Project Labor Agreements (PLA)

A Project Labor Agreement (PLA), is a pre-hire collective bargaining agreement with one or more labor organizations that establishes the terms and conditions of employment for a specific construction project. The agreement between an owner and local trade unions provides for the hiring of qualified construction workers and guarantees labor stability on a construction project.

A PLA requires all employers to sign collective bargaining agreements with the appropriate trade unions for all work on the project. Collective bargaining enables working union members to negotiate with employers on terms of employment, including pay, benefits, hours, leave and safety policies. Employers are able to resolve issues at the bargaining level rather than through conflict, which reduces employee turnover by promoting open communication and job security.

Academic research has shown that PLAs are good for both public and private-sector construction projects, particularly larger projects. The validity of PLAs has consistently been upheld in both federal and state courts. PLAs do not adversely affect the costs of construction projects; rather, they positively influence project timeliness, quality, safety, training, minority employment, employee benefits and labor peace.

Some of the successful Cleveland Building & Construction Trades Council Projects that used PLAs:

Cleveland Cinic: Cole Eye Center; Neurological Building; Cancer Center; Global Peak Center; Avon Campus

All work performed at the Cleveland Clinic sites below is done under a Project Labor Agreement.
The Cole Eye Center will now set the new standard for eye care and research. The $180 million project included construction of a new 150,000-square-foot building and the renovation of the existing 130,000-square-foot Cole Eye Institute building. The new facility features an ophthalmic surgical center with 12 operating rooms, three refractive surgery procedure rooms and 50 eye exam rooms.
The Neurological Building is now fully enclosed. The 1-million-square-foot structure will include inpatient and outpatient care, along with imaging and surgical services and research laboratories to investigate the function of the human brain and innovation labs to develop the neurological treatments of tomorrow. The facility’s first patient is expected in January 2027.
The big three projects – Cole Eye Center, Innovation District and Neurological Building – created about 2,500 jobs for affiliated members.
FAIRVIEW: Affiliated members of the Cleveland Building Trades are building a new cancer center and medical office building, set to open in the second quarter of 2026. A new parking garage will open in 2028. The cancer center and medical office building will be approximately 168,000 square feet, and the parking garage will be 340,000 square feet with 995 spaces. The Fairview project will also include the construction of a new pedestrian bridge connecting new buildings to the existing hospital.
In downtown Cleveland, journeymen and apprentices are busy building the Global Peak Performance Center. A collaboration between the Cleveland Clinic and the Cleveland Cavaliers, the facility will be the new home and practice facility for the Cavs. The center is set to open in August 2027.
AVON: the Richard E. Jacobs Campus expansion is being designed, with construction to begin this year. The $340 million project will nearly double the size of the campus. The Avon Hospital expansion will include a bed tower to increase inpatient capacity, new operating rooms, a larger emergency department and additional lab and imaging space.