Project Labor Agreements Ensure
Value, Fairness and Efficiency for All
Every year dozens of large-scale public construction projects are entered into utilizing Project Labor Agreements or PLA’s. These agreements are negotiated prior to the acceptance of a project and typically outline agreed upon terms, scope of project, working conditions, safety protocols, union wages, budgetary parameters, and expectations for production timelines.
PLA’s are designed to create a consistent set of rules and regulations for all contracted parties to adhere to for the duration of the project. PLA’s also protect and support all parties included in the agreement, assuring fair and equitable practices and compliance are maintained. Union participants commit to providing highly skilled workers and exceptional workmanship to the project, while staying on budget and on time.
A typical PLA might include the following:
- Contractors and subcontractors will pay a negotiated wage to their workers
- Workers will follow union work rules and comply with union hiring practices
- The union will ensure that work will continue uninterrupted
- Builders will have access to the most skilled and productive workers available
- Ensures a consistent and competitive bidding process leveling the playing field.
ALEX LASRY
Senior Vice President,
Milwaukee Bucks
A Project Labor Agreement (PLA) makes sense for the Bucks and the Fiserv Forum project. By entering a Project Labor Agreement, the Bucks understood that this opportunity would be an economic boost for the local businesses and workers in Milwaukee, and would catapult registered apprentices alongside Journeymen and Journeywomen who are the make-up of the highly skilled construction workforce who worked efficiently and helped save time and money on this project.
To further the benefits of the Project Labor Agreement, we were successful and surpassed our local hiring and inclusion goals, more than 42% of construction hours worked were by residents of Milwaukee and the Bucks invested $103.6 million in Disadvantaged Business Enterprise, Small Business Enterprise, or Small Disadvantaged Business throughout Milwaukee.
Like dozens of other sports venues, hotels, and facilities throughout Wisconsin, Project Labor Agreements are most commonly used on large and complex construction projects that require multiple contractors with the aim of standardizing the terms and conditions of employment among all of the contractors and workers we were able to meet our goals of project completion that is on time, on budget.
Globally, Fiserv Forum is known as a crown jewel of sports entertainment venues, we love that Milwaukee, Wisconsin is our home and we are proud to have Wisconsinites to work with. When it comes to Project Labor Agreements, there are no questions, this is right for our business and the community.
