San Diego signs Project Labor Agreement with unions

In a victory for workers in San Diego, the city council unanimously passed a blanket Project Labor Agreement (PLA) last week.

This agreement reverses a years-old ban on PLAs and will cover projects that have a construction value of at least $5 million for the first two years, and then include projects with a construction value of $1 million or more starting in July 2026.

The city is expected to award 111 contracts for construction projects during the current fiscal year that are estimated to cost about $635 million total, providing workers with good union jobs with better wages, safety protocols and regulations.

“This PLA won’t erase the injustices of the past, but it can write a better and more equitable future,” said Carol Kim, business manager for the San Diego County Building and Construction Trades Council. She’s the second woman and first Asian American to lead the council.