Michigan Lawmakers Seek Labor Reform
As part of a survey of the labor reforms proposed in the Great Lakes State in 2011, The Daily Caller recognized that lawmakers are also taking on government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs) too. Here are the highlights (Our emphasis added): Republicans control both houses of the Michigan legislature and the governor’s mansion, but passage of any […]
Another State Legislative Committee in Michigan Approves Bill to Ban Government-Mandated PLAs
The Michigan House Commerce Committee approved legislation yesterday to prohibit wasteful and discriminatory government-mandated project labor agreements on state and local projects. The committee approved H.B. 4287 by a 12-7 vote. This bill now awaits consideration from the full House. The Michigan Senate has also taken up the PLA issue and S.B. 165, which is […]
Telling the Truth About PLAs on Radio
Chris Fisher, president of Associated Builders and Contractors of Michigan, appeared this morning on Tony Conley’s radio show on 1320 WILS in Lansing, MI to discuss legislation to prohibit government-mandated project labor agreements on taxpayer funded construction projects. Chris does an outstanding job explaining how PLAs negatively impact Michigan’s taxpayers and the 80 percent of […]
Michigan Senate Committee Hears Bill to Guarantee Open Competition on Taxpayer Funded Work
The Michigan Senate Reforms, Restructuring and Reinventing Committee heard S.B. 165 this morning, which would prohibit the state and local government entities from prohibiting or requiring contractors from entering into wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreements (PLAs) as a condition of performing public construction. The Lansing State Journal covered the hearing around mid-day today. The […]
Open Competition Legislation on the Move!
There have been some big developments for proponents of fair and open competition around the country. It is clear that taxpayers from sea to shining sea are sick of their hard earned tax dollars funding special interest handouts in the form of wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreements (PLAs). Last week, lawmakers in Idaho cleared […]
Detroit News Editorial: Break the Barriers
The editorial board of The Detroit News has once again come out against job killing policies that line the pockets of one special interest group at the expense of Michigan taxpayers. This issue was discussed in the context of The Detroit News urging the newly-minted Snyder administration to remove the government-imposed hurdles to job creation […]
Detroit News Editorial Calls for Fair Bids
In an outstanding editorial published today (“Editorial: Fair Bids,” 12/7/10), the Detroit News calls on Michigan’s leaders to eliminate government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs) on state, local and university projects in the state. Here are the highlights: The contractors association says that some state universities, community colleges and local units of government are requiring their […]
Lansing Developer Considering Legal Action Against City Council
In response to the Lansing City Council’s recent decision to put union handouts ahead of job creation, Michigan developer Pat Gillespie is considering legal action against the city. Last week, several members of the Lansing City Council demanded that Mr. Gillespie require contractors to sign wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreements (PLAs) on the over […]
Lansing City Council on Job Creation: We Don’t Need It
In a stunning move, the Lansing, MI City Council has decided to put political payback to powerful special interests ahead of creating jobs for local residents. This wouldn’t be THAT big of a deal, except the East Lansing-Lansing unemployment rate has jumped to over 10 percent. Major development plans for downtown Lansing are now delayed […]
Project Labor Agreements and Big Labor Fail at Local Job Creation
Big Labor bosses and government-mandated project labor agreement (PLA) advocates frequently claim that PLAs are the only way to guarantee local hire on construction projects funded by tax dollars. Of course, this is another myth promoted by special interests to convince lawmakers and taxpayers that there is a public benefit to anti-competitive and costly PLA […]