Data Busts Myth that Project Labor Agreements Result in Increased Local Hiring
Special interest groups are in the business of convincing government officials and taxpayers there is a public benefit to anti-competitive and costly government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs), which create jobs exclusively for unionized construction workers and steer huge public construction contracts primarily to well-connected unionized contractors. In particular, proponents of government-mandated PLAs push an unsubstantiated [...]
Delays and Increased Costs: The Truth about the Failed PLA on the GSA’s Headquarters at 1800 F Street
New documents recently uncovered via a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request prove a government-mandated project labor agreement (PLA) initially used on a large-scale federal construction project—the Phase 1 modernization of the General Services Administration (GSA) headquarters at 1800 F Street Building in Washington, D.C.—led to increased costs and needless delays in the procurement process. [...]
Due Jan. 14: Responses to USACE PLA Survey for Large-Scale Baltimore-Washington Area Projects
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Baltimore District has issued a survey requesting feedback from the construction industry about a government-mandated project labor agreement (PLA) for unspecified large-scale construction and renovation projects within the Baltimore-Washington, D.C., corridor. TheTruthAboutPLAs.com encourages the merit shop contracting community to tell the USACE that government-mandated PLAs reduce competition, increase costs, [...]
The Merit Shop Goes to Washington
Members of the merit shop contracting community, welcome to Washington, DC, and ABC’s 2012 Legislative Conference. If you are here, you already understand the importance’s of ABC’s motto, “Get Into Politics or Get Out of Business!” As construction industry leaders, you will be talking with your peers and lawmakers on Capitol Hill about the negative [...]
Phase 2 Silver Line Dispute Grabs Headlines; Opposition to Project Labor Agreement Grows
Opposition continues to mount against the Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority’s (MWAA) April 6 resolution mandating a union-favoring project labor agreement (PLA) that contractors are required to agree to in order to win construction contracts on the $3.5 billion Phase 2 Dulles Metro Rail Silver Line project in Northern Virginia. (See previous blog posts from TheTruthAboutPLAs.com [...]
ABC Members Testify in Support of Legislation Restoring Fairness in Federal Contracting
On June 3, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee’s Technology, Information Policy, Intergovernmental Relations and Procurement Reform Subcommittee held a hearing, “H.R. 735 and Project Labor Agreements: Restoring Competition and Neutrality to Government Construction Projects.” The subcommittee, chaired by Rep. James Lankford (R-Okla.), heard testimony about the negative impact of President Obama’s controversial Executive Order 13502 [...]
Prince George’s County, Maryland Considers Wasteful PLA Requirement
Price George’s County will consider legislation today that would require contractors to agree to wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreements (PLAs) as a condition of performing work on all projects costing more than $1 million. Update: PG County passed this policy Nov. 15, 2011 (read the Prince George’s County press release on the policy here) This proposal [...]
Big Labor Crashes Dulles Metro Rail Press Conference, Stifles Objections to Costly Project Labor Agreement Scheme
On April, 18 Laborers Union (LIUNA) Local 657 and other members and paid astroturfers guests of the Washington Metropolitan Council, AFL-CIO, bused in disruptive protestors from Washington, D.C., and Maryland to crash a press conference held by U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf concerning $3.5 billion worth of construction for Phase 2 of the Dulles Metro Rail project [...]
Phase 2 of Dulles Corridor Metro Project Subject to Anti-Competitive and Costly Special Interest Scheme: Metro Washington Airport Authority Passes Resolution Requiring Project Labor Agreement
On April 6, 2011, the full Metro Washington Airport Authority (MWAA) board passed a resolution [1] 11-2 requiring an estimated $2.5 billion to $3.5 billion worth of construction for Phase 2 of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project to be subject to a project labor agreement (PLA).[2] When mandated by government agencies, these agreements are very [...]
ABC Wins Another Challenge Against Government-Mandated Project Labor Agreements on Federal Construction Projects
TheTruthAboutPLAs.com is pleased to share a news release about ABC’s latest win against anti-competitive and costly federal government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs). ABC, ABC members and TheTruthAboutPLAs.com continue to lead the fight against special interest PLA schemes on behalf of the construction industry, concerned taxpayers and supporters of the principles of fair and open competition [...]