Biden To Ink Order Boosting Rights Of 200,000 Construction Workers

President Joe Biden will sign an executive order on Friday requiring "project labor agreements" in federal construction projects over $35 million, a potential boost to construction workers and unions that negotiate these deals, and a shift the administration says will speed up building times.

Photo Insert: Silhouette of a construction worker, USA

The order will apply to $262 billion in federal construction contracting and impact nearly 200,000 workers, according to a draft of the executive order seen by Reuters, Nandita Bose reported.

Project labor agreements are collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) between building trade unions and contractors, which set wages, employment conditions, and dispute resolution on specific projects.

Democratic presidents in the past have typically supported applying such agreements to the massive US federal contracting budget, while Republican presidents have rescinded them.

The order, which will go into effect immediately, comes on the heels of a $1 trillion infrastructure bill signed into law by Biden that invests in the country's roads, ports, and bridges.

Much of that money will flow through federal agencies to states and local governments. The new executive order excludes projects funded by grants to non-federal agencies, a senior administration official said, adding that will make up for a bulk of the projects under the bill.

But it will apply to billions of other federal spending on waterways, military bases, and other areas.

WEEKLY FEATURE : MVP Group Keeps Lights On During Pandemic