Breaking Ground: Recent Episodes
IUOE3
Breaking Ground educates listeners about why union labor and solidarity is more important than ever! Operating Engineers Local 3 is the largest construction trades local in the U.S., representing over 38,000 members across a four-state jurisdiction of Northern California, Northern Nevada, Utah and Hawaii, including the mid-Pacific Islands. From heavy equipment operators, crane operators and mechanics, to surveyors, construction inspectors, highway maintenance workers, police officers and other public employees, Local 3 represents the men and women who drive this country’s economy. Stay informed as we tackle important topics for labor including trends in our digital world like the gig economy and automation, as well as organizing tactics, labor politics and interviews with union leaders and members.
Did you know Local 3 represents close to 10,000 Public Employee members throughout Northern California and Northern Nevada, and this representation includes a 90 percent success rate when it comes to handling grievances, pay issues and disciplinary actions? Learn about the many benefits of Local 3 representation for our Public Employee members and how to get organized, if you’re not!
Hear straight from the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Legislative and Political Director Jeff Soth, as he discusses Labor’s gains during the current administration and what’s at stake during this critical Election Year. He works hard in Washington to lobby for major infrastructure investments at the federal level that put Operating Engineers to work. OE3’s own Political Director Chris Snyder also weighs-in about Local 3’s specific goals for this election cycle and which previous political gains have created massive projects for us.
Please enjoy the Election Season Kick-Off podcast from Local 3’s Political Department, which includes Political Director Chris Snyder and Deputy Political Director Patrick Boileau. Learn how the political process works, from how union endorsements are made, where funding for projects you work on comes from and important races to pay attention to this year.
Local 3 Stockton Business Agent Michelle Gianelli has asked questions her whole life, and it’s this curiosity that has helped her succeed in her career, in the field, as an instructor at the CA Training Center, as a dispatcher in Stockton District 30 and now as a Stockton business agent. Listen and watch as she shares her story and helps provide correct information to the members she represents.
Learn about the almost 30-year Local 3 member’s early days working in the pit in Utah, as well as his climb to becoming the Utah District Rep. and Union Trustee today. Utah district Rep. Brandon Dew is also an active member of coalitions, has helped strengthen the membership and apprenticeship opportunities in the Utah District Office, is actively engaged in union politics and is proudest of his family. Listen to his story now!
- Brandon’s story of how he became a union member and joined staff
- Explaining the coalitions he is part of
- What it’s like to be a district rep in Utah today, how the union is doing and what challenges Local 3 and other unions face in the state
- Politics
- Things he is most proud of
Local 3 Burlingame District Rep. / Trustee Charley Lavery has built a lifetime around union activism. The Irish immigrant recalls how becoming a Local 3 member revolutionized his life and the life of his family. He has used his story of unionism to change the lives of apprentices, members and more, while making sure Labor’s issues are at the forefront of San Francisco politics.
NorCal Construction Industry Compliance (NCIC) Executive Director Dina Morsi discusses the NCIC's role in protecting workers from wage theft, holding non-compliant contractors accountable and ensuring a level playing field for contractors bidding on the public works projects that OE3 members rely on for employment.
Sacramento District 80 Political Action Committee (PAC) members Frank Fuller, Travis Damiani and Miguel Gonzalez explain how the PAC works, how members can participate in their PAC and how these committees determine which local candidates do or don’t get a Local 3 recommendation. If you ever wondered how the union determines endorsements, listen now. Also available to watch on YouTube here.
An in-depth interview with Local 3 member, County Employees Management (CEMA) president and Hollister City Council Member Dolores Morales, who discusses what the union movement means to her, how engagement in politics is a necessity and how caring about and involvement in your community is all you need to make a difference.
The country is perhaps more divided right now than ever, and as we sit in the middle of an Election year, it is even more troubling. We, as a union, must find a way to get united. The way to do that is by coming together and rallying around our shared core needs. This video looks at how we are all more alike than we realize and how we, as Operating Engineers, are very much in agreement about several key shared goals. Understanding these and the reasons behind why we do politics the way we do, will only make us stronger. It's an encouraging message, no matter which side of the political aisle you sit on. Don't miss it!
OE3 District Rep. Mike Pickens gets really honest about his childhood struggles and how finding a career through Job Corps and then Operating Engineers changed the course and direction of his entire life. His insight and journey helps point those who may be struggling in a better direction … and a career option!
Get an insider's perspective on the Operating Engineers Local 3 crane world, from crawler cranes to tower cranes in this latest episode of OE3's Breaking Ground podcast. Topics include how to get in the seat, income, what operating cranes was like 20 years ago and how much it has changed today. Industry experts and Local 3 staff members Jimmy Jacobs and Tom Kohlenberg cut to the chase on how tough this industry is, but also how rewarding it can be.
Local 3 Director of Organizing John Curtin provides a candid perspective on organizing unions today.
What does a Local 3 organizer do? Why does it benefit any construction or Public Employee entity to get organized and become a part of Local 3? Listen to Local 3's Director of Organizing John Curtin discuss all of this in Local 3's thirteenth podcast, Breaking Ground. Whether you know about unions or are just curious about this aspect of them, check it out!
For Local 3's twelfth podcast, "Breaking Ground," mental health expert Christina Torizzo explains all that Kaiser has to offer for people who may be struggling with severe or mild mental health issues during these strange pandemic times. There's no shame in getting the help you need, and Kaiser's websites have all kinds of tools and assessments that you can access from your cellphone or computer. There's also information about Local 3's Assistance and Recovery Program (ARP), as well.
Listen to Local 3’s 11th Breaking Ground Podcast: Everything there is to know about OE3’s Technical Engineers
What is a Local 3 Technical Engineer? Hear from experts John Rector, Sacramento District Rep., and Michael Strunk, Testing and Inspection Special Rep. Both were surveyors and inspectors in the field and explain candidly the process for applying to the apprenticeship program, what a career as a Technical Engineer looks like and how their time in the field changed their lives. Anyone who is interested in a career path free from college debt that offers flexibility and the chance to work outside, should watch this.
For more info, call the Apprenticeship Program at: (916) 354-2029 or visit: www.teapprenticeship.org
Listen to Local 3 Public Employee Director Tim Neep and Senior Business Agent Mike Eggener discuss the Local 3 Public Employee Department, including our Craft and Maintenance Unit 12 division. From who they are and what they do, to contract negotiations, contentious battles with some local governments and how to organize your own Public Employee Unit, find everything you need to know here. You can also watch the podcast video, complete with informative slides and member photos, by visiting Local 3’s YouTube site at:
www.youtube.com/c/operatingengineerslocal3.
Do you have a Local 3 Pension negotiated into your Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA)? Have you ever wondered how this Pension is funded, when it started or how it’s doing right now? Get the history of Local 3’s Pension, how you can calculate yours, how the Pension is funded and what it means for you and your family. Local 3 Treasurer Nate Tucker talks frankly about all of this. You can also view this podcast on Local 3’s official YouTube site at www.youtube.com/c/operatingengineerslocal3.
The Operating Engineers Local 3 Journeyman and Apprentice Training Center (OE3 JATC) is nationally recognized as one of the biggest and best training programs in the country, producing skilled and trained Operating Engineers every year, who enter the workforce with a career path that is free and a trade that gives them a comfortable life and retirement. Apprentices in this program literally earn while they learn and make more per hour, with every step of the apprenticeship they complete. Listen to Director of Apprenticeship Greg Gasaway and Director of Training Cat Lytle explain how one can get accepted into this prestigious training program, what to expect once accepted and whether or not a career in the trades is right for you. It’s not easy to get in, but if you do get accepted and graduate, it will literally change your life. You don’t want to miss this one!
After the giant mining companies Newmont and Barrick formed a joint-venture in Elko, called Nevada Gold Mines (NGM), it was obvious they wanted Local 3 out. The union had been representing workers at the mines since 1965, and we weren’t just going to back down. Hear about the strategies we used to gain back our collective bargaining rights for some 1,300 mine workers and the challenges that continue, as we fight to represent our mine workers in Elko, Nev. It’s a true David and Goliath story!
Join Local 3’s Business Manager Dan Reding and Assistance and Recovery Program (ARP) Director Tamra Luft, as they discuss how COVID-19 has created a pandemic beyond physical illness. It has also created a mental health pandemic. People are struggling now more than ever with depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts. Often, people cope with these by turning to substances, and this use or over-use can lead to addiction. Find out how to get help, if you need it. “If you are asking if you have a problem, you probably have a problem,” said ARP Director Tamra Luft. Help is available, so listen how!
Hear from Local 3’s Political Director Chris Snyder and the IUOE's California-Nevada Labor Lobbyist Tim Cremins talk about what’s at stake for unions politically this year. How does Labor Lobbying work? How do unions vet the candidates they endorse? We will also dive into how Local 3 is handling political activism with the backdrop of COVID-19 forcing us to change how things are normally done. In addition, we will talk about the biggest proposition on the California Ballot - Proposition 22 - and why a NO vote is a NO BRAINER! Vote NO on 22!
New business agents Jesse Greer and Mario Cardoza talk about what it’s like being a staff member of Local 3. They both have over 15 years of experience in the field and discuss with Business Manager Dan Reding the surprises and challenges coming from the field to then being on staff as a business agent.
The main benefit of joining the Local 3 staff is the fulfillment they get out of helping the membership and giving back to the organization that gave them so much. Whether it be securing a better contract or staying late at a city council meeting, they both talked about why they decided to take a job with longer hours and less pay. Get an insider’s perspective on Local 3 here!
In this episode, we listen to famed local actor Danny Glover, a member of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artist (SAG AFTRA). SAG AFTRA members are the faces and voices that entertain and inform America and the world. Both were born in the turmoil of the 1930s, around the same time the Golden Gate Bridge was being built. They have rich histories of fighting for and securing the strongest protections for media artists.
Glover narrates the short film, “Halfway To Hell, The Workers And Unions That Built The Golden Gate Bridge.” Workers tell their stories as we hear the construction taking place. This film was made in 1988 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the bridge and to honor the workers who built it. Permission was granted by the Labor Video Project. They can be found at www.laborvideo.org
Join us as we talk with Operating Engineers Local 3 President Steve Ingersoll and Financial Secretary Dave Harrison as they discuss their backgrounds, how they’ve kept Local 3 working through the COVID-19 crisis and how political activism will play a key role in Labor’s future during this year’s General Election. They also discuss the historical and current role safety has played in the construction industry.
Welcome to the inaugural podcast of Operating Engineers Local 3 where we discuss all things Labor; history, politics and Local 3’s role in building a future for America. I hope you enjoy this as we break ground on a new way to communicate with the world.
Right now, we are heading into the eye of the storm, the worst few weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic. Unions have met tremendous challenges in the past and bucked impossible odds, but still this crisis is tremendously daunting. Two things have always helped unions succeed, solidarity and leadership. We are happy to have with us, for Operating Engineers Local 3’s inaugural podcast called Breaking Ground, the man at the top of the largest construction trades local in the country, Local 3 Business Manager Dan Reding.