A jointly negotiated agreement between unions and contractors or project owners that establishes legally binding project employment arrangements for bids on construction projects is known as a project labor agreement, or PLA. Union contractors aren’t the only ones. The majority of PLAs have objectives for small or minority-owned business involvement, labor and contractor equity, and local hiring. PLAs set rules that strengthen America while safeguarding project owners and taxpayers.
Construction prices are not adversely affected by PLAs (Editorial: Happy Christmas, labor unions! Love Jan. 12, Gov. Kotek. The argument that they do ignores factors like project size, complexity, and whether or not it was finished in an expensive metropolitan location. PLAs had little impact on prices, according to a peer-reviewed analysis of 99 community college projects in California between 2007 and 2016. Seventy school construction projects constructed in Massachusetts between 1996 and 2002 were compared in another study. Researchers found no indication that PLAs had an impact on overall costs after controlling for hundreds of factors on each project.
It is troublesome when non-union contractors like the Associated General Contractors spread the myth that PLAs harm minority-owned companies. PLAs’ workforce equity objectives are one of the most effective means of uplifting historically underprivileged populations.
PLAs also use recognized apprenticeships, which combine classroom and on-the-job training in an earn-as-you-learn format.Because apprenticeship programs don’t demand the same upfront financial expenditure as college, research indicates that they may help eliminate socioeconomic inequities.
By using knowledgeable and experienced local labor to complete the task correctly the first time, we can invest in Oregon’s future infrastructure and workforce.
Bulling, Lorne, Beaverton
Bulling is Ironworkers Local 29’s political director.
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