FEATURED
Merit Shop Firms Collaborate to Deliver $1.4 billion Federal Project to USACE Without Government-Mandated Project Labor Agreement
The joint venture of Balfour Beatty Construction and Clark Construction on the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) Campus East Headquarters at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, epitomizes successful partnering and delivery of a complicated large-scale federal construction project. These merit shop titans collaborated to build the largest U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) project since the Pentagon and […]
2020 Update: ABC’s Fight Against Government-Mandated Project Labor Agreements
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 […]
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 […]
New Kentucky Law a Win-Win for Construction Industry, State Economy, Says ABC
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 […]
Survey: ABC Members Strongly Oppose Government-Mandated Project Labor Agreements
ABC members overwhelming 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 […]
24 States Ensure Fair and Open Competition, Restrict Government-Mandated Project Labor Agreements
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 […]
ABC Legislative Week 2018: Fighting for Fair and Open Competition
Members of the merit shop contracting community, welcome to Washington and ABC’s Legislative Conference 2018. More than 500 ABC members are traveling to Washington, D.C., for meetings with top Trump administration and congressional leaders to address the issues that impact the merit shop construction industry. Answering ABC’s powerful Get Into Politics or Get Out of Business! message, attendees will educate lawmakers […]
Project Labor Agreements Raise Costs on Ohio Schools 13 Percent, Study Finds
A study by the Beacon Hill Institute has shown that when mandated by the government on taxpayer-funded construction projects, project labor agreements (PLAs) increase the costs of construction 13.12 percent. The study examined 88 schools across Ohio that were built since 2000 and found government-mandated PLAs cost $23.12 per square foot more (13.12 percent) than projects built […]
2017 Update: ABC’s Fight Against Government-Mandated Project Labor Agreements
In 2009, President Obama signed Executive Order 13502, which encourages federal agencies to mandate project labor agreements (PLAs) on large-scale federal construction projects exceeding $25 million in total cost on a case-by-case basis. Many merit shop advocates of fair and open competition predicted the order would steer billions of dollars’ worth of federal construction contracts to […]
ABC’s Fight Against Government-Mandated Project Labor Agreements Produces Impressive Results
In 2009, President Obama signed Executive Order 13502, which encourages federal agencies to mandate project labor agreements (PLAs) on large-scale federal construction projects exceeding $25 million in total cost on a case-by-case basis. Many merit shop advocates of fair and open competition predicted the order would steer billions of dollars’ worth of federal construction contracts to […]