U.S. Labor Dept. May Curtail California Apprentice Authority
The U.S. Labor Dept. has taken the unprecedented step of initiating "derecognition proceedings" against a state apprenticeship authority for not doing its job. Open-shop contractors say the state discourages nonunion programs.
In a May 10 letter to California Dept. of Industrial Relations Director Steve Smith, the federal agency says that it has "reasonable cause" to believe that California's State Apprenticeship Agency has failed to promote apprenticeship opportunities. The state has 30 days to respond, but officials say existing programs will not be affected.