WSJ Project Labor Agreement Op-Ed: A Wisconsin Lesson for Trump the Builder
The Wall Street Journal editorial and op-ed pages have invested barrels of ink opposing anti-competitive and costly government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs). In numerous instances (see pieces at end of blog post) the WSJ editorial board has derided PLA mandates, calling them “crony contracts,” “a rotten deal for taxpayers,” and worse: “PLAs are a form of political bid-rigging that robs […]
ABC Virginia President’s Letter Blasts Labor Boss’ Deceptive Pro-Project Labor Agreement Op-Ed
On May 28, 2016, The Virginia Pilot published a strong #NoPLAs letter to the editor by ABC Virginia President Patrick J. Dean in response to a pro-project labor agreement (PLA) op-ed submitted by Dennis Martire, vice president and Mid-Atlantic regional manager of the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA): Letter: Benefits agreements hurt business, taxpayers May […]
Project Labor Agreement Schemes Debated in Charles County Maryland
A battle is brewing between the merit shop contracting community and construction labor unions in Charles County, Maryland, the latest locality in the Mid-Atlantic region to entertain legislation requiring anti-competitive and costly government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs) on taxpayer-funded construction projects. On Oct.2, the Charles County commissioners invited representatives from construction trade unions and the local […]
Cavuto Segment Slams Government-Mandated Project Labor Agreements on Hurricane Sandy Construction Projects
Americans for Prosperity New Jersey Director Steve Lonegan appeared on Fox Business Channel’s Cavuto show Feb. 21 to discuss S2425, a measure opposed by the Wall Street Journal editorial board and covered by TheTruthAboutPLAs.com numerous times this year. It expands the use of anti-competitive and costly government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs) on Hurricane Sandy reconstruction […]
Op-Ed: The Best Bidder Should be Awarded the Job
Despite a major legal defeat earlier this year, the New York State Department of Transportation (NYS DOT) is continuing their effort to impose a wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreement (PLA) mandate on a highway reconstruction and bridge replacement project near Exit 122 on Route 17 in Orange County, NY. In March 2012, an Albany, […]
“Skip the PLA”
Last week, we covered the numerous project labor agreement (PLA)-related events that have occurred in Connecticut in recent weeks. On Friday, March 23, Meriden Record-Journal op-ed writer Eric Cotton authored a strong piece urging the city not to require a wasteful and discriminatory PLA on two future school construction projects. Here are the highlights from his […]
County Hospitals Are Prime Targets for Project Labor Agreements: Ventura County is the Latest in California
The first government-mandated project labor agreement (PLA) in California (following the Boston Harbor decision at the U.S. Supreme Court) was imposed in the spring of 1994 by the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors for a county hospital construction project. Last year, unions managed to squeak out (on a 3-2 vote) their first PLA for […]
Minnesota Vikings to Require PLA on Upcoming Stadium Project
On Feb. 6, the Minnesota Vikings signed an agreement with the Minnesota Building and Construction Trade Division (BCTD), AFL-CIO to require contractors to sign a project labor agreement (PLA) on the upcoming construction of their new stadium. This will ensure that nearly all of the construction jobs on the project will go to union workers—leaving […]
Op-Ed: Project Labor Agreements Build Nothing But Unions
Eric Christen from the Coalition for Fair Employment in Construction penned a new op-ed for the Los Angeles Business Journal in which he calls out Los Angeles area leaders for their love affair with project labor agreement (PLA) mandates. Here are the highlights: Project Labor Agreements Build Nothing but Unions OPED By ERIC CHRISTEN January […]
Strong Opposition Quickly Emerges to Union-Backed California Bills Suppressing Local Project Labor Agreement Bans
California State Senate Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg and Assembly Speaker John Perez took a bill about tuberculosis screening (Senate Bill 922) on the afternoon of Friday, September 2 and turned it into a bill that nullifies current and future Project Labor Agreement bans at local governments and cuts off state funds for charter cities that […]