PLA/Hire LAX Archives

Frequently Asked Questions

The PLA is an agreement between the Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO, the Los Angeles/Orange County Building and Construction Trades Council, its affiliated local unions and the Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters that sets the terms and conditions on applicable projects. The PLA is open to both union contractors who are not otherwise signatory to a union. All craft workers covered by the PLA shall be classified in accordance with work performed and paid, following the state/Federal Labor Codes, prevailing wage requirements. The PLA promotes opportunities for the local community, through the Local Hire provision and the Workforce Development System.
All contractors and subcontractors working on Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) PLA covered projects are required to comply with the Local Hire requirements. The PLA Article III, Section 6, Contractor Hiring Obligations, sets forth a 30% local worker hiring goal to maximize the employment of qualified persons and facilitate local resident access to union apprenticeship training.
The HireLAX Program provides local residents access to enroll in a comprehensive, construction apprenticeship preparation program offered by select public agencies or community partners. Upon completion, program graduates are competitively positioned for placement consideration on a LAWA construction project through its contractors and local craft unions. Veterans and women are strongly encouraged to participate in the program.
Yes, non-union prime contractors and subcontractors can work on LAWA’s PLA-covered projects. As a requirement, the PLA, Article 2, Section 3(b) requires ‘all’ prime contractors and subcontractors, who have been awarded contracts of work, to sign a Letter of Assent, prior to the commencement of work, which means they agree to the terms and conditions of the PLA.
Yes, the PLA, Article 9, Section 2, requires all prime contractors and subcontractors to pay benefit contributions for all union referrals and core employees to the appropriate union trust fund.
Yes, in accordance with PLA, Article 9, Section 1, the applicable prevailing federal or state rate determination shall apply to all PLA covered projects.
In accordance with PLA, Article 3, Section 10, to ensure that contractors will have an opportunity to employ their experienced "core employees” on this Project, the parties agree that in those situations where a Contractor not a party to the current collective bargaining agreement with the signatory union having jurisdiction over the affected work is a successful bidder, that the Contractor may request by name, and the local will honor, referral of persons who have applied to the local union for Project work and who meet the following qualifications: • possess any license required by state or federal law for the Project work to be performed; • have worked a total of at least 3,000 hours in the construction craft during the prior three (3) years. • were on the Contractor's active payroll for at least 90 out of the 180 calendar days prior to the contract award; • have the ability to perform safely the basic functions of the applicable trade. All prime contractors and subcontractors shall be required to comply with the union security provisions of the applicable Schedule A for the period during which they are performing on-site Project work to the extent, as required by law, of rendering payment of the applicable monthly working dues and all no initiation or application fees uniformly required for union membership in the local union which is signatory to this Agreement. The Union will refer to such Contractor one employee from the hiring hall out-of-work list for each affected trade or craft, and will then refer one of such Contractor’s “core” employees and shall repeat the process as follows: one from the hiring hall and one “core” employee, until such contractor’s requirements are met or until such contractor has hired ten (10) such “core” employees for that craft, whichever occurs first. Thereafter, all additional employees in the affected trade or craft shall be hired exclusively from the hiring hall out-of-work list.
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