Rodriguez First Latino Executive Secretary-Treasurer/CEO in Union's History

LOS ANGELES, March 3, 2022 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ -- Delegates from the Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters (SWRCC) elected Pete Rodriguez Executive Secretary-Treasurer (EST) and CEO in a special-called election Friday night, ushering in a new era of union leadership in the Southwest. EST Rodriguez's election makes him the head of the largest Regional Council in the United Brotherhood of Carpenters (UBC), and the first Latino to win the top spot in SWRCC's history. Frank Hawk was elected President and Sean Hartranft was elected Vice President. This change comes as the Union is poised to recruit tens of thousands of new members in the next decade to meet the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law's demand for skilled and trained workers.

EST Rodriguez first joined the Union in 1996 by the recommendation of his father, and he specialized in Heavy Highway Bridge Carpentry. Pete has risen through the ranks of the SWRCC; from Team Coordinator with the Carpenters/Contractors Cooperation Committee, to Local Delegate, Trustee, President, and now EST.

"As the new Executive Secretary-Treasurer/CEO of the Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters, I'm going to be laser-focused on recruiting new members into the Union to meet the workforce needs of the future, while ensuring our current members have the skills, education, and support they need to succeed," said EST Rodriguez. "From embracing technology, to preparing for new green jobs, to teaching mental toughness, our members will be prepared for the millions of infrastructure jobs coming to our region in the next decade."

Along with President Hawk and Vice President Hartranft, EST Rodriguez will be prioritizing visiting job sites and Union halls to listen to members' concerns and introduce them to the new leadership's platform. The platform includes initiatives that will drive the Union's focus of creating solid union jobs, union wages, and union benefits for their members.

The first of these initiatives is to remove the obstacles to becoming a member of Southwest Carpenters. This will be done by expanding pre-apprenticeship and Veteran outreach programs, as well as opening a new outreach center in South Los Angeles to recruit local hires to work on new stadiums and Olympic-specific projects that will build community wealth in the area.

EST Rodriguez will also be working to make the Union more accessible. With a focus on equity for all members, the leadership has a goal of installing a Hispanic Committee, African American Committee, and a Sisters in the Brotherhood Committee at all 16 locals throughout the six states that the SWRCC represents: southern California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico.

The SWRCC represents nearly 60,000 Union Carpenters in six states. The Union is dedicated to raising the safety and standards for all skilled carpenters and advocating for the rights of workers, their families, and their communities. The SWRCC is proud to be affiliated with the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America.

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SOURCE Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters