With just about every news outlet in San Diego present, the Coalition for Fair Employment in Construction held a press conference yesterday making it loud and clear that a PLA on the proposed Charger stadium, and the discrimination it represents, will be fought aggressively.

Joined by scores of construction company owners, workers, apprentices, and employees, those assembled laid out exactly why they stood opposed to the San Diego Chargers plans for a new $1.8 billion stadium/convention center. Among those speaking at the event were Ron Smith, owner of Interpipe Contracting who is also a Chargers season ticket holder, Loren Waldapfel of HPS Mechanical, Rolf Wachter, a fourth year apprentice in the Associated Builders and Contractors Apprenticeship Program, and Hasani Fields, a third year apprentice with the ABC program. All spoke passionately about why the insulting manner in which the Chargers had announced how this project would be built using only union labor was not going to stand.

KUSI, FOX, NBC, CBS, CW, Univision and the San Diego Union-Tribune all covered the story in their broadcast last night and CFEC’s Eric Christen was featured on the Carl DeMaio radio show on KOGO yesterday afternoon. You can watch KUSI’s segment HERE. Read the Union-Tribune story:

Bonus: You can watch the intense altercation that took place after the press conference when local union boss Tom Lemmon decided to crash the party HERE.

Thank you to all the workers, apprentices, and contractors who participated in our press conference. You’ll hear much more from us as we move forward!