Baltimore-D.C. Building Trades (BDCBT) President Stephen Courtien joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast and discussed the benefits of Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) and how the BDCBT has used them to secure good-paying jobs for its affiliated members.
The BDCBT has about 26,000 affiliated members and its jurisdiction covers Washington D.C., half of Virginia and most of Maryland.
About 10 years ago, the organization merged together to include Baltimore and Washington D.C., which allowed it to better focus on recruitment, training and servicing jobsites, said Courtien. Since then, a law was passed in Washington D.C. that required PLAs for large projects. He then explained how PLAs are vital to ensuring quality jobs for the area building trades.
Now that new industries have come to the area, primarily offshore wind and datacenters, those industries see the value of PLAs in getting projects completed on time and under budget, he added.
Courtien then spoke about Skipjack Wind, an offshore wind project in Maryland and Delaware that will provide a hub for new manufacturing, as well as a training center for a new green workforce.
Listen to the entire episode to learn more about these topics.