Background: President Trump signed an executive order rescinding several Biden-era directives that promoted registered apprenticeships, project labor agreements (PLAs), prevailing wages, and stronger labor protections. While the UA strongly opposes these rollbacks, we want our members and allies to understand exactly what this means for apprenticeship programs moving forward.
What You Need to Know: The rescission of E.O. 14119 removes all incentives for federal agencies to require or encourage apprenticeship utilization on federal and federally assisted construction projects. Federal agencies are not, however, prohibited from voluntarily pursuing apprenticeship utilization in federal procurement or through their federal assistance programs.
Trump’s action will not affect the Registered Apprenticeship system, its regulations, or how JATCs operate. The rescission of E.O. 14119 should also not impact the Inflation Reduction Act’s apprenticeship utilization provisions that apply to 12 tax credit programs because the IRA’s labor standards are the product of federal legislation.