INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

Keeping Our Master Labor Agreements Relevant For example, in the new State Paid Sick

By Mark Reynosa, Director, Southern California Industrial Relations As this article is being written, legisla-

tion is pending or being drafted that covers a term or condition contained in our AGC Master Labor Agreements. This activity can be a local city or county ordinance, or a statewide or national regulation or legis- lative item. This activity can also be in the form of a project labor agreement or court decision. While we attempt to advocate our per-

spectives through this political process, it is fundamental that we remember that our Master Labor Agreements matter. They matter because they are the result of solu- tions to labor and management interests or concerns and have been the building block of the labor-management partnership for many years. Our Master Labor Agree- ments have adopted the parties’ local and area practice, as well as have been worked out over countless sessions and over de- cades at the bargaining table by the stake- holders. Altering terms and conditions through

the regulatory or political/legislative pro- cess in the various manners outside the bargaining table will compromise the in- terests of both sides and will have precari- ous effects on existing relationships. How- ever, labor and management can mutually protect our interests in these current times.

Leave law, there is a collective bargaining agreement exemption written into the law for 1) those agreements negotiated prior to January 1, 2015, or 2) for those agree- ments that meet certain thresholds and have expressively waived or incorporated sick leave. In Northern California and Southern

California, signatory members who are employing workers covered and are work- ing under the AGC Master Labor Agree- ments are exempted from the new State Paid Sick Leave law for these employees. All the AGC Master Labor Agreements were in effect and negotiated prior to Janu- ary 1, 2015 and are covered by this 1/1/15 exemption, except the Southern California Laborers Master Labor Agreements. Via the mutual understanding to keep-

ing our Master Labor Agreements relevant, management and the Southern California Laborers have agreed to expressly waive

the new State Paid Sick Leave law, effective July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2018, in the new Southern California Laborers Master Labor Agreements that were negotiated in June of this year. Another example was the “Solutions

Not Bailouts” effort by labor and man- agement at the national level to protect our interests with national multiemployer pension reform. This cooperation and communication between labor and man- agement keeps the partnership together. With any cycles and the evolution of

influences, it is important to have an ad- vocate on all levels. AGC’s labor relations program is the national, statewide, region- al, and local leader in advocacy and your support, trust, and membership in AGC helps to bolster our efforts. Please call your Industrial Relations Department

in the

North at (925) 827-2422 or in the South at (626) 608-5800 with any labor relations questions or inquiries.

Manage Your Operations from Bid to Completion.

conference.agc-ca.org 2015 AGC of CALIFORNIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE Oc tober 21 - 24, 2015

Regite Today! Deet Havet Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa | Rancho Mirage, CA

www.HCSS.com | 1-800-683-3196 Software used by 40,000 construction professionals

World-class 24/7 instant customer support Construction-friendly desktop & mobile apps

www.AGC-CA.org Associated General Contractors of California 21