Federal Court Rules Against ABC!
District Court Denies Injunction Against DIR

In a major victory for unions and apprenticeship programs, the United States District Court in Santa Ana, California ruled decisively against the Associated Builders and Contractors of Southern California (ABC) in their attack on new apprenticeship regulations. Federal Judge Alicemarie H. Stotler denied the ABC's request for a preliminary injunction against the implementation of new apprenticeship regulations by the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR). Judge Stotler ruled against every argument made by the ABC.

The ABC sought to prevent the implementation of new regulations in Section 208 of the Labor Code that will set minimum wages for apprentices. These new rules require that apprentices be paid a percentage of the prevailing wage applicable to their trade and geographic location. It provides other protections for apprentices to avoid exploitation by contractors and sub-standard apprenticeship programs. The new regulations were passed in 2001 by the California Apprenticeship Council, Division of Apprenticeship Standards and became effective February 16, 2002.

Opposition to the ABC attack came from briefs filed by the DIR, State Building and Construction Trades Council of California (SBCTC), the California State Pipe Trades Joint Apprenticeship Committee and the Plumbers & Steamfitters Local 159 Joint Apprenticeship & Trading Committee. The SBCTC was represented by attorney Scott A. Kronland of Altshuler, Berzon, Nussbaum, Rubin & Demain of San Francisco, California.

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