Thursday, Jan. 25, 2007 | It would have been nice if Eric Christen followed his own advice in his Jan. 22 letter to the editor, “Give us the Facts.”
Unfortunately for him, the truth wouldn’t have backed up his claims. The fact is that the vast majority (not the 15 percent he claimed) of convention center projects, including hotels and mixed-use residential, are done by union contractors with union labor.
To get to the 15 percent number, Mr. Christen needs to count every home-improvement project (predominantly done non-union) equal to every large commercial project.
Four homes are remodeled non-union while Petco Park is built union and he can claim 80 percent of the work. It is also important to point out that there is no way to make comments to an environmental impact report “just melt away.” Regardless of whether or not an owner eventually signs a PLA, these issues will have to be addressed.
Perhaps it is the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, many of whose members reside in Chula Vista, that has more concern for the local environment and economy.
Mr. Christen is probably more concerned about the out-of-town contractors who pay his salary.