The Truth About Project Labor Agreements

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro issued a March 27 directive encouraging state agencies to require the use of wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreements on taxpayer-funded construction projects. Effective April 1, 2024, the Pennsylvania Department of General Services will supervise executive agencies’ evaluation of all contract solicitations to identify projects requiring “prompt completion” and “qualified labor” […]

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Pursuant to Hawaii Gov. Josh Green’s (D) Administrative Directive (AD) 24-01, all contractors accepting awards for Hawaii executive agency construction procurements exceeding $1.5 million in cost to the state must execute an agreement to be bound by a standardized project labor agreement of general application throughout the state. Effective February 16, 2024, AD-24-01 provides for […]

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A powerful Black History Month op-ed by the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey CEO John Harmon makes the connection between New Jersey’s project labor agreement policy and discrimination against minority businesses and workers.  It’s a common complaint against PLA schemes echoed by the National Black Chamber of Commerce and other stakeholders. Check […]

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According to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2023 Union Members Summary released Jan. 23, 2024, a historic low of 10.7% of the construction industry belongs to a union, a decline from 11.7% in 2022. BLS reports that 7.9 million construction workers were not members of a union in […]

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ABC released the following statement yesterday in response to President Biden’s inflationary and anti-competitive project labor agreement final rule on large-scale federal construction projects. The final rule is expected to be published in the federal register this week. Taxpayer and industry stakeholders are encouraged to write their members of Congress through this ABC grassroots campaign […]

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Since President Joe Biden signed Executive Order 14063, Use of Project Labor Agreements for Federal Construction Projects, on Feb. 4, 2022, mandating inflationary and anti-competitive project labor agreements on federal construction projects of $35 million or more, numerous lawmakers and taxpayer and construction industry groups have renewed fierce opposition to the Biden administration’s push for […]

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On Nov. 17, 2023, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore issued an executive order that requires the consideration of union-favoring project labor agreements on construction contracts procured by state agencies where the state’s financial commitment is $20 million or greater. The EO also includes new community benefit agreements and government-registered apprenticeship policies in addition to troubling pro-PLA language. Maryland construction industry […]

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On Sept. 7, the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council’s final rule on the Use of Project Labor Agreements for Federal Construction Projects, which would mandate anti-competitive and inflationary project labor agreements on large-scale federal construction contracts, arrived at the Office of Management and Budget’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs for review. This is the final step before […]

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Associated Builders and Contractors applauded the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Accountability’s July 12 passage of the Fair and Open Competition Act, H.R. 1209. FOCA would protect federal and federally assisted construction contracts from anti-competitive and inflationary government-mandated project labor agreements and allow merit shop contractors and their skilled employees to have a fair […]

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The construction industry is projecting a historic shortage of more than half a million skilled workers in 2023. It is also facing serious supply chain disruptions unprecedented materials cost inflation of 39% since prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and uncertainty caused by a tsunami of Biden administration regulations impacting the construction industry. The Biden administration […]

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