New Jersey Court Rules Toll Bridge Commission’s Project Labor Agreement Scheme Illegal
On April 4, the Appellate Division of the New Jersey Superior Court ruled (pdf) that a commission authorized by New Jersey and Pennsylvania law to build and maintain Delaware River bridges lacked the authority to require controversial project labor agreements. At issue were a contractor’s allegations that the Delaware Joint Toll Bridge Commission violated its […]
Lawsuit Against Westmoreland County Project Labor Agreement Tests Boundaries of SCOTUS Janus Decision
The Associated Builders and Contractors of Western Pennsylvania’s September 23 lawsuit argues that Westmoreland County’s project labor agreement with the Pittsburgh Regional Building Trades Council runs afoul of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2018 ruling in Janus vs. AFSCME.
Lawsuit Says Union-Signatory Contractor Excluded by Project Labor Agreement Mandated on Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission Scudder Falls Bridge
Joseph N. DiStefano, columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer, knows a good story about corruption and waste at the expense of hardworking taxpayers when he sees one. In a column published August 12, 2019, DiStefano takes aim at a fishy project labor agreement scheme on a bridge construction project, mandated by an interstate bridge commission, that […]
PennDOT Withdraws Appeal of Commonwealth Court’s Decision on PLA Mandate
Following the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania’s Jan. 11 decision to strike down the state Department of Transportation’s project labor agreement mandate for the Markley Street reconstruction project, PennDOT withdrew their appeal of the decision on March 7. In August 2017, PennDOT issued a solicitation that contained a PLA requirement on the second phase of the Markley Street project, which […]
Pennsylvania Court Strikes Down PLA Mandate
ABC members Allan Myers and J.D. Eckman Inc. recently won a court case challenging the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s project labor agreement mandate for the Markley Street reconstruction project in Montgomery County. Tried in the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, the court ruled on Jan. 11 that PennDOT’s PLA mandate violated the state’s competitive bidding laws and discriminated against nonunion […]
Pennsylvania Legislation Would Ensure Fair and Open Competition in Contracting
On Jan. 24, members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives State Government Committee listened to testimony on HB 1849, known as the Open Contracting Act, which would prohibit the use of government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs) on taxpayer-funded construction projects. The legislation is sponsored by Rep. Stephen Bloom. PLAs are specifically written and designed to […]
ABC Western Pennsylvania President’s Letter Blasts Labor Boss’ Tired Pro-Project Labor Agreement Op-Ed
On Sunday, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette published a strong #NoPLAs letter to the editor by ABC Western Pennsylvania President Pete Gum in response to a pro-project labor agreement (PLA) op-ed submitted by Dennis Martire, vice president and Mid-Atlantic regional manager of the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA): Government-mandated project labor agreements are anti-competitive and costly […]
West Jefferson Hills School Board Members Who Support a 15% Cost Increase
Carolyn Bourgeois Email Darlene Schreiber Email John Hosmer Email Dr. David Graham Email Anna Louise Lilley Email Anthony M. Angotti Email Alan J. Caponi Email PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENT (PLA) MANDATES ARE BAD FOR THE WEST JEFFERSON HILLS SCHOOL DISTRICT. How PLAs Increase Costs PLA Mandates INCREASE Project Costs – studies show these mandates increase school construction […]
West Jefferson Hills School District Project Labor Agreement Exposed
On May 26, 2015, the West Jefferson Hills School District (WJHSD) Board voted 7-1 to require a project labor agreement (PLA) on construction contracts to build a $100 million high school south of Pittsburgh. After learning about this discriminatory PLA mandate, on August 18, 2015, the ABC Western Pennsylvania Chapter wrote this letter to WJHSD […]
Berks County, Pa., Commission Bans PLA Mandates on County Projects
On Thursday, June 19, the Berks County, Pa., Commission passed an ordinance that prohibits the county from requiring contractors to enter into a wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreement (PLA) as a condition of performing work on public construction projects. Additionally, this ordinance prohibits the county from providing financial support for projects subject to PLA mandates.