Labor Productivity

Understanding Core Workforce Provisions in Project Labor Agreements

0 April 7, 2014  Featured

Among the many reasons why most merit shop contractors oppose government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs) is language requiring contractors to hire all trades employees for a PLA jobsite directly from union hiring halls. Sample language from a typical PLA: “Article 7.01. – For Unions having a hiring hall or job referral system in their local […]

READ MORE

Report Highlights Inefficient Union Work Rules in NYC, Developers Say Alleged PLA Cost Savings Disappointing

0 May 4, 2011  Federal Construction, State & Local Construction

Merit shop contractors know government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs) saddle nonunion and merit shop contractors with inefficient union work rules and high operational costs unique to unionized contractors, which results in reduced competition and increased costs to taxpayers. But few understand the merit shop contractor cost advantage despite anecdotal evidence and compelling research on the topic. […]

READ MORE

Union Boss Calls for Reform: Says Union Labor is Costly and Unproductive

3 June 12, 2010  State & Local Construction

Comments from a St. Louis area union boss in an article in the Illinois Business Journal supports the premise that anti-competitive project labor agreements (PLAs) saddle construction owners and contractors with poor productivity and archaic union work rules that needlessly inflate the cost of construction (“Lack of productivity puts St. Louis in backseat for economic development“).  Note: […]

READ MORE