Biden to travel to Maryland to sign executive order on labor for federal construction projects

President Biden on Friday will travel to a local iron workers union in Maryland to sign an executive order on labor agreements used for federal construction projects.

The order “will improve timeliness, lower costs and increase quality in federal construction projects,” according to the White House. 

Biden is also expected to deliver remarks while at the Ironworkers Local 5 located in Upper Marlboro, about 40 minutes from the White House. 

The executive order is focused on strengthening union jobs in construction and expanding the federal government’s use of project labor agreements, which are collective bargaining deals between unions and contractors on construction sites.

The president has promised that the bipartisan infrastructure law, which he signed in November to fund projects including roads, bridges, broadband and climate, would create good union jobs.

Former President Obama in 2009 issued an executive order to use project labor agreements for federal construction projects, which encouraged executive agencies to consider requiring the use of project labor agreements for large-scale construction projects. Biden’s executive order is seen as expanding on that.  

The Maryland visit is Biden’s second trip of the week. On Thursday he is traveling to New York City to highlight efforts to curb gun violence and meet with Mayor Eric Adams (D) and Gov. Kathy Hochul (D).