Business Representative Dominic McCurtain
Q: Tell us about yourself.
McCURTAIN: I started with the City of Redding in 2007 in the Maintenance Unit. In early 2008, I transferred into Wastewater Collections.
I worked my way through the department and eventually became a Leadworker. In 2017, I moved over to Water Distribution, first as a Water Maintenance Worker and later as a Leadworker there as well.
Before becoming a Business Representative, I came out of the field. I was a bargaining unit member working under similar conditions and dealing with a lot of the same workplace issues that our members deal with now.
Q: What led you to become a Business Representative? What made you want to step into this role?
McCURTAIN: When I was in Wastewater Collections, our shop steward promoted into management. That left an opening. I became a steward, and from there I got more involved, including serving on the negotiating committee.
Once I was in it, I started seeing how important the work was. Members need someone willing to ask questions, understand the contract, and push back when something is not right. I also learned that a lot of issues can be handled better when members are informed and involved early.
Q: What motivates you to do this work?
McCURTAIN: The work matters. That is probably the simplest way to say it.
It doesn’t matter if you are negotiating wages, protecting benefits, defending someone in discipline, or dealing with a contract issue, the result can directly affect someone’s paycheck, job, family, or future.
I also think about the people who came before us. The wages, benefits, and protections members have now were not just given to them. Other members fought for those things. So I see part of the job as protecting what was already built and trying to keep moving things forward.
Q: What does being a union member mean to you personally?
McCURTAIN: To me, being a union member means you have a voice at work, and you are not standing by yourself when problems come up.
It also means you have some responsibility to the people you work with. The contract is stronger when members understand it, support each other, and are willing to be involved. That does not mean everyone has to be a steward or sit at the bargaining table, but the union works better when members pay attention and participate.
Q: What do you want the members you represent to know about you?
McCURTAIN: I want members to know that I take their concerns seriously and that I will always give them an honest assessment of their situation.
Sometimes that means delivering good news, and sometimes it means having difficult conversations. Either way, my commitment is to be prepared, responsive, and to advocate as effectively as possible on their behalf. Our members pay for a service, and they deserve representation that is honest, professional, and grounded.
Q: What are some of the biggest issues or challenges members in your area are facing right now?
McCURTAIN: Like many employers throughout California, our represented agencies are dealing with recruitment and retention challenges, rising health care costs, and pressures created by inflation. We’re also seeing rapid changes in technology and workplace expectations that affect bargaining unit work.
The union addresses these issues through collective bargaining, contract enforcement, grievances, and ongoing communication with members.
Q: What has been the most rewarding moment so far in your role?
McCURTAIN: I do not know if I would point to one specific moment.
A lot of the good parts of this job happen quietly. Helping someone get wages they should have received. Helping a member through discipline. Getting results at the bargaining table. Fixing a contract issue before it turns into a bigger problem.
Those things may not always be public, but they matter to the members involved. When you know the work made a difference for someone and their family, that is the rewarding part.
Q: What do you enjoy outside of work, and what might surprise people about you — whether that’s hobbies, family, or community activities?
McCURTAIN: Most of my time outside of work is spent with my family. I spend a lot of time involved in my kids’ activities, and that keeps us pretty busy.
When I do get some free time, I enjoy boating and fishing.
I also serve on the Executive Board of the Five Counties Central Labor Council, so even outside of my regular work, I stay involved in the labor movement and in the community.