Lancaster council unanimously approves updated Community Workforce Agreement for large public contracts

Lancaster City Council on a unanimous vote approved an updated Community Workforce Agreement (CWA) that will apply to multi‑trade contracts over $750,000 and prime specialty contracts over $150,000.

City staff presented the negotiated agreement and said it was reached with representatives of the Los Angeles & Orange County Building and Construction Trades Council and officials from Palmdale. "The revised CWA ensures that for all applicable projects, the city will only contract with those contractors who agree to its terms. Importantly, the agreement is also inclusive. Non union contractors may bid and be awarded contracts as long as they comply with the terms of the CWA," said Sonia, a city staff member presenting the item.

The measure drew public support from local trade representatives and members. "We all left a little bit on the table, which I think that's where we did our job," said Eddie Escoto Alvarez, council representative for the Los Angeles & Orange County Building Trades, arguing the agreement will help create career pathways rather than short‑term jobs. "It's careers. Not jobs, not gigs, but careers for local residents who live here in the High Desert," he said.

Individual trade members spoke in support. "The community workforce agreement will continue to create good jobs, local jobs," said Steven Joyner, a seven‑year member of IBW Local 11 who identified himself as a Lancaster resident. Leonard Lemos, a member of Local 300 who said he grew up in the area, also urged council approval and said building locally keeps money in the local economy.

Staff told the council the CWA is intended to support economic mobility and stability for Lancaster residents and to standardize workforce expectations across projects performed under the agreement. Staff said the city negotiated the update with regional labor partners and Palmdale to create a unified approach for the Antelope Valley.

Councilmember discussion was brief; a motion to approve the updated Community Workforce Agreement was made and seconded, and the council voted to adopt the agreement unanimously. The motion text on the record directed staff to implement the CWA consistent with the terms presented to council; the vote in the transcript was recorded as passing unanimously but a numerical tally was not specified.

The CWA will affect how the city awards construction contracts that meet the stated dollar thresholds and will apply to both union and nonunion contractors who accept the CWA terms. Speakers referenced planned regional projects and local school district facility work as potential beneficiaries of the workforce and apprenticeship focus described in the presentation.

Looking ahead, city staff will implement the updated CWA in procurement for covered projects and coordinate required documentation and contractor compliance with the agreement as projects move forward.