Los Angeles Unified School District Extends Its Project Labor Agreement

by Charles Bradshaw

Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is extending its project labor agreement (PLA) for five more years until 2013. The LAUSD modernization project is considered by many as the largest public works project in nation. The project so far has a budget of $20.3 billion dollars. The LA Business Journal published the original story here.

Like most good PLAs, this one includes local hiring provisions. This one is literally paying off for the community. Fifty percent of the local workforce are to be district residents. According to LAUSD "12,400 local workers on LAUSD projects have earned a total of $136.6 million in wages since July 2004."

Other highlights of the construction program include:

• 72 schools completed
• Six new schools to open in September 2008
• More than 16,500 modernization projects completed
• One Billion in state funding garnered for new school construction and modernization by Facilities Legislation, Grants and Funding since 1998
• More than 50 joint use agreements in place, with another 90 in development
• In 2007, LAUSD inducted into the Green California Schools Hall of Fame

As stated in a previous blog entry LAUSD is attempting to bundle many of the projects into a $7 billon school bond that will be on the ballot this November