State Building Trades Fail to Explain Opposition to Prop 45 – a Measure That Will Create Tens of Thousands of Union Construction Jobs
August 24, 2026
Building Trades Leader Campaigns Against Measure That Will Accelerate Housing and Infrastructure While Guaranteeing Strong Labor Standards
Sacramento, CA — California Building Trades Council leadership is in an awkward position: he’s campaigning against Proposition 45, a measure that will create tens of thousands of good-paying union jobs and expand California’s strong labor protections to substantially more construction projects statewide.
That contradiction was on full display this week on the America’s Work Force Union Podcast. Asked directly how many union jobs are threatened by Prop 45, the leader of the State Building Trades couldn’t name a single one.
There’s a reason for that: Prop 45 will create MORE union construction jobs, not fewer.
The interview was chock full of misinformation and flat out lies – no surprise, given his nonsensical opposition to a union-job-creating measure that will also reduce costs for working families.
Prop 45 will accelerate the construction of housing, schools, hospitals, water infrastructure, clean energy, transportation, broadband, wildfire resilience and other essential public works projects. And essential projects receiving Prop 45 streamlining must meet strong labor standards, including prevailing wage and skilled-and-trained workforce requirements.
“Building Trades leadership has the unenviable task of explaining to his own members why their union’s leader is campaigning against a measure that will create tens of thousands of good-paying union jobs,” said Amelia Matier, spokesperson for Yes on Prop 45. “What they won’t be honest about is that their position means fewer projects breaking ground, fewer construction jobs and fewer opportunities for the skilled workers they represent to provide for their families.”
Prop 45 expands strong labor protections to substantially more projects statewide. It embeds those protections directly into state law as a condition of receiving streamlined approvals. Essential housing projects must comply with labor standards established under California’s AB 130 housing framework. For all other essential projects, that includes prevailing wage, skilled-and-trained workforce requirements, certified payroll and recordkeeping requirements, and statutory penalties for noncompliance.
The jobs dodge wasn’t the only place Building Trades leadership got it wrong:
***Building Trades leadership claimed Prop 45 strips away union bargaining power***
FACT: Prop 45 expands strong labor standards to substantially more projects statewide and makes those protections a mandatory condition for projects receiving streamlining. That means more schools, hospitals, water infrastructure, clean energy, transportation, broadband, wildfire resilience and public works projects subject to prevailing wage and skilled-and-trained workforce requirements.
***Building Trades leadership claimed Prop 45 strips away required setbacks and safety mitigations that put firefighters at risk***
FACT: Prop 45 accelerates projects that protect communities from wildfire, including home hardening, vegetation management, fuel reduction, utility undergrounding and fuel breaks, as well as construction and upgrades of fire stations and emergency-response infrastructure.
***Building Trades leadership claimed communities will be forced to approve projects they don’t want***
FACT: Local governments keep full authority to approve, deny or condition projects in their communities. Prop 45 ensures those decisions are made within one year—not after years of delay. Communities continue to decide what gets built, where it gets built, and under what conditions—with a faster, fairer, and more accountable process.
***Building Trades leadership claimed there’s nothing in the measure that saves anybody money***
FACT: Permitting and approval delays alone adds more than $75,000 to a new home. By cutting project review and permitting timelines by 2-10+ years, Prop 45 will reduce the unnecessary delays that drive up the costs of building in California – and drive up our cost of living.
The bottom line: Prop 45 means more projects getting built, more work for California’s skilled construction workforce, strong labor standards on projects receiving streamlining, and reduced costs for working families.
BACKGROUND: Prop 45, the Building an Affordable California Act, modernizes California’s project approval and permitting process for essential projects — including housing, water infrastructure, clean energy, transportation infrastructure, hospitals and health care facilities, schools and educational facilities, broadband, and wildfire prevention and resilience projects—by establishing clear timelines, improving accountability, and reducing unnecessary delays, while preserving strong environmental, labor, and tribal cultural resource protections. Prop 45 is supported by a broad and growing coalition of 150+ organizations, including affordable housing advocates, civil rights leaders, clean energy builders, water providers, agricultural groups, and business organizations statewide.
Learn More: YESonProp45.com