Long Beach harbor commissioners approve labor agreement

A new labor agreement will give union members living in Los Angeles and Orange counties a significant advantage when it comes to being hired to work on Port of Long Beach contracts.

Long Beach’s Board of Harbor Commissioners, which sets policy for the Long Beach port, voted Monday night to approve a new project labor agreement covering some $717 million worth of capital projects expected to be accomplished over five years. Port officials aounced the commission’s vote Tuesday moing.

The deal allows nonunion contractors to rely upon five “core employees” for port jobs, but firms would otherwise have to hire workers from union halls affiliated with the Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council. In exchange for union members getting the inside track on hiring, the workers belonging to the participating unions agree not to go on strike or otherwise hinder projects covered by the agreement.

The deal also requires 40 percent of covered work to be performed by people living in Los Angeles or Orange counties, that 10 percent of work go to veterans and 15 percent be performed by “disadvantaged” workers. The last category includes people who are single parents, unemployed, receiving govement assistance or homeless.

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