With the passage of Measure M expected to bring an unparalleled volume of transit infrastructure construction work to the region, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) Board of Directors has approved the renewal of the Project Labor Agreement (PLA) and the Construction Careers Policy (CCP) and the inclusion of Measure M and future joint development projects.
"A variety of important Metro construction projects are achieving targeted worker goals of nearly 59 percent, apprentice goals exceed the 20 percent target and disadvantaged worker goals are over 12 percent," said Metro Board Chair John Fasana. "The success of these two programs has also provided opportunities for training and employment programs like Metro’s Women Build Metro Los Angeles and contractor sponsored boot camps to recruit targeted individuals residing in underserved communities."
Both the PLA and CCP were first adopted by the Metro Board in January 2012 to encourage construction employment and training opportunities to those who reside in economically disadvantaged areas. The policies apply to certain locally-funded and federally-funded construction projects with a value greater than $2.5 million.
“The objective was to not only put local, qualified individuals to work, but also to provide employment opportunities for the most disenfranchised members of our community,” said County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, a Metro board member and author of the legislation creating Metro’s PLA. “Over the past five years, this approach has allowed the agency to uplift the communities we serve, and moreover, to deliver projects on time and on budget. “
The PLA and CCP promotes employment opportunities in the construction industry on Metro transit construction projects. The agreement sets the terms of employment and includes targeted hiring requirements of 40 percent, apprentice hiring of 20 percent and disadvantaged worker hiring requirements of 10 percent.
“Metro has implemented the PLA and CCP with great success and is currently exceeding all hiring goals program-wide with 21 projects valued at over $5 billion,” said Metro CEO Phillip A. Washington.
“As expansive and complex as Metro’s construction infrastructure program is, it is critical to create a pipeline of apprentice and future construction workers to support this program and future Measure M construction projects,” Washington added.
"We in the Building Trades look forward to continuing our partnership with Metro," said Ron Miller, executive secretary of the Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council. "This vote was a vote for good jobs for our members. They are hard-working, skilled and trained men and women from diverse backgrounds. Metro recognizes the value of what they do."
He added, "We also appreciate the extended term of this agreement. Metro is showing its faith in our members. We'll repay that confidence many times over, bringing the highest standards and work ethic to all the Metro projects."
In renewing the policies to include Measure M projects, the Board approved the addition of future joint development projects on Metro property in an effort to create more opportunities for training and employment.
Metro’s Diversity & Economic Opportunity Department and joint development team worked closely with the leadership of the Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council to develop an approach to applying the PLA and CCP that balances Metro’s goals of improving access to quality construction jobs while ensuring the competitiveness and financial feasibility of joint development projects.
The criteria for joint development projects are:
- A mixed-use project containing both a residential and commercial component where there are more than 60 residential units being built;
- A residential-only project that exceeds 60 residential units, or;
- A commercial-only project (retail, office or hotel) that exceeds 40,000 square feet of space.
The revised policies will not apply to potential joint developments that are already in negotiations with Metro or for which a solicitation has already been released by Metro.
