Policy
CTWI acts as the voice of labor, co-leading coalitions of unions, employers, community-based organizations, public agencies and local governments where we advocate for labor policies that create quality, local construction careers. Our expertise lies in:
- Advocating for labor standards that create quality jobs.
- Providing technical assistance on high-road program design.
- Promoting inclusive hiring practices for unions and contractors.
Developing effective policies requires consensus-building when creating sustainable communities. CTWI engages unions, employers, agencies and community stakeholders to ensure that as we modernize our infrastructure, we are also uplifting our workers.
Our Projects
High-Road Training Partnership
CTWI provides education to municipalities and agencies on how to utilize labor standards to transform low-road residential decarbonization markets into high-road markets.
City of Berkeley's Just Transition Pilot Program
CTWI helped the City of Berkeley operationalize labor standards in residential decarbonization projects for low-income communities.
Empowering Small & Minority Contractors
CTWI facilitates capacity-building workshops for Minority Contractors to help more small businesses access PLA projects.
Child Care Stipends
With the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) initiative, we have been working with our network of union and pre-apprenticeship partners to distribute nearly $1.6 million to California working families.
Contact your apprenticeship or program director to apply.
Advocating for Labor Standards that Create Quality Jobs
Labor standards allow agencies and cities to create quality jobs when designing and implementing construction programs. CTWI works with governments and private developers by:
- Educating stakeholders on the benefits that labor standards provide workers, contractors, and communities.
- Aligning local and regional initiatives with State and Federal programs and associated labor standard mandates.
- Ensuring labor representation during coalition formation, program design, and the implementation of policy issues.
Providing Technical Assistance on High-Road Program Design
Labor standards and workforce development can be incorporated into program design to modernize our infrastructure while also uplifting workers and communities. CTWI helps governments and private developers by:
- Educating stakeholders on the benefits of workforce agreements on infrastructure and decarbonization projects, and how they make these construction projects more successful.
- Operationalizing labor standards in program design and procurement documents, including adopting Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) and Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs).
- Connecting clients to robust workforce development pathways that recruit from target hire populations like women, communities of color, youth, veterans, and the formerly incarcerated.
Promoting Inclusive Hiring Practices for Unions and Contractors
Unions and contractors need to recruit the next generation of diverse, local, and prepared workers. We work with union locals to update their hiring practices so qualified job seekers can benefit from direct or expedited entry into apprenticeship programs. CTWI works with unions and contractors by:
- Designing and launching construction pre-apprenticeship training programs that target women, communities of color, youth, veterans, and the formerly incarcerated.
- Drafting workforce development language in PLAs and CBAs, prioritizing hiring from local and disadvantaged communities.
- Connecting high-road contractors to diverse, local, and prepared job seekers.
Get Involved With Us
Love our mission and want to do more?
By donating, you’re supporting our efforts to connect underrepresented community members to family-sustaining union construction careers.
