Los Angeles port five year Project Labour Agreement

The Los Angeles Harbor Commission has approved a five-year Project Labor Agreement (PLA) with the aim of ensuring “safety, quality, and timely construction on the Port of Los Angeles' capital projects that will provide job and apprentice opportunities for local and disadvantaged residents."


The PLA will serve as a blanket agreement between the Los Angeles Harbor Department and the construction trade unions affiliated with the Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building and Construction Trade Council working on the designated Capital Improvement Projects. The PLA covers 95% of the port's projected US$1.5bn five-year capital budget.


The PLA states that at least 30% of total work hours must be performed by local residents within targeted areas of Los Angeles focused primarily on residents within 10 miles of the port. At least 10% of the total PLA work hours will be performed by disadvantaged workers residing within Los Angeles. Additionally, at least 20% of total work hours will be performed by apprentices to advance the skills of the local labor pool, and at least half of these apprentices will be local residents.


The PLA also includes a no-strike/no-lockout clause, standardised work rules for all covered trades, a uniform dispute resolution mechanism, a training and apprentice program, and a requirement that all contractors working on a project pay prevailing wages and benefits and hire most labor through local union hiring halls.


"Today's approval of the Project Labor Agreement means new, career-track opportunities for thousands of local workers," said Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. "We are maintaining our commitment to getting Angelenos back to work and providing the necessary vocational training for those who are ready to enter the workforce.
(Source:http://www.container-mag.com)