Building new projects for local community colleges may now require a union labor deal.

The State Center Community College District board voted 4-3 on Tuesday at its board meeting at Reedley College to engage in negotiations for a Project Labor Agreement — a deal between the district and unions on hiring and other parameters for new construction.

SCCCD campuses included Fresno City College, Madera Community College, Reedley College, and Clovis Community College.

The proposal, made by board president Danielle Parra, Robert Fuentes and Magdalena Gomez, would allow them to form a committee and negotiate with unions and SCCCD staff for a PLA. The district does not have a current PLA policy.

The vote was not for the PLA itself, but to start negotiations. The final PLA will return at a future, but undetermined, date for board approval. The PLA proposal will then be brought to the full board for a vote.

The board also did not discuss specifics of what could be in the PLA, a point of contention during the debate.

Representatives from unions and the construction industry gave impassioned and disparate views of what a PLA means for taxpayers. Both sides made familiar arguments heard at other debates in front of government bodies considering PLAs.

Destiny Rodriguez joined Parra, Fuentes and Gomez voting in favor; Nasreen Johnson, Deborah Ikeda and Austin Ewell voted against.

A Split Board

Among Johnson’s many complaints about the proposal included the way it was presented to the board. She said it did not go through the proper process, bypassing the resolutions committee. Fuentes countered that anyone can place an item on the agenda.

Johnson said the decision feels rushed, saying the process is putting the cart before the horse.

“Why are we bringing this now? What is the urgency?” Johnson asked.

Ikeda called forming a PLA committee a “bait and switch.” Voters approved Measure Q in November, which will raise $700 million in bonds for SCCCD construction projects.

“We had a bond measure that our local voters approved by a very slim margin, and we never talked about a PLA in that bond agreement,” Ikeda said. “This should have had public discourse. I’m really concerned that this is being swept through.”

Fuentes rebutted, “we are not sneaking this through. We just spent two hours of public comment, and we’re all discussing it right now.”

He also supported study sessions and updated surveys to help guide the decision.

The board debated whether they have full results from a pilot PLA project for the new Fresno City College west Fresno campus. The sides disagreed on what data is available, and what it means.

Parra said she is supporting the PLA formation because it will create more local jobs.

Johnson motioned to table the PLA formation vote, but it failed 4-3, along the same lines as the eventual approval. When Rodriguez cast her vote against tabling, a gasp could be heard from the audience.

After the final vote, Johnson left a parting shot during her board member comments.

“I’d like us to remain curious and not outsource our … decisions based on alliances or furthering our political careers. And instead, look at how we’re serving the community in all of our actions. And I think tonight we missed an opportunity to be curious,” Johnson said.

Unions Support Three on PLA Committee

The three members of the new PLA committee received union contributions in prior elections.

Rodriguez last filed a campaign financial document covering the period through June 30, 2023.

During her 2022 campaign, she reported construction labor union contributions from:

• UA Local #246 Plumbers and Pipefitters COPE Committee ($2,500);
• Sheet Metal Workers Local Union 104 PAC ($2,500);
• Operating Engineers Local Union No. 3 District 50 PAC ($2,500);
• Northern California Carpenters Regional Council Small Contributor Committee ($2,000);
• Fresno, Madera, Kings, Tulare Counties Building Trades Council, COPE Committee ($2,000);
• District Council of Iron Workers ($1,000).

She received $5,000 in 2023 from developer Richard Spencer.

Parra won a second four-year term in 2024, and already has higher office in mind. She filed paperwork to run for Fresno County Supervisor District 4 in 2026, currently represented by Buddy Mendes.

Since 2023, she’s received construction labor union support from:

• Operating Engineers Local Union No. 3 District 50 PAC ($1,000)
• Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local No. 3 PAC ($200)
• Sheet Metal Workers Local Union 104 Political Committee ($750);
• Fresno, Madera, Kings, Tulare Counties Building Trades Council, COPE Committee ($3,000);
• UA Local #246 Plumbers and Pipefitters COPE Committee ($2,500);

She also received contributions from business interests such as Efrain Yanez Construction ($1,000).

Fuentes, whose four-year term expires in 2026, received some union support in the last eleciton cycle and since:

• Northern California Carpenters Regional Council ($2,500 in 2023)
• Operating Engineers Local Union No. 3 District 50 PAC ($250 in 2023)
• UA Local #246 Plumbers and Pipefitters COPE Committee ($1,500).

Fuentes also received $5,000 from Spencer.

Gomez, an associate director with the Fresno Teachers Association union, also won her last term in 2022. Since 2022, she received labor union support from:

• Sheet Metal Workers Local Union 104 Political Committee ($1,000);
• Fresno Laborers Local 294 All Purpose ($2,000);
• Northern California Carpenters Regional Council ($2,000).

Industry, Unions Make Their Pitch

The construction industry made its argument to the board, that PLA are unfair to non-union contractors, drive up the cost of projects, and mandate forced union deductions from paychecks.

Linda Chavez of Four C’s Construction said a PLA would limit her ability to bid on projects.

“Local merit contractors or subcontractors like ourselves refuse to alter our operations, impose union requirements on our team members, and lay off our proven workforce to be rewarded a bid,” Chavez told the board.

Said Matthew Estipona with the Associated Builders and Contractors: “Every dollar should be spent efficiently, to serve students, not create artificial competition.”

Unions argued that PLA ensure projects on time, on budget, with a well-trained workforce.

“A PLA is more than just a contract. It is a commitment to fairness, quality, and economic growth,” Trevor Long of the painters union said.

Both sides argued that its apprentice programs churned out better workers.

“Union apprentices are on projects from start to finish when it comes to union shops, whereas nonunion shops will only stick to the 20% of all hours and then they send them packing. This allows union programs to graduate more apprentices,” said Michael Lopez with the Sheet Metal Workers Local 104.

Some unions, including David Rivas with the Nor Cal Carpenters Union, expressed concern they may not be included in negotiations.

“Why … are you entertaining the idea of excluding the carpenters from the negotiations? It makes no sense,” Rivas said.