their website at www.simsmm.com.

 

We are halfway through 2019. It has been a period of tariff talks, crippling floods and an elusive infrastructure bill. Have these events thrown the 2019 construction forecast off its axis? The short answer is no.

Dodge Data & Analytics presented a spring update of its 2019 Dodge Construction Outlook on June 12th in Chicago. Dodge’s chief economist and vice president, Robert Murray, shared the latest 2018 performance data and 2019 construction activity to date to paint a picture of an upward construction cycle leveling off. Read more of the report by clicking here.

The Northern California Chapter was well represented at NECA’s annual District IX Meeting held from June 25th – 27th, in Monterey, CA. Prior to the formal meetings, Executive Directors and Assistant Managers from each Chapter throughout District IX met to discuss the work picture in each area, as well as business development activities and other common issues.

On Wednesday, attendees chose between a few breakout session: 1) Workshop on Prefabrication; 2) Ownership Transition Management Succession; and 3) The Evolution of the Electrical Contractor as an Integrator.

We encourage our contractors to take the opportunity to attend future meetings. The next meeting is being planned for 2020, and we will provide details as they become available.

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.