County of San Mateo, Unions Approve Project Labor Agreement

Redwood City - San Mateo County supervisors today approved a project labor agreement with unions for most County public works projects - a decision leaders say will increase the safety and quality of the work and promote timely and fiscally sound completion.

Beginning July 1, 2026, this agreement between the County and the San Mateo County Building and Construction Trades Council, along with affiliated unions, will apply to all projects awarded over a five-year-term that meet specific monetary thresholds set out in the contract. The winning contract bidder must abide by the terms, as well as all contractors and subcontractors working on the project.

Advocates say project labor agreements (PLAs) promote the use of skilled labor, provide for the peaceful settlement of labor disputes, improve the safety and quality of the work performed and stabilize wages and working conditions for the employees on the projects. The agreement also includes provisions for apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs and the hiring of military veterans. The agreement does not require employees of a non-union contractor to join a union or pay dues as a condition of employment.

"When San Mateo County builds under a PLA, we're not just building infrastructure, we're building careers, protecting workers and keeping public dollars working for the public good," said San Mateo County Board of Supervisors President David Canepa. "But beyond the blueprints and budgets, PLAs represent a community investment. They provide pathways into the middle class for veterans, women, people of color and others traditionally left behind by the construction industry. This is a day to celebrate the 104 affiliate unions and over 90,000 members and their families represented by the San Mateo Labor Council who will benefit greatly from this resolution."

Specifically, the agreement applies to projects with an estimated bid amount above the following:

• $3 million or more for projects awarded on or after July 1, 2026
• $2.5 million or more for projects awarded on or after July 1, 2027
• $2 million or more for projects awarded on or after July 1, 2028
• $1 million or more for projects awarded on or after July1, 2029, with this threshold adjusted annually thereafter based on the California Construction Cost index.

The County has used project-specific PLAs previously on major capital projects like the Maple Street Correction Center and Cordilleras Mental Health Facility. However, this is the first time the County has instituted a broader agreement.

Supervisor Noelia Corzo, who co-sponsored the resolution, agreed this is a huge step for the County and its relationship with labor. Crafting a pre-hire collective bargaining agreement, she said, creates uniformity and signifies the County's commitment to dignified pay and conditions for workers on County projects.

"I'm confident that with this PLA we will get both predictability and cost effectiveness for the County. It means that we won't have to negotiate one-off PLAs for each project or building," Corzo said. "I want to uplift how important this is for workers in our community. It means that those who build our civic infrastructure will be taken care of, so their families can continue to live with dignity."

Read the full Board memo here.

Michelle Durand

Chief Communications Officer

[email protected]