IBEW 11 joined the LA/OC Building Trades Council in signing a landmark Project Labor Agreement (PLA) with Rio Hondo College (RHC) earlier this month that will ensure the $442-million bond measure (Measure RH) passed last year to fund campuswide renovations, upgrades and new construction, will be performed by 100-percent union labor.
RHC will use Measure RH funds to renovate and modernize campus classrooms, labs, and facilities as well as address campus safety and accessibility issues.
“The Board voted to continue our partnership with the community and labor with a 6-0 vote last week in favor of the Community Workforce Agreement, or PLA, for the RH Measure we passed last year,” said RHC Board of Trustees President Oscar Valladares. “This vote is a continuation of our strong investment in our community, our long-term commitment to support a skilled workforce, and deliver labor protections and livable wages to our workers.”
“This PLA is a win-win for IBEW 11 members, Rio Hondo College, and the community surrounding Whittier that it serves,” said IBEW 11 Business Manager Robert Corona. “This PLA will help create thousands of good-paying union construction jobs, and the college knows the state-of-the-art campus they need to educate the next generation of students will be built by skilled, trained, and dedicated union workers who will deliver an A-plus final product.”
A Win for the Local Community
“The whole community will benefit from this PLA,” said Mario Barragan, IBEW 11 business development rep, who worked on passing Measure RH and the subsequent PLA.
“It will provide high-road career paths for the community. It has a 40 percent local hire requirement. Family members who voted for this bond measure can get jobs working on the renovations. It’s also exposing Rio Hondo’s students to a career in the trades – which is a good thing for everyone.”
Local hire provisions also apply to qualified and trained veterans and students.
“The unanimous Board support for this PLA – and for the strong labor protections and jobs it delivers for the community – underscores our appreciation of the connection between good jobs and a sustainable community,” Valladares said. “Local hires increase the viability of communities like ours, and we are committed to raising stable families, which means hiring workers close to home.”
Measure RH construction will begin with the most urgent projects, with a phased project schedule to ensure bond dollars are used responsibly and efficiently. Funds will be used to upgrade clean drinking water systems, update lighting, fire alarms, camera and emergency systems and remove hazardous materials on campus, including mold, lead paint, and asbestos.
Other key infrastructure upgrades include the planned installation of E.V. charging stations, solar panels, and battery storage facilities – projects where experienced IBEW 11 members shine.
Bond projects also include campuswide repairs to leaky roofs, deteriorated HVAC units, and faulty plumbing; modernized technology, electrical wiring and high-speed internet; and renovated classrooms for first responder training and other high-demand careers.
“Thanks to Measure RH, we can revitalize our campus to better serve our students and community,” said RHC Trustee Anais Medina Diaz. “These improvements will provide our students with a safer, more modern learning environment where they can gain the skills and education needed to thrive in today’s workforce and achieve their academic goals.”
2025-08-27 20:17:00