Union-only PLAs harm local workers

Union Favor on Federal Construction Project in New Hampshire Draws Criticism

0 February 9, 2012  Federal Construction

This week, U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) grabbed headlines with her public opposition to President Obama’s discriminatory policy, Executive Order 13502, favoring union contractors and union members competing for federal construction contracts. In a press release and letter to the White House issued Monday, Sen. Ayotte asked President Obama to repeal his pro-union Executive Order 13502 and […]

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Barack and a Hard Place: President’s Decision to Kill Keystone XL Pipeline Pleases Environmentalists, Riles Unions

0 January 20, 2012  Transportation & Infrastructure

This week the Obama administration killed Phase 3 and Phase 4 of TransCanada’s Keystone XL pipeline project (for now), which would have connected Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the existing pipeline to new pipeline that would carry crude oil 1,600 miles from Alberta, Canada, to Gulf Coast refineries.  The State Department’s denial of the […]

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Bill to End Union Abuse of Environmental Laws Fails in California Assembly Committee

0 January 11, 2012  State & Local Construction, Uncategorized

On January 9, 2012, the California State Assembly’s Natural Resources Committee considered Assembly Bill 598, a bill sponsored by ABC of California and introduced by Assemblywoman Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) that would give authority to file lawsuits under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) solely to the California Attorney General. The hearing was an opportunity for […]

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Labor Department to Mandate Controversial Project Labor Agreement on Manchester Job Corps Center

0 December 29, 2011  Federal Construction, Uncategorized

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued a pre-solicitation on Dec. 22, 2011, for a $20 million to $50 million DOL Job Corps Center in Manchester, New Hampshire, indicating the project will be subject to an anti-competitive and costly project labor agreement (PLA) mandated by the DOL. Bidding is open only to certified small business […]

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Petitions Submitted to City Clerk for Fair and Open Competition Ballot Measure in City of Sacramento

0 December 28, 2011  State & Local Construction, Uncategorized

On Tuesday, December 27, representatives of the Fair and Open Competition – Sacramento campaign submitted petitions to the Sacramento City Clerk with more than 49,000 signatures of Sacramento voters calling for a vote on a ballot measure to require fair and open competition for construction contracts of the City of Sacramento. The campaign needed to […]

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Philly Mayor Opens Door to Waste and Discrimination with Pro-PLA Executive Order

2 December 1, 2011  State & Local Construction

Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter issued Executive Order 15-11 on Nov. 29, 2011, re-establishing the use of anti-competitive and costly union-favoring government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs) on city projects costing more than $5 million. According to Philly’s press release, the order does not mandate PLAs on all projects, but it creates a PLA evaluation procedure that opens the door […]

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On the Money: Sacramento CBS Affiliate Breaks Down the Added Cost of PLAs

0 November 1, 2011  School Construction, State & Local Construction, Uncategorized

In their “On the Money” segment, Sacramento’s CBS affiliate exposes what PLA mandates on school construction mean for taxpayers. Government-mandated PLAs have a negative impact on local construction workers and taxpayers.  These special interest handouts to Big Labor line the pockets of union bosses at the expense of average Americans. Californians throughout the state have […]

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