FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | March 26, 2026
Contact: Joe Edelen (302) 743-7013
DOVER – In lieu of legislation to require Project Labor Agreements on large public works projects, Senator Jack Walsh introduced Senate Bill 272 on Thursday which narrows the scope of the proposal to school construction and renovation projects.
Typically negotiated before construction begins, Project Labor Agreements (PLA) are a pre-hire collective bargaining agreement that sets the terms and conditions for employment standards and labor-management relations on state-funded projects.
“Senate Bill 272 would establish Delaware’s first PLA-requirement law, which guarantees state-funded school construction and renovation projects are completed efficiently, on time, and by a highly-skilled workforce,” Sen. Walsh said. “While I appreciate the robust discussion that surrounded Senate Bill 241, this new legislation is about rightsizing our goals. With this proposal, it is our hope to pass meaningful Project Labor Agreement requirements by the end of the 153rd General Assembly on June 30.”
In addition to setting terms and conditions for state-funded projects, Project Labor Agreements ensure projects are completed on time, on budget, and efficiently executed through the employment of highly-trained workers. These agreements specify wages and benefits, and enforce safety and apprenticeship rules while protecting taxpayer dollars.
The previous proposal, Senate Bill 241, required contracts for projects costing $5 million or more, executed after Sept. 30, 2026, to include a Project Labor Agreement with the Delaware Building and Construction Trades Council.
Under Senate Bill 272, the Project Labor Agreement requirement is limited to all school construction and renovation projects costing $1 million or more that are executed after Dec. 31, 2026.
Like Senate Bill 241, Project Labor Agreements under Senate Bill 272 will:
- Prevent labor strikes or lockouts on these time-sensitive projects, and include effective, immediate, and binding procedures to resolve labor disputes.
- Apply to work performed at the project site and custom fabrication work performed for the project, regardless of where it takes place.
- Not apply to contracts that receive only one bid.
Senate Bill 272 also allows Project Labor Agreements for school construction and renovation projects to include participation goals for disadvantaged business enterprises. These targets require that a specified percentage of the total contract value be awarded to businesses owned by women, people of color, veterans, and individuals with a disability.
Further, it permits contractors and subcontractors to retain a percentage of their current workforce, and clarifies that a successful bidder – or subcontractor of the bidder – are bound by only the Project Labor Agreement for that specific school construction or renovation project.
Senate Bill 272 has been assigned to the Senate Labor Committee for consideration.
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