Janice Hahn includes labor agreements as part of south Rancho redevelopment

Photo by Joan Anderson, DowneyDailyPhotos.com

DOWNEY -- Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn has insisted that a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) be included in plans to develop the south-side of the Rancho Los Amigos campus in Downey.  

Hahn has long advocated for PLAs as a means of investing in good jobs and guaranteeing fair treatment of workers.

“Not only do Project Labor Agreements help keep projects on schedule and on budget, they are a tool that helps us to protect workers and create a pipeline of good paying jobs,” said Supervisor Hahn.

At this week’s meeting of the Board of Supervisors, Hahn directed that the County include the projects proposed for the Rancho Los Amigos South Campus Development in upcoming project labor agreement negotiations with the LA/OC Building and Construction Trades Council. 

These four projects include the Sheriff’s Crime Lab, the new Probation Department Headquarters, the new Internal Services Department Headquarters, and other infrastructure projects.

“The Building Trades has had a long and fruitful partnership with the County and we are very proud to partner with Supervisor Hahn on the Rancho Los Amigos South Campus Project to put local people to work including veterans and the disadvantaged workforce that live in the County,” said LA/OC Building Trades Executive Secretary Ron Miller, who testified in favor of Hahn’s motion.

“Let’s not just think about building projects,” said Alex LaFarga of LiUNA, who testified at the meeting. “Let’s think about building careers.  That is what these PLAs do -- they provide us with opportunities to build careers.”

Hahn’s motion passed unanimously.