Construction Trades Council launches education campaign.

The New Jersey State Building and Construction Trades Labor Management Council has announced the launch of a statewide awareness campaign to educate public officials and private developers about the benefits of Project Labor Agreements.

The Council is dedicated to improving the quality of construction projects in New Jersey by promoting collaboration between skilled workers and management.

"Project Labor Agreements have become one of the best kept secrets in the construction industry," said Frank Wade, director of the Council. "As an effective project management tool for private, long-term construction projects, it is our goal to increase awareness within the public sector that PLAs are the formula for success for New Jersey's publicly funded projects, including school construction."

Last summer, the council's leadership seized the opportunity to forge a statewide partnership between. organized labor, signatory contractors, local public officials, and the general community when PLAs became required for publicly funded projects. Signed by Governor James McGreevey, this executive order became the nation's first public project mandate authorizing PLAs, which are collective bargaining agreements commonly used in large, long-term construction projects that involve multiple contractors and numerous trades.

"As a liaison, the Labor Management Council is committed to supporting the economic and societal benefits of these job-specific agreements," said Wade. "These include guaranteed access to a highly skilled pool of trades people, promoting local workforce development and employment, preserving budgetary and time requirements, and returning the profits to the community through the purchase of local goods and services as well as payroll, property, and state taxes."

LMC's educational campaign includes reaching out to school board members, administrators, teachers, and parents on a statewide basis. The multitiered marketing effort consists of direct mail, a question-and-answer educational brochure, and custom-tailored presentations designed to address unique district needs. The program, which will be expanded in the future to include industry leaders spearheading all public projects, is being conducted by each of the Council's 15 members who represent more than 100,000 individuals in the building trade unions, major construction employer associations, and contracting firms throughout the state.

The campaign, includes a general overview of PLAs that includes potential signatory participants, common elements and fundamentals, contractor requirements, and overall benefits to the school district, taxpayers, and the community.

"This campaign is one of many community outreach programs conducted by the Labor Management Council," said Wade. "A PLA is truly a community-based agreement that is one of the best investments to assure our children have access to the safest, securest environment."