Port of Long Beach Commissioners approve portwide project labor agreement
The Board of Harbor Commissioners approved a plan Monday to expand the Port of Long Beach’s use of locally hired, disadvantaged and veteran workers for more than $700 million in construction projects, the port said in its press release.
Under the new Project Labor Agreement (PLA) with the Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council, at least 40 percent of the work on Port construction projects must be done by local residents (Los Angeles and Orange counties), 15 percent by disadvantaged workers and 10 percent by veterans. The PLA also encourages apprenticeship and training programs, and establishes hiring programs such as job fairs near project sites.
The five-year agreement covers $717 million in Port infrastructure projects including rail improvements, terminal redevelopment and public safety buildings.
“I am so pleased that the agreement approved by the Harbor Commission ensures that the Port is reaching out to local residents and disadvantaged workers to create good-paying opportunities,” said Harbor Commission President Lori Ann Guzmán. “And for the first time, we’ve added outreach to veterans. This agreement ensures ample, well-qualified workers on Port projects and is a win-win for our city and region.”
The new PLA builds on the successes of the Port’s existing labor pacts affecting $1.6 billion in construction projects during the past five years, and resulting in more than 5,300 local jobs. The existing pacts cover the Middle Harbor terminal modernization and Gerald Desmond Bridge replacement projects.
“We’ve been incredibly successful with these agreements,” said Port of Long Beach CEO Jon Slangerup. “It’s good policy to invest in local workers when we’re making these upgrades to enhance our competitiveness in the global market.”
As many as 15 percent of those hired for Middle Harbor construction and 26 percent of Gerald Desmond Bridge construction were disadvantaged workers including individuals who are unemployed, single parents, lacking a General Education Development (GED) certification or high school diploma, or apprentices with less than 15 percent of the apprenticeship hours required to graduate to journey level.
The Port of Long Beach is one of the world’s premier seaports, a primary gateway for transpacific trade and a trailblazer in innovative goods movement, safety and environmental stewardship. With 140 shipping lines connecting Long Beach to 217 seaports worldwide, the Port handles trade valued at more than $155 billion each year and supports hundreds of thousands of jobs in Southern California. Founded in 1911, the Port enters its second century with more than $4 billion in planned capital improvements over the next decade to support trade growth and strengthen its ability to serve the goods-movement industry, Port clients and the community.
The Port of Long Beach is a public agency managed and operated by the City of Long Beach Harbor Department. The Port is governed by the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners
