DC16 craft Master Agreements are referred to as Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA’s).  These agreements are negotiated between the leadership of DC16, craft representatives (representing members/labor) and the craft Management Association(s) with their designated Signatory Contractors (representing management). Ultimately, the vote of each and every member decides whether a CBA is ratified, or whether the demands are not met and the membership decides to go on strike.

Raises and allocations are determined once the CBA has been ratified. For example, a CBA is ratified with the following terms: $6.00 over three years ($2.00 per year increase), contract language could require benefits and or health and welfare increases. So, for a wage allocation, the craft would have an increase of $2.00 minus .25 Cents for benefits and .10 Cents for Health and Welfare; leaving a $1.65 to be allocated per the input of the members for the “wage allocation” vote. Typically, the E-Boards of each local with input from its membership will convene to discuss and develop the best options to present to the craft membership as a whole. The best options will be Motioned, Seconded and Carried to present as the option for your Local’s “wage allocation” vote. Those two options will be Motioned, Seconded and Carried to present as the option for your Locals “wage allocation” vote.  All the members will then vote by secret ballot the option that best suits their needs and the needs of their family. *** Historically less than 15% of a local’s membership turns out to vote on their “wage allocation”, thus leaving their voice and future determined by others.

Our International, District Council and all our Local Unions were built by workers that banded together to fight for many, if not all, of the benefits, wages and working conditions we enjoy today.  Our strength and solidarity is the bedrock and voice to which we exist and grow from this very day. Our relevance into the future not only depends on being the best and most highly trained workforce, but also the most active in organizing, political action, accesses and opportunity for all in our communities to build a career as a Professional Finisher.  Check out our “Get Involved” tab for all current Volunteer Activist Committee activities and also your Local’s Union page for upcoming events in your Region.

You can get involved at every level of your career and your desire to make a difference in your Union.  Attend your Local’s Union meetings, participate in your Local’s contract ratification votes, become active in the Volunteer Activist Committee, participate in all your Local’s Unions sub-committees, contract and wage allocation votes, understand and exercise your voice, your vote at the ballot box to ensure labor friendly candidates and initiatives that set the laws and policy that affect and govern our livelihoods.

Over-the-counter dues are currently paid directly to your Local Union office via automatic payment, credit or debit payment, or check/cashiers check.  All members (Regular/Apprentice/Industrial) shall pay monthly over-the-counter dues (Regular Dues) equivalent to the total of all per capita taxes approved and paid for by the Local Union on behalf of each member rounded upwards to the nearest dollar.  Dues shall be payable on a quarterly basis.

Centralized Dues:

With the launch of the redesigned DC16 website, DC16 is going to be rolling out Centralized Dues.  Meaning, each Local Union will move their over-the-counter dues collection to DC16. This rollout will be done by Regions and all members will receive a mail notification on the “Centralized Dues” date for your Region.

DC16 Centralized Dues for over-the-counter dues are to be paid online through the DC16 website at dc16iupat.org.  Please click the “Pay Member Dues” tab and login to your IUPAT member portal. Once in the member portal you can click the link for our on-line dues payment function and pay your dues.  You can easily set-up your account for reoccurring payments, or schedule payments for future quarterly dues payments.

OR You can send check or cashier payments to:
District Council 16
c/o: Centralized Dues,
2705 Constitution Drive,
Livermore, CA 94551

Upon being laid off you should contact your Local Union ASAP to be placed on the Out-of-Work list.  If you are an Apprentice and are laid-off for a reason other than a lack of available work you should notify your Business Representative ASAP and your Local Union office to get your name on the Out-of-Work list. You should refer to your Local Union By-laws for maintaining your status on the Out-of-Work list at the beginning of every month.

Your Local Union Business Representative is your first resource for any questions relating to your Local, contract, apprenticeship agreement, Local Union & District Council Bylaws and the Constitution of the IUPAT. The first thing you should do for any workplace issue is to document to the best of your ability all facts relating to the issue/complaint.  Date, time, location, people involved, people present and all details outlining the incident/conflict. In addition, once you have memorialized the issue/conflict you should contact your job, or site Leadman, Foreman, Superintendent and then your Local Union Business Representative. Any reports given should also be documented by who & when they were given.  For further Union representation, if needed, the Regional Director in the Region your craft is located can and will be brought in to resolve issues/conflicts.

Our Third-Party Administrators facilitate and maintain all (except members in the IUPAT Pension) “fringe benefits” for our members in Northern California and Nevada. Please go to your Local Union page on this site and click the link for your Third-Party Administrator that will take you directly to your plan’s information page.

We, the members of District Council 16, of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, AFL-CIO, believing that organizing and collective action is necessary to foster and adopt ways and means for the continuous improvement of the working and living standards of the members of the Locals affiliated with this International Union; to secure legislation in the interests of our members; to bring about higher wages, shorter hours and better working conditions for them; to influence public opinion by peaceful and legal methods, in favor of our affiliated organizations and all organized labor generally; to promote, encourage and bring into existence satisfactory contractual relationships with employers in the industries from which the members of our affiliates are drawn; to advance and maintain better relations between our members and their employers; and to otherwise enrich the lives of our members and their families and all other working men and women.

District Council 16 is an Affiliate of the International Union of Painters & Allied Trades (IUPAT), we proudly serve Northern California & Nevada, operating 20 Local Unions in seven Regions. District Council 16 and our members in partnership with our Signatory Employers strive to deliver a “High Performance / High Value” finished product to our clients.