Project Labor Agreement in NYC Will Preserve Construction Jobs

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.laborradio.org/node/13202

Submitted by Jesse Russell on March 28, 2010 - 3:15pm
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Lede: Construction trade unions in New York City have renewed a project labor agreement in an effort to keep as many workers as possible on the job. Doug Cunningham has more on the story.

By Doug Cunningham

Bob Ledwith is Business Manager for Ironworkers Local 46. He says although unions gave some concessions to developers, renewing the Project Labor Agreement is a good thing for workers in New York City.

: “I would describe it as a win-win, we had to give relief to the developers and the owners; we did that, and we also kept our men working at wages and fringes that they can raise a family and have a good family environment and we’re very proud of what we’ve done.”

The renewed agreement cuts about 16 percent from labor costs. Ledwith says doing that generates an estimated 10,000 jobs in New York City. Various construction union locals in New York must still approve details of the Project Labor Agreement. Ledwith says this agreement translates into big dollar projects providing lots of work for New York construction workers that otherwise might not happen.

: “Well we call this a market recovery P-L-A, but in many ways it’s a stimulus program, a local stimulus program that creates jobs for our people. Washington has been a little bit slow in brining the stimulus money to New York, so we decided as a group of men and women to stimulate our own economy.”

(Audio in this report provided by Mike Clifford)