[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 28 (Tuesday, March 7, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E287-E288]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   IN CELEBRATION OF THE LIFE, CAREER AND RETIREMENT OF LARRY BLEVINS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. GEORGE MILLER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 7, 2006

  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, my colleague, Mrs. 
Tauscher and I, rise to pay tribute to Donald Lawrence Blevins who is 
retiring from Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 342 after a distinguished 
career including fifty years as a Steamfitter, four years as an 
Instructor, ten years as Director of Training, nine years as Business 
Representative and another eight years as Business Manager/Financial 
Secretary.
  Larry Blevins was born April 10, 1937, in Arbuckle, California; two 
years later, his family relocated to the city of Tormey near the Union 
76 oil refinery. It was here in December of 1954 that Larry first 
embarked on his career as a Steamfitter working as a permit hand for 
Fluor Maintenance on a two-week turnaround. Realizing his potential, 
Larry joined the Steamfitters Local 342 Apprentice Program in January 
of 1956 and four years later graduated from the Laney Tech Trade School 
in Oakland, California.
  Upon graduation, Larry's first General Foremen's position came while 
working Travel Card out of the Chico Local in 1961 and 1962 at a Titan 
missile base. Larry's elevation to a supervisory position was a rare 
feat for a Travel Card worker and came as a direct result of his 
outstanding skill level and ability to learn quickly. Larry was further 
rewarded for his commitment to Local 342 and elected to the Apprentice 
Committee in the General Election of Officers on December 10, 1967.
  In the early 1970's, Larry was encouraged by Brother Vern Gosney to 
start regularly attending Membership Meetings and become more involved 
with the organization and operation of the Local. Brothers Les Reed and 
Tom Irvin also worked closely with Larry and were the first to 
recommend that he begin teaching. He took all of this advice to heart 
and began regularly attending meetings and started taking night school 
classes to learn supervisory techniques and engineering skills. It 
wasn't long before Larry began instructing the Local 342 Apprenticeship 
Training Program and subsequently earned a Life Time Services Teaching 
Credential through the State of California.
  Starting in 1977, Larry embarked on another career path and undertook 
the task of running the Training Center as Director of Training. It was 
during his ten years as Director that the school was expanded to 
accommodate larger classes of apprentices to help complete the many 
projects within the Local's jurisdiction. As the need for apprentices 
grew, Larry also oversaw the expansion of the Journeyman Training 
classes. These classes were designed to upgrade the skill levels of the 
Local's journeymen and keep them current with the industry's expanding 
technological advancements. Larry understood the need to stay on top of 
the changing industry and worked diligently to keep pace.

  On December 11, 1988 in the General Election of Officers, Larry won a 
three-way race for Business Representative over Contra Costa County 
with more than 53% of the vote. While overseeing Contra Costa County, 
the Local worked major projects such as: the TKC Rebuild at Chevron in 
Richmond, the CoGeneration Power Plants throughout the area's 
refineries, major expansions throughout Chevron, and Clean Fuels 
projects at Chevron, Shell, Tosco and Unocal. Almost overnight Larry's 
jurisdiction went from just a couple hundred UA members to more than 
2,000. Larry's skills helped ensure that the work was manned with 
qualified craftsmen and the jurisdiction of the Local was protected.
  After three terms as Business Representative, Larry put in his bid 
for nomination to the Local's top position, Business Manager/Financial 
Secretary. On December 14, 1997, with the largest turnout for any 
election in Local's history, Larry was elected with 88% of the votes 
cast. The Membership's confidence in him was high enough in the General 
Election of Officers in 2000 and again in 2003 that he was reelected 
unopposed.
  With Larry's leadership and the assistance of many dedicated members, 
Local 342 has one of the finest and most progressive training centers 
in the country. Larry also worked tirelessly as a Boards of Trust 
member to stabilize the Health and Welfare Plan and amend the Master 
Labor Agreement to improve the conditions on the work site. Larry 
negotiated an increase in the Total Package that provides

[[Page E288]]

funds for the Pension, the Health and Welfare plan. These advancements 
have not only helped to significantly improve working conditions; the 
language and monetary conditions were also greatly increased.
  Larry has represented Local 342 countless times at conventions of the 
California State Pipe Trades Council, the United Association, the 
Western States Pipe Trades Council and the Western States Pipeline 
Conference. He's also served on the Executive Boards of these 
associations as well as the Contra Costa and Alameda County Building 
and Construction Trades Councils. In 2001, Larry was appointed by the 
UA General President to the prestigious Laws Committee at the UA 
Convention in Miami Beach, Florida. On October 26, 2001, Larry was 
honored as Labor Leader of the Year and recognized by the Contra Costa 
Central Labor Council, the Contra Costa Building and Construction 
Trades Council and the California State Senate and Assembly for his 
service to the community and to working men and women.
  Larry not only worked tirelessly for his brothers and sisters of 
organized labor, he also cultivated friendships within the community. 
Some of the community projects he has been a part of include, Camp 
Okizu, the building of the Shepard's Gate home for battered women, the 
Mother Wright Foundation and the Northern California Special Olympics.
  Upon retirement Larry will now have more time to devote to his wife, 
Debbie, sons Donald and Keith, daughter Dorothy, stepchildren Derrick 
and Andrea, as well as grandchildren Stephanie, Marshall, Amber and 
Curtis.
  As we wish Larry a fond farewell, we can rest assured that he has 
left Local 342 financially strong, cultivated a strong symbiotic 
relationship with the Local's contractors, and helped strengthen the 
ties with Sister Locals and other branches. Larry's honorable toil has 
helped cement a positive place within the community for the brothers 
and sisters of Local 342. We are all beneficiaries of his hard work and 
we salute his efforts. Cheers to a happy and healthy retirement.

                          ____________________