Iowa Law Restricts Government-Mandated Project Labor Agreements, Protects Hawkeye State Construction Industry
On April 13, Gov. Terry Branstad (R-Iowa) signed SF 438 into law, which promotes fair and open competition on contracts for construction services funded by Iowa taxpayers. The measure will ensure that the government cannot mandate controversial project labor agreements (PLAs) on state, state-assisted and local construction projects, guaranteeing that the 85 percent of Iowa’s […]
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 […]
Idaho Legislature Shows Commitment to Taxpayer Value; Rejects Federal District Court’s Decision
Last week, Idaho Gov. Butch Otter (R) signed S.B. 1337, which is the legislature’s second attempt to ban wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreement (PLA) mandates on taxpayer-funded construction. The prior piece of legislation (S.B. 1006 of 2011) Gov. Otter signed on March 3, 2011 to ban these taxpayer-funded handouts was invalidated in December 2011 […]
Federal Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Against Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad’s Open Competition Executive Order
Despite the attempts of lawmakers in California to override the will of local voters and their elected officials, not all of the news on wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreement (PLA) mandates from the states last week was bad. On Sept. 7, a federal District Court judge in Iowa dismissed a lawsuit filed by 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 […]
Gov. Branstad Determined to Enforce Open Competition Executive Order on Cedar Rapids Convention Center Project
Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad’s recent executive order to prohibit the use of wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreements on construction projects funded by taxpayer dollars is facing its first real test. The Cedar Rapids City Council voted 5-4 on Tuesday, Feb. 8 to move forward with a PLA requirement for the construction of the city’s […]
Iowa Governor Terry Branstad Signs Executive Order Prohibiting PLAs on Projects Receiving State Funds
In a huge win for Iowa taxpayers, newly-inaugurated Governor Terry Branstad just issued Executive Order 69, which repeals Gov. Chet Culver’s Executive Order 22 (pdf)and prohibits wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreements (PLAs) on projects that receive state funds. By issuing this order, Gov. Branstad fulfilled his campaign promise to end the use of PLAs […]