Legislative and Political

President Biden Mandates Project Labor Agreements on Large Federal Projects

On 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

Thanks 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 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

women of Local 5 deserve the pension benefits that they have earned from a lifetime of work and I am so happy to see that the Rescue Plan is fulfilling the promise of a secure retirement for American workers.”

“These 821 bricklayers went to work with the promise of a pension when they retired. Today, the Biden-Harris Administration has fulfilled that promise,” said US Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh, chair of the PBGC Board of Directors.

“Our union fought hard to make sure our pension was whole, and this decision to fund our members gives security and support to our members who have spent their lives giving themselves to their trade,” Union Trustee of Bricklayers Local 5 Plan Mike Clifford said. “Thank you to Congressman Maloney for making this happen through the American Rescue Plan, and for always sticking up for the men and women of labor.” //

Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment Passes

Members of BAC Local 1 MD/VA/DC, including Eric Woodlon, Yaneth Flores, and Aaron Kakol, attended the signing ceremony at the White House on November 15, 2021.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA) was signed into law on November 15. IIJA passed with bipartisan support and represents the largest investment in our nation’s infrastructure in history.

The $1 trillion investment includes funding for many core infrastructure priorities including:

+ Roads and bridges + Passenger and freight rail + Public transit

+ Broadband

+ Ports and waterways

+ Airports

+ Water infrastructure

+ Power grid and resiliency + Clean school buses and ferries

+ Electric vehicle charging + Broadband

At the signing ceremony, President Biden emphasized that the IIJA will create good-paying job opportunities for Americans by focusing on prevailing wages and the free and fair chance to join a union.

BAC appreciates President Biden’s leadership, along with the bipartisan coalition that negotiated the framework for the bill, to pass this long overdue investment to our nation’s infrastructure. The IIJA provides an investment of $1.2 trillion, including $550 billion in new spending over five years.

“BAC has long supported comprehensive investment in our nation’s infrastructure, broadly defined. While IIJA represents a good start, we must continue to work to make sure that other vital infrastructure needs are not neglected,” said President Driscoll when the bill was signed. “Investment in our infrastructure including schools, housing, hospitals, public safety and other government buildings is critically important. We must do everything we can to make sure that these priorities are addressed.” //