Editorial

New York Post Editorial Exposes Mayor’s Project Labor Agreement Scam Sleight of Hand

0 July 20, 2018  State & Local Construction

The New York Post editorial board probably won’t be getting a Christmas card from New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) or NYC construction union bosses any time soon after they ran this editorial calling out the mayor for not substantiating promised savings from sweetheart deals on city construction projects with construction labor unions called […]

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WSJ Editorial Applauds Gov. Christie for Veto of Pro-Project Labor Agreement Bill

1 April 17, 2013  Featured, Federal Construction, State & Local Construction

The Wall Street Journal published an editorial praising New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s (R) veto of legislation (S. 2425) expanding New Jersey’s ability to mandate union-favoring project labor agreements (PLAs) on taxpayer-funded projects like roads, bridges, water treatment facilities and other large-scale infrastructure projects (WSJ editorial, “Sandy’s Union Blowback: Christie keeps veto promise,” 4/16/13): New Jersey […]

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Wall Street Journal Editorial Board Blasts Project Labor Agreement Schemes on New Jersey and Federally Funded Hurricane Sandy Reconstruction

2 February 15, 2013  Federal Construction, State & Local Construction

The Wall Street Journal editorial board blasted anti-competitive and costly government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs) on New Jersey and federally funded Hurricane Sandy reconstruction projects (Sandy’s Union Windfall: Obama steers relief money to Big Labor. Where’s Gov. Christie, 2/14/13). Learn how lawmakers engaged in PLA cronyism will increase costs to taxpayers and hurt Hurricane Sandy reconstruction.

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ABC Member Tells The Truth About Government-Mandated Project Labor Agreements on Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding

0 January 19, 2013  Federal Construction, State & Local Construction

Here’s an update on the controversial New Jersey legislation that would allow union-only mandates on post-Hurricane Sandy construction projects. Yesterday afternoon, Fox News Channel’s Megyn Kelly interviewed ABC Northeast Region Chair Kirby Wu about the potential for union-favoring government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs) on Hurricane Sandy cleanup projects due to NJ Senate bill 2425. Besides serving as […]

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The Fresno Bee Calls on California Gov. Jerry Brown to Lead in Reforming Environmental Law used to Exploit Construction Owners

1 August 6, 2012  State & Local Construction, Transportation & Infrastructure

The Fresno Bee published an editoral on Sunday, August 5, 2012 calling for Governor Jerry Brown to take a leadership role in reforming the California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA (California Public Resources Code Section 21000 et seq.) so that unions can’t exploit it to block proposed projects until the owner signs a project labor […]

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Boston Globe Editorial Blasts Government-Mandated Project Labor Agreements and Patrick Administration

0 July 24, 2012  State & Local Construction, Transportation & Infrastructure

An editorial in today’s Boston Globe decimates flimsy arguments in favor of government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs) and skewers Mass. Gov. Deval Patrick (D) for requiring PLAs on major state projects, including the Whittier Memorial Bridge, which TheTruthAboutPLAs.com covered last week (“Project labor agreements: Mass. taxpayers lose again,” 7/24/12): Although it lacks any compelling reasons for doing so, […]

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Gov. Patrick Pushes PLA on Whittier Memorial Bridge as Big Dig Costs Balloon to $24.3 Billion

0 July 16, 2012  State & Local Construction, Transportation & Infrastructure

Insanity is often described as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Mass. Gov. Deval Patrick (D) should revisit his position on a costly and unfortunate policy favoring construction trade unions or expect more waste, discrimination and insanity in the Bay State.

Last week, the ballooning costs of the Big Dig grabbed headlines while Gov. Patrick was criticized for restricting competition for construction contracts to build the $285 million Whittier Memorial Bridge across the Merrimack River to firms willing to sign a union-only government-mandated project labor agreement (PLA).

Meanwhile, last week state lawmakers learned Big Dig costs have mushroomed to more than $24.3 billion, harming the state’s ability to fund other critical transportation projects and create additional construction jobs. Funded by federal and Massachusetts taxpayers, the Big Dig is the most expensive and infamous government-mandated PLA job of all time.

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Investor’s Business Daily Editorial: Peace for PLA is Big Labor’s Implicit Threat Behind Promotion of Government-Mandated Project Labor Agreements

0 June 15, 2012  Federal Construction, State & Local Construction

An Investor’s Business Daily (IBD) editorial exposes the truth about government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs) and chronicles political efforts to restrict and impose PLA mandates in California, Virginia, New Hampshire and San Diego on local, state and federal construction projects (“Public Wakes Up To Unions’ PLA Power Play,” 6/14/12). Enjoy this excelent editorial (my emphasis in bold): Unions: […]

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Santa Fe Struggles to Implement CWA Mandate; Will Likely Delay Requirement’s Effective Date

0 June 13, 2012  State & Local Construction

Readers of this blog remember that earlier this year the Santa Fe City Council adopted a policy that requires the use of community workforce agreements (CWA) – a wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreement (PLA) by another name – on all city projects costing more than $500,000. Since this requirement was adopted, the city negotiated […]

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