Local labor will be used for all projects estimated at $250,000 or more.
The Oxnard Harbor District Board of Commissioners signed its first-ever project labor agreement (PLA) Monday.
The agreement will ensure local labor for all Port of Hueneme projects estimated at or above $250,000. The PLA will last for three years and may be extended by mutual consent of both the port and the unions.
“The port’s priority has always been to hire contractors and labor from our local community. The PLA formalizes this priority and ensures that our projects directly support our local workers and families,” said Oxnard Harbor District President Mary Anne Rooney. “We are eager to continue moving the port forward as the leading provider of homegrown good-paying jobs, real ladders of economic opportunity and strong environmental leadership for our community.”
According the agreement, the parties will work toward having at least 30 percent of all construction labor hours worked come from qualified workers residing in the cities of Oxnard and Port Hueneme as first priority, those residing in Ventura County as second priority, and those workers residing within Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties as third priority.
Both the port and labor will participate in the Helmets to Hardhats program, which assists in creating and maintaining an integrated database of veterans interested in working on port projects and participating in apprenticeship opportunities.
“This PLA will go a long way in putting our local people to work, expanding our apprenticeship programs and giving our returning veterans a place to work when they come home,” said Tony Skinner, president of the IBEW Local 952.
Port of Hueneme signs project labor agreement
