Union members allege racial abuse at Pittsburg data center hearing

The North Coast States Carpenters Union lodged a complaint with Pittsburg officials, saying its members faced racial slurs and intimidation during a meeting on a proposed AI data center.

During a public hearing on a 76-acre AI data center slated for a former municipal golf course in Pittsburg, members of the North Coast States Carpenters Union reported being targeted with racial epithets, including the N-word, and other hateful remarks. Union head Jay Bradshaw described how Black carpenters heard the slur and Latino workers were accused of betraying their community, while some protesters called the union members “Ku Klux Klan.”

The harassment took place in an overflow room after the council chambers reached capacity. In a formal complaint to the city council, the union asked for preservation of all recordings, greater police presence and new protocols to protect participants, warning that failure could breach state civil-rights law. City Manager Darin Gale said the city will form an advisory committee to incorporate resident feedback on data-center development. The project, promoted by Avaio Digital as a major economic investment, has drawn opposition from local residents and national figures such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.