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Carpenters union urges Sumner to consider community workforce agreements after bids rejected
Summary
Union representatives told the council rejected bids for a wastewater project raise concerns about awarding contracts to the lowest bidder and urged consideration of Community Workforce Agreements to ensure apprenticeship use and contractor responsibility.
During the public‑comment portion of the Dec. 1 meeting, representatives of the Western States Regional Council of Carpenters and Local 360 urged the council to prioritize responsible bidder standards and to consider Community Workforce Agreements (CWAs) when awarding public‑works contracts.
Mike Brown, who identified himself as a representative of the Western States Regional Council of Carpenters and president of Local 360 (Pierce County), said that the lowest bid is not always the best public outcome and cited safety and worker‑protection concerns.
Alexi Gergalo, who said they joined the Carpenters Union immediately after high school, urged apprenticeship utilization and left draft CWA materials with the city clerk for staff review. Gergalo told the council that one contractor referenced in the materials had multiple violations and alleged a project where a young worker lost both legs, and urged the city to vet contractors to avoid injuries, delays and overruns.
The speakers provided paperwork to the clerk and requested a meeting with the mayor and city manager to discuss CWAs and contractor vetting. Council members thanked the commenters and staff said they would review the materials as part of procurement oversight; no immediate policy change was adopted during the meeting.
