The Community Benefits Resource Center published “A Case Study of the New Flyer of America Inc. Community Benefits Agreement Lessons Learned in the Bus Manufacturing Industry” in June 2025. Athena Nicole Last, PhD, Senior Research Fellow, authored the report
In recent years, the U.S. has seen a surge in public investment to revitalize the manufacturing industry and preserve jobs. Community and labor collaborations use Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) to ensure that corporations receiving public incentives also deliver tangible benefits to workers and local communities.
This case study showcases the impact of CBAs in advancing equitable economic development, particularly in historically disadvantaged areas.
This study highlights how CBAs can be used successfully in a state that typically favors employer interests over those of labor and community stakeholders. This agreement illustrates how corporate-community partnerships can enhance returns for all parties involved—workers, employers, and local residents—and underscores the importance of policy structures that channel public funding toward the public good.
In 2013, New Flyer secured a $500 million contract with the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro) to produce 900 low-floor compressed methane gas buses and open a manufacturing and service center in LA County.
New Flyer pledged to:
- Create high-quality jobs
- Support health and safety initiatives
- Offer on-the-job training programs
- Report publicly on progress
In 2017, New Flyer received $1.4 million in tax incentives to expand manufacturing in Anniston, Alabama. Recognizing the opportunity to support upward mobility, a coalition launched CBA campaigns for projects in Anniston and Ontario, California.
The Alabama Coalition for Community Benefits, comprising over 25 organizations across labor, faith, civil rights, social services, and environmental justice sectors, led a multi-year effort to secure a formal agreement with New Flyer. Their efforts paid off in 2022 when New Flyer signed one of the first multi-state CBAs, inclusive of:
- Wraparound services to improve training access
- Pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs
- Job quality improvements
- Robust accountability, reporting, and enforcement mechanisms
Simultaneously, labor organizations including United Steelworkers (USW) and IUE-CWA negotiated three card-check and neutrality agreements, covering New Flyer and supplier facilities. These efforts led to unionization at five out of eight plants within two years, furthering safe, inclusive, and equitable work environments.
The CBA with New Flyer:
- Built a more diverse and equitable workforce
- Enhanced workplace safety and work-life balance
- Expanded access to career pathways for underserved populations
- Secured a skilled talent pipeline through training and apprenticeship programs
This case highlights that within an economic model focused on employer incentives, CBAs can empower communities and create shared prosperity.