Iowa Governor Terry Branstad Signs Executive Order Prohibiting PLAs on Projects Receiving State Funds
In a huge win for Iowa taxpayers, newly-inaugurated Governor Terry Branstad just issued Executive Order 69, which repeals Gov. Chet Culver’s Executive Order 22 (pdf)and prohibits wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreements (PLAs) on projects that receive state funds. By issuing this order, Gov. Branstad fulfilled his campaign promise to end the use of PLAs […]
Millions of Stimulus Dollars Wasted on Lafayette Building’s Project Labor Agreement Gift to Big Labor
How much does a government-mandated project labor agreement (PLA) add to a $52.3 million construction project funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) in Washington, D.C.? At least $3.3 million. That’s the cost of a change order the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) paid to a federal contractor to ensure renovations to the […]
University of Iowa Board of Regents Give Final Approval to Coralville PLA
The University of Iowa Board of Regents gave its final approval to a proposal to require a wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreement (PLA) on the construction of the $72 million University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics outpatient clinic at the Iowa River Landing in Coralville, IA. As we have reported in an earlier post, […]
Branstad Vows to Undo Project Labor Agreements
Iowa gubernatorial candidate Terry Branstad has spoke out this week against against Gov. Chet Culver’s Executive Order 22 and his efforts to encourage state agencies to consider and implement wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreements (PLAs) on state projects. The Cedar Rapids Gazette asked the former governor about the PLA issue on the campaign trail. […]
Culver Campaign Fails to Understand How PLAs Harm Iowa Businesses
The executive order signed earlier this year by Iowa Gov. Chet Culver is becoming a gubernatorial campaign issue, as Republican challenger Terry Branstad and others critical of project labor agreements (PLAs) make the case that these anti-competitive schemes will hurt Iowa business and taxpayers (“Culver defends project labor agreements for public projects,” The Iowa Independent, […]
Univ. of Iowa Board of Regents Approve Crony Contracts for Coralville Clinic
Iowa Governor Chet Culver’s effort to encourage public bodies to require wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreements (PLAs) is paying dividends for his Big Labor allies. The Iowa University Board of Regents voted 5-4, along party lines, in favor of requiring a PLA on the construction of the $73 million outpatient clinic for the University […]
Reaching For the Big Labor Lifeboat
Another embattled governor has reached out for the Big Labor lifeboat. On March 31, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn issued Executive Order 03 of 2010, which reaffirms former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s 2003 order essentially requiring wasteful project labor agreements (PLAs) on many state projects, and additionally, authorizes the state to use PLAs on federally assisted projects […]
Gov. Culver Delivers for Big Labor
In what should be no surprise to anyone, Gov. Chet Culver announced today that the Iowa Department of Administrative Services has been approved to move forward with wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreements (PLAs) on two upcoming projects for the Department of Corrections. Here is the text of Gov. Culver’s release announcing the PLAs: Gov. […]
Alaska Governor Criticized About Inaction Against PLAs
An opinion piece by Dan Fagen of the Alaska Standard takes Alaska Governor Sean Parnell to task for not standing up against discriminatory and costly project labor agreements (PLAs) (“Parnell refuses to do the right thing,” 3/15) There are times when something is so obviously wrong and immoral, that when a politician refuses to do something […]
Op-Ed: Don’t Be Fooled By Union Rhetoric On The Issue
In the latest edition of the Dubuque, IA Telegraph Herald’s “Double Take” feature, supporters and opponents of project labor agreements (PLAs) and Gov. Chet Culver’s Executive Order 22, encouraging state agencies to consider PLAs on state projects, were each given an opportunity to present their views on this issue. Jim Giese of Dubuque, owner of […]