Unions thought they had binding deal for PLA; not so says Glenfarne

The Senate amended the gasline bill Friday to include provisions for a project labor agreement.

The amendment was needed Sen. Bill Wielechowski said, because the labor unions that had negotiated and recently celebrated the signing of a project labor agreement thought that the deal with binding.

But Glenfarne and Gov. Mike Dunleavy announced later that it was not binding, Wielechowski said.

Here was what the IBEW said June 11:

Glenfarne said the agreement it signed is not binding, but it “provides a framework to negotiate Project Labor Agreements covering major construction activities associated with Alaska LNG.”

The Senate amendment to require a project labor agreement was approved on a 16-4 vote.