Minnesota School District Adopts Discriminatory Union-only PLA
In a disappointing vote on Tuesday night, the Roseville School Board in Minnesota voted 4-2 to adopt a discriminatory union-only project labor agreement that will drive up the costs of district construction for years to come, limit competition, and discriminate against local workers – all while paying off special interest union bosses in the process. […]
Project Labor Agreement Mandate Scheme Rejected by Minnesota School Board
ABC continues to push back against costly and inefficient government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs) at the local level. This week, the Farmington School Board in Minnesota voted 4-1 to reject a PLA requirement for its upcoming school construction and repair projects. Last fall the voters of Farmington approved a $45 million referendum for these projects. […]
Rochester City Council Approves PLA for Mayo Civic Center Renovation
With little public notice, the Rochester, Minn., City Council in early July approved a project labor agreement (PLA) requirement for the $85 million Mayo Civic Center renovation project. Bob Heise, president of Associated Builders and Contractors Minnesota/North Dakota Chapter, nicely summed up the negative reaction of the construction industry in an op-ed published by the Rochester […]
Construction Worker Killed at St. Paul Stadium Subject to Government-Mandated Project Labor Agreement
Last month, a slab of concrete tragically killed a construction worker operating a backhoe during the demolition phase of construction on the future site of the $63 million St. Paul Saints ballpark, according to the St. Paul Tribune (“Falling concrete kills worker at new St. Paul ballpark site,” 9/11/13): Valek was an employee of Rachel Contracting of St. Michael, […]
USACE Issues PLA Survey Due Jan. 22 for River Project in North Dakota and Minnesota
The USACE St. Paul District has issued a questionnaire requesting feedback from the construction industry about a government-mandated project labor agreement (PLA) for upcoming work on the Fargo-Moorhead Metropolitan Area Flood Risk Management Project. TheTruthAboutPLAs.com encourages the merit shop contracting community to respond to this PLA survey. Tell the USACE that government-mandated PLAs reduce competition, increase […]
Minnesota Vikings to Require PLA on Upcoming Stadium Project
On Feb. 6, the Minnesota Vikings signed an agreement with the Minnesota Building and Construction Trade Division (BCTD), AFL-CIO to require contractors to sign a project labor agreement (PLA) on the upcoming construction of their new stadium. This will ensure that nearly all of the construction jobs on the project will go to union workers—leaving […]
Bad Medicine – Walgreens Agrees to PLAs in Minnesota
Though much of this blog’s attention has focused on public PLAs, it’s also important to note the negative impact of private PLAs and the tactics used by Big Labor to get them as well. Sure, a private entity is free to enter into an agreement with Big Labor that will increase its construction costs by […]
PLA Laws in the States: Some Say NO to Project Labor Agreements, Others CAVE to Union Pressure
While the federal government is tripping over itself to give handouts to Big Labor by encouraging government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs) on federal construction projects exceeding $25 million, several states have enacted legislation or issued executive orders rejecting wasteful and anti-competitive PLAs. Since 1995, five states now prohibit government-mandated PLAs on public construction projects. Leaders in […]