Study: Project Labor Agreement Mandates Inflate the Cost of Connecticut School Construction by 19.8%
Study: Connecticut schools built under controversial government-mandated project labor agreements cost 19.8% more than schools that were bid and constructed through fair and open competition, free from PLA requirements.
Study: Project Labor Agreement Mandates Inflate Cost of New Jersey School Construction by 16.25%
A study released in August by the Beacon Hill Institute found that New Jersey schools built under controversial government-mandated project labor agreements cost 16.25% more than schools that were bid and constructed through fair and open competition, free from PLA requirements. The study, which looked at 107 schools built in New Jersey since 2002, found that those built under […]
Lawsuit Against Westmoreland County Project Labor Agreement Tests Boundaries of SCOTUS Janus Decision
The Associated Builders and Contractors of Western Pennsylvania’s September 23 lawsuit argues that Westmoreland County’s project labor agreement with the Pittsburgh Regional Building Trades Council runs afoul of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2018 ruling in Janus vs. AFSCME.
ABC Applauds Passage of Texas Law Ensuring Fair and Open Competition
Following Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s (R) signature of HB 985, a total of 25 states have enacted laws restricting controversial government-mandated project labor agreements on public works projects procured by the state and/or receiving state funding. The measure will benefit taxpayers, the construction industry and free enterprise.
Washington Times Publishes TheTruthAboutPLAs Op-Ed Celebrating Kentucky’s Fair and Open Competition Law
The Washington Times published this op-ed by TheTruthAboutPLAs.com touting the benefits of fair and open competition following the passage of a Kentucky law (HB 135) restricting controversial government-mandated project labor agreements on state and local public works construction projects (“Let’s welcome all Americans to rebuild America’s infrastructure,” 4/1/19): On March 21, Gov. Matt Bevin, R-Ky., […]
Survey: ABC Members Strongly Oppose Government-Mandated Project Labor Agreements
ABC members overwhelmingly reported that government-mandated project labor agreements harm their businesses, hiring and workforce development practices and ability to complete work safely, on time and on budget, according to the results of a December 2018 membership survey published today. Ninety-eight percent of survey respondents said they were less likely to bid on a taxpayer-funded construction contract […]
Pennsylvania Court Strikes Down PLA Mandate
ABC members Allan Myers and J.D. Eckman Inc. recently won a court case challenging the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s project labor agreement mandate for the Markley Street reconstruction project in Montgomery County. Tried in the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, the court ruled on Jan. 11 that PennDOT’s PLA mandate violated the state’s competitive bidding laws and discriminated against nonunion […]
House Lawmakers Ask President Trump to Eliminate Obama Policy Promoting Project Labor Agreements
Last week, U.S. House lawmakers urged President Trump to rescind a costly Obama administration policy encouraging the use of government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs). The letter (pdf) signed by 44 House Republican lawmakers, urges President Trump to rescind Executive Order 13502, “which strongly encourages federal agencies, on a case-by-case basis, to consider requiring project labor agreements […]
ABC Touts Benefits of Fair and Open Competition on Varney from The White House
Topping out a successful Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Legislative Week 2018, ABC President and CEO Michael Bellaman gave a June 29, 2018, interview with Fox Business’ Stuart Varney from the White House where he touted the benefits of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to the construction industry and promoted the value of fair and open competition […]
Op-Ed Offers Solution to Government-Mandated Project Labor Agreement Problem
The Hill published an op-ed by ABC CEO and President Michael Bellaman laying out three key policy recommendations for Congress and the Trump administration to enact in order to continue the construction industry’s positive economic growth (“Time for Cogress to bolster Trump’s roadmap for rebuilding America,” 6/27/18). The op-ed is part of ABC’s one powerful […]