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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-10-2018 Item 13, SLO County Democratic PartyFPPC # 742552 FEC # 00276659 [Type here] Resolution Supporting a Community Workforce Agreement for the San Luis Obispo Water Resource Recovery Facility (WRRF) Project WHEREAS, The City of San Luis Obispo intends to perform major upgrades, construct new facilities, expand load handling capabilities and modernize its Waste Water facility located at Prado Road in the City of San Luis Obispo; and WHEREAS, the WRRF project represents a major undertaking, valued at more than $100 million dollars, complex in scope, which will require numerous construction firms and hundreds of skilled trades workers over approximately a two year construction period representing significant employment opportunities for the skilled trades workers in the area; and WHEREAS, contracts for the Project will be awarded in accordance with the applicable provisions of local, state and federal laws, including State Public Contract Code and Davis-Bacon and State Prevailing Wage Requirements, state and federal regulations, as well as the terms of the financing agreement with the State Water Board’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund; and WHEREAS, the City has the absolute right to select the lowest responsive and responsible bidder for the award of construction contracts on the Project; and WHEREAS, it is recognized that on a Project of this magnitude with multiple contractors and bargaining units on the job site at the same time over an extended period of time, the potential for work disruption is substantial without an overriding commitment to maintain continuity of work; and WHEREAS, the interests of the general public, the City, the Unions and the Contractor would be best served if the construction work proceeds in an orderly manner without disruption because of strikes, sympathy strikes, work stoppages, picketing, lockouts, Mailing Address: P.O. Box 15155 San Luis Obispo, CA 93406 (805) 546-8499 slocdp.org Office Headquarters: 75 Higuera St., Suite 110 San Luis Obispo, CA FPPC # 742552 FEC # 00276659 [Type here] slowdowns or other interferences with work; and WHEREAS, this organization places high priority upon the development of comprehensive programs for the recruitment, training and employment of local area residents, and recognizes the potential of local apprenticeship programs to provide meaningful and sustainable careers in the building and construction industry; and WHEREAS, the city's goal of completing the project in the most efficient and safest manner possible with a highly skilled and trained workforce depends on access to a reliable pool from which to draw craft-workers; and WHEREAS, a Community Workforce Agreement is a proven framework which provides all the necessary components to safely complete the highest quality work on time and on budget while also maintaining non discriminatory opportunities for all workers and all employers to bid and work on the project; and WHEREAS, the setting of local hire goals, support of women, small business, minorities and veterans programs are a standard part of a Community Benefits Agreement; and WHEREAS, a Community Workforce Agreement and agreements like it are increasingly used for major construction projects throughout California because they represent the only avenue to ensure local workers and apprentices who reside in the surrounding area of the project are actually provided opportunity to work on the project and that those workers won't have to rely on public assistance but will have access to a comprehensive system of multi employer benefits like health care and retirement; and WHEREAS, without a Community Workforce agreement, out of area or out of state contractors can import workers and disregard the local workforce causing vital discretionary dollars earned by the workers on the project to leave the area and hurt the local economy; and NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SLO COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY THAT: The SLO COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY does hereby proclaim its official support of a Community Workforce Agreement for the WRRF project and we urge the San Luis Obispo City Council to formally enter into an agreement with the Tri Counties Building and Construction Trades Council that will, among other things, contain strong language in support of local workers and apprentices.