COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Central Ohio is growing and John Glenn International Airport is gearing up to meet that demand.  

On Monday, the Columbus Regional Airport Authority (CRAA) broke ground on a new terminal that will centralize security, add gates, and allow the airport to serve even more customers. 

However, the $2 billion project has come with some labor disagreements. Just how it will be built has sparked a debate that has filled board meetings and even led to a demonstration at the groundbreaking. 

Political leaders from Ohio’s governor to the Franklin County Board of Commissioners gathered to celebrate the start of construction on John Glenn Airport’s new terminal.  

“This is just a big, big day for the state of Ohio,” Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said. “Airports are so vitally important to the quality of life of people, but also, frankly, to the economic development of the state.” 

It’s taken a while to get to this point, including many packed meetings and debates over how the project should be built.  

“I can tell you that we will build this terminal, and we understand that some people will disagree, but we are not going to be dissuaded by people who don’t agree with our ultimate goal of building a terminal and raising up central Ohio,” CRAA President and CEO Joseph Nardone said.  

The issue is whether there should be a “community benefit agreement” in place for workers. The Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council said it would benefit the entire community and the airport.  

“We’re going to be making sure that local workers are on the project,” Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council Dorsey Hager said. “We’re going to be making sure that everybody’s paid the industry standards. We’re going to be making sure all workers have health care and pension benefits.” 

Associated Builders and Contractors Central Ohio said these types of agreements push out non-union labor.  

Negotiations between the union and the airport stopped early this year, but union leaders said they will keep a close eye on the project to ensure everyone is being paid and treated fairly. Union members brought a giant inflatable rat to the groundbreaking to make their point; it’s commonly seen at labor protests.  

“We want our members and all workers to be able to share in that growth in the project here at the airport,” Hager said.  

The airport authority has laid out its commitments including paying at least minimum wage to all contractors. It also announced that more than 26.4% of the construction work so far will be done by either small, local, minority, women or veteran-owned businesses.

“We have more than 80% of the workers on this job are union-affiliated,” Nardone said.   

As you drive into John Glenn, expect to see construction, but it’s all in the name of growth.  

“We will be very communicative, it will be busy, it will be a construction site, but we will do everything that we can to minimize the customer experience,” Nardone said.  

The project is expected to be completed by 2029.