San Diego — A group representing non-union construction companies and workers declared its opposition on Wednesday to a Chargers-sponsored citizens’ initiative for a downtown stadium and convention center annex.
The group, the Coalition for Fair Employment in Construction, said its opposition was sparked by the team’s recent announcement it would partner with organized labor in a "project labor agreement" banning non-union construction workers on the $1.8 billion project.
During a Kearny Mesa news conference, the group said such pacts, which have become increasingly common on large projects with lengthy construction time lines, are "kickback schemes" that often increase project costs and unfairly deny non-union workers an opportunity to earn a living.