Resolution in Support of Project Labor Agreements and Responsible Contracting on King County-Leased Properties

April 17, 2025

WHEREAS, the Martin Luther King County Labor Council (MLKCLC) is committed to advancing workers’ rights, promoting high-road labor standards, and supporting equitable economic development in our communities; and

WHEREAS, King County owns and leases various properties, including those at King County International Airport (Boeing Field), to private entities for the purposes of development, business, and infrastructure projects; and

WHEREAS, public resources, including land owned by the County, should be leveraged to promote the public good, including creating family-wage jobs, advancing equity, and expanding access to union apprenticeship opportunities and careers in the trades; and

WHEREAS, Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) and Community Workforce Agreements (CWAs) are proven tools that promote labor harmony, workforce training, safety, and job quality by setting clear standards and expectations on construction projects; and

WHEREAS, contractors that demonstrate a commitment to supporting Washington State registered apprenticeship programs, providing health and retirement benefits, and ensuring workplace equity, particularly for small businesses, women, and minority-owned businesses (WMBEs), align with King County’s goals for inclusive and responsible economic development; and

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Martin Luther King County Labor Council supports efforts by the Seattle Building and Construction Trades Council to advocate for the inclusion of Project Labor Agreement (PLA) or Community Workforce Agreement (CWA) language on applicable developments and capital projects occurring on property that King County leases to private entities, including but not limited to projects at King County International Airport; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that MLKCLC urges King County to adopt policies that give procurement preference and responsible bidder designation to contractors that:

• Participate in and support Washington State registered apprenticeship programs;
• Provide health care and retirement benefits to their employees;
• Demonstrate a strong record of inclusion for small, women-, and minority-owned businesses;
• Certify that a labor harmony agreement, such as a PLA or CWA, will be in place for the project; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that MLK Labor will communicate this position to King County elected officials and departments responsible for leasing and procurement policy and advocate for strong labor standards across all public and quasi-public construction projects.