THE GREAT
PLA MYTH
A SPECIAL REPORT BY
VIRGINIANS FOR FAIRNESS
Do Project Labor Agreements Really Result in Higher Wages for Virginia Construction Workers?
PLAs LOWER TAKE-HOME WAGES AND BENEFITS FOR VIRGINIA CONSTRUCTION WORKERS
The data show that when politicians mandate PLAs, workers take-home less pay and benefits. That’s because, under prevailing wage laws, wage and benefit levels already match or exceed union wage and benefit levels in most cases. But mandatory union deductions and payments to the union disguised as worker “benefits” (i.e., those that don’t actually accrue to directly to the worker) shrink the actual pay and benefits that construction workers in the Commonwealth take home.
The result: Under government-mandated PLAs, workers end up worse off across nearly every major trade.
METHODOLOGY
How We Compared PLA and Non-PLA Wage and Benefit Levels
To ensure an apples-to-apples comparison, Virginians for Fairness analyzed seven collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) covering major construction trades on recent PLA projects in Northern Virginia and compared them to prevailing wage determinations from the same time period.
A 5-Step Analysis
Reviewed seven CBAs across major trades on recent PLA projects.
Calculated take-home pay after required union deductions (dues, political funds).
Included only benefits workers receive directly, not payments into union-controlled programs.
Compared adjusted PLA wages to federal Davis-Bacon rates for the same trades.
Annualized pay based on a 2,080-hour work year to analyze differences in annual take-home wages and benefits.
THE RESULTS
In 6 of the 7 trades examined, workers take home fewer wages and benefits when politicians mandate PLAs on public projects. Only sheet metal workers would take home marginally more - $2,059 in wages and benefits annually - under a PLA. Every other trade worker would take home less under a PLA. In the case of plumbers, they would take home over$14,000 less annually under a government-mandated PLA.
Ironworkers in Northern Virginia would take home $6,998 in additional wages and benefits annually in the absence of government-mandated PLA.
Laborers in Northern Virginia would take home $1,164 in additional wages and benefits annually in the absence of government-mandated PLA.
Plumbers in Northern Virginia would take home $14,450 in additional wages and benefits annually in the absence of government-mandated PLA.
Electricians in Northern Virginia would take home $5,657 in additional wages and benefits annually in the absence of government-mandated PLA.
Roofers in Northern Virginia would take home $3,120 in additional wages and benefits annually in the absence of government-mandated PLA.
Carpenters in Northern Virginia would take home $4,222 in additional wages and benefits annually in the absence of government-mandated PLA.
Sheet Metal Workers in Northern Virginia would take home $2,059 fewer wages and benefits annually in the absence of government-mandated PLA.
Source Data
The table below provides all details on the deductions from wages and benefits from each trade workers take home pay and benefits under a PLA. These deductions permit a direct comparison with how workers’ fare under a PLA with traditional prevailing wage requirements.
| Journeymen Trade | Union Deductions from Worker’s Take-Home Pay |
Included Employer-Provided Benefits Paid Directly to Worker |
Excluded Employer Payments Not Accruing Directly to Worker |
Date of Analysis | Data Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrician | Union Dues (3% or $1.62/hour) and contributions to the union’s Political Action Committee ($0.05/hour) | Healthcare ($8.00/hour); Life Insurance ($4.40/hour); Pension ($6.90/hour) | Joint Apprenticeship Training Fund ($0.85/hour); National Electrical Industry Fund (1% or $0.54/hour) | PLA Wage: 12/4/23 Non-PLA Wage: 12/22/23 |
PLA: Inside Wireman Agreement between Washington, DC Chapter, National Electrical Contractors Association and Local Union No. 26, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, June 1, 2021 Non-PLA: Davis-Bacon Wage Determination, #va20230158, 12/22/2023 |
| Sheet Metal Worker | Union Dues (3.7% or $1.89/hour) | Healthcare ($9.10/hour); Retirement ($1.22/hour); Pension ($11.28/hour); Vacation Fund ($1.00/hour) | Joint Apprenticeship Training Fund ($0.02/hour); Jobs Recovery Fund ($0.60/hour); Scholarship Fund ($0.04/hour) | PLA Wage: 11/1/24 Non-PLA Wage: 8/23/24 |
PLA: Agreement between the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers, and the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors National Association Mid-Atlantic Chapter and the Sheet Metal Contractors Association, July 1, 2020;
Wage Sheet Non-PLA: Davis-Bacon Wage Determination, #va20240158, 8/23/2024 |
| Ironworker | Union Dues (5% or $1.81/hour) | Healthcare ($7.75/hour); Retirement ($4.75/hour); Pension ($11.14/hour) | Industry Advancement Program Fund ($0.12/hour); Joint Apprenticeship Training Fund ($1.10/hour); Worker-Management Progressive Action Cooperation Fund ($0.20/hour) | PLA Wage: 6/1/23 Non-PLA Wage: 12/22/23 |
PLA: Agreement between the Iron Workers Employers Association of Washington, D.C., and Local Union No. 5 of the International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers, June 1, 2019;
Wage Sheet Non-PLA: Davis-Bacon Determination #va20230158 12/22/2023 |
| Plumber | Union Dues (6% or $2.97/hour) | Healthcare ($8.70/hour); Pension ($6.20/hour); Retirement Savings Fund ($4.86/hour) | Apprenticeship Training Fund ($2.35/hour); Industry Fund ($0.25/hour); Promotional Fund ($0.30/hour); International Training Fund ($0.10/hour) | PLA Wage: 2/1/24 Non-PLA Wage: 8/23/24 |
PLA: Agreements between Mechanical Contractors Association of Metropolitan Washington, Incl. and Plumbers Local Union No. 5 United Association, August 1, 2022;
Wage Sheet Non-PLA: Davis-Bacon Determination, #va20240158, 8/23/2024 |
| Laborer | Union Dues (5% or $1.48/hour) | Death Benefit ($0.07/hour); Pension ($3.14/hour); Healthcare ($4.70/hour) | Training Fund ($0.38/hour); Laborers Employers Cooperation and Education Trust ($0.10/hour); Construction Contractors Council Industry Fund ($0.28/hour) | PLA Wage: 6/1/24 Non-PLA Wage: 11/29/24 |
PLA: Agreement between Construction Contractors Council and the Metropolitan Area of Philadelphia; Baltimore; Washington Laborers’ District Council, LiUNA, Local Union 11, and Local Union 710, June 1, 2023 Non-PLA: Davis-Bacon Determination #DC20240002 11/29/2024 |
| Roofer | Union Dues (6% or $2.09/hour) and contributions to the union's Political Action Fund ($0.05/hour) | Healthcare ($10.35/hour); Pension ($1.80/hour); Retirement ($2.00/hour); Vacation ($1.00/hour) | Apprenticeship Training Fund ($0.70/hour); Research & Education Fund ($0.06/hour) | PLA Wage: 6/1/24 Non-PLA Wage: 2/23/24 |
PLA: Agreement Between the United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers, Local Union 30, and the Construction Contractors Council, July 1, 2023
;
Wage Sheet
Non-PLA: Davis-Bacon Determination #DC20240002 2/23/24 |
| Carpenter | Union Dues (3.9% or $1.30/hour) and contributions to the union's Political Action Fund ($0.10/hour) | Healthcare ($4.95/hour); Pension ($6.04/hour); Retirement ($2.25/hour) | Apprenticeship Training Fund ($0.50/hour); Carpenters International Training Fund International Training Fund ($0.13/hour); Industry Promotion Fund ($0.12/hour) | PLA Wage: 5/1/23 Non-PLA Wage: 12/23/23 |
PLA: Agreement between Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters Affiliated with the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, and the Construction Contractors Council, May 1, 2023
Non-PLA: Davis-Bacon Determination, #va20230158 12/22/23 |