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 […]
Ethics Complaint Raises Questions About UMass Crony Contracting Scheme
Yesterday, The Boston Globe reported that a group of nonunion contractors filed a complaint with the State Ethics Commission alleging that a project labor agreement (PLA) favoring union labor on $750 million worth of construction at the UMass Boston campus violated the state’s conflict of interest law when it was approved by a board that includes two […]
University of Iowa Board of Regents Give Final Approval to Coralville PLA
The University of Iowa Board of Regents gave its final approval to a proposal to require a wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreement (PLA) on the construction of the $72 million University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics outpatient clinic at the Iowa River Landing in Coralville, IA. As we have reported in an earlier post, […]
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 […]
Laura Ingraham and Iowa Small Business Owner Outraged by Obama and Culver Project Labor Agreement Executive Orders
Jeremy Price, owner of ABC Iowa member Price Industrial Electric, appeared on the Laura Ingraham radio show July 16 to discuss President Obama’s pro-project labor agreement (PLA) Executive Order 13502, which encourages federal agencies to steer lucrative federal construction contracts exceeding $25 million to unionized contractors and union members. March 15, 2010, Iowa Gov. Chet […]
Branstad Vows to Undo Project Labor Agreements
Iowa gubernatorial candidate Terry Branstad has spoke out this week against against Gov. Chet Culver’s Executive Order 22 and his efforts to encourage state agencies to consider and implement wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreements (PLAs) on state projects. The Cedar Rapids Gazette asked the former governor about the PLA issue on the campaign trail. […]
Culver Campaign Fails to Understand How PLAs Harm Iowa Businesses
The executive order signed earlier this year by Iowa Gov. Chet Culver is becoming a gubernatorial campaign issue, as Republican challenger Terry Branstad and others critical of project labor agreements (PLAs) make the case that these anti-competitive schemes will hurt Iowa business and taxpayers (“Culver defends project labor agreements for public projects,” The Iowa Independent, […]
Univ. of Iowa Board of Regents Approve Crony Contracts for Coralville Clinic
Iowa Governor Chet Culver’s effort to encourage public bodies to require wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreements (PLAs) is paying dividends for his Big Labor allies. The Iowa University Board of Regents voted 5-4, along party lines, in favor of requiring a PLA on the construction of the $73 million outpatient clinic for the University […]
Gov. Culver Delivers for Big Labor
In what should be no surprise to anyone, Gov. Chet Culver announced today that the Iowa Department of Administrative Services has been approved to move forward with wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreements (PLAs) on two upcoming projects for the Department of Corrections. Here is the text of Gov. Culver’s release announcing the PLAs: Gov. […]
Op-Ed: Don’t Be Fooled By Union Rhetoric On The Issue
In the latest edition of the Dubuque, IA Telegraph Herald’s “Double Take” feature, supporters and opponents of project labor agreements (PLAs) and Gov. Chet Culver’s Executive Order 22, encouraging state agencies to consider PLAs on state projects, were each given an opportunity to present their views on this issue. Jim Giese of Dubuque, owner of […]