From: [email protected]
To: Luis Chavez; Mike Karbassi; Miguel Arias; Tyler Maxwell; Garry Bredefeld; Nelson Esparza; Annalisa Perea; Jerry Dyer
Cc: Georgeanne White; Todd Stermer; [email protected] Subject: What does Fresno City Councilmember Arias know about union blackmail of these developers? Date: Wednesday, January 10, 2024 4:17:41 PM
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Fresno Mayor and City Councilmembers:
At your meeting tomorrow (Thursday, January 11, 2024), you will deliberate over concerns about the adequacy of environmental review for a warehouse project.
Through the law firm of Adams, Broadwell, Joseph & Cardozo, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 100 claims to shine a beacon of illumination over the toxic wasteland that the Fresno portion of
Mother Earth is apparently destined to become if this
warehouse is built. They’re joined by the Plumbers and Pipefitters UA Local 442, Sheet Metal Workers Local 104, Sprinkler Fitters Local 669, and the District Council of Ironworkers.
All of these unions have experience as “Champions of the Planet”, with a long record of environmental activism against local proposed projects.
Nevertheless, in this case there are rumors that these unions are actually using the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as a tool to pressure the warehouse developer into signing a union Project Labor Agreement (PLA). Supposedly one of your own is deeply enmeshed in the pressure tactics. Meanwhile, the residents of Fresno that you serve have no idea about what’s really going on.
The Coalition for Fair Employment in Construction (CFEC) has submitted a public records request, just to check on these rumors.
I am requesting all public records (including electronic communications using private accounts) from September 1, 2022 to the present (January 10, 2024) in the possession of Councilmember Miguel Arias regarding the following topics:
1. The Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling (RCCB) Fresno Distribution Warehouse and the Laborers International Union of North America, Local Union 294 (“LIUNA”).
2. The 2740 West Nielsen Avenue Office-Warehouse Project and the following labor unions acting under the front group of
Fresno Residents for Responsible Development:
the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 100, Plumbers and Pipefitters UA Local
442, Sheet Metal Workers Local 104, Sprinkler Fitters Local 669, and the District Council of Ironworkers.
3. The Living Spaces Retail Project and the Laborers International Union of North America, Local Union 294 (“LIUNA”).
We hear reports that Councilmember Arias, in his capacity as an elected city councilmember, may have been involved in negotiating agreements between the developers of these projects and the listed labor unions. This is matter of public concern, and the public needs to be informed so it can petition their representatives in city government.
Please let us know if we are being misled by these rumors floating around. Or, let us know if you have some documents you can give to us now to show the rumors are true.
Thank you!
Sincerely,
Eric Christen
Executive Director
Coalition for Fair Employment in Construction
www.opencompca.com
[email protected]
858-431-6337