Jerry Hill Combats SF's Locals-Only Worker Ordinance

Assemblyman Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, has been a vocal opponent of San Francisco’s local hire ordinance for construction projects. And at a press conference on Friday he made it clear he's not taking the ordinance lying down.

The San Francisco law requires projects over $400,000, including those at San Francisco International Airport, the San Bruno jail and Hetch Hetchy facilities in the Bay Area, to hire at least 20 percent of city residents in 2011, increasing the local workforce by 5 percent every year to eventually reach 50 percent by 2016. 

Addressing a gathering in Millbrae, Hill introduced Assembly Bill 356, which would prevent San Francisco, and other cities with similar laws, from enforcing the locals-only ordinance on projects funded with state money.

“Taxpayers from around the state should not suffer from increased construction costs,” Hill said, estimating about $9 million in additional costs from the locals-only legislation.

Millbrae Mayor Dan Quigg said the airport burdens the community with noise and occasional traffic on Highway 101, therefore Millbrae workers should not be denied local job opportunities.

“We’re being told our community is not allowed to work in it,” Quigg said about the San Francisco law.

San Mateo County's unemployment rate is currently 8.3 percent, according to the latest California Employment Development Department numbers. However, the county’s unemployment rate in the construction industry is much higher, at about 25 percent.

“A skilled construction worker in San Francisco is no different than a skilled worker in San Mateo County,” said William Nack, executive officer of the San Mateo County Building and Construction Trades Council. “County residents deserve to work on projects in the county.”

But San Francisco workers are displeased by Hill’s move, and say he is denying them the work they need.

“He is killing everything we worked so hard for to pass this,” said Jacqueline Lane,  a Hunter’s Point resident and member of San Francisco Laborer’s Local 261.

San Francisco’s local worker ordinance is not atypical -- similar laws exist in Los Angeles, Hayward, Richmond and Berkeley -- but it is stricter than other cities’ local workforce laws throughout the state.

Hill says the Bay Area should focus on creating jobs regionally, not just in each individual city or county.