School public works contracts signed after 2026 would have needed labor agreements unless a trade drew one bid

School districts and charter schools would have had to include a project labor agreement with the Delaware Building and Construction Trades Council. The rule would cover public works contracts for school districts and charter schools. A project labor agreement sets work rules for a specific project. The agreement would not be required if only one bid came in for a construction trade under the contract. The rule would apply to contracts signed after December 31, 2026.

The agreement would have bound every contractor and subcontractor and required promises against strikes and lockouts. These terms would cover work at the project’s construction sites, not work elsewhere. The agreement would also need quick, binding ways to settle labor disputes. Employers signing it would not have to hire workers covered by a union trust fund if that fund had not adopted the federal construction exemption. These terms would apply to agreements for contracts signed after December 31, 2026.