Industry News & Advocacy

Alexandria Carpenters Celebrate First Project Labor Agreement at City Hall

For the first time in its history, the City of Alexandria has committed to a Project Labor Agreement. Local carpenters are celebrating what it means for workers, families, and the community.

The $35 million dollar renovation of Alexandria’s historic City Hall, Market Square Plaza, and underground garage will be done under a Project Labor Agreement. That means fair wages, safe working conditions, and opportunities for apprentices to learn and grow on the job.

To members like Vicente Bardales of Local 197, the agreement makes a difference.

“A Project Labor Agreement allows me to live, work, and thrive in my own community,” Bardales said. “It ensures I earn a fair wage, do my job in safe conditions, and have the opportunity to pass my skills on to the next generation. It gives workers like me the ability to put food on the table, support our families, and take pride in preserving a building that has been part of Alexandria’s story for over 100 years.”

Mayor Alyia Gaskins shared a similar message. “Projects don’t happen without workers.”

By moving forward with this agreement, Alexandria’s leaders are recognizing the people who build the city just as much as the projects themselves. For carpenters, it means their work is valued craft, apprentices have real opportunities, and the city they’ve helped shape is investing back into them.

“This agreement is proof that when we invest in both infrastructure and the workers who build it, everyone in Alexandria wins,” Bardales said.

The renovation is scheduled to begin in 2026. For carpenters, the first Project Labor Agreement is already making a difference. It gives them a stronger voice on the job, opens doors for the next generation, and brings pride in knowing Alexandria’s most iconic building will be built union.