ABC’s San Diego Chapter June 8 achieved a major victory for free enterprise and the merit shop construction industry when the California cities of Chula Vista and Oceanside became the first in the country to have their voters approve ordinances prohibiting the use of government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs) on construction projects.
“For almost 20 years, construction unions throughout California have used government-mandated PLAs to win monopolies on taxpayer-funded construction and deprive taxpayers of the best quality construction at the best price,” said ABC San Diego Chapter President Scott Crosby. “Finally, voters in the California cities of Chula Vista and Oceanside told their elected officials that special interest backroom deals for construction unions are not acceptable. These victories will establish precedents that will sweep across San Diego County, the state of California and ultimately the United States.”
Proposition G in Chula Vista prohibits the City of Chula Vista from entering into contracts that require companies to sign PLAs or similar agreements with construction unions.
Proposition K in Oceanside establishes a charter that prohibits PLAs in addition to allowing the city council to establish its own prevailing wage policy for municipal projects and gives city employees the right to give permission to unions to spend their dues money for political purposes.
The San Diego Chapter plans to continue its fight against PLAs in California’s 10 most populous counties, including San Diego, where a measure that contains a ban on PLAs on city-funded projects is expected to be placed on the November ballot.
For more information, contact Scott Crosby at ABC’s San Diego Chapter,
scott@abcsd.org.