New York City is moving forward with a sweeping labor framework that will shape more than $7 billion in upcoming public construction. Under a new set of project labor agreements, or PLAs, the city aims to unify labor standards, expand community hiring and strengthen safety practices across a wide range of capital projects, according to a release from Mayor Eric Adams’ office.
These agreements build on the city’s 2024 design-build PLA and mark another step in Adams’ broader strategy to speed up capital delivery while growing career paths in union construction. The new terms will apply to a diverse set of projects — including library renovations, recreation centers, solar installations at public schools, water infrastructure upgrades and other essential public assets.
City officials say the standardized approach is intended to give contractors clearer expectations on wages, benefits and project safety measures. It also embeds community hiring requirements that aim to connect more local residents with stable, well-paying construction jobs.
“We’ve put our money where our mouth is and invested real dollars in real projects and delivered the good-paying jobs New Yorkers need,” Adams said in the release. “If the city is going to build a new library or recreation center, we want to make sure those jobs pay well during the day and get workers home safe at night.”
The city’s action comes as PLAs continue to draw national attention. A June 2025 memo from the Office of Management and Budget encouraged their use when they are “practicable and cost-effective,” while acknowledging questions about pricing and competitive impacts on large federal contracts.
For contractors bidding in New York City, the announcement is especially significant. It effectively establishes the workforce and compliance rules that will govern billions of dollars' worth of projects for years to come. Industry leaders say the predictability and standardized expectations can streamline how teams plan, staff and deliver projects.
The agreements also scale up the community hiring and apprenticeship initiative that New York City launched in mid-2024. Since its start, nearly 100 procurements representing more than $7.5 billion have already carried community hiring mandates — and the new PLAs deepen that commitment.
As part of the expansion, the city signed a memorandum of understanding with the Building and Construction Trades Council and the Building Trades Employers’ Association. The partnership will bring 700 pre-apprentices from New York City Housing Authority properties and other low-income communities into the city’s construction pipeline.
“In order for capital projects to reach their true economic potential, it is critical that they generate family-sustaining careers for hardworking New Yorkers,” said Gary LaBarbera, president of the Building and Construction Trades Council. “PLAs like the ones signed help them to do just that and more by establishing fair wages, safety standards and community hiring initiatives that boost apprenticeship opportunities and open up more pathways to the middle class.”
The initiative also aligns with Adams’ long-term goal of connecting 30,000 New Yorkers to apprenticeships by 2030. City officials and industry groups alike say the PLAs will help accelerate timelines while ensuring more workers — particularly from underserved communities — join the union construction workforce.
Supporters within the construction sector emphasized the long-term value of pairing speed with equity. The New York Building Congress and the Building Contractors Association both applauded the agreements for strengthening workforce development and improving project delivery.
“This deal means faster projects, safer jobs and fairer wages for the union trades who build our city every day,” said Carlo Scissura, president and CEO of the New York Building Congress. “It opens the door for thousands of apprentices to earn and learn on real projects.”
As New York City continues to tackle growing infrastructure needs — from resiliency upgrades to new public facilities — the PLAs represent a strategic shift toward more coordinated, community-centered construction. With billions of dollars in work ahead, officials say the framework will help ensure projects are delivered more efficiently while deepening access to union construction careers.
Originally reported by Sebastian Obando in Construction Dive.
