"Labor's Ambassador" Steve Smith receiving his award. His bio states: "When CSEA affiliated with SEIU, Steve was the first SEIU staff person allowed inside the CSEA headquarters. That office has never been the same since." And that was just the beginning: subsequent posts include the Lieutenant Governor's Liason to Labor, campaign manager for Gray Davis, and Director of the Dept. of Industrial Relations under Gov. Davis. Things like overtime after 8 hours of work, protection of prevailing wage laws, expanded penalties for employers who cause job injuries, paid family leave benefits, and arbitration for first contracts for farm workers when growers refuse to negotiate with Unions-- all these were gained under Steve Smith's tenure.

This year, 2002, the California legislature passed and Governor Davis signed a new law creating the Cabinet post of Secretary of Labor for our state.The first holder of this new office: Steve Smith!

Ray Trujillo, Building Trades Director (left) and Jim Murphy (right), recipient of the Central Labor Council's Lifetime Achievement Award. Jim has been in the Ironworkers' union since 1962. As his bio states, he has spent his life building bridges-- sometimes for transportation and sometimes for difficult union members. He has served as president, business agent, and business manager of Ironworkers Local 118, President of the Sacramento-Sierra Building and Construction Trades Council, and VP of the Sacramento Central Labor Council. He is also a very entertaining speaker, as was demonstrated by his remarks when accepting the Lifetime Achievement Award.