Mayor Brandon M. Scott Announces Baltimore City's First Project Labor Agreement in Partnership with Baltimore-D.C. Metro Building Trades Council

BALTIMORE, MD (Monday, December 22, 2025) - Today, Mayor Brandon M. Scott, Department of Public Works Director Matthew Garbark, and the Baltimore-D.C. Metro Building Trades Council have announced a deal reached to establish the City of Baltimore's first project labor agreement. The historic agreement reflects a significant shift in how the City handles major capital projects within City agencies and will help ensure that the projects support residents, particularly working families, in being part of Baltimore's renaissance.

"I am so proud to announce we've reached a consensus on Baltimore City's first-ever Project Labor Agreement," said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. "This is great news for our workers, our union partners, DPW, and our entire city. When it comes to projects that are as important as these, we want the best trained, most skilled labor on the job - and that's union labor. I want to thank all of the folks who have worked with us for so long to finally make this happen."

This agreement outlines parameters related to four priority capital projects overseen by the Baltimore DPW. Among other provisions, it promotes the timely completion of these key city projects through labor and worksite improvements including expanded apprenticeships and skills training opportunities, better pay and safety conditions, and mechanisms for navigating grievances and circumventing potential construction delays.

Under this Project Labor Agreement, the city and its contractors will prioritize hiring hire union workers to complete four critical DPW projects:

• Rehabilitation of the Dundalk Pumping Station
• Sparrows Point Alt Outfall
• Rehabilitation of the Ashburton Pumping Station
• Rehabilitation of the Quad Avenue Pumping Station

The agreement also provides for the expansion of locally focused apprenticeship programs. Timely completion of these projects will require a significant number of workers across trades, and the agreement seeks to ensure that these projects not only support workers currently able to do the jobs needed, but also build capacity within the city's workforce. Through the partnership between the Mayor's Office of Employment Development (MOED) and the Building Trades Council's Raising the Bar Apprenticeship Readiness Program, this agreement seeks to implement more comprehensive apprenticeship programs to account for the increased labor demands. The agreement also includes an essential commitment to local recruiting, training, and hiring within Baltimore City to ensure residents are able to continue seeing the benefits of the opportunities these projects will bring and expand the City's capacity to provide reliable, skilled, experienced, and efficient craftwork for the construction of key city projects.

"I am excited for the potential benefits of this Agreement, which we've worked to craft alongside our union partners in a way that ensures it works for all," said Director Matthew Garbark, Department of Public Works. "The projects that are included are critically important, and they will require technical expertise and knowledge to complete. That means we need the best workforce that our City has to offer. With this Agreement in place, our union partners, our contractors, and the City will all be working together to ensure these projects are delivered using skilled labor from Baltimore City and completed with the high quality that our residents deserve."

"Baltimore is growing and reliable infrastructure is necessary to support the growth of the city. Union tradespeople are best to do this work to ensure the highest possible quality on vital city resources." said President Gregory Ackerman, Baltimore- D.C. Metro Building Trades Council "As the city undergoes a renaissance, building trades members are excited to be the hands that rebuild this city. This agreement builds on similar project labor agreements to build the Frederick Douglass tunnel and to rebuild the Key Bridge. Our members build the infrastructure that makes life better and easier for everyone."

Given its status as the city's first PLA, this agreement reflects a significant change in how capital projects have been supported in the past in Baltimore. Therefore, the agreement contains additional provisions that address worksite conditions, wages and hours, grievance and dispute processes, and work timelines to ensure that the City, its contractors, and our labor partners are all able to ensure the projects are completed in the most timely, cost-effective, and seamless way possible.

The Project Labor Agreement is subject to approval from the Board of Estimates, where it will be slated to be heard at the Wednesday, January 7th, 2026 meeting. Following anticipated approval by the Board, the agreement will be officially signed by Mayor Brandon M. Scott, agency officials, and union counterparts. It will remain active until the completion of the DPW projects included in the agreement.