UNION VS. NONUNION CONSTRUCTION IS A NO-BRAINER
New York City’s union construction industry has always been a path to the middle class. Generations of workers have been able to make a decent wage, earn benefits and work on safe and professional job sites as they build our communities. The workforce was historically dominated by white males, but that dynamic has shifted. For years, the union construction workforce has been majority minority and its diversity is growing as associations like the BTEA and member companies invest in workforce development, recruitment, and apprenticeship programs.
From a worker’s perspective, the discussion of union vs. nonunion construction is a no-brainer. Workers who lack representation from a collective bargaining unit are forced to work under more dangerous conditions for far lower wages. The philosophy of nonunion jobs is essentially a race to the bottom: cut costs no matter what, even if at the expense of workers safety.
COVID-19 has been a major challenge for union and nonunion contractors alike. President Biden’s infrastructure plan presents the greatest opportunity in a generation to boost our economy, create jobs for New York’s union construction workforce and rebuild our shrinking middle class. It will even create opportunities for nonunion contractors and open the door for nonunion workers to join a collective bargaining unit. The key is the President’s provision requiring project labor agreements (PLAs).
PLAs are collective bargaining agreements that are negotiated for a specific project before a contract is even is signed. They are legally required to reduce costs, otherwise they cannot be executed. By law, they must allow ALL contractors, union and non-union, to compete for the job. If a non-union contractor wins the bid, they only sign an agreement for that one specific job.
By requiring project labor agreements, the President’s infrastructure plan will save taxpayer money, invest in hiring workers that are well-trained and will ensure workers receive the legally required prevailing wage. Not only do workers benefit from fairer wages, taxpayers receive better value through higher quality work and lower overall cost.
It is the union construction industry that was the backbone of building this nation and state’s middle class. And with the dramatic loss of manufacturing jobs construction remains the only viable path to rebuild New York’s middle class. The President’s Plan is a long overdue prescription to rebuilding the physical and social infrastructure needed to make us more competitive in the world and to expand a middle class that has been shrinking for decades.
Lou Coletti is President and CEO of the Building Trades Employers Association which represents 26 contractor associations and 1200 construction mangers, general and specialty trade contractors in New York City. In 2020, BTEA contractors managed $60 billion in public and private construction projects. Visit their website at www.bteanyc.com.
