Update on SB 825 Pre-Apprenticeship Program

Local 1000 building relationships to enhance SB 825 prison pre-apprenticeship program

On January 11, Unit 3 Chair Bruce Theel along with Nancy Farias, Director of Government Affairs, and Legislative Advocate Tim Kamermayer met with Senator James Beall’s Chief of Staff, Sunshine Borelli, and Cesar Diaz, the Legislative and Political Director of the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California, regarding SB 825 – state prisons pre-apprenticeship program.

This initial meeting went well. Mr. Diaz explained that the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation had reached out to the Building Trades Council to establish an apprenticeship program that would prepare discharging or paroling inmates for jobs in the building trades. Our union representatives specifically asked if the Prison Industry Authority was in any way involved in this. Mr. Diaz replied that the CDCR was the only entity involved with the request to the State Building Trades Council. 

Further discussion established the potential opportunity for our union and Unit 3 to partner with the Building Trades Council. We will work with Senators Beall and Skinner in the development of the language of this bill and continue building a working relationship with the Building Trades Council.