Official to lead union group
Las Vegas Councilman Steve Ross was elected to a new job on Monday but will keep his current one.
Ross will head the Southern Nevada Building and Construction Trades Council, a coalition of 16 unions, for the next three years in a post lobbying for union construction jobs.
Concerned about potential conflicts between his City Council position and his new job, Ross sought opinions from the Las Vegas city attorney's office and the Nevada Commission on Ethics. Both came back saying he could proceed without a conflict, he said.
Still, community activists and some construction associations wonder how he will balance the needs of residents of Ward 6, the rapidly growing northwest part of the city he represents, with his union interests.
His new job as secretary-treasurer pays about $100,000 a year in salary and benefits, he said. The part-time City Council position pays about $45,000.
Ross said he will be able to separate the two positions.
Ross said if a project benefited the unions but was not good for the community, he would not vote for it.
"I've always had a firm stance on who put me here in office," he said.
Although part of his job is to promote construction jobs using union labor, he said he would not use his City Council position to lobby developers to use union labor.
"I will work hard to continue representing the interests of Ward 6 and keep those interests separate," he said.
Still, some see inevitable conflicts.
Lisa Mayo-DeRiso, a community activist and consultant, pointed to an application to build a neighborhood casino in Ross' ward.
"I'm concerned Mr. Ross would be conflicted in his vote because this could create jobs for his union," she said. She said many of his constituents opposed the project.
Taylor Andrews, labor relations consultant for Associated General Contractors, Las Vegas chapter, thinks Ross will have to abstain on several issues.
When the city awards contracts for new city buildings, the council cannot use whether the jobs will be union as a factor, he said.
"He would possibly have to abstain on many of these issues," he said. "I find it hard to believe he could vote on something like that."
Ross pointed to the legal opinions.
If either had found a conflict would have existed, he would not have sought the union position, Ross said.
The Ethics Commission vote took place behind closed doors, as is allowed by state law. Ross promised to release the written opinion when it is provided to him.
Ethics Commission officials would not comment.
Ross found backing from the head of the Associated Builders and Contractors of Las Vegas, a nonunion construction trade association.
Warren Hardy is president of the organization and a state senator.
"A citizen government body is something worth protecting. We have to understand people have other outside jobs," said Hardy, R-Las Vegas. "People have to know when to abstain and recuse themselves."
Ross said he wants to increase the visibility of the Trades Council and develop relationships between developers and unions.
Until Monday's election, Ross was a journeyman wireman for his wife's electrical business. He said his salary as secretary-treasurer of the Trades Council would be about equal to what he was making as an electrician, $32.85 an hour. He would stop working for his wife's company, Kelli Co. Electrical, he said.
Ross is a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 357. In the past, he served as union organizer and political action chairman for the local.
He also served as a representative of the Southern Nevada Building and Construction Trades Council and Southern Nevada Central Labor Council.
He said that as secretary-treasurer, he has power over his schedule and would work it around City Council duties.
Mayor Oscar Goodman has said the council positions should be full-time. Ross said he would support a move to a full-time council if the new job classification started after new elections.
Ross defeated incumbent Bob Nard in a vote by delegates from union locals Monday.
