Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Workforce Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
PUC hears WESIP hiring data as advocates press for stronger San Francisco local-hire outcomes
Summary
At the May 11 SFPUC meeting, staff presented workforce numbers showing San Francisco residents made up about 11% of regional WESIP job hours and roughly 15% locally. Advocates pushed to reopen parts of the project labor agreement to boost local and apprentice hiring; unions warned of legal and practical limits.
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission commissioners on May 11 received an update on workforce participation in the Water System Improvement Program (WESIP), with staff saying the city’s residents account for roughly 11% of the regional job hours and about 15% of local project hours.
Harlan Kelly, assistant general manager for infrastructure, told commissioners the WESIP program’s regional construction budget is large — roughly $2.6 billion of the regional portion — and that labor represents about $800 million of that total. He said current data show the program is at about 17% for one early workforce measure and that apprentices make up about 10% of job hours in his database, rising to roughly 14% when certain trades are excluded. “If you look at the chart, the total finance cost is like a half a billion,” Kelly said while outlining labor and materials splits. Kelly urged sustained outreach with unions and pre‑apprenticeship programs to increase San Francisco participation.
Joshua Arce of the Bright Line Defense Project urged the commission to place reopening the project labor agreement (PLA) on the agenda and to “focus on the very narrow issue within your project labor agreement to get more equitable hiring,” citing an 11% share for San Francisco residents on some projects. Arce said he wanted the commission to consider targeted amendments to lift local hiring and apprenticeship opportunities.
Union leaders and trade representatives cautioned that changing a regional PLA is legally and practically complicated. Michael Theriault of the San Francisco Building and Construction Trades Council said the PLA has “dozens of signatories” and that any amendment at the regional level would require sign‑off across many parties, arguing that construction is regional and “lumpy” and that strict geographic rules could undermine work continuity.
City workforce partners said they are taking steps to improve outcomes. Chris Iglesias of the Office of Economic and Workforce Development described a pending labor market survey and commitments to coordinate CityBuild and regional pre‑apprenticeship programs. Kelly and staff said they plan administrative changes where possible, further coordination with the Office of Economic and Workforce Development and potential PLA‑related administrative adjustments that would not require all signatories’ formal amendments.
Commissioners asked for more data and for staff to clarify what legal tools are available. Kelly and staff said they will pursue additional labor‑market analysis and meet with unions and contractors to seek workable approaches. The commission did not take a formal policy vote on the PLA during the meeting; staff said they will return with follow‑up work and recommended next steps.
