Markey, Warren Call on Army Corps of Engineers to Include Project Labor Agreement Option for MIT Lincoln Lab Modernization

Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

“Project Labor Agreements are critical to ensure that major federal projects occur on schedule, without costly delays to taxpayers, and utilize a skilled workforce.”

Washington (September 1, 2021) – Today, United States Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sent a letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) seeking information about whether the USACE request for proposals (RFP) for the construction of the new Compound Semiconductor Laboratory and Microsystem Integration Facility (CSL-MIF) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Lincoln Laboratory includes the option for a Project Labor Agreement (PLA). The lawmakers requested that if the RFP does not include the option for a PLA, that the RFP be reissued with that option.

“In 2013, we wrote to the Department of Defense about the need for modernization of the facilities at the MIT Lincoln Laboratory. Our letter asked that once an agreement on modernization was reached, that ‘DOD would engage in a discussion with the Massachusetts Building Trades about using union workers on this project and … consider signing a Project Labor Agreement for construction of these new laboratories,’” wrote the lawmakers.

A copy of the letter can be found HERE.

Project Labor Agreements (PLA) are critical to ensure that major federal projects occur on schedule, without costly delays to taxpayers, and utilize a skilled workforce. A study on the use of PLAs in Massachusetts found that PLAs “can prevent the incurrence of ancillary costs,” “are appropriate on complex projects,” “help keep projects on time,” “prevent scheduling premiums,” “alleviate potential issues that may arise as a result of the particular geographic constraints of a project,” “are appropriate tools for preventing work stoppages and avoiding potential labor disruptions,” and can help create jobs for underserved communities.

The lawmakers noted that Executive Order 13502 encourages federal agencies to consider requiring the use of PLAs for large-scale construction projects, and affirms that PLAs provide “structure and stability to large-scale construction projects, thereby promoting the efficient and expeditious completion of Federal construction contracts.”