Item Number:     6c_redline_____
Meeting Date:  November 28, 2017


1                                 RESOLUTION NO. 3736 
2 
3         A Resolution        of the Port of Seattle Commission establishing a Priority Hire
4                           Policy Directive; and amending the Policy Directive related to
5                           practices for construction labor for projects located on Port
6                           property adopted by Resolution No. 3725. 
7 
8 
9         WHEREAS, the construction industry is forecasted to experience consistent growth in
10        the King County region over the next decade; and 
11 
12        WHEREAS,  numerous studies show a widening gap between the demand for
13        construction labor and the supply of skilled trade workers in the regional labor market
14        for King County public agencies. The Regional Public Owners Group estimate there will be
15        over sixty-seven billion dollars in public construction projects by 2042 with over seventy
16        million labor hours needed to fulfill this demand for projects. It is projected that between
17        2018 and 2023 there will be a shortage of over 4100 skilled workers. Regional labor
18        supply is forecasted to underserve demand by an average of 9 to 10 percent during
19        2018-2042; and
20 
21        WHEREAS, the Port of Seattle has some of themakes among the largest investments in
22        infrastructure projects in the region. In 2017, the Port of Seattle is projected to spend
23        approximately $180 million on construction projects and estimates continual growth in
24        future years. The Port's capital investment dollars create the equivalent work hours of
25        10.89  jobs per one million dollars spent, providing enough total hours to equal
26        approximately 950 full time jobs in Washington State in 2016; and 
27 
28        WHEREAS, most recent data for 2016 indicates that over 80 percent of the construction
29        workforce in King County are Caucasian males, while 19 percent are women and people
30        of color. Representation of women and people of color is higher among new entrants to
31        the labor force through apprenticeships and accredited certificates of completion, such as
32        those received for completing a pre-apprenticeship program. However, according to the
33        analysis, women and people of color also have lower rates of apprenticeship completion
34        than do their Caucasian male counterparts; and 
35 
36        WHEREAS, the Port of Seattle is committed to ensuring equity in the construction projects
37        workforce where disparities exist between underrepresented workers' availability to work
38        and their opportunity to be hired and establish a career in the construction trades; and 
39 

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40        WHEREAS, the Port of Seattle is committed to its values of conducting business with the
41        highest ethical standards. Our business practices shall reflect integrity, accountability,
42        honesty, fairness and respect at all levels; and
43 
44        WHEREAS, the Port of Seattle is a leader in workforce development and has found
45        construction  job  training  programs,  including  Career  Connected  Learning, 
46        apprenticeship Apprentice and pre-apprenticeship programs, to be an effective way to
47        prepare individuals for entry into construction jobs, and to ensure women, people of
48        color, and otherwise disadvantaged individuals, can acquire the necessary job skills and
49        be prepared to successfully pursue construction careers; and 
50 
51        WHEREAS, the Port of Seattle was the first to adopt apprenticeship utilization goals over
52        three decades ago and is committed to achieving its apprenticeship hiring goals set in
53        Port policy and addressing the disproportionately low involvement by people of color
54        and women in the construction labor force.  Apprentice utilization goals for Port
55        construction projects is 15 percent, of which includes a goal of 10 percent women and
56        15 percent people of color. In 2016, apprenticeship utilization rates were 17 percent, of
57        which 18 percent were women and 28 percent were people of color; and 
58 
59        WHEREAS, on October 25, 2016, the Port of Seattle adopted Resolution No. 3725 that
60        established the Port of Seattle Construction Labor Policy Directive that states that the
61        Port shall establish appropriate apprentice and locality hiring goals and appropriate
62        aspirational women and minority apprentice hiring goals; and 
63 
64        WHEREAS, the Port of Seattle supports the City of Seattle and King County findings that
65        King County has geographic areas of economic distress as evidenced by poverty
66        indicators; including poverty levels, concentrated unemployment, and gaps in educational
67        attainment. The Port of Seattle seeks to act effectively and expeditiously to encourage
68        solutions toward economic growth and job creation in areas of the County that are
69        economically distressed as evidenced by comparatively high levels of poverty,
70        unemployment rates and education attainment; and 
71 
72        WHEREAS, Priority Hire enhances community partnerships focused on inclusion and
73        access to opportunities and services; expands opportunities for disadvantaged
74        populations to advance equity and social justice; and ensures that Port construction
75        projects are planned and implemented in a way that improves equity in local
76        communities; and 
77 
78 

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79        WHEREAS, the Port believes that establishing a Priority Hire policy ensures better access
80        to training programs and well-paying construction jobs for local workers, particularly
81        those from Economically Distressed Areas, as well as increases the diversity of the
82        workforce on Port construction and Port-related projects; and 
83 
84        WHEREAS, in 2017, the Port of Seattle convened community stakeholder meetings and
85        received input from contractors, labor union representatives, community advocates,
86        small contracting and supplier businesses, training providers, City of Seattle and King
87        County policy experts about the challenges and opportunities of a Priority Hire program.
88        The Port of Seattle intends to use the information received from these meetings as a
89        guide for implementing the Priority Hire program and developing a regional agreement
90        for use on public works projects; and 
91 
92        WHEREAS, Priority Hire focuses on workforce participation by apprentice and journey-
93        level construction workers and is therefore directly connected to the Port's existing
94        apprenticeship program; and 
95 
96        WHEREAS, the Port is committed to creating fostering an acceptable worksite on public
97        works projects that is inclusive and focuses on anti-discrimination and anti-harassment
98        behaviors and procedures and encourages positive relationships between employers
99        and employees, and among employees; and 
100 
101        WHEREAS, over the last two years, the Port of Seattle has participated as member of
102        the Regional Public Owners Group with the City of Seattle, King County, Sound Transit,
103        the City of Tacoma and the Washington State Department of Transportation, focused on
104        public agencies working together as regional partners; and 
105 
106        WHEREAS, the purpose of the Regional Public Owners Group is to better understand
107        and narrow the workforce demand-supply gap for regional public infrastructure
108        projects; enhance access opportunities and increase the diversity of pre-apprentices,
109        apprentices and journey-level workers entering into the trades workforce; support
110        retention programs for current trades workers, especially women and people of color;
111        and improve performance data and systems of reporting for monitoring regional goals
112        and initiatives; and 
113 
114 



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115        NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Port Commission of the Port of Seattle as
116   follows: 
117 
118   SECTION 1. Resolution No. 3725 is hereby amended as follows: 
119 
120       A. In Section 1.D., strike "and locality" and in Section 1 insert the following: E. For
121   contracts under a PLA with projected construction labor costs at or above $5 million, the Port
122   shall establish Priority Hire goals. 
123 
124       B. In Section II.C.2., strike "locality hiring and" and in Section II insert the following: D. For
125   contracts under a PLA with projected construction labor costs at or above $5 million, the Port
126   shall establish Priority Hire goals. 
127 
128       C. In Section III.B.2., strike "locality hiring and" and in Section III.B. insert the following: 3.
129   For contracts under a PLA with projected construction labor costs at or above $5 million, the
130   Port shall establish Priority Hire goals. 
131 
132   SECTION 2.  A Priority Hire Policy Directive is hereby established as shown in Exhibit A, attached. 
133 
134   SECTION 3. The Policy Directive contained in Exhibit A and attached to this resolution shall be
135   labeled and catalogued as appropriate, together with other Commission Policy Directives, and
136   shall be made readily available for use by Port staff and members of the public as a governance 
137   document of the Port of Seattle. 
138 
139 
140   ADOPTED by the Port Commission of the Port of Seattle at a duly noticed meeting thereof, held
141   this _____ day of _________, 2017, and duly authenticated in open session by the signatures of
142   the Commissioners voting in favor thereof and the seal of the Commission. 
143 
144 
145                        _______________________ Tom Albro 
146 _______________________      Stephanie Bowman 
147 _______________________      John Creighton 
148 _______________________      Fred Felleman 
149 _______________________      Courtney Gregoire 
150                                Port Commission 


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151                                EXHIBIT A 
152   SECTION 1. Purpose. 
153 
154   The purpose of this Policy Directive is to provide good family wage jobs to qualified construction
155   workers from Economically Distressed Areas of King County by increasing access to Port of Seattle
156   Covered Projects. This leads to economic growth and job creation in areas of King County that are
157   experiencing economic distress. In addition, it will provide jobs to those historically
158   underrepresented in the construction industry, such as women and people of color. 
159 
160   To develop a Priority Hire program that will be generally implemented through a Project Labor
161   Agreement (PLA) and other Port efforts, and to foster closer cooperation with the Regional Public
162   Owners Group to ensure uniform application of Priority Hire terms and Contractor and Union
163   compliance with Priority Hire requirements. This supports the Port of Seattle's continued efforts
164   on workforce development. 
165 
166   SECTION 2. Definitions. 
167 
168   When used in this Policy Directive, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings
169   given below unless the context in which they are included clearly indicates otherwise: 
170 
171   "Apprentice" means a person who has signed a written apprenticeship agreement with and
172   enrolled in an active state-registered apprenticeship training program approved by the
173   Washington State Apprenticeship and Training Council. 
174 
175   "City" means City of Seattle. 
176 
177   "Construction labor costs" means the labor cost component of the estimated construction budget
178   for the project to be paid to contractors at the time of bid or, if absent a bid, at the time of the
179   contract award. 
180 
181   "Contractor" means any person, firm, partnership, owner operator, limited liability company,
182   corporation, joint venture, proprietorship, trust, association or other legal entity that employs
183   individuals to perform work on covered projects, including general contractors, subcontractors of
184   all tiers, and both union and non-union entities. 
185 
186   "Core Employee" means an employee of an open-shop contractor that meets the core employee
187   criteria established under a PLA. 
188 
189   "Covered Project" means a Port of Seattle construction project, whether under a PLA or not. with
190   construction labor costs at or above $5 million. 

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191 
192   "Dispatch" means the process by which a union refers workers for employment to contractors
193   under the authority of a collective bargaining agreement. The process typically mandates the
194   distribution of work via a "first in, first out" priority but can be legally adjusted via special
195   agreements to allow for out of order dispatching and Priority Worker hiring. 
196 
197   "Economically Distressed Area" means a geographic area defined by zip code in King County and
198   found to have high population concentrations: 1) Living at or below 200 percent of the federal
199   poverty level, 2) Unemployed, 3) Those over 25 years of age without a college degree, compared
200   to other zip codes. King County zip codes with a high density per acre of at least two out of the
201   three criteria will be identified as Economically Distressed Areas. These zip codes are updated and
202   published by King County's Finance and Business Operations Division. 
203 
204   "Jobs Coordinator" means either one of the following: a Port of Seattle employee, an employee
205   that is considered a shared resource between government agencies, or a third party entity that
206   facilitates the hiring of Priority Workers in collaboration with Contractors and Union Dispatch. 
207 
208   "Journey-level" means an individual who has sufficient skills and knowledge of an occupation,
209   either through a formal apprentice training program or through practical on-the-job work
210   experience, to be recognized by a state or federal registration agency and/or an industry as being
211   qualified to perform the work of the occupation. Practical experience must be equal to or greater
212   than the term of apprenticeship. 
213 
214   "Labor hours" means hours performed on covered projects by workers who are subject to
215   prevailing wages. 
216 
217   "Open-shop contractor" means a contractor that is not a signatory to a collective bargaining
218   agreement with a union representing the trade(s) of the contractor's workers, also known as non-
219   union contractors. 
220 
221   "Pre-apprentice" means a student enrolled in a construction pre-apprentice training program
222   recognized by the Washington State Apprenticeship and Training Council. 
223 
224   "Priority Hire Program" means a program on Port of Seattle major construction contracts that
225   focuses on recruitment, training and employment of workers who reside in Economically
226   Distressed Areas as defined by King County. 
227 
228   "Priority Worker(s)" means an individual prioritized for recruitment, training, and employment
229   opportunities because the individual is a resident in an Economically Distressed Area. 
230 

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231   "Project Labor Agreement" means an agreement authorized under the National Labor Relations
232   Act (NRLA), 29 U.S.C., which provides a means for aligning interests of public owners such as the
233   Port with those of construction labor unions. 
234 
235   "Regional Public Owners Group" means the group including the City of Seattle, King County, Port
236   of Seattle, Sound Transit, the City of Tacoma and the Washington State Department of
237   Transportation, focused on public agencies working together as regional partners to better
238   understand the workforce demand-supply gap for regional public infrastructure projects; to
239   enhance access opportunities and to increase the diversity of pre-apprentices, apprentices and
240   journey-level workers entering into the trades workforce; to support retention programs for
241   current trades workers, especially women and people of color; and to improve performance data
242   and systems of reporting for monitoring regional goals and initiatives. 
243 
244   "Union" means a representative labor organization whose members collectively bargain with
245   employers to set the wages and working conditions in their respective trade or covered scope of
246   work. 
247 
248   SECTION 3. Scope and Applicability. 
249 
250        A. This Policy Directive pertains to Covered Project(s) for the remainder of this Policy
251   Directive. 
252 
253        B. In keeping with this Resolution, the Port shall develop and incorporate Priority Hire
254   requirements in all future leases, concession agreements, and procurement contracts. 
255 
256   SECTION 4. Responsibilities. 
257 
258        A. The Executive Director (1) will assign a designee (referred to as "Designee" for the
259   remainder of the Policy Directive) and subsequent designated office to implement and administer
260   this Policy Directive, and (2) may, through the Designee, develop and adopt rules consistent with
261   the requirements of this Policy Directive. 
262 
263        B. The Designee, with the Executive Director's written concurrence and upon notice to the
264   Commission, may reduce or waive requirements or goals of this Policy Directive when impractical
265   for a Covered Project, lease, concession, or other procurement for one or more of the following
266   reasons: when work is required due to an emergency, when work is subject to limitations of a
267   sole source, when requirements or goals would be inconsistent with an agreement with a public
268   agency, when requirements or goals are inconsistent with federal funding or other funding
269   sources, when the project is inoptions are greatly limited due to a remote location, when

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270   superseded by safety or other legal requirements, or when other conditions arise such as the
271   goals become impractical, or absent an executed PLA. 
272 
273        C. The Designee shall be responsible for identifying, monitoring, and mitigating risks
274   within his/her authority; and propose mitigation actions to the Executive Director if additional
275   authority is required. The Designee shall enforce the requirements in this Policy Directive and
276   may use actions as deemed appropriate. 
277 
278        D. In lieuAs part of establishing a Priority Hire advisory committee to operate in an
279   advisory role to the Port of Seattle for implementation and effectiveness of this Policy Directive,
280   the Designee shall participate in the previously established Regional Public Owners Group and
281   may, under an agreement Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)  with one or more other
282   government entities with Priority Hire programs, establish and participate in a regional Priority
283   Hire advisory committee. 
284 
285   SECTION 5. Policy. 
286 
287        A. For Covered Projects, leases, concessions, and procurements that are not found
288   impractical under Section 2.4 B, the Designee shall establish in the bid or other solicitation
289   documents the: (1) required percentage of labor hours to be performed by Priority Workers, and 
290   (2) aspirational goal percentage of labor hours to be performed by Priority Workers. Contractors
291   and Dispatch under a PLA shall seek to first hire and dispatch Priority Workers so as to meet or
292   exceed the required and aspirational goal percentages. Participants in Projects not covered by a
293   PLA shall similarly endeavor to achieve Port Priority Hire objectives. 
294 
295   The Designee shall establish the percentages separately for apprentices and for journey-level
296   workers. 
297 
298        B. For each Covered Project, the Designee shall establish the greatest practicable required
299   percentage of labor hours to be performed by Priority Workers by considering anticipated
300   workforce availability and using past utilization percentages on similar construction projects from
301   the most recent project previous calendar year, and shall establish the percentage for the
302   following upcoming year. based on past performance. This shall be included in the PLA and other
303   Port agreements as appropriate and progress monitored by the Designee. The Designee shall
304   adjust these required percentages annually, based on performance and reasonably anticipated
305   changes in worker availability.
306 
307        C. In order to  achieveto achieve the intended impact in Economically Distressed Areas,
308   the Designee shall set project-specific requirements and an aspirational goal percentage of no
309   less than 20 percent for all labor hours performed annually by Priority Workers on the total of

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310   Covered Projects for the year. Annual percentage rates will be measured January 1  December
311   31 of each applicable year. 
312 
313        D. In order to meet the percentage of labor hours to be performed by Priority Workers,
314   the Designee shall require Contractors and Dispatch under a PLAcontracted parties to seek to
315   employ a Priority Worker who is a resident of an Economically Distressed Area in King County,
316   and then workers from any other Economically Distressed Areas  as needed to meet the
317   percentage labor hours to be performed by Priority Workers. The specific process by which
318   Contractors, Dispatchthe parties and the Port of Seattle Job Coordinator(s) will collaborate in
319   order to facilitate the hiring of Priority Workers shall be established by the Designee. 
320 
321   As part of the PLA and other contractual standard language, the Port shall endeavor to lower
322   barriers to entry that may exist for recruits from Priority Hire zip codes that disqualify them for
323   apprenticeship, Union membership, and/or employment such as issues related to transportation
324   that include driver's license, access to a vehicle, and geographic proximity to jobsites. 
325 
326        E. For Covered Projects, tThe Designee  shall ensure the availability of a Jobs
327   Coordinator(s) to perform the following functions: maintain a database of pre-qualified Priority
328   Workers for referral to work on a Covered Projects; network with various work source centers,
329   community, non-profit and faith-based organizations to facilitate the identification of Priority
330   Workers; and facilitate referral and coordination around training and employment of Priority
331   Workers between Contractors, Unions, lessee's, concessionaires, suppliers,  and training
332   programs. In addition, the Designee shall explore development of a third party to manage
333   regional Priority Hire efforts. 
334 
335        F. Per Resolution 3725, as amended, contracts $1 million in value or greater requires
336   apprenticeship utilization goals. The goal is no less than 15 percent of all contract labor hours
337   are to be performed by apprentices. 
338 
339        (1) For individual projects, the Designee will determine the apprenticeship utilization
340           goal and may consider such factors as project size, project duration, labor hours
341           anticipated for the project, skills required, the likely crafts required for the project,
342           historic utilization rates and apprentice availability. 
343 
344        (2) The Designee shall establish aspirational percentage goals for apprentices who are
345           women and people of color using similar factors. Contractors may be allowed to
346           offer utilization below the aspirational percentage goals by substituting other efforts
347           to meet the intent of building a trained construction workforce for a portion of the
348           utilization percentages for women and people of color. 
349 

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350        G. When determining whether the percentage of Priority Hire requirements has been
351   achieved, the Designee shall exclude from the calculation labor hours performed by residents of
352   states other than the state of Washington. The Designee shall track labor hours performed by
353   residents of states other than the state of Washington and shall review this percentage
354   annually with the previously established Regional Public Owners Group and any future regional
355   Priority Hire advisory committee that may be established under an agreement MOU with one
356   or more other government entities with Priority Hire programs. 
357 
358        H.    Per Resolution 3725, as amended, the Designee shall support the inclusion of
359   Priority Hire provisions in the PLA standard language to be approved by the Commission
360   Projects and Procurement Committee. In furthering Resolution 3725, as amended, Port staff
361   will seek an agreement MOU with regional partners to develop a framework to achieve
362   operational efficiencies through uniform Priority Hire requirements and by sharing Priority Hire
363   resources and data and advancing workforce development efforts. 
364        I. The Port shall explore ways Priority Hire can be implemented on Port construction
365   projects outside a Covered Project, where applicable. 
366 
367   SECTION 6. Program Evaluation. 
368 
369        A. The Designee shall establish benchmarks and metrics to evaluate the program, such as
370   project or procurement costs; completion times, workplace safety; utilization rates and
371   graduation rates of Priority Workers, women and people of color from pre-apprentice and
372   apprentice training programs; and changes in the amount of contracting dollars paid to
373   percentage of dollars paid to Small Business and Women and Minority Business Enterprises
374   (WMBE) contractors firms working on Covered Projects and the number of Small Business and
375   WMBE firms under contract. 
376 
377 
378        B. Port efforts in pursuit of the objectives of this Policy Directive will be incorporated into
379   the Port's Long Range Plan (LRP) to the fullest extent reasonable, including incorporation into the
380   LRP scorecards, reports, and LRP updates. Further, Tthe Designee shall report findings to the
381   Commission and Executive Director annually. In order to facilitate the  timely delivery of
382   information for reporting to the Commission and to better serve the public, it is in the interest of
383   the Port of Seattle to prepare and publish a singlean annual report each year by April 30 titled
384   Apprenticeship and Priority Hire Annual Report. 
385 
386   The report shall include, but not be limited to the following: 
387 
388        (1) The number and kinds of construction projects and contracts on which apprenticeship
389           and Priority Hire requirements were established; 

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390        (2) The percentage of labor hours actually worked by apprentices and Priority Workers on
391           each such project and the total number of labor hours on each project; 
392        (3) The number of apprentices and Priority Workers by contractor broken down by trade
393           and craft category, the wages paid by category of work or trade, the number and
394           percentage of women and people of color utilized as apprentices and Priority Workers
395           and the degree of compliance with the percentage requirements and aspirational
396           goals to be established under this Policy Directive; 
397        (4) The number of apprentices and Priority Workers per Port dollar spent on the program; 
398        (5) A description of problems encountered in the implementation of the program; 
399        (6) A description of barriers encountered by participating apprentices and Priority
400           Workers and steps taken to resolve those problems and to ensure their continued
401           participation in the program; 
402 
403        C. The Commission, Executive Director, and Designee will review program results annually
404   as part of the LRP update to determine if the program should be expanded or amended by
405   increasing or decreasing requirements and aspirational goals. 
406 
407 
408   SECTION 7. Fiscal Implications. 
409 
410   This Policy Directive has fiscal implications as funding and staffing requirements will be needed to
411   implement the Priority Hire program. Fiscal implications will be reviewed by the Designee
412   annually, at a minimum, to determine if additional funding and/or resources are required and
413   shall submit a budget request, as appropriate. 
414 
415   A Full-Time Employee (FTE) for Priority Hire in Capital Development has been included in the
416   proposed 2018 Budget. 
417 
418   Attachment A: New Budget Request Form must be submitted on an annual basis should
419   additional resources be required.
420   SECTION 8. Research Findings 
421 
422   Based on studies commissioned by the City of Seattle and King County and their
423   implementation of Priority Hire programs, and numerous public discussions, the Port
424   Commission finds that it is in the Port's and the public's best interest to increase the supply of
425   qualified construction workers, particularly those historically underrepresented in the
426   construction industry, including those who live in Economically Distressed Areas in King County 
427   and also within that group, women and people of color. 
428 
429   Attachment B: Research findings of fact and declarations of intent 

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430 
431        A. In January 2015, following the positive results of a pilot program on the Elliott Bay
432   Seawall project, the City of Seattle adopted Ordinance No. 124690, an Ordinance relating to 
433   establishing a Priority Hire policy to ensure better access to training programs and well-paying
434   construction jobs for local workers, as well as to increase the diversity of the workforce on City
435   projects. 
436 
437        B. The City implemented the Priority Hire Ordinance through a Community Workforce
438   Agreement (CWA) between the City and the building trade labor unions, and that agreement
439   requires that prime contractors on City public works construction projects of $5 million or
440   more, must ensure that a certain percent of project labor hours are performed by workers
441   living in Economically Distressed Areas of Seattle and King County. 
442 
443        C. In May 2016, the King County Executive directed county agencies to implement a
444   Priority Hire pilot program that prioritized economically disadvantaged local workers for
445   inclusion on large King County capital construction projects. King County is considering a
446   permanent Priority Hire program implemented through a CWA. 
447 
448        D. Based on studies commissioned by the City of Seattle and King County and their
449   implementation of Priority Hire programs, and numerous public discussions, the Port
450   Commission finds that it is in the Port's and the public's best interest to increase the supply of
451   qualified construction workers, particularly those historically underrepresented in the
452   construction industry, including women, racial minorities, and those who live in Economically
453   Distressed Areas of Seattle and King County. 
454 
455        E. King County completed a study in January 2016 documenting a widening gap between
456   the demand for construction labor and the supply of skilled trade workers in the regional labor
457   market for King County and other public entities. The gap reinforces the urgent need for
458   developing a strategy to address the current and projected workforce shortages. The study also
459   used economic data involving poverty levels, employment and educational attainment to
460   determine Economically Distressed Areas, which are identified by zip code. 
461 
462        F. King County completed The Construction Workforce Analysis in December 2016 and
463   found that the county may reasonably anticipate a reduced surplus of qualified labor and possible
464   labor shortages in certain construction trades by 2020. That is the result of a projected shortfall
465   forecast between demand and supply of four thousand six hundred thirty workers by 2020. The
466   county is concerned that these labor shortages will increase reliance on out-of-state construction
467   workers and that the demand for new construction workers may increase construction costs on
468   the county's public works projects unless the county supports efforts to increase the supply of
469   trained apprentices and journey level workers for local public works projects. 

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470 
471        The analysis also found that 81 percent of the construction workforce in King County in
472   2016 were white males, while 19 percent were people of color and women. Representation of
473   women and people of color is higher among new entrants to the labor force through
474   apprenticeships and accredited certificates of completion, such as those received for completing
475   a pre-apprenticeship program. However, according to the analysis, women and people of color
476   also have lower rates of apprenticeship completion than do their white male counterparts. 
477 
478        G. The City of Seattle commissioned the Construction Industry Labor Market
479   Assessment, which found that women, irrespective of race, are underrepresented in the
480   construction industry. Between 2009 and 2013, 10 percent fewer women finished their
481   apprentice training program than males. The assessment also found that between 2009 and
482   2013, 14 percent fewer racial minority apprentices finished their apprentice training program
483   than white apprentices. In addition, it also found that underrepresented workers face barriers
484   to completing apprentice training. Between 2009 and 2013, 65 percent of the racial minorities
485   exiting apprenticeships did not complete the programs compared to 51 percent of the white
486   apprentices who failed to complete the program. During that same time period, 65 percent of
487   all women, irrespective of race, failed to complete their programs compared to 55 percent of all
488   men. 
489 
490        H. The City of Seattle has found that Priority Hire effectively and successfully increases
491   diversity on City construction projects. The share of labor hours between November 2013 and
492   April 2017 saw an increase of 233 percent in rate of hours performed by workers living in
493   Seattle's economically distressed zones. In addition, it saw an over 300 percent increase in rate of
494   hours performed by apprentice women and 200 percent increase in rate of hours performed by
495   African Americans. 
496 
497        I. A PLA with targeted priority hiring requirements is an effective tool to manage public
498   works projects that when reduces reducing the risk of project delays, reduces  and reducing the
499   potential of labor disruptions and labor shortages, and improves job-site safety. 
500 
501        J. Priority Hire is In addition, it is also an effective tool to create local jobs, enhance
502   workforce diversity and improve overall working conditions. 




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