EASTON, Pa. — Easton City Council on Wednesday approved a new agreement with building and construction trades groups that could benefit government, union workers and residents.
Councilman Frank Pintabone presented a resolution for a fresh Project Stabilization Agreement with the Greater Lehigh Valley Building and Construction Trades Council that calls for at least 10% of government construction projects to be staffed with local union workers.
After the resolution was passed, there was a round of applause from local union members.
“It’s a really good thing for the city, and it’s a really good thing for us, too.”IBEW Local 102 business representative Fred Sisco
According to City Administrator Luis Campos, a public labor agreement — or project stabilization agreement — commits the city to working with union labor forces on jobs costing more than $750,000.
The city’s previous PLA set that amount at $250,000, and lacked protocol for city and government jobs that fail to receive bids, a measure added to the new PLA.
Benefits listed in the five-year agreement include avoiding costly delays on projects, and standardizing terms and conditions related to labor on projects.
Also, permitting wide flexibility in work schedules, achieving negotiated adjustments to work rules and staffing requirements, and establishing and standardizing protocol to settle work disputes.
Also, ensuring skilled apprentices and experienced laborers, and promoting employment opportunities to those who are economically disenfranchised.
Not meant to pit union, nonunion
Campos said the agreement could lead to more local union labor for projects such as the rehabilitation of the Central Fire Station, which could cost millions of dollars.
According to Pintabone, the real beauty of the legislation is city union workers get more job opportunities, leading to better living conditions and increased spending within the city.
That, in turn, boosts the tax base and revenue for local establishments.
"I’ve always supported labor. We have local people that spend money in our city, that stimulate our economy, working on taxpayer-funded projects, so it just makes sense.”Easton Councilman Frank Pintabone
Pintabone said he had been working on the agreement for five months, connecting with Lehigh Valley Building Trades President Paul Anthony to develop an initial proposal that went to city council two months ago.
“Then it finally ended with myself, Luis, our solicitor, and [Director of Public Works] Dave Hopkins on a Zoom call with Mr. Anthony and their attorney from the" Greater Lehigh Valley Building and Construction Trades Council, Pintabone said.
“And there were some points — I wouldn’t call them a negotiation, it was very simple — where we both gave and took a little, and it made sense.
"I’ve always supported labor. We have local people that spend money in our city, that stimulate our economy, working on taxpayer-funded projects, so it just makes sense.”
Anthony said that while the agreement focuses on union members, it's not meant to pit them against nonunion workers, who still can bid for those government contracts.
The key difference, he said, was that union members were guaranteed to be “trained, educated and safe.”
Tradesmen celebrate agreement
Pintabone said he hopes the agreement leads to more connections between the trades and young adults in search of a career.
That, he said, could go a long way toward building a life in the city, a sentiment shared by many of the tradesmen and women who packed council chambers Wednesday.
"It’s a goal, but we want to exceed the goal.”Lehigh Valley Building Trades President Paul Anthony
While much of the agreement applies more detail on standard items — including drug testing protocols and break regulations — it also includes a promise to prioritize hiring at least 10% of workers from Easton or the surrounding area.
That move saw positive outcomes when introduced in Allentown.
“We had 15 percent in Allentown, and we exceeded that," Anthony said. "So we just threw 10 percent in there; it could have been any number.
"It’s a goal, but we want to exceed the goal.”
Anthony said some union members who were at the meeting to support the measure lived in the city and would see direct benefits from the legislation.
“We have people who actually work on these projects here tonight,” he said.
Could lead to more union work
IBEW Local 102 business representative Fred Sisco said he was “very, very happy” to see council approve the agreement.
“My anxiety was through the roof," Sisco said. "This was the first time I did this as a business rep, and had to go through a PLA. And I didn’t know what support I would get from my own membership — which I got great support from.
"Paul and myself didn’t really know what we were going to get from the Building Trades, which we got support, so we’re very, very happy.
“It’s a really good thing for the city, and it’s a really good thing for us, too.”
“More projects, more people, more growth.”IBEW Local 102 business representative Fred Sisco
Sisco said the agreement could easily lead to more work for union members.
He said it goes a long way toward ensuring workflow for the unions, Sisco said, as shops often have to compete with nonunion operations on private jobs, and often lose out because nonunion workers’ rates are lower — usually $18 to $22 an hour.
To stay competitive on those private projects, union shops have tended to mix lower-level trainees with more experienced journeymen, and used a market recovery rate to shave down the rates for journeymen.
With more chances to tackle larger city-based projects, local unions also will have more opportunities to take fresh workers under their wing and train them, Sisco said, leading to “more projects, more people, more growth.”
EDITOR'S NOTE: City Administrator Luis Campos is a board member of Lehigh Valley Public Media. He has no influence on LehighValleyNews.com editorial content.
