Councilwoman Sneed and Council President Scott to Introduce Legislation Requiring Project Labor Agreements on City Contracts

Councilwoman Sneed and Council President Scott to Introduce Legislation Requiring Project Labor Agreements on City Contracts

BALTIMORE, MD (January 27, 2020) — Today at 4:30pm outside of the “Du” Burns Council Chambers at City Hall, Councilwoman Shannon Sneed (District 13) and Council President Brandon M. Scott will host a press conference with union leaders and workers, including Jermaine A. Jones, President of the Metropolitan Baltimore Council of AFL-CIO Unions, to discuss legislation requiring Project Labor Agreements for taxpayer-funded construction projects valued at $25 million or more. The bill would also require local hiring, family-sustaining wages, and worker benefits on long-term capital improvement projects that total $15 million or more.

“As City leaders, we have the ability to begin to change the status quo by extending career opportunities and solid credentials to community residents in historically disadvantaged communities,” said Councilwoman Shannon Sneed, the lead sponsor of the measure and Chair of the Labor Committee. “We must use taxpayer dollars to benefit the communities and residents of Baltimore City.”

The Project Labor Agreements ordinance (20-0488) would: 

• Establish basic standards for labor used to complete large, taxpayer-funded public works and economic development projects, including local hiring, family-sustaining wages, health care benefits, and workforce development;
• Contain guarantees against strikes and lockouts;
• Provide for effective, prompt, and mutually-binding procedures for resolving labor disputes; and
• Provide a process for labor-management cooperation around “matters of mutual interest and concern,” such as productivity, work quality, safety, and health.

Council President Brandon Scott added, “It’s no secret that the way we’ve been awarding City contracts is not working, especially when our largest contracts fail to benefit Baltimore workers in need of real opportunity and living wages. I’m proud to stand with our unions and Councilwoman Sneed, who has been a fierce champion for our city’s workers, to introduce legislation that puts Baltimoreans to work.”

The ordinance will be introduced by Councilwoman Sneed and Council President Scott at this evening’s City Council meeting at 5PM in the Clarence “Du” Burns Council Chambers. After introduction, the legislation will be scheduled for a hearing in the City Council’s Labor Committee. 

View the agenda for today’s City Council meeting here.