The Jackson Township Council has voted on a new ordinance that will require public contracts involving union labor agreements to provide opportunities to local union trade members.

“This agreement with the unions strengthens our town’s commitment to its hard working blue collar tradesman,” Mayor Michael Reina said. It has been a long journey to get it here and I am very grateful to the Council for fulfilling my request. It was my pleasure to sign this into law and to stand behind the men and women who had a part in building our town, our state, and our country!

The ordinance, part of a broader project labor agreement with trade unions, will require any business with a qualifying contract in Jackson Township to ensure that 30% of their workforce includes residents of Jackson who are members of those unions.

The proposal was brought in by Council President Kuhn and Councilman Burnstein, who requested that if the township enters into a project labor agreement, that agreement should benefit residents of Jackson.

Members and residents spoke on behalf of the opportunity it provides to local residents from various trade unions and detailing how the new project labor agreement and local resident set aside only helps Jackson by keeping the money spent on large projects within the community.

“We’re all skilled trained, drug free, and hardworking,” said Ryan Archer, a union ironworker and longtime resident of Jackson. “Thank you.”

The union members who spoke before the township council emphasized the experience, training, and quality of work performed by union workers and thanked the council for their consideration.

“I’m very happy to see this council work together and further support our local blue collar workers,” said Councilman Burnstein.

“As a member of a union family, Council President Kuhn and Mayor Reina felt it was important that we do what we can to make sure jobs go to Jackson residents and that the hard working tradespeople in our town. This ordinance benefits Jackson Township because it ensures all of our projects will be done by skilled labor and that those workers are residents, who have a vested interest in each project they work on.”

Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) are contractual agreements between construction unions and contractors, established prior to hiring, that dictate the terms of employment for specific construction projects awarded by the Township of Jackson