Take Action | The Truth About PLAs

Labor Department to Mandate Controversial Project Labor Agreement on Manchester Job Corps Center

December 29, 2011 – 4:56 am

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued a pre-solicitation on Dec. 22, 2011, for a $20 million to $50 million DOL Job Corps Center in Manchester, New Hampshire, indicating the project will be subject to an anti-competitive and costly project labor agreement (PLA) mandated by the DOL. Bidding is open only to certified small business [...]

By Ben Brubeck | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Executive Order 13502, Federal Construction, Federal Contracting, GAO, H.R. 735, Legal Challenge, local, local hire, Manchester, New Hampshire, New Hampshire Union Leader, PLAs, President Obama, Project Labor Agreements, Rep. Bass, Rep. Guinta, S. 119, Sen. Ayotte, Take Action, Union-only PLAs harm local workers | Comments (0)

Virginia Construction Industry Supports Legislation Ensuring Fair and Open Competition On Public Construction Contracts

December 14, 2011 – 12:55 pm

Yesterday, ABC Virginia issued a press release supporting the Fair and Open Competition in Government Contracting Act (HB 33) pre-filed this Monday in Richmond (see the full release below). HB 33 prohibits Virginia and recipients of state funding or assistance from requiring or prohibiting contractors to enter into union agreements, such as a project labor agreement (PLA), as [...]

By Ben Brubeck | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged ABC Virginia, Arizona, Barbara Comstock, Boston Herald, Dulles Transit Partners, Fair and Open Competition in Government Contracting Act (HB 33), Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Metro Washington Airport Authority, Michigan, MWAA, PLAs, PLAs are political payoffs to union leaders, PLAs Cut Competition, PLAs Discriminate, PLAs Increase Costs, Project Labor Agreements, Silver Line, State Legislation, Take Action, Tennessee, Tim Hugo, VA, Virginia, Virginia Chamber of Commerce, Wall Street Journal | Comments (0)

NAVFAC Issues Project Labor Agreement Surveys for Maryland and Virginia Projects

November 9, 2011 – 9:46 pm

The Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC), which manages construction of U.S. Navy shore facilities, recently issued surveys for four federal construction projects, exceeding $25 million in total costs, in Maryland and Virginia. ABC members and construction professionals are encouraged to respond to the PLA surveys. Tell NAVFAC’s Washington District that government-mandated PLAs injure competition, increase costs, [...]

By Ben Brubeck | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged ABC Metro Washington, ABC Virginia, Executive Order 13502, Federal Construction, Federal Contracting, Maryland, NAVFAC, Navy, PLA survey, PLAs, PLAs Increase Costs, President Obama, Project Labor Agreements, Quantico, Take Action, US Army Corps of Engineers, VA, Virginia | Comments (0)

USACE Evaluates Project Labor Agreements on Four Federal Projects in Kentucky

October 26, 2011 – 6:08 am

The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) recently issued surveys requesting feedback from the construction industry about the potential use of project labor agreements (PLAs) for four federal construction projects exceeding $25 million in total costs at Ft Campbell, Ky. ABC members and construction professionals are encouraged to respond to the PLA surveys. Tell [...]

By Ben Brubeck | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Executive Order 13502, Federal Construction, Federal Contracting, Fort Benjamin Harrison, Fort Campbell, Indiana, Indianapolis, Kentucky, PLA survey, PLAs, President Obama, Project Labor Agreements, Take Action, US Army Corps of Engineers | Comments (0)

House to Vote on Critical Amendment Promoting Project Labor Agreements Today. Oppose LaTourette Amendment Striking Section 415 of H.R. 2055.

June 13, 2011 – 7:51 am

Today the U.S. House of Representatives will vote on the Military Construction (MilCon) and Veterans Affairs (VA) and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2012 (H.R. 2055). Section 415 of H.R. 2055 ensures fair and open competition on federal construction contracts funded by this legislation. Specifically, it will prevent federal agencies from requiring contractors to sign [...]

By Ben Brubeck | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Appropriations, Executive Order 13502, Federal Construction, Federal Contracting, Federal Legislation, H.R. 2055, House PLA Votes, Legislation, PLAs, PLAs are political payoffs to union leaders, President Obama, Project Labor Agreements, Rep. Flake, Rep. Guinta, Rep. LaTourette, Section 415, Take Action, US Army Corps of Engineers, Veterans Administration | Comments (3)

Support Scalise Amdt. to H.R. 2017 to Stop Mandated PLAs

June 2, 2011 – 12:20 pm

Today the U.S. House of Representatives is considering the Homeland Security Appropriations Act for 2012 (H.R. 2017). Representative Steve Scalise (R-La.) is offering an amendment (#67) to the bill that would restore fair and open competition on federal construction projects funded by this appropriations bill by prohibiting funds from implementing or enforcing President Obama’s pro-project [...]

By Andy Conlin | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Executive Order 13502, Federal Construction, Federal Contracting, Federal Legislation, House PLA Votes, Legislation, PLAs, PLAs Increase Costs, President Obama, Project Labor Agreements, Take Action | Comments (0)

USACE Issues PLA Surveys for Louisiana, Nebraska and Hawaii

May 12, 2011 – 11:06 am

The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) recently issued three surveys requesting information from the construction industry on potential project labor agreement (PLA) mandates for USACE construction projects in Louisiana, Nebraska and Hawaii. A May 4 survey issued by USACE asks for feedback on a PLA mandate for the VOLAR Barracks renovation in Fort Polk, Louisiana. [...]

By Ben Brubeck | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Executive Order 13502, Federal Construction, Federal Contracting, Fort Drum, Fort Hood, Fort Polk, Fort Shafter, Hawaii, Honolulu, Louisiana, Nebraska, New York, Offutt Air Force Base, Omaha, PLA survey, PLAs, President Obama, Project Labor Agreements, Take Action, Texas, US Army Corps of Engineers | Comments (0)

Stop the Potential PLAs on MTA Projects in California

May 5, 2011 – 9:20 am

Associated Builders and Contractors Southern California and Los Angeles-Ventura Chapters along with Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers-LA and the Coalition for Fair Employment in Construction have formed a coalition of small business organizations called Small Business United. Together, these groups are working with small, minority and disadvantaged businesses to fight wasteful and discriminatory project labor [...]

By Andy Conlin | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Ballot Initiative, California, City of Los Angeles, Coalition, Coalition for Fair Employment in Construction, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, Metropolitan Transportation Authority of Los Angeles County: Exposition Metro Line Construction Authority, PLAs, PLAs Kill Jobs, Project Labor Agreements, Take Action, The Government Neutrality in Contracting Act | Comments (0)

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Issues Project Labor Agreement Survey for Fort Drum in Jefferson County, New York

May 3, 2011 – 2:59 pm

The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) issued an April 28 survey (pdf) requesting information from the construction industry about the potential use of a government-mandated project labor agreement (PLA) on a $25 million to $50 million Operational Readiness Training Complex (ORTC) project at Fort Drum in Jefferson County, New York. All members of Associated Builders [...]

By Ben Brubeck | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Executive Order 13502, Federal Construction, Federal Contracting, Fort Drum, Jefferson County, New York, PLA survey, PLAs, President Obama, Project Labor Agreements, Take Action, US Army Corps of Engineers | Comments (0)

Coalition Supports Legislation Creating Fair And Open Competition For Federal Construction Contracts

May 3, 2011 – 1:44 pm

Jan. 25, Sen. David Vitter (R.-La.) introduced the Government Neutrality in Contracting Act (S. 119) (pdf), a measure that will protect taxpayers and ensure fair and open competition on government construction contracts by prohibiting the government from mandating anti-competitive and costly project labor agreements (PLAs) on federal and federally assisted construction projects. Today, the following groups [...]

By Ben Brubeck | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Construction Industry Round Table, Electronic Security Association, Executive Order 13502, Federal Construction, Federal Contracting, Federal Legislation, Grassroots, Independent Electrical Contractors, Legislation, Merit Elevator Contractors Association of America, National Association of Minority Contractors, National Association of Women in Construction, National Black Chamber of Commerce, National Federation of Independent Business, National Ready-Mixed Concrete Association, National Utility Contractors Association, PLAs, PLAs Cut Competition, President Obama, Project Labor Agreements, S. 119, Sen. Vitter, Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council, Sullivan, Take Action, The Government Neutrality in Contracting Act, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, USA (WCOE), Women Construction Owners and Executives | Comments (0)