Meeting_Body
CONSTRUCTION COMMITTEE
MARCH 18, 2026
Subject
SUBJECT: PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENT/CONSTRUCTION CAREERS POLICY (PLA/CCP)
Action
ACTION: RECEIVE AND FILE
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
RECEIVE AND FILE the status update on the Project Labor Agreement and Construction Careers Policy programs through the quarter ending December 2025, including updates on tasks related to Motion 13.1 and PLA/CCP activities through January 2026.
Issue
ISSUE
In January 2012, the Board approved the Project Labor Agreement (PLA) with the Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council (LA/OCBCTC) and the Construction Careers Policy (CCP), with subsequent renewal in January 2017. The PLA and CCP encourage construction employment and training opportunities for residents of economically disadvantaged areas throughout the United States on Metro’s construction projects. An added value of the PLA is that work stoppages are prohibited.
This report also provides updates on initiatives that stem from the Construction Workforce Disparity Study (Study) and Motion 13.1 by Directors Horvath, Hahn, Dutra, Solis, and Yaroslavsky, which was approved by the Board on March 25, 2025 (Attachment A).
Background
BACKGROUND
This report provides a status update on the construction contracts the PLA/CCP covers, including an overview of the Diversity and Economic Opportunity Department (DEOD) efforts to increase female participation. It also provides an update on the PLA/CCP through the quarter ending December 2025 (Attachment B). Consistent with the Board-approved PLA/CCP, prime contractors must provide Metro with monthly reports detailing their progress toward meeting the targeted worker hiring goals. Additionally, consistent with Metro’s Labor Compliance Policy, prime contractors provide Metro with worker utilization data.
At its November 2017 meeting, the Board approved Motion 33.1 (by Directors Kuehl, Hahn, Garcetti, Dupont-Walker, Solis, Barger and Bowen) to encourage contractors on Metro construction projects to increase the participation of women by meeting or exceeding the federal female participation goal of 6.9%. The Motion directed the creation of a report card/scorecard system reflecting the attainment of the female participation goals for Metro PLA/CCP contractors that was established to increase visibility and encourage contractors to achieve the 6.9% female participation goal (Attachment C).
In April 2024, Metro commissioned a study to evaluate the availability and participation of female workers necessary for upcoming infrastructure projects. The study aimed to address gaps in workforce diversity, with a particular emphasis on increasing female representation. It identified several barriers that hinder female participation, including challenges related to recruitment, retention, and career advancement in a traditionally male-dominated industry.
At its meeting on March 27, 2025, the Board approved Motion 13.1 by Directors Horvath, Hahn, Dutra, Solis, and Yaroslavsky. Additionally, as a component of the approved Motion, an amendment by Director Dupont-Walker requested a report back on the status of efforts to address cultural competency requirements for historically underutilized populations, including other cultural sensitivities and disparities.
Since March 2025, staff have worked to address the study recommendations by collaborating with regional partners, Metro Leadership, and key stakeholders. The progress made in identifying opportunities related to the recommendations, as well as the next steps, has been included in this report.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
Metro’s PLA/CCP provides training and employment opportunities within the construction industry to individuals residing in economically disadvantaged areas and to disadvantaged workers. Since Metro’s PLA/CCP inception in 2012 and up to the December 2025 reporting period, over $697 million in wages have been paid to individuals residing in economically disadvantaged areas, an increase of 2.19% from last quarter’s reporting, and over $134 million in wages paid to disadvantaged workers, an increase of 2.01% from last quarter’s reporting. Overall wages expended for PLA workers on all active projects were over $22 million through the October-December 2025 quarter.
A. PLA/CCP Status Update
As of the December 2025 reporting period, a total of 24 contracts require compliance with PLA/CCP requirements, listed in Attachment D. Among these, 21 are currently active construction projects. Out of these 21 projects, two (2) contracts are subject to the National Targeted Worker Requirements, which focus on workers from economically disadvantaged areas in the United States; 19 contracts are subject to the Local Hire Initiative, which aims to hire workers from economically disadvantaged areas of Los Angeles County. The remaining three (3) projects have not yet begun the construction phase.
Projects Subject to National Targeted Worker Requirement (from economically disadvantaged areas of the U.S.)
Of the contractors that are subject to the National Targeted Worker requirement, both exceeded the 40% Targeted Worker Goal (from economically disadvantaged areas); one contractor exceeded the 20% Apprentice Worker Goal (individuals starting a career in construction); and both contractors exceeded the 10% Disadvantaged Worker Goal.
Overall (aggregate), PLA/CCP program-wide attainment of the three workforce goals has been met and exceeded due to a collaborative effort between Metro, the Building Trade Unions, and contractors. Since the program inception in 2012, 42 completed construction contracts have been subject to the PLA/CCP requirements.
Projects Subject to Local Hire Initiative (from economically disadvantaged areas of Los Angeles County)
Of the contractors that are subject to the Local Hire Initiative requirement, 16 contractors exceeded the 40% Targeted Worker Goal (from economically disadvantaged areas); 9 (nine) contractors exceeded the 20% Apprentice Worker Goal (individuals starting a career in construction); and 14 contractors exceeded the 10% Disadvantaged Worker Goal.
B. Female Workers on Active Construction Projects
Consistent with Motion 33.1, Metro has increased visibility of female participation on active construction contracts via regular reporting. The scorecard as of December 2025 can be seen in Attachment E.
Staff continue to attend monthly project meetings, as needed, to communicate directly with prime contractors who are not meeting the female participation goal at key milestones of 25%, 50%, and 75% project completion.
In addition, for contractors receiving a score grade of “D” or below, notices are issued immediately with recommendations to conduct outreach and implement other efforts aimed at improving female participation.
In LA County, 50% of the adult population is female. The average female participation on Metro construction projects is currently 3.72% of total work hours compared to less than 2.0% on other non-Metro public works construction projects in the Southern California region. Since the completion of mega projects such as the Regional Connector and the Airport Metro Connector, the female participation percentages have fluctuated but will gain more momentum as new projects begin, such as East San Fernando Valley (Phase 2), Link Union Station, Zero Emission Bus Charging Infrastructure Div18, Metro AB Lines, and others.
Nationally, women represent approximately 4.0% of the construction building trades workforce. Metro historically referenced a 6.9% benchmark based on prior federal guidance and continues to track participation using updated labor market data and program performance trends. As PLA/CCP staff continue to learn information on nationwide best practices, these practices are then shared with jobs coordinators and labor unions to support the recruitment and retention of women in the trades, which remains a regional challenge. These initiatives are implemented through programs such as Multi-Craft Core Curriculum (MC3) and the LA County Justice, Care, and Opportunities Department (JCOD). A chart showing female participation percentages in Metro’s PLA/CCP construction projects over the last five (5) years can be seen in Attachment E.
Metro continues to advance strategies to support outreach, recruitment, and retention of all workers in the disadvantaged workforce categories. These strategies, led by the PLA/CCP staff, are proactive measures that address the regional needs for additional workers. These efforts spread awareness and sparked interest for women in the region.
C. Ongoing Strategies
Women Breaking Ground Website <https://womenbreakground.com>
In March 2024, Metro launched the “Women Breaking Ground” website which provides women who are interested in a career in construction, an avenue for learning how to join an apprenticeship readiness training program and how to get connected to resources.
Through December 2025, over 1,400 individuals have been triaged and given information and resources on starting a career in construction. Of those individuals, 392 individuals were referred to a pre-apprenticeship training program sponsored by the LA/OCBCTC Apprentice Readiness Fund an increase of four from the previous reporting period. To date, 38 individuals have enrolled in the pre-apprenticeship training, 35 have graduated, and six have been placed into Union Apprenticeship jobs. To better understand why 354 of the 392 referred individuals did not enroll in the Apprentice Readiness program, PLA/CCP staff are developing a coordinated outreach and survey strategy in partnership with the Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council.
The Women Breaking Ground website includes testimonials of women who have worked in the trades and gives an overview of their experience. The website is also a tool for women who are already in the trades to get connected to the unions, contractors, and more resources to be placed on a construction job. It is made available through physical outreach materials and digital marketing ads and is accessible through the Metro careers website, which can be located in the promo box titled “Women <https://www.metro.net/about/careers/women/>”.
Listed below are additional ongoing strategies being implemented by Metro to increase the overall workforce capacity, with a specific focus on increasing female participation on Metro’s construction projects.
1. Female Participation Score Card - Staff continue to grade each contractor’s performance quarterly by using a score card that reflects percentages of worked hours performed by females hired by Metro’s contractors to encourage meeting the 6.9% goal.
2. Jobs Coordinator Meetings - Staff conduct quarterly meetings with jobs coordinators to discuss best practices and identify outreach and recruitment opportunities.
3. Transition Coordination - Staff work with the unions and jobs coordinators to refer female workers who have completed their previous work assignments to other active Metro construction projects.
4. Women in the Trades Resource Guide (Attachment F) - Staff developed a comprehensive guide to recruit, employ, and retain women in construction careers, to assist prime contractors in recruiting female workers.
5. Collaboration with Unions - Staff established a collaboration with the Laborers Union and Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters to directly refer female workers to the apprenticeship programs. Upon completion, participants are referred to Metro’s contractors for employment opportunities.
6. Outreach - Staff continue to reach out to community-based organizations, pre-apprenticeship schools, and building trades to promote career opportunities and to increase female recruitment in the construction industry (Attachment G).
7. Continue to collaborate with Women in Non-Traditional Employment Roles (WINTER) to help empower, train, educate, and prepare women for transformative careers in the construction industry. In addition, Metro provides continuous employment referrals to female graduates of WINTER on Metro project sites.
8. Continue to cooperate with the LA County Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), LA County Department of Public Works, City of Los Angeles Economic Workforce Development Department (EWDD), and school districts throughout the LA region in efforts to recruit individuals interested in starting a career in construction and establishing an ongoing referral system of individuals to pre-apprenticeship programs available through the LA County DEO network of services.
• Continue to partner with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works (LACDPW) to participate in Women in Trades Advisory Council (WITAC) meetings, which focus on female participation language in LACDPW, Community Workforce Agreement (CWA). Construction and regional stakeholders, including the LA/OC Building and Construction Trades Council, the Apprentice Readiness Fund, IBEW 11 are also regular attendees of WITAC meetings. This collaboration helps PLA/CCP identify challenges and learn best practices to improve tradeswomen’s participation across Metro projects. PLA staff will attend the next WITAC meeting scheduled for February 11, 2026.
9. Continue partnership with the Los Angeles/Orange County Building and Construction Trades Council (LA/OCBTC) and its Executive Secretary focused on increasing the workforce in the construction industry, including prioritizing and dispatching female workers on Metro construction projects.
10. Continue Metro support to facilitate WINTER, and the LA County Justice, Care, and Opportunities Department (JCOD) collaboration to launch its first all-female Pre-Apprentice Construction Readiness training cohort. To allow time for the remodeling of the dormitories, the training start date was rescheduled to March 2, 2026. To date, 20 potential trainees have attended the orientation session and expressed interest in participating in the program. In the interim, at the quarterly jobs coordinator meeting held on January 29, 2026, PLA/CCP staff invited representatives from WINTER and the JCOD to present program details to jobs coordinators to support efforts for increased referrals.
Outreach to High Schools and Youth
Metro DEOD staff are dedicated to partnering with industry leaders to significantly enhance apprenticeship programs to effectively build capacity for present and future projects. Below are impactful activities that the team has implemented to inspire high school and community college students to spark their interest in pursuing rewarding careers in the trades. These efforts will inform and empower the next generation of skilled workers.
1. From October 2025 to January 2026, Metro PLA/CCP staff held 7 (seven) outreach events at high schools, youth organizations, and community career fairs across the Los Angeles region to promote careers in the construction industry. Outreach activities included participation at John Muir High School, North Hollywood High School, Frontier High School, Whittier Adult School, YouthBuild, LA Conservation Corps, Metro LA SEED School, and PDA Consulting, Inc.’s Youth Summit. Staff also participated in the PDA Consulting, Inc./Swinerton Construction Inclusion Week Career Fair and served as panelists at the 60th Annual California Transit Association Conference.
2. Metro staff continue to expand engagement with youth to generate interest in trades and create a pipeline of opportunities. The SEED School is also introducing students to a variety of careers, including those within the infrastructure sector. On December 4, 2025, staff attended the career-based Fire Side Panel and Employment Fair for the SEED School senior student body.
3. A partnership meeting was convened with both Youth Build and the Conservation Corps by PLA/CCP staff, and with a path forward where staff will host 3 Youth Construction Career Day field trips to Metro’s new Talent Hub to introduce construction careers. The first field trip took place on October 23, 2025. More than 50 students attended the event. Representatives from Metro departments and programs, including the Diversity and Economic Opportunity Department (DEOD), Project Management Office (PMO), Transportation Career Advancement Program (TCAP), Internship Program (MIP), and Entry Level Trainee Program (ELTP) participated and provided presentations on career pathways in the construction industry. Presenters discussed the range of career opportunities available, training and apprenticeship options, and the long-term professional growth and economic mobility that youth can achieve through careers in construction.
The next field trip is scheduled to take place on March 12, 2026. The final field trip is scheduled to take place in May 2026.
Metro will also continue to collaborate with the LA/OC Building and Construction Trades Council and its union affiliates to assist in the recruitment efforts of workers.
D. Status Update to Board Motion 13.1
PLA/CCP staff have been actively engaged in implementing, developing, researching, and meeting to advance the following initiatives and recommendations:
1. Expand Cultural Competency Plan requirements to integrate Community Benefits and Workforce Equity Components into RFP procurements
• DEOD is working with the County Counsel, Vendor/Contract Management, and Office of Equity and Race to review the Cultural Competency Plan and receive guidance regarding the framework.
2. Establish a regional roundtable to activate discussions on goal setting for regional public contracting agencies
In 2025, two (2) Regional Roundtables were convened on June 24, 2025, and December 12, 2025, and were co-chaired by the Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) and Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) to advance regional coordination on female inclusion in the construction industry. Participants included the LA/OCBCT, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works (LADPW), International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 11, Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), the LA/OCBTC Apprentice Readiness Fund, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, and other public agencies, labor partners, and workforce stakeholders. The second Regional Roundtable was also attended by Metro Board Chair, Fernando Dutra and Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Sharon Gookin, reinforcing executive-level commitment to this regional effort. These discussions resulted in the formation of three (3) subcommittees focused on: (1) Female Worker Utilization, (2) Jobsite Culture, and (3) Childcare.
The Female Worker Utilization Subcommittee is working on developing a cross-agency Memorandum of Understanding to standardize workforce inclusion expectations, improve data sharing and transparency, strengthen recruitment and retention pipelines, and establish shared accountability measures. The Jobsite Culture Subcommittee focuses on embedding respectful workplace and anti-harassment standards into procurement, contractor requirements, and daily jobsite practices, including mentorship, training, access to basic onsite resources, and anonymous reporting tools. The Childcare Subcommittee is designing a sustainable regional childcare support model by leveraging employer and union commitments, aligning public workforce funding, and establishing a dedicated childcare fund to reduce barriers for apprentices and improve workforce retention.
Regional Roundtable #3 is scheduled for April 27, 2026, and will be hosted by the Department of Economic Opportunity.
3. Conduct a Women in the Trades Regional Summit
PLA/CCP staff are coordinating with regional partners to plan the Women in the Trades Regional Summit. The goal of the Summit is to provide the next generation of female construction workers with insights regarding the benefits of working with trade unions, as well as connecting them to valuable resources. The anticipated timeframe for the event is late 2026.
4. Establish a Female Advisory Group
DEOD staff are currently identifying key stakeholders to support the formation of the Construction Female Advisory Group and to develop its overarching mission. The mission will define the group’s objectives, including providing mentorship, guidance, and best practices to advance a more inclusive and diverse construction workforce. Once established, the group will drive the development and delivery of the Women in the Trades Regional Summit, creating measurable opportunities for engagement, leadership development, and workforce growth.
5. Launch a targeted social media campaign (Built by HER!) focused on women, youth, and mentorship opportunities.
The “Built by HER!” campaign launched in July 2025, targeting young women between the ages of 18 to 24, introducing a pipeline to construction careers by way of sourcing future construction workers to the Women Breaking Ground website. Posters have been produced in both English and Spanish and are being distributed to High Schools and Youth Career and Employment programs throughout the Region. Guests of Metro’s Gateway Headquarters building will be able to see the Built by HER! advertisement on the Video Wall that is located on the 3rd level of Metro’s Gateway building outside of the boardroom, as well as the ViewSonic Kiosks on the same floor. The advertisement video will be streaming again in March 2026 during Women’s History Month, through May 2026.
A schedule for additional Metro sponsored advertisement for the Women Breaking Ground website for the remainder of 2026 is as followed:
o Bus Car King: March 2026 - May 2026.
o Rail King: March 2026 - May 2026.
o Bus Car Cards April 13, 2026 - July 11, 2026.
o Rail Car Cards: August 17, 2026 - November 21, 2026.
In response to Director Dupont-Walker’s request in Motion 13.1, staff submitted a report on underutilized and underrepresented apprentices in the May 2025 quarterly update. The Consultant is in the process of finalizing the second part of the analysis that will focus on journeyman workers in the same categories and will deliver the report in mid-February 2026. PLA/CCP staff will include an update for this item in the next quarterly report.
Implementation of Strategic Plan Goals
IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS
Metro’s Project Labor Agreement/Construction Careers Policy (PLA/CCP) supports strategic plan goal #3 to enhance communities and lives through mobility and access to opportunity.
Equity Platform
EQUITY PLATFORM
Metro’s Project Labor Agreement (PLA) and Construction Careers Policy (CCP) continue to create employment opportunities for marginalized community members in the construction industry for workers with historical barriers to employment.
Hundreds of disadvantaged workers, as defined in Section 1.8 of the PLA and Section 3.9 of the CCP, have benefited from obtaining a meaningful career through Metro’s PLA/CCP program which resulted in over $134 million in paid wages to disadvantaged workers, from inception to December 2025. For the October-December 2025 reporting period, $2.6 million was paid to Disadvantaged Workers.
Metro has continued ongoing efforts undertaken by staff to increase female participation, including outreach to women in construction to obtain insight and best practices for contractors and female workers in the construction industry. In addition, Metro supports efforts to remove barriers and expand awareness of construction career opportunities for women by encouraging contractors to hire and sponsor females into the construction trades and by working with Metro’s Women and Girls Governing Council to continuously uplift women into the construction industry. During the January-March 2025 reporting period, staff presented the Workforce Disparity Report that provided an assessment of the availability of female tradeswomen in the workforce, and recommendations to increase inclusion. Staff are moving forward with the next steps for the report, as directed by Motion 13.1.
These strategies have contributed to an average female participation rate in Metro construction projects (3.72%) which is higher than historical participation rates in other non-Metro public works construction projects in the region (less than 2%) and the national average for women in construction (4%). Additionally, staff monitor each project’s female attainment monthly and assist contractors in continually increasing female participation. Furthermore, the response to Motion 13.1 will help staff introduce collaborative mechanisms to increase female participation and identify additional cultural sensitivities and disparities for historically underserved populations as they seek employment in the trades. Expanding upon this response will assist staff in eliminating barriers for employment from these populations.
Vehicle_Miles_Traveled_Outcome
VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED OUTCOME
VMT and VMT per capita in Los Angeles County are lower than national averages, the lowest in the SCAG region, and on the lower end of VMT per capita statewide, with these declining VMT trends due in part to Metro’s significant investment in rail and bus transit. Metro’s Board-adopted VMT reduction targets align with California’s statewide climate goals, including achieving carbon neutrality by 2045. To ensure continued progress, all Board items are assessed for their potential impact on VMT.
While this item does not directly encourage taking transit, sharing a ride, or using active transportation, it is a vital part of Metro operations, as it is the goal of Metro’s PLA/CCP program to provide employment opportunities to economically disadvantaged individuals of Los Angeles County. Because the Metro Board has adopted an agency-wide VMT Reduction Target, and this item supports the overall function of the agency, this item is consistent with the goals of reducing VMT.
*Based on population estimates from the United States Census and VMT estimates from Caltrans’ Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS) data between 2001-2019.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Staff will continue to monitor the contractors’ efforts and initiate the various strategies and activities as outlined in this report. Staff will continue to provide updates on actions related to Motion 13.1 within future quarterly PLA/CCP reports.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Motion 13.1
Attachment B - PLA/CCP Quarterly Brochure
Attachment C - Motion 33.1
Attachment D - PLA/CCP Contract List and Worker Data
Attachment E - Female Participation Scorecard and Percentage Chart
Attachment F - Women in the Trades Resource Guide
Attachment G - Metro DEOD PLA/CCP Outreach Activities
Prepared By
Prepared by:
Oluwatimilehin (Tim) Famuyibo, Diversity and Economic Opportunity Department Representative, (213) 922-2561
Angela Scott, Principal, Diversity and Economic Opportunity Department, (213) 922-1028
Maia Siprashvili, Director, Diversity and Economic Opportunity Department, (213) 922-2652
Wendy White, Deputy Executive Officer, Diversity and Economic Opportunity Department, (213) 922-2648
Tashai R. Smith, Executive Officer, Diversity and Economic Opportunity Department, (213) 922-2128
Reviewed By
Reviewed by:
Sharon Gookin, Deputy Chief Executive Officer (213) 418-3101
