Project labor agreement to cover North Station rebuild, union leaders say

Speakers said the North Station drawbridge replacement will be completed under a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) negotiated with local building trades unions.

"That's what we get with the PLA," Governor Healy said, arguing PLAs help ensure projects run on time and on budget while delivering quality work. Shaton Green, a business agent with the Greater Boston Building Trades, described the PLA as providing day‑one guarantees: a living wage, health care and retirement benefits and a pipeline for apprenticeships.

Union leaders framed PLAs as investments in local families and businesses, saying construction wages and spending circulate through neighborhood stores and services. Officials tied the PLA to workforce development priorities, including training the next generation of skilled tradespeople.