The developers of the Purple Line have signed a labor agreement, resolving one of the last potential problems for the much-delayed light-rail transit line.

Earlier this month, Maryland Transit Solutions came to an agreement with the Laborers’ International Union of North America.

Construction workers had protested at a public meeting in April because the new contractors did not have a collective bargaining agreement like the one the project had previously.

Under that kind of agreement, the builders agree to certain wages and benefits, and, in exchange, the labor union agrees not to hold a strike or other work stoppages.

Under the new agreement, Purple Line workers who lost their jobs when construction stopped will have the opportunity to return. Contractors and the union will prioritize local hiring and training, and the unions will provide enough workers to meet staffing needs, which will help keep construction on track.

The new contractors face a tight timeline. A project manager said earlier this year that they will have to pay more than $200,000 for every day construction goes on past the deadline.

Work on the light rail line resumed this month and is slated to end in October of 2026.

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