CULVER CITY, CA — The Culver City City Council has approved a Community Workforce Agreement establishing labor terms for covered city construction projects and supporting local hiring, apprenticeships and employment opportunities for workers facing barriers to employment, officials announced Thursday.
The agreement was approved in a 5-0 vote Oct. 12 and is between the city and the Los Angeles and Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council. It applies to multitrade construction contracts of $750,000 or more and prime specialty contracts of $150,000 or more.
The new community workforce agreement, or CWA, is a type of labor agreement that sets uniform requirements for construction work, eliminating the need to negotiate separate agreements for individual projects.
"The Community Workforce Agreement is a great opportunity for Culver City to ensure that we are investing public dollars in our community and the people who build it," Mayor Freddy Puza said in a statement.
Puza highlighted the agreement's focus on local hiring and job opportunities for veterans, disadvantaged workers and people who have historically faced barriers to employment.
The agreement establishes targets for construction work hours performed by local and regional residents. It also supports registered apprenticeship programs that provide training for construction careers.
Provisions include commitments to prevent strikes and lockouts, along with a defined process for resolving disputes, officials said. Both union and nonunion contractors may compete for covered projects through the city's regular competitive bidding process.
Eddie Escotó Alvarez, Los Angeles County representative for the Building Trades Council, said having workforce agreements with both the city and the Culver City Unified School District would benefit the community.
Trades Council Executive Secretary Ernesto Medrano said, "Agreements like this bring real opportunities to Culver City locals, veterans, apprentices and more."
Jose Amador, a representative for the Western States Regional Council of Carpenters, said joining the union brought his family stability, better wages and opportunities.
"To me, the Community Workforce Agreement is about creating those same opportunities for our students, residents and the community," Amador said.
The agreement is intended to connect city infrastructure spending with local employment and training opportunities while developing a workforce for future construction projects, according to the city.
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