San Diego Union-Tribune: Governor signs bill for project labor agreements

Governor signs bill to prevent blanket bans on labor friendly agreements

Written by Michael Gardner

San Diego Union Tribune

5:24 p.m., Oct. 2, 2011

Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a bill that seeks to overturn locally imposed blanket bans on labor friendly agreements for public works projects.

The law could affect a voter-approved measure in San Diego County, as well as ordinances adopted in Chula Vista and Oceanside.

A similar initiative that would ban so-called project labor agreements has qualified for the City of San Diego ballot next year after a successful signature drive.

The city generally has not used such agreements, which set uniform rules for a public project that could include use of union labor. The pacts generally cover all of the different trades needed on a project under one agreement. They typically cover pay, benefits and skill levels. Some are written to encourage minority hiring and on-the-job training.

Under the measure signed by Brown, Senate Bill 922, agencies that maintain a broad prohibition against such agreements would be barred from using state money on the projects.

However, officials would still be free to approve projects that do not include such agreements — and still receive state funds — as long the projects are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Brown emphasized that point in a signing message released Sunday and noted that contrary to some opponents, the measure does not require project labor agreements.

“This bill preserves the right of all sides to debate what obviously is a hotly contested issue,” he wrote. “Seems fair to me — even democratic.”

Critics said the labor-sponsored bill could thwart the will of local voters. They further complained that the measure was inserted into a bill at the last minute and quickly approved just before the Legislature ended its business for the year last month.

"We expected labor unions would attempt to use their political influence in Sacramento, so we drafted the initiative in such a way that it retains its effectiveness," said Scott Crosby, President of the Associated Builders and Contractors of San Diego, which is a chief sponsor of the initiative. "To argue that all state funding would be blocked is absurd.

"If the voters pass the initiative in June, city politicians would not be able to impose Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) on locally-funded projects. PLAs would remain optional on joint city-state projects.