Unions “Using Political Leverage to Punish Those Exercising Rights” in California Constitution

By Kevin Dayton
10/29/2013
On October 13, 2013, California Governor Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill 7, which cuts off state funds designated for construction to any California city that exercises its right under the California Constitution to establish its own policies concerning government-mandated wage rates (so-called “prevailing wages”) on contracts. This was a major victory for the State Building...

TAGS: California Constitution, Charter Cities, Jerry Brown, League of California Cities, Prevailing Wage, Senate Bill 7 (2013), Senate Bill 829 (2012), Senate Bill 922 (2011), State Building and Construction Trades Council of California

Are Unions Behind California Assembly Bill 76 to Hinder Public Records Access?

By Kevin Dayton
06/18/2013
What special interest group would have such disregard for the tenor of the times that it would now push for a law to hinder the public’s ability to obtain records from local governments? And what special interest group would have the chutzpah to get that law enacted through a supplemental trailer to an annual budget,...

TAGS: California Public Records Act, Coalition for Fair Employment in Construction, Senate Bill 7 (2013), Senate Bill 829 (2012), Senate Bill 922 (2011)

Persistent Pressure Compels San Diego to Spit Out Project Labor Agreement

By Kevin Dayton
04/23/2013
For five months, the City of San Diego refused to give the public a Project Labor Agreement negotiated for its planned $520 million convention center expansion. This union agreement was reportedly the result of a backroom deal involving top union leaders, but multiple requests for it under the authority of the California Public Records Act failed to dislodge it. But today (April 23,...

TAGS: California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), City of San Diego, City of San Diego Proposition A (June 2012), Coalition for Fair Employment in Construction, Greenmail, Lorena Gonzalez, Project Labor Agreements, San Diego Convention Center Expansion, San Diego County Building and Construction Trades Council, San Diego County Central Labor Council, San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders, Senate Bill 829 (2012), Senate Bill 922 (2011)

With Senate Bill 7, California Unions Advance Plot to Neuter City Charters

By Kevin Dayton
02/28/2013
More than 30 California cities are likely to defy top union officials by asking their citizens in 2014 to vote on enacting a “home rule” charter for local control. Cities want to free their purely municipal affairs from costly union-backed state mandates, for reasons revealed in these recent articles: Unions Rise to Defense of “Prevailing Wage” Rates Jeopardizing...

TAGS: Are Charter Cities Taking Advantage of State Mandated Construction Wage Rate ("Prevailing Wage") Exemptions?, Charter Cities, City of Costa Mesa - Measure V, Darrell Steinberg, League of California Cities, Prevailing Wage, Senate Bill 7 (2013), Senate Bill 829 (2012), Senate Bill 922 (2011), Smart Cities Prevail