The New York State Thruway Authority and 14 labor groups have given the nod to a project labor agreement (PLA) for the Tappan Zee bridge replacement project, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office announced on June 18. The PLA, which is expected to save taxpayers about $452 million and provide thousands of construction jobs, will be a required provision of the RFP for the new bridge project. The agreement is subject to final approval from the Federal Highway Administration and the Thruway Authority board of directors.
The plan includes employment opportunities for union members in the Hudson Valley and New York Metropolitan region, and it acts as a mechanism to settle jurisdictional disputes through an organized grievance process. The plan also stipulates that lock-out or other work disruptions, including renegotiations of area collective bargaining agreements, is not permitted.