From Jobsite to Ballot Box: Black Carpenters Union Wades Into San Diego Elections

Newly elected President of the Black Carpenters Local 100 Maurice Mack enters an event for Assemblymember Lashae Sharp Collins who represents district 79 in the state Assembly.

By San Diego Monitor News Staff

San Diego’s newly established National United Black Carpenters Union Local 100 is beginning to step into the political arena just one year after its official formation. This past week, the union made one of its first major public political statements by endorsing Assemblymember Dr. Lashae Sharp-Collins in her reelection bid for California’s 79th Assembly District.

Local 100 traces its beginnings to October 11, 2024, when it was certified as a nonprofit corporation by California Secretary of State Dr. Shirley N. Weber. Its founding records are now held at the City of San Diego’s History Center, signifying the importance of this first-of-its-kind organization. On November 19, 2024, the union held its inauguration, launching a movement that has since expanded from Alabama to California and continues to grow in membership.

“The establishment of the National United Black Carpenters Union Local 100 represents a historic and much-needed step forward for our industry. For decades, Black contractors and tradespeople have pushed against structural barriers that limited access to training, job opportunities, and pathways to leadership. Local 100 brings new strength to that fight" said Abdur Rahim Hameed the longtime President and Founder of the National Black Contractors Association based in San Diego said. Hameed continued by saying "we will support this newly established union in any way we can. We simply need it".

The organization was created to address the needs of socially and economically disenfranchised individuals within the construction trades. Local 100 offers the nation’s first Black American–sponsored carpenter and drywall lather apprenticeship program. Through a partnership with San Diego City College, the union ensures its members receive the necessary Related Supplemental Instruction that helps prepare workers for successful careers in the skilled trades. Members say the creation of Local 100 is a historic step toward correcting longstanding disparities in access to construction jobs and apprenticeship pathways.

"Local 100 was created to open doors that have been closed to Black workers in the construction trades for generations. With our first-of-its-kind apprenticeship program and a growing national footprint, we are demonstrating what is possible when we refuse to accept exclusion as the norm" said Maurice Mack the union's newly elected President said. Maurice is seen as one of the leaders following in the footsteps of Abdur Rahim Hameed the President and Founder of the National Black Contractors Association based in southeastern San Diego the building that is leasing an office to the newly established union.

In their endorsement of Dr. Sharp-Collins, union leaders expressed a deep sense of alignment with her values, emphasizing that she is someone who understands the challenges their members face. They wrote that they are supporting her reelection because she is “one of our own,” and they believe she will advocate for equitable opportunities in construction and ensure Black workers are neither locked out nor left out.

The union urged Sharp-Collins to continue taking strong positions in the State Assembly, particularly in discussions and decision-making spaces where Black workers may not have representation. Local 100 has committed not only its votes but also its fundraising capacity to support her campaign. In return, they asked the assemblymember to publicly champion the union’s work and support other labor organizations pushing for true equity in Project Labor Agreements.

The union encouraged Sharp-Collins to show bold leadership similar to that of Texas Congressmember Jasmine Crockett and to uplift related organizations such as the Alabama Black Contractors Association. They also placed today’s political moment in historical context, noting that the United States now has more Black elected officials than at any time since Reconstruction. With that representation, they said, comes an opportunity to speak out and help move the country toward greater fairness.

Local 100 also drew a direct connection to the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement, invoking leaders such as A. Philip Randolph, Adam Clayton Powell Jr., Thurgood Marshall, Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X. They argued that the same collective power that fueled the progress of that era still exists today, so long as people stand united.

This endorsement marks a significant early step for Local 100 as it begins to establish itself not just as a labor organization, but as an emerging civic voice in San Diego. As the region enters another competitive election cycle, the presence of a new and increasingly influential Black labor union adds a compelling and powerful dynamic to local political discussions.