National Black Chamber of Commerce Blasts Lack of Diversity in Construction Trade Unions
Earlier this month, the National Black Chamber of Commerce penned an open letter to U.S. Representative Marica Fudge, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, claiming construction unions have “consistently discriminated against Black workers and contractors” and are “a prime contributor to Black unemployment” (“Strange Bedfellows – Unions and Black Politicians“): “We are very disturbed that elected officials […]
Philly Mayor Opens Door to Waste and Discrimination with Pro-PLA Executive Order
Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter issued Executive Order 15-11 on Nov. 29, 2011, re-establishing the use of anti-competitive and costly union-favoring government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs) on city projects costing more than $5 million. According to Philly’s press release, the order does not mandate PLAs on all projects, but it creates a PLA evaluation procedure that opens the door […]
Philadelphia National Association of Minority Contractors Blasts Project Labor Agreements
John Macklin, president of the Philadelphia chapter of the National Association of Minority Contractors and vice president of the association’s northeast region, wrote an excellent Op-Ed in opposition to a project labor agreement (PLA) on the $400 million Graterford Prison expansion project. It ran in the print edition of the Philadelphia Daily News as well as the […]
Will Philadelphia Convention Center Expansion Project Labor Agreement Prevent Labor Unrest?
Last night collective bargaining agreements between Philadelphia area Carpenters Unions and Laborers Unions and contractors expired, leaving construction project owners and contractors with concerns about union strikes and labor disputes on jobsites covered by expired collective bargaining agreements. According to this short 5/4 Philadelphia Inquirer piece, the Carpenters and Laborers’ District Council have been negotiating […]