UCON Special Negotiations Update
The UCON bargaining teams have been engaged in negotiations over the past few months, together with their counterparts from other associations. Master Agreement negotiations have finally concluded for Laborers and Carpenters in Southern California, and Laborers in Northern California, along with the OE3 Concrete Pump Master Agreement. The following is an update on negotiations with these crafts. Contact the UCON Labor Team if you have any specific questions. You can also view the progress of all ongoing negotiations in our Negotiations Tracker.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CARPENTERS
Our bargaining group was successful in rolling back some of the more onerous provisions already agreed to by other bargaining units, as well as preserving San Diego Building Construction terms and provisions in the new 12-County Master Agreement (Appendix SD) and cleaning up provisions in Appendix G (Special Working Rules for Divers on Construction Work). The new Master Agreement has been ratified, and the Summary of Modifications is available here. A rate sheet for the rates effective July 1, 2026 will be issued shortly.
Summary of Key Modifications:
- Contract Term: July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2030
- 4.39% average package increase over term of contract as follows:
- July 1, 2026 - $3.00
- July 1, 2027 - $3.50
- July 1, 2028 - $4.25
- July 1, 2029 - $4.50
- New shift premium of $1.00 per hour, effective July 1, 2027, for shifts starting between 5:00 PM and 3:00 AM
- Subsistence increased from $80.00 to $100.00, but a room can be provided instead
- Probationary period for new dispatches increased from 5 days to 10 days
- Time off required between shifts reduced from 12 hours to 10 hours
- The union will maintain a database tracking all apprentices and journeyman certifications for OSHA 10, OSHA 30 for foremen, and First Aid/CPR.
- Elimination of Partnership for Jobs fringe benefit contribution
- Updated and fully revised Appendix G (Divers)
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA LABORERS
A tentative agreement was finally reached last week for a four-year agreement (2026-2030). UCON’s ratification process will be underway over the next couple of weeks, and the Union will be holding their ratification meeting soon. While we normally hold the specifics on economics until the agreement is fully ratified, we feel it’s important for contractors to know the tentatively agreed-upon economics for bidding as well as for ongoing projects that will require increases. Pending ratification, the total package increase is $14.90 over four years which is a 4.66% average increase over the term of the agreement and will be broken down as follows:
- July 1, 2026 – $3.55
- July 1, 2027 - $3.65
- July 1, 2028 - $3.75
- July 1, 2029 - $4.00
Allocations will be made once the agreement is ratified, and we will send those out as soon as they are available, as well as a Summary of Modifications for the new agreement.
UCON is also expecting to complete negotiations for the Parking & Highway Improvement Agreement and Landscape Master Agreement within the next two to four weeks; note that economics on these agreements will generally follow the Master Agreement.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA LABORERS
A tentative agreement has been reached for an extension to the existing collective bargaining agreement. Full details will be released once the agreement is fully ratified by all parties.
As a reminder, all contractors signatory to the Laborers (N. CA) Master Agreement through UCON will automatically be signed on to the new extension agreement UNLESS you notify UCON prior to June 30. (If you intend to remain signatory, you will want to be on the extension; you can read more about non-extending procedures here.
Negotiations are ongoing for the Traffic Control/Highway Improvement Agreement and the Landscape/Irrigation Site Work Agreement.
OE3 CONCRETE PUMP MASTER AGREEMENT
The bargaining parties finally reached a tentative agreement, and ratification is in progress. Tentative economics are as follows, and full details will be released soon.
- June 29, 2026 – $4.50
- June 28, 2027 - $3.50
- June 26, 2028 - $3.50
Thank you UCON bargaining teams
UCON’s bargaining teams led the efforts to seek the best outcome for the entire industry. Our contractor Co-Chairs collaborated across association lines, spearheading bold proposals while also keeping the units cohesive and strategies aligned. A special thanks to all of our negotiating team members who volunteered their time, expertise, and leadership to represent employers:
S. CA Carpenters Master Agreement
- Dave Greco; Granite Construction Company (Co-Chair)
- Maizer Ouijdani; The Conco Companies (Co-Chair)
- Jason Wall; Doty Bros. Construction Co.
- Jeff Terai; J.F. Brennan Company, Inc. (Divers Representative)
S. CA Laborers Master Agreement
- LJ Fisher; Cell-Crete Corporation (Co-Chair)
- Ricardo Sepulveda; Veteran Pipeline Construction (Co-Chair)
- Jenna Carlson; Teichert Utility
- Rita Ferguson; G & F Concrete Cutting, Inc.
- Garrett Francis; Pavement Recycling Systems, Inc.
- Sarah Johnson; AWP Safety
- Ray Lemen; Underground Construction Co., Inc.
- Brandon Pensick; Ferreira Construction Co. Inc.
- Jason Wall; Doty Bros. Construction Co.
N. CA Laborers Master Agreement
- Kurt Kniffin; Stacy Witbeck (Co-Chair)
- Donna Rehrmann; Stomper Company, Inc. (Co-Chair)
- Alan Guy, Anvil Builders
- Greg Goebel; Goebel Construction, Inc.
- Catherine Moncada; Granite Construction Company
- Daniel Wanner; Hoseley Corporation
- Dean Salinas, DeSilva Gates Construction, LLC
OE3 Concrete Pump Master Agreement
- Andy Paulazzo; Interstate Concrete Pumping, Inc. (Chair)
- Jessica Fraser; The Conco Companies
- Alejandro Murillo; Joseph J. Albanese, Inc.
- Keith Pullin; The Conco Companies
- Shawn Slate; Interstate Concrete Pumping, Inc.