Nine people formed Carpenters Local No. 586 in 1900.  Today the union has almost 1,200 members.  

    The union offers its members some protection for wages and benefits, said financial secretary-treasurer Mike Leong.  The majority of carpenters who do not belong to a union receive no benefits and lower pay than union carpenters, he said.

    To join, carpenters must go through a four-year training program and a journey-men Advancement Program, which teaches them advanced skills and certifies them.  The union also brings together tradesmen willing to donate their time and talent for worthy cases.  The Carpenters Local performs large and small volunteer jobs upon request, from installing a wheelchair ramp for retired persons to completing two new Little League baseball diamonds of U.S. 50.

    The Carpenters Local remodeled the downtown offices of Women Escaping A Violent Environment and did significant construction work at the Sacramento Zoo and Fairytale Town.  The Guajardo brothers volunteered to work on both projects.  

    Joe, the oldest, was the first to join the union.  When he graduated from high school, his father offered to get him into the union's apprenticeship program.  Joe hesitantly accepted with the stipulation that he could back out if he found a different job he preferred.  

     "Back then, the money was great, and I figured that out fast," said Joe.  "And my father's influence was a big part of it.  Once I became involved, I decided I was going to become all that I could in the job, and now I have been in the business for 38 years.  I helped to build some of the first freeways in Sacramento.

    When Dan, the second eldest son, returned from Vietnam, his father talked him into joining the union three days after he arrived home.  

    "I had a son born when I was overseas so I decided to take (my father's) advice," Dan said.  

    Dan helped restore the California State Railroad Museum in Old Sacramento and worked on Folsom Prison.  His son, Dan Jr., owns Guajardo Construction Co. in Burbank.

    "Construction has been my life, and it's going to be the rest of my life," said Dan.

    "I was born into a full-blown carpenter family," said Lou, the youngest of the Guajardo brothers who are carpenters.  "I was bred and raised with carpentry, and I had an edge on getting in and started.  I've worked on Shriners Children's Hospital, Sacramento County Jail and Folsom Prison.  I really enjoy what I do.  Being raised with it, I just fell right into it, and it worked."

    The Guajardo brothers work for different companies, but occasionally worked together on the same project.  

    "We enjoy working together," said Joe, "It's a lot of fun.  We also like to get together on weekends and help each other out.  We'll do additions or remodeling or build homes together.  We all have families."

     The eight Guajardo siblings have 16 children and seven grandchildren.

     "We were quite flattered that the Carpenters Union bestowed this recognition on us.  We didn't expect it," said Joe.  "It was very nice and we really felt honored.  Our father would be very proud of all of his sons staying in the construction business for so long."

     Lou agreed.  "When I became of age to sign up and start working as a carpenter my father was already gone," he said.  "I had my older brothers to help me along, but it's when I'm working that I feel closest to my father.  When I'm out there driving nails, putting buildings together, that's when I feel closest to him, that's when I'm in touch.  That's what keeps me going. <end of article>