When GlobalFoundries broke ground on its vast semiconductor manufacturing facility in Malta last July, members of Laborers local unions 157 and 190 went to work at the forefront of this huge project.

Construction costs for the first phase of this $4.2 billion project are estimated at $500 million, with budgets for subsequent phases still under development as plans and contracts are finalized.

Current plans call for three 300,000 square-foot manufacturing modules, with 72 percent of the Luther Forest site remaining as forest land.

More than 60members began work last year, with smaller numbers on site this spring and a substantial increase expected as soon as site work concludes and construction of the second of three buildings begins.

During the current economic downturn, we feel fortunate to have a project of this magnitude in the region, and it looks to be a bright spot in our area for some time to come,” said Local 157 Business Manager Peter Stearns. It is also a pleasure to work on a project with a Project Labor Agreement (PLA), with all trades working together to complete the project on time and budget.”

Our laborers have been very busy onsite driving foundation piles, installing lagging walls, excavating, pouring concrete, stripping and cleaning forms, installing fencing and bollards and performing general clean up,” explained Anthony Fresina, Local Union 190 business manager.

The GlobalFoundries semiconductor manufacturing plant will employ 1,400 workers when it becomes operational in summer 2012, with an estimated payroll totaling $88 million annually. An additional 5,000 indirect jobs are projected to be created by construction of the plant and by the start up and expansion of additional related businesses serving the plant and its employees. The projected overall total for this project and the ancillary work expected to follow is $20 billion over 25 years.

All this activity is focused through a tight deadline that challenges the Laborers and other trades every day. From the initial concrete pour in September of 2009, the contractor has 24 months to turn the facility over to the owner. Tomeet this deadline, thousands of yards of concrete needed to be poured daily; and this required that a concrete batch plant be constructed on site.

To help meet this formidable challenge, the obtaining of a Project Labor Agreement — a challenge in itself, on a privately funded project of this magnitude — provides an important framework. The local building trades councils, the local trade unions, and the owner reached an agreement through five months of constant negotiations. State government was also a key player, recognizing the benefits of a PLA on the project and granting significant tax benefits and training grants.

It’s difficult to imagine amore substantial win-win situation for all involved than this ambitious and very large project,” said Sam Fresina, Business Manager of the Laborers Eastern District Council. “It’s a substantial challenge to our members and contractors; but the benefits are also substantial.We are proud to be involved and confident that we can meet this challenge.We always do.”