“The Kids? Bah!”
As chronicled on this site, the San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) recently approved a project stabilization agreement (A PLA by another name) for construction funded by the recently adopted Proposition S, a $2.1 billion bond. We believe this is nothing more than a handout to Big Labor and apparently, the San Diego Union-Tribune editorial board agrees. Here’s an excerpt:
Jackson, Barrera and Evans [School Board members Shelia Jackson, Richard Barrera and John Evans] are also executing a similarly blunt, crude power play with $2.1 billion in Proposition S construction and renovation funds, ramming through a “project labor agreement” forcing the use of union labor in most cases and requiring non-union workers to pay union fees. This was done without the usual staff scrutiny and vetting and over the objections of bond oversight committee members.
The inevitable result will be far fewer projects being built – in other words, far fewer benefits for students and far less bang for the buck for taxpayers.
But the unions will be happy, and that’s all that matters to the board majority.
As far as students, who cares? For Jackson, Barrera and Evans, the kids are akin to 130,000 props on a movie set. They are a useful means to a crucial end – obtaining state funds – and nothing more.
This is not remotely politics as usual. This is a disgrace.
Here at TheTruthAboutPLAs, we couldn’t agree more.
Read the entire editorial and ABC San Diego President George Hawkins’ response.