There was a small blurb from the Honolulu Star Advertiser’s (Gubernatorial Rivals Court Carpenters Union, 7/18) coverage of the Democrat gubernatorial candidates’ audition for the Hawaii Carpenters Union endorsement that is worth covering. Current Hawaii Representative and gubernatorial candidate Neil Abercrombie (HI-1) gave a quote that is telling about the true nature of wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreements (PLAs).
He [Rep. Abercrombie] said he “put bread on your [Hawaii Carpenters Union] table, year after year after year,” through project labor agreements for military housing projects.
Clearly, Rep. Abercrombie recognizes that PLAs are nothing more than special interest handouts that essentially ensure that only union workers have the opportunity to compete for these projects. He is telling the Carpenters Union that he has done his best to make sure they get public work, at the expense of the vast majority of the Hawaiian construction workforce that decided not to join a labor union.
Taxpayers deserve the best public construction at the best price. Always. These types of handouts are unacceptable and we hope Hawaiian voters consider this type of mentality when they make their primary decision on September 18.