Mayor Edwin M. Lee announced an agreement between the Golden State Warriors and UNITE HERE Local 2 to provide a fair process for workers to choose union representation at the food service and hospitality outlets that will be part of the Warriors Arena project on the San Francisco waterfront. In addition, the agreement will ensure that workers at the Oracle Arena can preserve their jobs when the San Francisco facility opens. UNITE HERE Local 2 represents more than 12,000 food service and hotel employees in San Francisco and San Mateo.

“Good paying jobs with health and retirement benefits are fuel for our economic recovery and good for our workforce,” said Mayor Lee. “The Golden State Warriors have made a commitment to not only privately fund a world class state-of-the-art venue, but they are also creating an unprecedented opportunity for our local and regional workforce to make good quality jobs available when the sports and entertainment arena is built.” 

“Today’s agreement between Local 2 and the Golden State Warriors guarantees that workers at the new arena and related facilities will be treated fairly, and that these will become good jobs that support and benefit the community,” said UNITE HERE Local 2 President Mike Casey.

Last week, Mayor Lee announced another unprecedented agreement between the Warriors development team, labor, and community advocates to hiring 25 percent of the overall workforce from San Francisco for the privately-funded construction project. In addition, the Warriors, labor representatives and workforce advocates also agreed that 50 percent of apprentice-level workers would be hired locally. A “Helmets to Hardhats” program connecting returning veterans to construction jobs on the project was also announced as part of the agreement.

“As the Warriors move forward with our exciting plans to build a new sports and entertainment venue on the waterfront, it's essential that we have a strong partnership with Labor,” said Warriors President Rick Welts. “That means honoring the workers who have served our fans all these years and will continue to do so into the future. It also means guaranteeing that the hundreds of jobs we create for local residents will come with respect and good conditions. The Warriors are proud to be on the same team with the men and women of Local 2.”

In May, the Warriors announced their intention to build a new 17,000 seat sports and entertainment arena on the waterfront in San Francisco in time for the 2017-18 NBA season. The arena will be located at Piers 30-32 on San Francisco Bay, south of the Bay Bridge, between the Ferry Building and AT&T Park.

“I’ve worked food stands at AT&T Park since it opened,” said Billie Feliciano, a UNITE HERE Local 2 member who has worked at both AT&T Park and Candlestick Park for the last 40 years. “Because we built the union there, my coworkers and I have had a real voice on the job, and my family has had health insurance we can count on. I’m excited that hundreds more families like mine will have the same opportunity with the Warriors’ new project.”

According to the recent Piers 30-32 fiscal feasibility report, more than 4,300 direct jobs will be created citywide: 2,623 (construction) / 1,757 (permanent). The three-year construction project is also estimated to add another $1.5 billion into the workforce and economy through one-time construction and another $500 million in annual investments to the workforce on an ongoing basis.