ARGUMENT AGAINST MEASURE W

 

Vote no on Measure W

Most California school districts do not force their construction contractors to sign union agreements. But West Valley-Mission Community College District will require contractors to sign a “Project Labor Agreement” (PLA) with unions to work on most school projects funded by bonds.

This union agreement discourages many responsible contractors from bidding on district construction projects.  As a result, taxpayers may not be getting the best quality construction at the best price.

The school district’s union agreement is negotiated and signed by union officials. It requires construction contractors to use a union “job referral system” or register their workers with unions.  All workers must pay union dues and application fees.  Workers must have their benefits paid into union-affiliated trust funds which they will likely never see.  All apprentices must come from union programs.

Back-room deals like this hurt local business and motivate industrious young people to leave CA.

Please do not endorse this type of discrimination with your vote.  Send the bond back to the drawing board and tell these politicians to fix it to include all workers.  All workers deserve the right to work in Santa Clara County.

And remember, while the bond is described as $698 million, it’s more likely to cost you $1.17 billion.  Bond are like home mortgages, they have to be paid back with interest…lots and lots of interest over the next 25-30 years.

Lastly, the District says part of these funds will be used to upgrade technology.  Technology that will be obsolete in 5-6 years, but the payments for that technology will go on for decades, long after that technology has been thrown into the recycling bin.


Vote NO on Measure W


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