Voters in City of Sacramento and County of Sacramento Asked to Ensure Fair and Open Competition for Construction Contracts
On Thursday, June 9, a group of local contractors, construction workers, business associations, and taxpayer advocates held a press conference announcing the launch of an audacious campaign to win voter approval of two ballot measures that would ensure fair and open competition for taxpayer-funded construction contracts in the City of Sacramento and in the County […]
Merit Shop Advocates Prepare to Open a New Front in the Fight Against PLAs in California
Merit shop advocates in California are taking the fight against wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreements (PLAs) to northern California. This campaign will make the City of Sacramento and Sacramento County the 8th and 9th local government entities in California to ban government-mandated PLAs. Here is a press release from the Coalition for Fair Employment […]
Support Scalise Amdt. to H.R. 2017 to Stop Mandated PLAs
Today the U.S. House of Representatives is considering the Homeland Security Appropriations Act for 2012 (H.R. 2017). Representative Steve Scalise (R-La.) is offering an amendment (#67) to the bill that would restore fair and open competition on federal construction projects funded by this appropriations bill by prohibiting funds from implementing or enforcing President Obama’s pro-project […]
Prince George’s County, Maryland Considers Wasteful PLA Requirement
Price George’s County will consider legislation today that would require contractors to agree to wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreements (PLAs) as a condition of performing work on all projects costing more than $1 million. Update: PG County passed this policy Nov. 15, 2011 (read the Prince George’s County press release on the policy here) This proposal […]
UPDATE: Big Labor Handout Costs NYS Taxpayers $4.5 Million
There is a great example of Big Labor handouts at their worst developing in New York State this spring. Here are the facts from the Empire State Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors: “Lancaster Development, Inc., a Schoharie County-based heavy/highway construction firm, and the Empire State Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors are calling on […]
Louisiana Legislation Would Ban Government-Mandated PLAs
The drive to prohibit wasteful and discriminatory government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs) in Louisiana got some national media attention this week. Here are the highlights from the May 25 Washington Examiner piece, “Project Labor Agreements Could be Used to Undermine Right to Work Laws and Force Double Payment of Benefits.” “Louisiana’s Right-to-Work Law allows employees within […]
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Crushes Fair and Open Competition for Hospital Project
The seven-month battle at the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors over requiring contractors to sign the county’s first government-mandated project labor agreement (renamed on the May 24 agenda as a “Community Workforce Agreement”) came to an end today (May 24, 2011) with a regrettable result for county taxpayers, as well as businesses and their […]
Tennessee Becomes the Latest State to Ban Government-Mandated PLAs
On Friday, May 20, Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam (R) signed HB 1498, which prohibits the use of government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs) on state and local construction projects. It also prohibits involuntary PLAs on projects that receive state financial support and bars local elected officials from enacting wage requirements that are higher than Tennessee’s prevailing […]
Loudoun County Supervisors, Herndon Mayor Oppose Project Labor Agreement on Phase 2 of Dulles Metro Rail
Opposition continues to grow against the Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority’s (MWAA) April 6 resolution mandating an anti-competitive and costly project labor agreement (PLA) on Phase 2 of the $3.5 billion Dulles Metro Rail project. In the past two weeks, Loudoun County Supervisors and Herndon Mayor Steve DeBenedittis publicly opposed the Phase 2 PLA mandate. They have joined a […]
PLA Legislation on the Move – Mid-May Edition
Tennessee Legislation to prohibit wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreements (PLAs) on state and local construction projects is on its way to Gov. Bill Haslam (R) for his signature or veto. We urge Gov. Haslam to take quick action on this bi-partisan legislation, HB1498, which will protect taxpayers from these Big Labor handouts on public […]