Construction of the Padres' new ballpark will be
"governed by a so-called 'project-labor agreement'" that
includes "protections for workers and a no-strike clause
intended to ensure an uninterrupted 24-hour construction
schedule," according to Philip LaVelle of the SAN DIEGO
UNION-TRIBUNE. Padres Exec VP Jack McGrory: "This is a
historic agreement." LaVelle wrote that proponents of
project-labor agreements say that they are "efficient and
include terms that protect project managers from costly
strikes -- guaranteeing ... a 'harmonious relationship'
between labor and management." But critics say that
project-labor agreements "subvert the free market" because
they "force project managers to deal almost exclusively with
contractors bound by collective-bargaining agreements."
Padres Owner John Moores received a standing ovation at the
announcement and called the deal a "significant event in the
history of the ballpark," which now faces "environmental
litigation, a threatened voter initiative and doubts among a
City Council minority about the public sector's share of the
cost" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 1/15).
