Philadelphia?s building-trades unions and the Philadelphia Housing Authority have reached a historic deal which could greatly improve the amount of affordable housing in the city. The unions have agreed to take a 20% cut in wages and benefits when working on residential projects for the PHA. This action will decrease the cost per complex by approximately $50,000 which will enable the PHA to build even more complexes and create more jobs for union members. The agreement will still need to be approved by the PHA?s board of commissioners on Thursday and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
See "PHA, building-trades unions agree to cut labor costs", Jennifer Lin, Philly.com, June 18, 2014