The LAX airport expansion CBA demonstrates the flexibility and adaptability of this method of negotiating. In December, 2004, the Los Angeles City Council approved the agreement reached between Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), the public administrator of LAX, and a coalition of twenty-two community groups concerning an $11 billion airport expansion. Among the coalition’s members were two local school districts and organizations representing community, religious, environmental and labor interests.
In addition to provisions covering job training, first-source hiring and living-wage requirements, the CBA also devoted substantial resources toward mitigating the environmental impacts of the airport. The airport thus contracted to provide more than $8.5 million annually for the soundproofing of local schools, city buildings, places of worship and homes, and it agreed to fund studies on air quality and community health. Further, the CBA required LAX to implement a number of environmental controls, including the electrification of passenger gates and cargo areas (to reduce the need for engine idling), emissions reductions and the conversion of airport vehicles to alternative fuels. The CBA also clearly required LAWA to incorporate CBA provisions into all airport contracts, lease agreements, and licensing or permitting agreements, thus ensuring the translation of the requirements to the airport’s contractors and tenants.
A few useful documents:Other documents relating to the LAX CBA are available here.
The 2004 LAX airport CBA contains numerous environmental provisions. Now, the airport is spending more than $2 million on an air pollution study as part of its obligations under the CBA. It will be the most comprehensive airport pollution study to have been undertaken in the United States, and it will provide data to show which communities are bearing the brunt of the airport's environmental impacts.