Seattle

Government-Mandated Project Labor Agreement Failures on Federal and Federally Assisted Construction Projects

0 March 10, 2021  Featured, Federal Construction

ABC supports fair and open competition and opposes government-mandated project labor agreements on federal and federally assisted projects because hardworking taxpayers deserve more efficient and effective policies that will encourage all qualified contractors and their skilled workforce to compete to build long-lasting, quality projects at the best price. Just 12.7% of the U.S. construction workforce belongs […]

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WSJ Project Labor Agreement Op-Ed: A Wisconsin Lesson for Trump the Builder

0 April 18, 2017  Featured, Federal Construction, State & Local Construction, Transportation & Infrastructure

The Wall Street Journal editorial and op-ed pages have invested barrels of ink opposing anti-competitive and costly government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs). In numerous instances (see pieces at end of blog post) the WSJ editorial board has derided PLA mandates, calling them “crony contracts,” “a rotten deal for taxpayers,” and worse: “PLAs are a form of political bid-rigging that robs […]

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The West Coast’s Big Dig Boondoggle Woes Continue: Seattle’s Tunnel PLA Job Dangerous For Workers

0 March 22, 2016  Featured, State & Local Construction, Transportation & Infrastructure

Bad news continues to plague Washington state’s Highway 99 tunnel mega-project (PDF) underneath Seattle’s downtown waterfront, contradicting a number of key points lawmakers and construction union lobbyists use to sell government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs) to owners, taxpayers and the media.   According to the AP, the Seattle Tunnel’s injury claims have totaled more than $2.5 […]

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Project Labor Agreement Failure: Is Seattle’s Tunnel the West Coast’s Big Dig Boondoggle?

0 March 13, 2015  Featured, State & Local Construction, Transportation & Infrastructure

Bad news continues to plague Washington state’s Highway 99 tunnel mega-project underneath Seattle’s downtown waterfront, contradicting a number of key points lawmakers and construction union lobbyists use to sell government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs) to owners, taxpayers and the media. It has not been a model government-mandated project labor agreement, as media reports indicate the job […]

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Project Labor Agreement on Seattle Tunnel Mega-Project Fails to Deliver on Many Promises

0 January 23, 2014  Featured, Federal Construction, State & Local Construction, Transportation & Infrastructure

Bad news continues to plague Washington state’s $2 billion Highway 99 tunnel project underneath Seattle’s downtown waterfront, contradicting a number of key points lawmakers and construction unions use to sell government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs) to owners, taxpayers and the media. Despite promises by Big Labor and advocates of these union-friendly deals that allegedly prevent costly […]

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Despite Project Labor Agreement, Union Dispute Shuts Down Seattle Tunnel Job for Four Weeks

0 September 18, 2013  Federal Construction, State & Local Construction

A project labor agreement (PLA) failed to prevent a labor dispute that shut-down a portion of a Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) mega-construction project for more than four weeks. It is one of many recent examples of PLA projects suffering from delays and increased costs resulting from labor disputes and strikes, despite the fact that […]

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Workers Injured on San Fran Union-Only Construction Jobsite Financed by Union Pension Fund

0 September 5, 2011  Federal Construction, State & Local Construction

Last week four union construction workers were seriously injured in an accident at the $40 million Potrero Launch apartment project in San Francisco’s Dogpatch neighborhood (“Four hospitalized after SF construction accident,” 8/31/11): The roof support structure gave way and collapsed onto three workers below, who were in a stairwell on the sixth floor, he said. […]

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