California Gov. Jerry Brown Signs Bill Mandating the Use of PLA
California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) this week signed legislation designed to expedite the construction of a critical water infrastructure project in the Salinas Valley. Unfortunately, provisions in the bill require the authority procuring the project to mandate the use of a wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreement (PLA). As a result, the local agency has decided […]
Phase 1 of the Silver Line Opens Tomorrow: Let’s Recap Phase 2’s Project Labor Agreement Controversy
Phase 1 of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project, commonly known as the Silver Line, opens tomorrow. This milestone is a great opportunity to revisit the project labor agreement (PLA) controversy surrounding Phase 2 of the project. While the final numbers aren’t in yet, Phase 1 cost about $2.9 billion, or $150 million more than initially planned. Phase […]
California Legislature Poised to Issue First Local PLA Mandate in State History
The California Legislature is set to break new ground and taxpayers should be very concerned. For the first time in state history, the Legislature is posed to require a local government entity to mandate a project labor agreement (PLA) on a local construction project. If Assembly Bill 155, sponsored by Assemblyman Luis Alejo (D), is […]
Project Labor Agreement Fails On Tappan Zee Bridge Construction; Jobs Outsourced to Robots
The $3.9 billion project to replace New York’s Tappan Zee Bridge is being built by union labor and robots. The $3.1 billion construction contract is subject to a government-mandated project labor agreement (PLA) pushed by Albany’s pro-union lawmakers and New York Gov. Cuomo (D) because it will result in a huge windfall of political contributions to the Empire […]
Project Labor Agreement on Seattle Tunnel Mega-Project Fails to Deliver on Many Promises
Bad news continues to plague Washington state’s $2 billion Highway 99 tunnel project underneath Seattle’s downtown waterfront, contradicting a number of key points lawmakers and construction unions use to sell government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs) to owners, taxpayers and the media. Despite promises by Big Labor and advocates of these union-friendly deals that allegedly prevent costly […]
Juneau Proposal Threatens Majority of Local Construction Industry Workforce
Union bosses and their political allies in Juneau, Alaska, want it all, and they want it without the hassle of listening to the vast majority of the construction workforce in Alaska that chooses not to join a labor union. On Jan. 12, the Juneau Assembly Public Works and Facilities Committee passed a resolution that would […]
They Want it All: Juneau Project without PLA Mandate Disturbs Labor Unions
Construction union bosses in Juneau, Alaska, want all publicly funded projects to be subject to wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreement (PLA) mandates, and they are not shy about voicing their objections when someone ignores their demands and allows fair and open competition for public projects, as did Juneau Port Director Carl Uchytil. The Associated […]
Project Labor Agreement on Iowa State Penitentiary Fails to Fulfill Local Hiring Promises
The Des Moines Register reported the $132 million Iowa State Penitentiary project in Fort Madison, Iowa, has created jobs for a large number of out-of-state union workers, despite promises by advocates of project labor agreements (PLAs) that these union-favoring pacts create jobs primarily for Iowa’s taxpayers and construction workforce (“Many prison project jobs went to non-Iowans,” 10/12/13): “When […]
$1 Billion Airport Expansion in San Diego More Evidence that the Merit Shop Works
The merit shop construction community in Southern California again demonstrated this week they can create value for taxpayers without wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreements (PLAs). On Tuesday, the $1 billion expansion of San Diego’s Lindbergh Field opened to the public. This project was completed on time, under budget, created thousands of jobs, resulted in […]
New York’s Newburgh-Beacon Bridge Work Suspended Following Accidents on Project Labor Agreement Jobsite
Last week the New York Bridge Authority suspended work on the “Hamilton Fish” Newburgh-Beacon Bridge following two accidents on the $23 million contract. On June 13, a painter had to be airlifted to a hospital from the jobsite following an accident. A May 21 incident left two painters dangling from safety harnesses under the bridge (see article and image from […]