How DC Workers Lost
When the Project Labor Agreement (the contract detailing the obligations of stadium contractors) was signed on the $611 million Washington Nationals ballpark, it was supposed to be a tremendous opportunity for our city. We would see a windfall of jobs for DC workers, and there would be countless new training opportunities for Washingtonians looking to enter the workforce.
Instead, DC workers have watched as out-of-towners have performed the majority of work, and the promised apprenticeships have never materialized.
How badly have DC workers lost?
Every term of the Project Labor Agreement (PLA) has been violated. In fact, not a single contractor -- 0 out of 56 -- has met each of the four requirements to give DC residents a leg up in jobs and opportunities. Some of the facts: - Only 29% of regular work hours have been performed by DC residents
PLA requirement: 50% of regular work hours must be performed by DC residents.
- Half of the firms involved with Ballpark construction have hired no new apprentices; of those companies that have hired new trainees, only 17 (of 56) have met the 100% requirement
PLA requirement: 100% of new apprenticeships must go to DC residents.
- Most contractors hired no new employees, or hired a majority of their new employees from out-of-DC.
Requirement: At least 51% of new hires must be DC residents
The ballpark construction should have been a homerun for District residents. Instead, before the new Nationals ballpark even opens, it already has a record of failure.
To read the full story of how DC workers lost – and to read our report, “Broken Promises, Big Losses” – click here.
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