Unions Unveil Last-Minute Legislative Schemes in California to End Local Fair and Open Competition Policies and Promote Project Labor Agreements
On the afternoon of September 2 – the Friday before Labor Day weekend – the California State Building and Construction Trades Council finally revealed its plot to terminate local efforts throughout the state to guarantee the best quality construction at the best price for taxpayers. Bills in the California State Legislature were “gutted and amended” […]
Project Labor Agreements on California School Construction Raise Costs up to 15 Percent, Study Says
According to a new study released by the National University System Institute for Policy Research (NUSIPR), California school construction projects built using project labor agreements (PLAs) experienced increased costs of 13 percent to 15 percent, or $28.90 to $32.49 per square foot, compared to projects that did not use a PLA. Measuring the Cost of […]
San Diego Unified School District PLA Fails to Meet Local Hiring Goals
Longtime readers of this blog remember that a PLA requirement was adopted by the San Diego Unified School District for all projects funded by Proposition S, a $2.1 billion voter-approved school construction bond. We have already seen this PLA requirement lead to expensive cost increases. Media reports now find that projects covered by the PLA […]
Indiana House Democrats Blocking Open Competition for Public Construction
While much of the national media attention has focused on Wisconsin, lawmakers in Indiana have also fled across state lines to keep the newly elected majority in the state House of Representatives from having the opportunity to conduct the people’s business. In Indiana, the Democrats initially left town over proposed Right-to-Work legislation, which would have […]
Ohio Leaders Refuse to Build Four Schools for the Price of Five
This week, Ohio leaders stood up and said NO to taxpayer funded handouts to Big Labor. The Ohio School Facilities Commission (OSFC) voted Thursday to approve a policy that prohibits the use of government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs) on school construction projects financed by the OSFC. This reverses a policy adopted by former Gov. Ted Strickland’s […]
Hey Ohio, Open Competition Could be on the Way!
The march against wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreements (PLAs) has moved to the Ohio General Assembly, where Rep. Ron Young has introduced the latest measure to prohibit the use of these Big Labor handouts on taxpayer funded work. Here is the text from Rep. Young’s press release, issued February 11: YOUNG SPONSORS LEGISLATION TO […]
Editorial: City Council Should be in No Hurry to Enact Dubious Labor Measure
Big Labor’s effort to impose a wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreement (PLA) mandate in Lorain, OH hit a roadblock this week when the City Council’s Streets and Sidewalks Committee refused to send the proposal to the full council on Monday, Dec. 6. This was a big win for local taxpayers, but it might only […]
San Diego Voters Have the Chance to End Taxpayer-funded Handouts
San Diego County voters have the chance to end taxpayer-funded handouts to Big Labor today, as Proposition A is on the ballot for voters to consider. Proposition A would solidify a ban on government-mandated project labor agreements on county-supported projects. More information on Proposition A is available in our earlier posts. Also, check out ABC […]
Waterbury Board of Education Gives Taxpayers Half a Loaf of Good Government
In a head fake in the direction of good government, the Waterbury, CT Board of Education rejected proposals requiring contractors to enter into wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreements (PLAs) with union bosses on 2 of 3 upcoming school construction projects totaling $105 million in taxpayer funds. Unfortunately, the board did approve a PLA requirement […]
New Billboard Tells Gov. Patrick to Halt the Assault on Taxpayers
The Massachusetts Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) has launched a new billboard telling Gov. Deval Patrick (D) to halt the assault on Massachusetts small business. In June, the UMass Building Authority approved a requirement that all construction contractors must enter into a wasteful project labor agreement (PLA) with Big Labor in order to […]