theCURRENT: Q3 2025

This brief provides key labor relations updates across the state. It's designed to quickly educate you, the contractor, on what's happened, what's current, and what's up ahead. It's about giving contractors perspective on market trends, rising issues, growth opportunities, and how UCON leads and changes the industry to benefit your bottom line.

Industry Spotlight: 2026 Negotiations Cycle

What You Need to Know

After completing negotiations with OE12, Cement Masons (S. CA), and Teamsters (S.CA) in 2025, UCON and our craft committees are ramping up for negotiations with the NorCal and SoCal Carpenters and Laborers, including various specialty agreements and the Cement Masons (N. CA) in 2026.

This cycle has been unlike any other cycle before and represents a new era of collective bargaining.

What is the state of collective bargaining collaboration?

U.S. DOT Changes to DBE Program

What Contractors Need to Know

On October 3, the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) published an “interim final rule” (IFR) eliminating race- and gender-based Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) goals on federal-aid highway and transit projects. Changes go into effect immediately.

UCON Highway Safety Bill Signed Into Law

Legislative Update

On October 13th, Governor Newsom signed UCON’s priority highway safety bill, AB 289, into law. This landmark legislation authorizes Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) in active highway construction work zones, an important tool to reduce speeding and protect workers and drivers.

How We Got Here
This victory was years in the making. UCON led a sustained advocacy campaign that:

Fighting for Faster Agency Progress Payments

UCON is Taking Action

UCON is taking action to fix a broken system—and we need your help.

Across California, too many public agencies are withholding 100% of progress payments over minor paperwork issues. It's unfair, unnecessary, and harmful to your business. We're pushing back.

Core Business: Labor Relations

UCON Launches First Cohort of Labor Negotiations & Leadership Boot Camp

We have some BIG news to share. In 2026, UCON will launch our very own Labor Negotiations & Leadership Boot Camp.

The purpose is to create a top-tier class of the next-generation of negotiators, trustees, and labor-management board members ready to lead bargaining, trusts, and industry boards across the state now and for decades to come.

UCON Service Spotlight

Take Advantage of UCON's "Labor Essentials" Training Program