Iowa Law Restricts Government-Mandated Project Labor Agreements, Protects Hawkeye State Construction Industry
On April 13, Gov. Terry Branstad (R-Iowa) signed SF 438 into law, which promotes fair and open competition on contracts for construction services funded by Iowa taxpayers. The measure will ensure that the government cannot mandate controversial project labor agreements (PLAs) on state, state-assisted and local construction projects, guaranteeing that the 85 percent of Iowa’s […]
Project Labor Agreement on Iowa State Penitentiary Fails to Fulfill Local Hiring Promises
The Des Moines Register reported the $132 million Iowa State Penitentiary project in Fort Madison, Iowa, has created jobs for a large number of out-of-state union workers, despite promises by advocates of project labor agreements (PLAs) that these union-favoring pacts create jobs primarily for Iowa’s taxpayers and construction workforce (“Many prison project jobs went to non-Iowans,” 10/12/13): “When […]
Iowa Governor Terry Branstad Signs Executive Order Prohibiting PLAs on Projects Receiving State Funds
In a huge win for Iowa taxpayers, newly-inaugurated Governor Terry Branstad just issued Executive Order 69, which repeals Gov. Chet Culver’s Executive Order 22 (pdf)and prohibits wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreements (PLAs) on projects that receive state funds. By issuing this order, Gov. Branstad fulfilled his campaign promise to end the use of PLAs […]
University of Iowa Board of Regents Give Final Approval to Coralville PLA
The University of Iowa Board of Regents gave its final approval to a proposal to require a wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreement (PLA) on the construction of the $72 million University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics outpatient clinic at the Iowa River Landing in Coralville, IA. As we have reported in an earlier post, […]
Misfeasance: Ohio IG Report on OSFC PLA Scheme Continues to Gain Traction; Calls for Murray to Resign Grow
The media attention over the August 5 release of the Ohio Inspector General’s review of Richard Murray’s tenure as head of the Ohio School Facilities Commission (OSFC) and his efforts to strong-arm local communities into wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreements (PLAs) continued to gain traction over the weekend. Readers of TheTruthAboutPLAs.com know that Murray […]
Branstad Vows to Undo Project Labor Agreements
Iowa gubernatorial candidate Terry Branstad has spoke out this week against against Gov. Chet Culver’s Executive Order 22 and his efforts to encourage state agencies to consider and implement wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreements (PLAs) on state projects. The Cedar Rapids Gazette asked the former governor about the PLA issue on the campaign trail. […]
Culver Campaign Fails to Understand How PLAs Harm Iowa Businesses
The executive order signed earlier this year by Iowa Gov. Chet Culver is becoming a gubernatorial campaign issue, as Republican challenger Terry Branstad and others critical of project labor agreements (PLAs) make the case that these anti-competitive schemes will hurt Iowa business and taxpayers (“Culver defends project labor agreements for public projects,” The Iowa Independent, […]
Univ. of Iowa Board of Regents Approve Crony Contracts for Coralville Clinic
Iowa Governor Chet Culver’s effort to encourage public bodies to require wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreements (PLAs) is paying dividends for his Big Labor allies. The Iowa University Board of Regents voted 5-4, along party lines, in favor of requiring a PLA on the construction of the $73 million outpatient clinic for the University […]
Gov. Culver Delivers for Big Labor
In what should be no surprise to anyone, Gov. Chet Culver announced today that the Iowa Department of Administrative Services has been approved to move forward with wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreements (PLAs) on two upcoming projects for the Department of Corrections. Here is the text of Gov. Culver’s release announcing the PLAs: Gov. […]
Op-Ed: Don’t Be Fooled By Union Rhetoric On The Issue
In the latest edition of the Dubuque, IA Telegraph Herald’s “Double Take” feature, supporters and opponents of project labor agreements (PLAs) and Gov. Chet Culver’s Executive Order 22, encouraging state agencies to consider PLAs on state projects, were each given an opportunity to present their views on this issue. Jim Giese of Dubuque, owner of […]