PORT OF SEATTLE 
MEMORANDUM 
COMMISSION AGENDA               Item No.       7f 
STAFF BRIEFING 
Date of Meeting     March 8, 2016 
DATE:    March 3, 2016 
TO:     Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
FROM:    Ralph Graves, Senior Director, Capital Development 
David Freiboth, Senior Director, Labor Relations 
SUBJECT:  Construction Labor Relations Policy 
SYNOPSIS 
The Port and its tenants construct facilities to support public and commercial activities.
This briefing presents a draft Construction Labor Relations Resolution to set policy
governing employment on projects constructed on Port property. The purposes of the
proposed policy are to expand access to construction jobs; ensure fair treatment of
workers; promote labor harmony and uninterrupted work progress; and improve safety at
construction sites. 
BACKGROUND 
Port of Seattle facilities support regional transportation, job creation and economic
development. Labor harmony is essential to ensure uninterrupted delivery of critically
needed facilities. State prevailing wage standards help ensure equitable pay for
construction workers. Apprenticeship utilization requirements, along with aspirational
hiring goals for women and minorities, promote access to construction jobs. Project labor
agreements (PLAs), and related construction workforce agreements (CWAs), provide
means to align the interests of public owners such as the Port with those of construction
labor unions. 
In 1999 the Port entered into a broad PLA with regional construction unions that
governed employment on many of the construction contracts for airport terminal
expansion, construction of the Third Runway and creation of the Smith Cove Cruise
Terminal. In 2009 the Port clarified criteria for determining when a PLA would be
required and began negotiating and administering PLAs with in-house staff. In the past
five years, 28 of 109 Port major construction contracts have been covered by PLAs. This
26% of contracts has encompassed 80% of dollars and 66% of jobs during the period.
While PLAs provide the benefits described above, the Port is aware that PLAs may
adversely affect small businesses that are less likely to employ union labor. 
Construction at Port properties may be funded and administered by the Port, administered
by tenants with Port financial support or administered and funded by tenants. The

Template revised May 30, 2013.

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
March 3, 2016 
Page 2 of 2 
proposed resolution affirms criteria for determining when the Port will enter into PLAs
on projects the Port administers, requires prevailing wages to be paid on construction
contracts funded entirely or in part by the Port and directs encouragement of tenants to
employ similar criteria and procedures on construction contracts that they administer. 
PLA DECISION CRITERIA 
Project needs for labor continuity and stability 
Project complexity, cost and duration 
Value of having uniform working conditions 
Potential impact of PLA on small business 
Past labor disputes or issues 
Potential impact on project cost 
Specific public safety concerns 
Value of PLA processes to resolve disputes 
LABOR POLICY PROPOSAL FOR 3 TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION
CONTRACTS 
Port Contracts 
o  Largely continues per recent practice 
o  Add presumption of using PLA for contracts exceeding $10M 
o  Continue apprenticeship goals and consider locality hiring 
Port Reimbursed 
o  Employ PLA per Port practice 
o  Require paying and reporting prevailing wages 
o  Encourage hiring goals for apprenticeship and locality as part of a regional
program 
Tenant Funded 
o  Encourage employing PLA per Port practice 
o  Make construction labor measures and element of lease competitions and
incorporate proposed measures into leases 
o  Encourage hiring goals for apprenticeship and locality as part of a regional
program 
ATTACHMENTS TO THIS BRIEFING 
Powerpoint presentation 
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS 
None