Shame on the ABC
On November 20, the Union Tribune reported on the blast that seriously injured 3 insulators, 10 other construction craftspeople, and 1 firefighter at the San Diego Hilton Bayfront. They reported that “Sherwood Mechanical Inc., a plumbing and heating contractor based in Mira Mesa, received most of the blame for the blast, which knocked out a portion of the Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel on May 19.”
This is a quote from Mitchell C. Roberts of Sherwood Mechanical that is in the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of San Diego Member Resources Guide:
The Associated Builders and Contractors has developed
superior safety programs I can use in my business. Combining
national and local expertise, ABC is staying at the top of the safety
training curve. That helps me do the same thing. A safer
contractor is a more profitable contractor. That’s good for my
employees on both ends of the scale.
Except, ABC practices are not good for employees, they are only good for company bottom lines. When the ABC endorsed John McCain for his presidential bid, their press release said “John McCain is the candidate that best represents the free enterprise values of the Associated Builders and Contractors.” On the ABC San Diego website, they say “the stronger ABC is, the better it is at helping you defend the right to run your business as you chose.” Running your business as you choose leaves your employees behind, and in the case of Sherwood Mechanical, it seriously injured workers.
Most of the injured didn’t even work for Sherwood. But that is the nature of the construction industry where craftspeople from many different trades and working for various employers have to work in close proximity to one another. Sherwood’s negligence– their pursuit of maximizing profits in accordance with the ABC free enterprise philosophy, jeopardized the health and careers of other workers whose employers were taking appropriate safety measures. In California, the ABC spends tens-of-thousands of dollars annually lobbying against bills that would improve construction workers lives and improve health and safety on the job. Their goal is exactly what they said in their press release endorsing McCain: to promote a philosophy of free enterprise that can only be achieved on the backs of the workers they claim to care about while they testify against their best interests at city hall or at the state capital.
There are easy and proven ways to make sure constructions craftspeople are safe on jobs. Construction will always be dangerous work but lives can be saved and accidents can be minimized through the use of pre-hire agreements with strong safety protocols that require employers and employees to monitor and implement a safety program. Lives can be saved by making sure inspectors are trained on the latest construction technologies so they know what a safe installation is when they are approving construction work that has been completed. OSHA and CalOSHA must come to jobsites and enforce safety regulations before an accident happens.
Construction workers deserve safe workplaces. End users, tenants, and the public have the right to know that the buildings they work-in and live-in are safe for them. As our newly elected leaders take office over the next few weeks, we must demand that they join with working families in their communities, stand up to the ABC lobbyists, and implement policies that put the health, safety, and sustainability of the families they represent first.
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