Sonoma County approves updated Project Labor Agreement after months of negotiations and public debate
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Summary
After extended public comment and union testimony, the Board of Supervisors approved a countywide Project Labor Agreement (Community Workforce Agreement) with a $1,000,000 project threshold and direction to continue outreach to the NorCal Carpenters Union.
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors voted to adopt the countywide Project Labor Agreement (PLA), also described in county documents as a Community Workforce Agreement (CWA), approving the current negotiated master agreement and establishing a $1,000,000 project threshold for application.
The PLA, which county staff and the North Bay Building Trades Council negotiated over the last year, was approved by motion of Supervisor Gore and seconded by Supervisor Corsi. The board recorded the action as approved; the motion directed staff to implement the agreement and continue outreach to the Northern California Carpenters Union so they may sign onto the master agreement if they choose.
Supporters said the lower threshold and a permanent master agreement will increase opportunities for local hires and apprenticeship placements. Dozens of union leaders and members testified during the public comment period that a $1,000,000 threshold will channel more work to local residents and help sustain apprenticeship pipelines for veterans, youth and other recruits. Speakers from the North Bay Building and Construction Trades Council, IBEW Local 551, Sheet Metal Workers Local 104, Cement Masons Local 300, Operating Engineers Local 3 and other craft locals described the PLA as a tool to increase local hiring, reduce strike risk on public projects and deliver on-the-job training.
Representatives of the NorCal Carpenters Union told the board they oppose the agreement as presented because they said they were not included in final negotiations and were not offered a meaningful opportunity to help craft the text. County staff and the Trades Council said they had shared drafts with the carpenters and invited their input; staff reported that the carpenters returned a proposal the parties were unable to reconcile and asked the board to approve the agreement while the Trades Council continues outreach. Several supervisors urged continued engagement and reconciliation between labor organizations, and staff was directed to report back with implementation updates.
The adopted PLA applies to county projects that meet the new threshold and includes maintenance and certain trucking services in scope with specified exceptions. The policy includes an emergency-response exemption and sets a 30-day effective date after formal signatures on a governing agreement. County staff said the policy preserves the county's existing exclusion orders and administrative tools for handling situations where unions cannot supply labor for a project.
The board asked staff to return with a one-year check-in on implementation, including whether the agreement is delivering the local hire, apprenticeship and project delivery outcomes supporters expect.
Votes: Motion to approve the current negotiated PLA master agreement (mover: Supervisor Gore; second: Supervisor Corsi) — Outcome: approved. The board recorded one recorded opposition during the final floor vote before certification; staff described the final outcome as adoption of the master agreement and direction to continue engagement with the carpenters and trades affiliates.
