P1 1WHEREAS, National Tradesworker Day should be recognized
2each year on the third Friday of September, providing an
3opportunity to honor and express our appreciation of our nation’s
4skilled men and women in the building and construction trades
5and other crafts whose hard work allows our modern society to
6thrive; and
7WHEREAS, These men and women contribute greatly to our
8state’s infrastructure, enable cities to grow, provide for a better
9quality of life in their communities, and create economic
10development that assists California in maintaining one of the largest
11and most diverse economies in the world; and
12WHEREAS, Construction is dangerous and laborious work, and
13the men and women of the California building and construction
14trades have fought many legislative, regulatory, and electoral
15battles to strengthen and protect workers’ health and safety and
16fair local wage standards by establishing prevailing wages on
17public works projects. These achievements have produced one of
18the strongest sets of worker protection laws for the industry in the
19entire country; and
20WHEREAS, Workers and their employers, through
21long-established partnerships, have created an apprenticeship
22system that invests approximately $100 million annually to train
23the next generation of skilled workers through state-approved
24apprenticeship programs. These programs have the most rigorous
P2 1standards in the country, graduating roofers, bricklayers, plumbers
2and pipefitters, elevator constructors, laborers, carpenters,
3boilermakers, cement masons, insulators, electricians, iron workers,
4operating engineers, sheet metal workers, teamsters, painters, and
5others; and
6WHEREAS, Despite the worst recession since the Great
7Depression, the construction industry continues to provide young
8men and women with an opportunity for a rewarding career in
9construction with access to apprenticeship programs. These
10programs graduate 92 percent of the state’s apprenticeship
11graduates, including 95 percent of all women graduates and 92
12percent of all minority graduates; now, therefore, be it
13Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, That the
14Assembly recognizes September 19, 2014, as National
15Tradesworker Day, remembers the building and construction
16tradesworkers whom we have lost in the process of developing
17California and our nation, and honors those who work to ensure
18civilized life is possible for all of our residents; and be it further
19Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
20of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
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