Union leaders urge stable project pipelines and project labor agreements to scale apprenticeships

Chris Munce, business manager of Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 74, urged the task force to create predictable construction pipelines and to use project labor agreements so apprenticeship programs can scale. Munce said the union receives hundreds of applicants but can accept only a small cohort each year and that stable contracts enable apprenticeship training without taxpayer subsidies.

Munce told members that Local 74 expects 200–300 applicants this year but typically admits about 20 apprentices into its program; expanding training would require longer‑term project commitments and guaranteed work flows. He argued PLAs ‘‘take the speculation out of construction’’ and provide predictable work that allows signatory contractors and apprenticeship programs to invest in recruiting and training.

Task force members thanked Munce and noted the union’s willingness to help scale training if the state or future projects provide sufficient, steady demand.