New Mexico County Debating CWA/PLA Ordinance
Bernalillo County, the largest county in the State of New Mexico, is currently weighing an ordinance that would require a community workforce agreement (CWA), also known as a project labor agreement, on all county projects valued at over $5 million. The ordinance also says that at least three trades must be employed on the project […]
The District of Columbia Council Is Wasting Taxpayer Money on Project Labor Agreement Schemes
District of Columbia voters and businesses monitoring revenue shortfalls and proposed tax hikes in the D.C. Council’s FY2021 budget, passed July 23 and awaiting future action from Mayor Bowser, should be concerned about $50 million to $100 million in waste and increased costs resulting from a scheme by some D.C. Council members and construction trade […]
Virginia General Assembly Sends Project Labor Agreement and Prevailing Wage Legislation to Gov. Northam – Take Action
Virginia’s General Assembly has sent legislation to Gov. Ralph Northam’s desk that will needlessly increase the cost of taxpayer-funded public works construction projects, discourage competition from Virginia’s construction workforce and businesses. In addition, the legislation will steer contracts to out-of-state workers and firms instead of creating opportunities for certified small, women and minority contractors to […]
PLA Mandate Legislation Introduced in Baltimore City Council
As reported last month in the Baltimore Sun (“Baltimore Council bill would require union agreements before contractors win major city projects,” 1/27/20), a bill introduced in the Baltimore City Council by Councilmember Shannon Sneed and Council President Brandon Scott would make sweeping changes to the City of Baltimore’s procurement laws. The proposed ordinance, File 20-0488, […]
24 States Ensure Fair and Open Competition, Restrict Government-Mandated Project Labor Agreements
On Feb. 6, 2009, President Obama signed Executive Order 13502, which encourages federal agencies to mandate controversial project labor agreements (PLAs) on large-scale federal construction projects—those exceeding $25 million in total value—on a case-by-case basis, and permits states and localities to mandate PLAs on federally assisted projects. Since President Obama issued Executive Order 13502, 23 […]
U.S. District Court Knocks Down Jersey City Project Labor Agreement Ordinance
In June, the U. S. District Court for the District of New Jersey found that a 2007 Jersey City ordinance requiring project labor agreements (PLAs) on private projects receiving tax abatements is preempted by the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). The case involved a Jersey City ordinance encouraging private developers to invest in the city by […]
Federal Appeals Court Finds NLRA Could Preempt Jersey City Project Labor Agreement Ordinance
A federal appeals court has reversed the New Jersey District Court’s decision to uphold a Jersey City project labor agreement (PLA) ordinance that forced developers to enter into a PLA with construction trade unions as a condition of recieving tax abatements on certain projects. The decision paves the way to repeal Jersey City’s discriminatory and costly pro-PLA […]
Take Action: D.C. Council’s Pro-Project Labor Agreement Legislation Threatens Fair and Open Competition for DC Construction Contracts
District of Columbia council members June 21 added language to Section 14 of The Procurement Integrity, Transparency and Accountability Amendment Act of 2016 (Bill 21-334) mandating the use of union-favoring project labor agreements (PLAs) on District of Columbia-funded construction contracts exceeding $50 million. Update 7/6/16: The ABC Metro Washington Chapter issued this press release in reaction to […]
Prince George’s County Abandons Anti-Competitive, Budget-Busting Project Labor Agreement on Laurel Library
Another taxpayer-funded project subject to a government-mandated project labor agreement (PLA) in the Washington, D.C., region has run into trouble. The Baltimore Sun reported that a union-favoring PLA required by Prince George’s County on the construction of the new library in Laurel, Md., has been scrapped because it caused delays, increased costs, and reduced competition from local contractors and […]
Fresno Open Competition Ordinance in Jeopardy
Merit shop advocates have learned the Fresno, Calif., City Council will consider repealing the city’s ban on government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs) this week. The city’s open competition ordinance could be repealed by the end of the year. Since 2000, this ordinance has successfully guaranteed government neutrality with regard to PLAs on city project and […]