SHEET METAL ) Alfl RAIL ) TRANSPOflTAT SO N
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SHEET METAL, AIR, RAIL AND TRANSPORTATION WORKERS SHEET METAL WORKERS' LOCAL UNION No. 104
MANTECA UNION OFFICE
September 16, 2022
Sent b First Class Mail and Email
Honorable Lathrop Mayor, Sonny Dhaliwal
Vice Mayor, Diane Lazard
Council Member, Paul Akinjo
Council Member, Minnie Diallo
Council Member, Jennifer Torres-O'Callaghan
Community Development Director, Mark Meissner
City ofLathrop
390 Towne Centre Drive
Lathrop, CA 95330
EM: ft rnuncil niT. flthrn caiis&mmeissner ci. lathro . ca.us Re: The Promise ofLathro 's General Plan Revisions
Dear Honorable Mayor, Vice Mayor, Council Members, and Mr. Meissner:
As representatives of over 1,000 working families who live in and near the City ofLathrop, we share the excitement many feel for the proposed new forward looking General Plan. The community-based focus on both housing and employment generating land uses holds the promise of a vibrant future for the Lathrop Community.
The City ofLathrop members ofIBEW Local 595, SMART Local 104, Iron Workers District Council of Iron Workers California and Vicinity, UA Plumbers Union Local 442 and the Road Sprinkler Fitters Local Union 669 are in support of the new General Plan. However, we are concerned that the plan as written fails to ensure that the full benefits will not be realized.
The new General Plan will result in several thousand new construction jobs needed to build the projects. It would be irresponsible for us not to consider what additional community benefits could result from the approval of the Plan as it relates to that construction workforce.
> A few thousand Lathrop residents support their families though their work in the construction trades. Will they help build the new Lathrop? Will the hundreds of millions in constmction wages be reinvested in the local businesses where these families shop? Will the City lose millions in sales tax revenue if these wages are spent elsewhere?
> Will these constmction wages be sufficient to support workmg families who live in our community? Conversely, will a "low road" development business plan result in wages well below the median family income?
> Will the potential promise of hundreds of apprentice opportunities be realized so that our region's training programs can accept more Lathrop youth and provide a future for at-risk workers? In lieu 580 Commerce Court - Manteca, CA 95336 - Phone (209) 939-9375 - Fax (209) 939-9379 Item 2.1 Public Comment Provided by
Michael Mark with SMART Local 104_ letter
Honorable Lathrop Mayor, Council Members, and Mr. Meissner September 16, 2022
Page |2
of public policy mtervention, it is likely few apprentices enrolled in State of California approved programs will be employed in the build out of the Plan.
To help ensure our community gains the benefits in needs with the passage of the Plan, we propose the following modifications to the Plan:
The following inserted in the General Plan (in bold):
Economic Development
ED-1.6 Develop Partnerships. Encourage regional partnerships between the City, other cities in the region, education and training institutions, various industry, and labor organizations in order to pursue regional economic development opportunities and improve relations with private industry GOAL ED-2 BROADEN THE LOCAL ECONOMIC Base
ED-2 POLICIES.
ED-2.4 Increase Job Skills. Encourage local programs that expand and enhance the job skills of the Lathrop labor force. This should include expanding opportunity for young and at-risk workers to gain careers in the construction trades by their enrollment in State of California approved apprenticeship programs.
ED-2.6 Creating Pathways into Middle Class Construction Employment- Encourage the use of a local construction workforce, provide opportunities for apprentices enrolled in State of California approved apprentice programs, and the payment of area standard wages for the construction workforce.
ED-2 Implementation
ED-2. 1 Include in any sale or lease of City property for a private development project of over 100,000 sq. /ft. or 100 residential units the requirement to have local workers comprise 30% of the construction workforce, that apprentices from State of California approved apprenticeship programs will be employed for a minimum of 50% of the crafts and that area standard wages will be paid.
We look forward in discussing with you these proposed changes in the Plan. Communities throughout the Bay Area have placed similar language in their planning documents to promote and sustain a vibrant local economy and to grow America's Middle Class.
Sincerely,
/W^H^~
Michael Mark
SMART Local 104 Business Representative
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