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After 15 years of hard work, we finally have a CWA (Community Workforce Agreement) that reinvests in our schools & our community! This is a win for students, workers & the future of San Bernardino.
Community Workforce Agreement or a CWA: a contract negotiated before work starts that sets standards for the workers hired, their wages, safety standards, and quality of work in public projects. These standards stop work from slowing down due to safety and wage issues.
Why does a CWA in San Bernardino City Unified matter?
In 2010, 15 years ago, labor unions and community members came together to push a similar agreement which would agree to pay the prevailing wage (average pay for workers of a particular trade, typically union wages) and prioritize local hiring practices. The community turnout was immense, but the past school board did not approve the CWA. This decision affected much more than just the worksite. These were missed opportunities for all, missed wages, missed school improvements, missed retirement security for local residents, along with the loss of essential on-the-job training opportunities for apprentices. This is why local elections matter.
So what did this Community Workforce Agreement (CWA) achieve?
First and foremost, this CWA is an investment in the community of San Bernardino. This investment will modernize school infrastructure for students, while also providing good-paying jobs for local residents, and training students to go into those jobs. The agreement also provides pre-apprenticeship programs for students in high school using the comprehensive Multi-Craft Core Curriculum (MC3), which was developed and approved by the Building Trades National Apprenticeship and Training Committee.. Having training across trades gives students access to a variety of well-paying careers, cementing these pathways.
”Our Country was at its greatest when our unions were at the strongest”
– Michael Santos
The CWA will prioritize the local hire of residents, alumni, and veterans while also paying prevailing wages, and enforcing higher safety standards. Bids for these projects would also prioritize entrepreneurship opportunities for underrepresented communities in the construction industry like women, disabled veterans, and people of color.
Hear David Mount’s story on why we need better safety standards in addition to wages that can support workers and their families.
Huge shoutout to the Inland Empire Building & Construction Trades, Just SB, People’s Collective for Environmental Justice, and ICUC Pico and thank you San Bernardino City Unified School District!
