local hire

Evidence That Project Labor Agreements Do Not Guarantee a Safer Workplace

0 September 11, 2010  Federal Construction, State & Local Construction

Big Labor Bosses and their hand-picked political puppets claim that anti-competitive and costly government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs) are in the public’s best interest.  In reality, PLAs are crony contracting schemes implemented by corrupt elected officials that funnel lucrative public works contracts to union contractors and their union employees in exchange for political support. Taxpayers are […]

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Union Hiring Halls Are A Roadblock to Local Hire

0 August 5, 2010  State & Local Construction

An article in yesterday’s San Francisco Examiner demonstrates that PLAs can’t guarantee local hire because union hiring hall rules can’t guarantee local hire (“Union allocation is roadblock to local hiring,” 8/4/10): SAN FRANCISCO — City residents are landing more construction jobs on San Francisco Redevelopment Agency projects, but union practices still keep some from working. The […]

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Project Labor Agreements and Big Labor Fail at Local Job Creation

5 August 5, 2010  Federal Construction, State & Local Construction

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 […]

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Baltimore Community Partnership Agreement (PLA) Bill Gets a Hearing

0 July 30, 2010  State & Local Construction, Uncategorized

The Baltimore City Council held a hearing Thursday, July 29 to examine local legislation (Bill 10-0455) that would require community partnership agreements – also known as wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreements (PLAs) – on all construction projects costing more than $5 million and that have some form of city financial support. Here is an […]

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Baltimore City Solicitor Opposes Baltimore Project Labor Agreement Ordinance

0 July 23, 2010  State & Local Construction, Uncategorized

“For the reasons listed above, the Law Department does not approve the bill for form and legal sufficiency.” That is the legal opinion of Ashley H. Brown, Baltimore’s Assistant Attorney Solicitor, on controversial legislation (Bill No. 10-0455) before the Baltimore City Council that would require the city to include government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs) in all contracts for construction projects with a total […]

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Project Labor Agreements Don’t Guarantee a Local Workforce

1 May 21, 2010  State & Local Construction, Uncategorized

When Big Labor claims project labor agreements (PLAs) guarantee a local workforce, challenge that assertion.  Inquire and request documentation explaining the local union hall’s policy on “travelers” or “boomers” and ask elected officials in charge of construction projects to have local union halls submit their policy in writing.  Typically, union collective bargaining agreements and PLAs give out-of-area travelers/boomers […]

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Baltimore to Review Project Labor Agreement Law

1 March 9, 2010  State & Local Construction

The Baltimore Sun reported that legislation has been introduced before the Baltimore City Council that would require project labor agreements (PLAs) on city projects greater than $5 million (“Union laborers would be first in line for city projects under new bill,” 3/8/10). It is no surprise that the bill is being misrepresented by Big Labor lobbyists such as […]

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Project Labor Agreements’ Dire Effect on Minority Contractors

0 September 21, 2009  Federal Construction, Uncategorized

In a September 9 entry on the Competitive Enterprise Institute’s (CEI) blog openmarkets.org, CEI Editorial Director Ivan Osorio notes the negative impact of PLAs on job creation, especially for local residents and minority contractors.  The post also points out that this problem is likely to become more widespread thanks to President Obama’s Executive Order 13502, which […]

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First Federal Project Labor Agreement Under Obama Administration Riles Senator Gregg

0 September 18, 2009  Federal Construction, Uncategorized

The first government mandated project labor agreement (PLA) on a federal construction project during the Obama Presidency has been attached to a $10+ million U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Jobs Corp Center in Manchester, NH. A statement released by Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH) highlights the problems with a government mandated PLA in New Hampshire, where just 8.7 […]

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Confusion in Columbus

0 May 20, 2009  State & Local Construction

As we’ve mentioned before, one of the biggest misconceptions about PLAs is that they guarantee a local workforce on construction projects.  On May 18, the Columbus, OH City Council adopted a PLA requirement for all city projects. The mandate applies to all new city construction costing over $100,000 and reconstruction or renovation costing over $20,000. […]

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