Government-Mandated Project Labor Agreement Failures on Federal and Federally Assisted Construction Projects
ABC supports fair and open competition and opposes government-mandated project labor agreements on federal and federally assisted projects because hardworking taxpayers deserve more efficient and effective policies that will encourage all qualified contractors and their skilled workforce to compete to build long-lasting, quality projects at the best price. Just 12.7% of the U.S. construction workforce belongs […]
Many Construction Industry Multiemployer Pension Plans Remain in Financial Distress
Merit shop contractors are typically wary of competing for taxpayer-funded construction contracts which are subject to government-mandated project labor agreements. Often their main concern is the viability of defined benefit multiemployer pension plans, which expose their businesses to potentially catastrophic MEPP liability. Information about the health of construction industry MEPPs provided by the U.S. Department of […]
Government-Mandated Project Labor Agreements Harm Construction Industry Workforce Development Efforts
ABC members overwhelmingly say that government-mandated project labor agreements harm their company hiring and workforce development practices and ability to complete work safely, on time and on budget. Almost 97% of survey respondents said the PLA provisions that would require their firm to hire most or all of their company’s apprentices from union-only apprenticeship programs […]
DOL Website Shows Some Construction Industry Pension Plans Remain in Financial Trouble
Following this week’s post at TheTruthAboutPLAs.com about pensions and government-mandated project labor agreements, The Project Labor Agreement and Troubled Union Multiemployer Pension Plan Nexus, ABC’s Newsline published this article Jan. 30, 2019, Some Construction Industry Pension Plans Remain in Financial Trouble, about multi-employer pension plans. Merit shop contractors are typically wary of competing for taxpayer-funded construction […]
U.S. Department of Labor Job Corps Center Opening Demonstrates Value Of Open Competition
Last week, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of its $32 million Job Corps Center in Manchester, N.H. The on-time and on-budget delivery of the federal project is a reminder of the benefits of fair and open competition, free from anti-competitive and costly union-favoring project labor agreement (PLA) mandates. TheTruthAboutPLAs.com readers […]
Union’s Criticism Misses Mark on U.S. Department of Labor’s New Hampshire Job Corps Center Project Labor Agreement Scheme
During Labor Day weekend, two New Hampshire newspapers ran pieces critical of New Hampshire Building and Construction Trades Council President Pat Casey’s Op-Ed attacking Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R) and the merit shop contracting community for their opposition to an anti-competitive and costly union-favoring government-mandated project labor agreement (PLA) on the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Manchester, N.H., […]
Taxpayers Win Big Without Federal Project Labor Agreement on New Hampshire Job Corps Center
Taxpayers will save more than $6 million on the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Manchester, New Hampshire, Job Corps Center project thanks to the benefits of fair and open competition free from anti-competitive and costly government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs). This important example of a federal project bid with and without a PLA requirement undermines […]
The Top 10 Stories of 2012
Happy New Year from TheTruthAboutPLAs.com In 2012, construction industry advocates of fair and open competition in public contracting defied a difficult political environment and economy to create more opportunities for qualified merit shop contractors and their skilled employees. President Obama’s Feb. 6, 2009, Executive Order 13502 encouraging federal agencies to mandate project labor agreements (PLAs) […]
Update: Manchester’s U.S. DOL Job Corps Center To Proceed Free From Project Labor Agreement Scheme
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has confirmed the elimination of a controversial project labor agreement (PLA) mandate on its estimated $35 million Job Corps Center in Manchester, N.H., when it issued a solicitation yesterday for construction services without discriminatory and costly PLA mandate or preference requirements. The Associated Press picked up this story, which will run […]
Victory: Manchester’s U.S. DOL Job Corps Center To Proceed Free From Project Labor Agreement Scheme
Last week the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) confirmed the elimination of a controversial project labor agreement (PLA) mandate on its estimated $20 million to $50 million Job Corps Center in Manchester, N.H., when it issued a pre-solicitation for construction services without discriminatory and costly PLA mandate or preference language. When mandated by government entities, […]