Open Competition Works

Op-Ed: Build Back Better U.S. Infrastructure with Fair and Open Competition, Free From Government-Mandated Project Labor Agreements

0 March 17, 2021  Featured, Federal Construction, Open Competition Works

The Washington Times published this March 16 op-ed expressing concerns about the expansion of government-mandated project labor agreement policy on taxpayer-funded federal and federally assisted construction projects. Build back better U.S. infrastructure with fair and open competition Taxpayers must hold lawmakers accountable for delivering cost-effective infrastructure projects that will last. Americans are in strong bipartisan […]

READ MORE

Setting the Record Straight: Do Government-mandated Project Labor Agreements Really Improve Safety Performance?

0 March 16, 2021  Federal Construction, Open Competition Works, State & Local Construction

Supporters of government-mandated project labor agreements often claim these controversial schemes ensure the safe delivery of construction projects, and therefore, it’s in the public interest for lawmakers to mandate PLAs on construction projects funded by hardworking taxpayers, resulting in reduced competition from local firms, increased construction costs by 12% to 20%, and fewer local construction […]

READ MORE

Coalition To President Biden: Government-Mandated Project Labor Agreements Reduce Competition, Raise Costs on Taxpayer-Funded Construction

1 March 12, 2021  Featured, Federal Construction, Open Competition Works

On March 5, ABC and a coalition of 14 industry and employer groups sent a letter to President Biden raising concerns about the expansion of policies encouraging or mandating project labor agreements on federal and federally assisted construction projects. ABC and the coalition are monitoring Biden administration executive actions, federal agency policies and legislation introduced in the 117th Congress that […]

READ MORE

Union Leaders and Contractors Oppose Government-mandated Project Labor Agreements Too

0 March 1, 2021  Featured, Federal Construction, Open Competition Works, State & Local Construction

The debate surrounding controversial government-mandated project labor agreements is often framed by the media, elected officials and policy wonks as a dispute pitting construction unions against nonunion contractors in a battle about whether the government should be enacting PLA preference and mandate policies that ultimately steer taxpayer-funded construction contracts to unionized contractors and create jobs […]

READ MORE

2020 Update: ABC’s Fight Against Government-Mandated Project Labor Agreements

0 September 22, 2020  Federal Construction, Open Competition Works, State & Local Construction

In February 2009, President Obama signed Executive Order 13502, which encourages federal agencies to mandate project labor agreements on large-scale federal construction projects exceeding $25 million in total cost on a case-by-case basis and permits recipients of federal assistance to mandate PLAs on state and local public works projects. Many merit shop advocates and public policy professionals predicted […]

READ MORE

Study: Project Labor Agreement Mandates Inflate Cost of New Jersey School Construction by 16.25%

0 October 2, 2019  Federal Construction, Open Competition Works, School Construction, State & Local Construction

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 […]

READ MORE

New Kentucky Law a Win-Win for Construction Industry, State Economy, Says ABC

0 March 25, 2019  Open Competition Works, State & Local Construction

Law will ensure fair and open competition on public works construction contracts WASHINGTON, March 25—Associated Builders and Contractors lauded Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin (R) today for signing into law the Fair and Open Competition Act (HB 135), which ensures all of Kentucky’s skilled construction workforce and qualified businesses can compete on a level playing field […]

READ MORE

Survey: ABC Members Strongly Oppose Government-Mandated Project Labor Agreements

0 January 30, 2019  Featured, Federal Construction, Open Competition Works, State & Local Construction

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 […]

READ MORE

Pennsylvania Court Strikes Down PLA Mandate

0 January 22, 2019  Featured, Open Competition Works, State & Local Construction, Transportation & Infrastructure

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 […]

READ MORE

24 States Ensure Fair and Open Competition, Restrict Government-Mandated Project Labor Agreements

2 July 2, 2018  Federal Construction, Open Competition Works, State & Local Construction

On Feb. 6, 2009, President Obama signed Executive Order 13502, which encourages federal agencies to mandate controversial project labor agreements (PLAs) on large-scale federal construction projects—those exceeding $25 million in total value—on a case-by-case basis, and permits states and localities to mandate PLAs on federally assisted projects. Since President Obama issued Executive Order 13502, 23 […]

READ MORE