by Emily Opilo (originally from thebanner.com)
Baltimore’s spending board approved a deal imposing union hiring rules and wages for several city contracts Wednesday, despite warnings from a coalition of contractors who argued the agreement is illegal.
The deal, known as a project labor agreement, calls for priority hiring of union labor for four projects by the city’s Department of Public Works. Those projects, which have yet to be bid, are estimated to cost between $128 million and $140 million, collectively.
The deal, which includes rehabilitations to three city pumping stations and an outfall for wastewater at Sparrows Point, requires contractors to abide by union hiring procedures, often based on seniority, and to pay union-mandated wages if higher than the prevailing wage. Contractors and subcontractors must use city residents to fill at least 20% of journey-level work hours and 50% of apprentice work hours.
