LEGISLATIVE & POLITICAL
President Biden Mandates Project Labor Agreements on Large Federal Projects
O
n February 4, President Joe Biden signed an Executive Order that requires the use of project labor agreements (PLAs) on federal construction projects valued above $35 million. The Order will help improve timeliness, lower costs, and increase quality in federal construction projects. For generations, PLAs, or as they are sometimes referred to, Community Workforce Agreements (CWAs), have been a powerful tool in ensuring that both
large public and private projects are completed on schedule and within budget. Good jobs are created for skilled building trades workers, including BAC members. PLAs benefit local communities, due to the requirement to meet local hiring goals. They also create valuable career paths for women, people of color, veterans, and other underrepresented communities. “President Biden’s leadership on this issue signals to our industry and the nation that the path
to developing a productive and sustainable workforce lies in the equitable treatment of workers across our country,” said President Driscoll in a statement when the executive order was signed. “PLAs are a proven means to develop and promote careers for the next generation of construction workers.” The Executive Order on Use of Project Labor Agreements for Federal Construction Projects can be found here: https://bit.ly/3LlwdO4 //
BAC Applauds American Rescue Plan’s Pension Assistance for Bricklayers Local 5 Plan
T
hanks to the Special Financial Assistance (SFA) program under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, participants of BAC Local 5 New York Retirement Fund Pension Plan will be able to receive approximately $61.8 million to save their pension plan. The plan, which covers 821 participants, was projected to run out of funds this year. Without sufficient funds, the plan would have been required to reduce participants’ benefits to roughly 20% below the planned benefits. On January 18, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) approved the application for emergency pension fund, enabling the plan to
24 // BRICKLAYERS AND ALLIED CRAFTWORKERS
continue to pay retirees’ benefits without reduction for many years into the future. "We applaud our Congressional members who voted for and passed the American Rescue Plan, which included emergency funding for insolvent pension plans," said Jeremiah Sullivan Jr., BAC Executive Vice President. "This funding will protect the pension benefits for so many members who put in a lifetime of hard work and will ensure they are able to retire with financial security and dignity." “The American Rescue Plan continues to deliver for our economy and workers,” said US Representative Patrick Maloney (D-NY). “The hardworking men and
