California Unions for Reliable Energy (CURE)

The Fresno Bee Calls on California Gov. Jerry Brown to Lead in Reforming Environmental Law used to Exploit Construction Owners

1 August 6, 2012  State & Local Construction, Transportation & Infrastructure

The Fresno Bee published an editoral on Sunday, August 5, 2012 calling for Governor Jerry Brown to take a leadership role in reforming the California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA (California Public Resources Code Section 21000 et seq.) so that unions can’t exploit it to block proposed projects until the owner signs a project labor […]

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Carpenters Expose Project Labor Agreement Schemes in RICO Lawsuit Against Building Construction Trades Department

0 March 6, 2012  Federal Construction, State & Local Construction

The AFL-CIO’s Building & Construction Trades Department (BCTD) and its leadership have violated the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and Washington state law by engaging in an “unlawful extortionate campaign” to force the Carpenters union to make monthly payments to BCTD and to be governed by its rules, according to a lawsuit filed […]

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California’s Environmental Laws: A Weapon to Crush Potential Competition and Extort Developers

2 November 16, 2011  State & Local Construction, Uncategorized

Legal exploitation of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for purposes unrelated to environmental protection continues unabated throughout California, according to an article in the November 14 Los Angeles Times (“Firms Turning to Environmental Law to Combat Rivals”). This news is 25 years old, but it’s always good to see the news media remind people […]

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New California Legislation Targets Union Abuse of Environmental Laws Meant to Squeeze Project Labor Agreements Out of Private Developers

0 April 11, 2011  State & Local Construction, Uncategorized

When Governor Ronald Reagan signed the California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA, (now comprising California Public Resources Code Sections 21000-21177) into law in 1970, many California state legislators believed the law would only apply to public projects, such as highways. The courts decided otherwise, and now unions routinely victimize private developers by abusing and exploiting […]

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Sacramento Publically-Owned Utility Lets Staff Make Key Contracting Decisions – Including PLA Mandates – with No Board or Ratepayer Scrutiny

1 September 3, 2010  State & Local Construction, Transportation & Infrastructure, Uncategorized

Last night (September 2), the board of directors of the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) had an unexpected and unscheduled hour-long inquiry into its contracting practices, including district mandates for contractors to sign project labor agreements (PLAs) with unions in order to work on two specific large projects.  We learned that the elected board of […]

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TheTruthAboutPLAs.com Radio Appearance on Greenmail and Project Labor Agreements in California

0 November 4, 2009  State & Local Construction, Uncategorized

UPDATE at 3:00 p.m. EST on 11/4: Kevin’s radio appearance has been changed to Thursday, November 5 at 12:05 p.m PST. ABC California Government Affairs Director and TheTruthAboutPLAs.com contributor Kevin Dayton will be on “The Capitol Hour with Eric Hogue” radio talk show today from 12:05 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. PST on KTKZ 1380 AM out […]

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Big Labor Greenmails Northern California Agency Over Project Labor Agreement

1 October 30, 2009  State & Local Construction, Uncategorized

Some call it blackmail, but contractors and public utility commissions in California familiar with Big Labor’s underhanded tactic that forces developers to utilitze discriminatory and costly project labor agreements (PLAs) call it greenmail. It is why the Northern California Power Agency (NCPA) staff and commission chairman (Lodi Mayor Larry Hansen) are desperate to have a PLA and […]

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No Shame: Northern California Power Agency to Vote AGAIN on Union Construction Agreements for Power Plant

1 October 26, 2009  State & Local Construction

Why is the Northern California Power Agency (NCPA) staff and commission chairman (Lodi Mayor Larry Hansen) so desperate to have a project labor agreement and 30-year maintenance labor agreement for the construction and maintenance of the Lodi Energy Center power plant?  Why are they so eager to make a $150,000 payoff to an affiliate of […]

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Bizarre 3-3-5-9 Deadlocked Vote Preserves Fair and Open Bid Competition for Large California Power Plant

0 October 23, 2009  State & Local Construction, Transportation & Infrastructure

A popular political web site in California has posted a story by www.thetruthaboutPLAs.com contributor Kevin Dayton about a bizarre vote in northern California on October 22 to reject a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) proposed to prevent California Unions for Reliable Energy (CURE) from blocking the approval of a power plant at the California Energy Commission. […]

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FOX News Report Exposes Union Greenmail

1 August 7, 2009  State & Local Construction, Uncategorized

During the August 7 edition of FOX News’ Happening Now,  William La Jeunesse exposes union attempts to monopolize green construction through exploiting state and local environmental permitting processes – a tactic known as greenmail. Don’t be fooled by Big Labor’s attempts to portray themselves as protectors of the environment.   As this report shows, the […]

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