Union representatives and workers warn Board against weakening project labor agreements

Jack Carlson, president of the Duluth Building and Construction Trades Council, told the St. Louis County Board of Commissioners during public comment that project labor agreements (PLAs) are critical to protecting skilled trades jobs and community investment.

"Without these project labor agreements in place, it jeopardizes their jobs, their careers," Carlson said, arguing that weakening PLAs could set a harmful precedent for St. Louis County and other municipalities and could invite litigation.

A second commenter who identified himself as a union representative framed PLAs as "the investment that they were intended to be," saying they protect taxpayer dollars, apprenticeship programs and project schedules. He told commissioners that a political hold on federal money for infrastructure — citing the Blatnik Bridge as an example — underscores the risk of altering PLAs.

"You're looking at a little over $7 million and five projects to do without project labor agreements," the union speaker said, warning that removing PLAs would start a "race to the bottom." Jeremy Lambert, vice president of Iron Workers Local 512, backed that view, saying four-year apprenticeship programs are the pathway to a trained local workforce and that loosening PLA requirements could admit less-qualified workers.

Speakers said they also accept some confidentiality measures on private worksites (non-disclosure agreements) when project partners require them, but they opposed stripping PLA protections from public contracts. No formal motion or vote on PLAs was recorded during the public-comment portion of the meeting.

The Board did not respond on the record to the comments during the public-comment period; commissioners may address procurement rules and PLA policy at a later meeting or during staff recommendations.