New York Construction Report staff writer
New York City has signed two Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) covering more than $7 billion in city capital projects, guaranteeing fair wages, union benefits, and safety protections while connecting underserved residents to union careers and apprenticeship programs.
Mayor Eric Adams and NYC Office of Talent and Workforce Development Executive Director Doug Lipari announced the agreements Tuesday with the Building & Construction Trades Council of Greater New York and Vicinity (BCTC). The Citywide Renovation and New Construction PLA will cover new construction, renovations, and infrastructure projects citywide — including recreation centers, libraries, solar installations for schools, and water treatment facilities.
“Under our administration, we haven’t just talked about creating opportunities, we’ve put our money where our mouth is and invested real dollars in real projects and delivered the good-paying jobs New Yorkers need,” Adams said. “With more than $7 billion labor agreements, we’ll do both — all while hiring from the local community and completing critical projects faster. That’s a win for everyone involved.”
PLAs also include community hiring requirements, ensuring that a significant portion of labor hours go to residents of NYCHA housing or neighborhoods with high poverty rates. As part of a new memorandum of understanding with BCTC and the Building Trade Employers’ Association of New York City, the city will recruit 700 pre-apprentices for free skills training and direct entry into unionized apprenticeship programs.
“In order for capital projects to reach their true economic potential, it is critical that they generate family-sustaining careers for hardworking New Yorkers,” said Gary LaBarbera, president of BCTC. “PLAs like the ones signed help them do just that by establishing fair wages, safety standards, and community hiring initiatives that boost apprenticeship opportunities and open pathways to the middle class.”
John Jovic, business manager of Local 12 Heat and Frost Insulators, added, “These city capital projects will create more opportunities for men and women to become apprentices in our programs. It will provide them with fair wages and union benefits, making their lives better and providing the pathway to the middle class.”
Paul O’Connor, business manager of Plumbers Local 1, called the agreements “the great multiplier,” saying they will not only modernize infrastructure but also expand opportunities for New Yorkers to enter union careers. Joseph Azzopardi of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades echoed the praise, calling the PLAs “a win for New York City’s working families” and a way to ensure projects are built “with skill, safety, and dignity.”
Construction industry leaders highlighted the broader economic impact. Carlo A. Scissura, president of the New York Building Congress, said the PLAs “open the door for thousands of apprentices to earn and learn on real projects” and prove that public investment paired with union labor can modernize infrastructure while growing middle-class careers. John O’Hare of the Building Contractors Association added that the agreements create training and opportunities for the next generation of tradespeople while benefiting the communities where projects are built.
The Adams administration said the agreements will streamline construction on city projects, create stronger apprenticeship pipelines, and ensure fair labor standards, reinforcing the city’s commitment to investing in the next generation of the construction workforce.
