San Diego voters will decide Tuesday whether the city’s decade-long ban on the use of project labor agreements on municipal construction projects will be lifted through Measure D.
If passed, Measure D would repeal 2012’s Measure A, which prohibited the city from requiring contractors to enter into project labor agreements.
Project labor agreements, often called PLAs, are collective bargaining agreements between contractors and labor organizations establishing the terms and conditions of employment for specific construction projects.
Proponents say lifting the PLA ban would keep San Diego from losing out on state and federal infrastructure funds, as such funding is not allowed on local construction projects in cities prohibiting PLAs. Supporters say San Diego’s ineligibility to receive those funds leads to issues affecting public safety, such as poorly maintained roads that prevent emergency personnel from being able to quickly respond to critical incidents.
Opponents argue San Diego has not lost out on any funding since Measure A’s passage because it contains an exemption allowing PLAs on projects “when such bans would lead to the forfeiture of state or federal funding.”
They also argue the measure would discriminate against the majority of local construction workers because they are not union members. Opponents say such discrimination would also shut minority construction workers out of city projects because they are largely non-unionized.
Measure D has largely drawn endorsements from Democrats such as Rep. Scott Peters, Rep. Juan Vargas, and Gov. Gavin Newsom in a rare gubernatorial endorsement of a local measure.
Those opposed to Measure D include Abdur Rahim-Hameed, president of the National Black Contractors Association, Al Abdallah, COO of the Urban League of San Diego County, and City Councilman Chris Cate.
Measure D requires a simple majority for passage.