One of the primary functions of the Arizona Building and Construction Trades Council is to partner and form cooperative alliances with contractor associations, developers and individual builders to create an environment that makes “business sense” for large-scale commercial, industrial and power-generation projects. Model Construction Labor Agreements (MCLA) are an excellent way to generate a “win-win” for all parties involved.
The Arizona Building and Construction Trades Council strongly encourages public bodies to protect their substantial investments in public works projects. This is more than good government – it is smart business.
Experience shows that the use of unqualified or unscrupulous construction firms can lead to poor quality, high cost and many other problems. Hiring good, reputable firms for public contracts is essential. Unfortunately, existing background checks and screening procedures may be inadequate to evaluate prospective contractors. Additionally, public bodies should employ trained, qualified craft personnel from the local community and across Arizona who have the technical skills to perform the work on the project. And firms that benefit from public projects should be required to re-invest in the local skills training programs that provide employment and career paths for local residents.
To accomplish these important goals, the council recommends that public bodies utilize MCLAs, which provide for well-trained, highly-skilled and readily available local labor, both union and non-union. The key aspects of MCLAs are as follows:
The council also monitors and advocates for legislation that supports job creation for Arizona’s labor force. Our members work with elected officials and staff at all levels of government to properly educate and inform them of the role and nature of the building trades in Arizona. State legislators at the capitol, mayors, city council members and Arizona Corporation Commission members regularly hear from us on important labor and construction matters.
We call on our member organizations to get involved in a variety of ways:
