The UNM Board of Regents have agreed on changes to the Project Labor Agreement for construction of the new west wing of the University of New Mexico Hospital. The revisions are the result of a series of meetings among interest private contractors, union representatives and members of a special regents committee.
The modifications include:
* A statement that the project labor agreement does not set a precedent for future construction at the university;
* An expressed preference for hiring New Mexico residents;
* A specific provision that retirement benefits paid by non-union employees may be directed to their own employer’s retirement plans if applicable or to the employees themselves;
* An allowance for “core employees” who may be hired outside the PLA has been broadened from five per craft category to 20. Combined with call-by-name provisions already present in the various union contracts may result in a total workforce that could be in excess of 70 percent non-union employees selected by their contractor employers.
“These modifications represent a good faith effort on the part of the University to address the concerns of non-union contractors in a manner that retains the essential benefits of the project labor agreement,” said Regent Doug Brown.
The vote on the revisions was unanimous with regents Jack Fortner, Doug Brown, Andrea Cook, Mel Eaves, Sandra Begay-Campbell and Maria Griego-Raby voting for the agreement. Regent Jamie Koch attended the meeting, but abstained from the vote.
UNM President Louis Caldera announced members of the newly formed Capital Improvements Committee, which will be charged with looking at new construction procedures and processes at UNM. UNM Executive Vice President David Harris will chair the committee. Members represent both union and non-union contractors.
They include:
* Don Kawal, Klinger Construction
* Robin Hendrixson, Mechanical Concepts
* Linda Zemke, Gardner-Zemke Construction
* Dan Beaty, Beaty Construction
* Troy Beal, B&D Construction
* Kevin Yearout, Yearout Mechanical
* Mark Henderson, J.B. Henderson Construction
* Rick Beard, Rosendin Electric Inc.
Final approvals for construction of the hospital are still in process. The $225 million project will include a children’s hospital, a maternity center, an adult critical care center, emergency center, private patient rooms, a new entrance for the hospital and enhanced security. The project is expected to be complete in late 2007.
Contact: Susan Moczygemba-McKinsey, (505) 277-1989