The Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York recently signed a portfolio labor agreement with Brookfield Properties, an agreement that covers virtually all of Brookfield’s existing and new construction. This agreement ensures that Brookfield, historically a good union developer, will continue to be so over the course of the 20 year agreement.
Initially, the agreement was intended to be a project labor agreement to cover the Manhattan West project, a massive project that includes five million square feet of new commercial space and over one million feet of rehabilitated and renovated existing space. However, the agreement was expanded to cover nearly all of Brookfield’s existing and future portfolio of projects, hence the term portfolio labor agreement.
In negotiations with Brookfield, the Mason Tenders District Council agreed to the following changes in the collective bargaining agreement: Brookfield has the option to schedule four, ten-hour work days at straight pay and there will be a 5% differential on shift work. If the option for the four, ten-hour work days is exercised, then any additional work scheduled will be paid at time-and-a-half, or double time if scheduled for Sunday. As part of the agreement, Brookfield assumes full responsible for non-payment of benefits by any general contractor, or sub-contractor working on a Brookfield project.
“This historic agreement with Brookfield Properties, which owns nearly 7% of the commercial real estate in New York City, will provide countless hours of work for our membership,” said Local 79’s Business Manager Mike Prohaska. “We are grateful for the hard work of the Building and Construction Trades Council and Brookfield Properties that led to this unprecedented agreement.”
