At its December 4 meeting, the Santa Barbara City Council will vote on moving forward with a union-backed requirement for companies to sign a Project Labor Agreement with unions as a condition of working on city construction contracts.

Here is the agenda item: 15. Options For Potential Use Of Project Labor Agreements On City Public Works Capital Improvement Projects

Staff Report Extracted from Agenda Packet: Options for Potential Use Of Project Labor Agreements On City Public Works Capital Improvement Projects

The proposal is being pushed by a city councilmember who won election in June to the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors and apparently wants to thank the unions for their campaign support before he leaves the city council.

Some city council members acknowledge a lack of understanding about the provisions of a Project Labor Agreement and what those provisions mean for local businesses in construction. What they do know is that the unions want it. And really, is there anything more to know before the vote?

There has already been a committee vote on the proposal. On November 6, the Santa Barbara City Council Ordinance Committee voted 2-1 not to recommend the Project Labor Agreement mandate. The city council is going to consider the proposal anyway, perhaps because they have a four-vote majority on the seven-member city council to get it done.

News Media Coverage

Santa Barbara Councilman Jason Dominguez to Call in From South Africa (for Project Labor Agreement vote) - Noozhawk - December 3, 2018

In Final Days on Santa Barbara Council, Gregg Hart Pushing Hard for Union Label - Noozhawk - December 2, 2018

Ordinance Committee Pushed Back on PLA - Noozhawk - November 7, 2018

Santa Barbara City Council Rushing Through Union PLA - Noozhawk - September 30, 2018