Rep. John Bear

89 Miles for Worker Freedom – Update

0 September 20, 2010  Federal Construction, Uncategorized

As we reported last week, John Falk of York, Pa. has started his walk for worker freedom.  Falk is walking from York to the U.S. Capitol to deliver a petition urging Congress to repeal President Obama’s Executive Order 13502, which encourages federal agencies to require wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreements (PLAs) on federal construction […]

READ MORE

Dem Candidate for Pennsylvania Governor: CCAC PLA Requirement was “Probably Wrong”

0 August 16, 2010  School Construction, State & Local Construction, Uncategorized

Allegheny County Executive and gubernatorial candidate Dan Onorato (D) criticized the Community College of Allegheny County’s (CCAC) requirement that all bidders for the upcoming construction of a $21 million science building agree to sign a wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreement (PLA) with Big Labor as a condition of performing work on this project. Here’s an […]

READ MORE

Contractors Fight PLA Mandate on Pittsburgh Area Community College Project

0 August 12, 2010  School Construction, State & Local Construction, Uncategorized

There has been a flurry of activity surrounding the fight for fair and open competition in the Pittsburgh area over the last 72 hours. The Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) was scheduled to receive bids for the $21 million construction of a new 65,000 sq. ft. science center on August 10. Unfortunately, buried within […]

READ MORE

Commonwealth Foundation Opposes Project Labor Agreement Kickbacks to Big Labor

0 December 17, 2009  State & Local Construction, Uncategorized

The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives has posted their testimony to the Pennsylvania House Republican Policy Committee concerning government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs) on PA projects and Representative John Bear’s H.B. 2010, The Open Contracting Act, that would prohibit these special interest handouts on state construction. As usual, the Commonwealth Foundation knocks it out […]

READ MORE

Watch the December 10 Pennsylvania House Republican Policy Committee Hearing on PLAs

0 December 11, 2009  Uncategorized

Video from the Thursday, December 10 Pennsylvania House Republican Policy Committee hearing on the wasteful and discriminatory impact of project labor agreements (PLAs) and Representative John Bear’s H.B. 2010, “The Open Contracting Act,” that would prohibit PLAs on state and state-funded construction projects is now available. Pennsylvania lawmakers, nonunion contractors, employees and other business groups […]

READ MORE

PA Lawmakers and Union Contractor Association Express Opposition to Project Labor Agreements

2 December 10, 2009  State & Local Construction

Yesterday the Pennsylvania House Republican Policy Committee held a hearing on project labor agreements (PLAs) and legislation (House Bill 2010, The Open Contracting Act) introduced by Reps. Stan Saylor (R-York) and John Bear (R-Lancaster) that would prohibit government-mandated PLAs on PA and PA-funded construction projects. PA lawmakers, nonunion contractors, employees and other business groups and construction associations […]

READ MORE

PA Hearing on Open Contracting Act Legislation Today

1 December 9, 2009  State & Local Construction, Uncategorized

Today the Pennsylvania House Republican Policy Committee will hold a hearing on project labor agreements (PLAs) and legislation (House Bill 2010, The Open Contracting Act) introduced by Reps. Stan Saylor (R-York) and John Bear (R-Lancaster) that would prohibit government-mandated PLAs on PA and PA-funded construction projects. The committee is scheduled to hear testimony from stakeholders […]

READ MORE

Pennsylvania Represenative John Bear Speaks Out Against PLAs on Comcast Local Edition

0 October 2, 2009  State & Local Construction, Uncategorized

PA Representative John Bear calls project labor agreements (PLAs) “discrimination, pure and simple” and said he is “surprised we’re even talking about this [PLAs]” while PA is in the middle of a historic budget crisis during a recent episode of Comcast Local Edition.  Rep. Bear, a leading voice against government waste, recognizes that taxpayers ALWAYS […]

READ MORE