Dear Senator Caballero,
On behalf of the California-Nevada Conference of Operating Engineers, we write to respectfully change our position on SB 423 (Wiener) to SUPPORT. The bill would extend the provisions of SB 35(Wiener) from 2017, while ensuring that contractors of market rate and affordable housing are paying all construction workers the prevailing wage, providing apprenticeship opportunities for aspiring journeymen, and mandating employer healthcare contributions for workers on these important projects. The bill would additionally provide enhanced enforcement on housing developments to ensure a level playing field for contractors and that workers are compensated fairly.
The International Union of Operating Engineers and our Local Unions have long recognized the current housing crisis facing the citizens of our state and impacting our membership. Our organization has consistently sought to be part of the solution to solve this extremely important issue. SB 423 is a thoughtful proposal that strikes the appropriate balance to ensure that developers can move to expeditiously provide more housing while not leaving the workers participating in these important projects left behind.
We believe the balance that this legislation strikes will result in more available housing and ultimately lead to more affordable housing that could be utilized by our membership and those in need. Additionally, the apprenticeship opportunities provided by the bill will ensure we have a highly trained workforce in the housing industry to continue to combat this current crisis for years to come.
For these reasons, the California-Nevada Conference of Operating Engineers Support SB 423. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to myself or staff at (916) 440-8710
Sincerely,
Tim Cremins
International Union of Operating Engineers
