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Union representative urges project‑labor agreement for Grand Prairie water towers
Summary
Justin Gustafson of Boilermakers Local 1 urged Romeoville trustees to seek a project‑labor agreement for Grand Prairie Water Commission water‑tower construction, saying large tanks are often built by out‑of‑state nonunion crews and a PLA wouldkeep wages and tax receipts local.
Justin Gustafson, a representative of Boilermakers Local 1, urged the Village of Romeoville on Dec. 3 to seek a project‑labor agreement, or PLA, for forthcoming Grand Prairie Water Commission water‑tower construction.
"These are massive, full‑capacity water towers—over 1,000,000 gallons," Gustafson told the board during the public‑comment period. He said the trade is specialized and often completed by out‑of‑state, nonunion workers, and he argued a PLA would encourage use of local union contractors who pay taxes and benefits to the community.
Gustafson described his union as covering northeast Illinois from Rockford to Kankakee and said union crews can perform the specialized work of building large pressure vessels and tanks. "I urge you to consider a PLA for the project," he said.
Mayor Nogue and trustees acknowledged the concern and said staff and local labor representatives will meet to discuss the project and outreach. The mayor noted the village had received contacts from labor organizations and that staff would follow up with more information for trustees.
Why it matters: PLAs can affect which contractors bid on public‑works projects, local hiring, and payroll tax retention. The Grand Prairie Water Commission project will include several large water‑delivery structures in the region; if Romeoville adopts PLA language when the village’s tower is procured, it could influence contractor selection for that site.
Next steps: Gustafson said he expects the village will confer with labor advocates and staff; the board did not take formal action on a PLA at the Dec. 3 meeting.
