LOVETT PETERS'S claim that the state could save construction costs by eliminating the use of project labor agreements belies the facts ("Paying the bills," Op-ed, Nov. 24).
In a recent study of PLAs by ELECTRI International, researchers found no evidence that the agreements decrease the number of bidders or change the costs of construction projects, two central criticisms raised by Peters. Indeed, the study concluded that "PLAs are valuable tools for the construction industry because they can be used to create conditions needed for a superior construction project."
Moreover, the assertion that only 20 percent of the construction workforce is unionized does not comport with the data. The Commonwealth reported 139,700 construction industry employees in July 2007, more than 50 percent of whom are union members. And, more than 80 percent of construction industry apprentices are enrolled in union apprenticeship training programs, which are funded jointly by labor and management at $24 million annually.
PLAs are beneficial to all involved: Workers are properly trained and earn a respectable wage and benefits; employers have immediate access to a skilled workforce; and owners can take comfort in knowing that their projects will be completed by highly trained personnel and experienced management, safely, on time, and within budget.
MARY VOGEL
Executive director
The Construction Institute
Boston
