The Baltimore Sun reported that legislation has been introduced before the Baltimore City Council that would require project labor agreements (PLAs) on city projects greater than $5 million (”Union laborers would be first in line for city projects under new bill,” 3/8/10).
It is no surprise that the bill is being misrepresented by Big Labor lobbyists such as Jayson [...]
TheTruthAboutPLAs.com has long maintained that government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs) are one of the purest forms of payback to special interests. Sometimes it is hard to believe that PLAs are even legal. And as this example will demonstrate, elected officials go to great lengths to justify their paybacks to special interests.
Matthew J. Brouillette, president and [...]
By BenBrubeck
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Posted in Uncategorized
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Tagged Benner Township, Centre County, Commonwealth Foundation, Department of General Services, Keystone Research Center, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Inquirer, PLA Basics, PLA Fact, PLAs, PLAs are political payoffs to union leaders, Prisons, Project Labor Agreements, Rendell, Rockview, The Philadelphia Independent, Union Propaganda Machine
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According to a press release by the Beacon Hill Institute at Suffolk University, in Boston Mass., a new poll of Massachusetts voters indicates the public opposes a key provision of typical PLAs.
A new survey conducted by the Suffolk University Political Research Center for the Beacon Hill Institute shows that 69% of Massachusetts voters oppose a requirement [...]
By BenBrubeck
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Posted in Uncategorized
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Tagged Beacon Hill Institute, Boston Herald, David G. Tuerck, Executive Order 13502, Massachusetts, McGowan, pensions, PLA Basics, PLAs, PLAs Discriminate, Polls, Project Labor Agreements, The Public Opposes PLAs
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Pennsylvania’s Graterford Prison project labor agreement (PLA) controversy is in the Philadelphia newspapers again. No progress has been made on the construction of this important project.
Looking for something to blame?
It’s the PLA, stupid!
Looking for someone to blame?
Blame Big Labor’s lobbyists for pushing costly, job-killing special interest PLAs and blame public officials for allowing these backroom kickback schemes to [...]
By BenBrubeck
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Posted in Uncategorized
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Tagged Commonwealth Foundation, Department of General Services, Graterford, Legal Challenge, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Inquirer, PLA victim, PLAs, PLAs are political payoffs to union leaders, PLAs Cut Competition, PLAs Increase Costs, Prisons, Project Labor Agreements, Rendell, The Pennsylvania Independent, Union-only PLAs harm local workers
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The construction industry is still waiting for the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Council to issue a final rule on regulations that promote project labor agreements (PLAs) on federal construction projects exceeding $25 million, as directed by President Obama’s Feb. 6, 2009 Executive Order 13502.
After months of intense opposition and no comment from the White House or action by federal regulators, [...]
The Waterbury Republican American reported on 2/24/10 that two CT schools recently constructed under project labor agreements (PLAs) have suffered cost overruns, construction defects and missed construction deadlines.
CONSTRUCTION CONTRAST: Item: The $20.5 million Rotella Interdistrict Magnet School was finished late and came in 10 percent over budget. Today, it’s leaky, the climate-control system is faulty, the [...]
By BenBrubeck
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Posted in Uncategorized
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Tagged Connecticut, Editorial, PLA victim, PLAs, PLAs are political payoffs to union leaders, PLAs Discriminate, PLAs Increase Costs, Project Labor Agreements, Republican American, School Construction, Union-only PLAs harm local workers, Waterbury
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TheTruthAboutPLAs.com has followed the Lake Champlain Bridge project labor agreement (PLA) controversy closely (”Update on Lake Champlain Bridge Project Labor Agreement Controversy,” 2/27 and “A Bridge to Government Waste and Discrimination,” 2/16).
The Plattsburgh, N.Y. Press Republican published an Op-Ed today opposing the Lake Champlain Bridge PLA by Becky Meinking, president of ABC Empire State (”Spoils system [...]
By BenBrubeck
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Posted in Uncategorized
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Tagged Champlain Bridge, New York, Op-Ed, PLAs, PLAs Cut Competition, PLAs Discriminate, PLAs Increase Costs, Press Republican, Project Labor Agreements, Union-only PLAs harm local workers, Vermont
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February 16, 2010 – 12:57 pm
Nonunion contractors, their employees and prominent VT and NY construction trade associations are outraged about a proposed government-mandated project labor agreement (PLA) on the Champlain Bridge reconstruction and one group is even considering a lawsuit to stop this special interest handout to Big Labor.
The reconstruction of “The Bridge to Government Waste and Special Interests” – spanning [...]
By BenBrubeck
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Posted in Uncategorized
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Tagged ABC Empire State, ABC Vermont, AGC, Champlain Bridge, Federal Construction, New York, PLAs, PLAs Cut Competition, Project Labor Agreements, Union-only PLAs harm local workers, Vermont
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February 15, 2010 – 12:11 pm
Two recent magazine columns have asserted that President Obama’s pro-project labor agreement (PLA) Executive Order 13502 is incongruous with the administration’s recent re-focus on policy solutions that will create jobs. January government data indicates that the construction industry is suffering from 24.7 percent unemployment. But critics argue that anti-competitive PLAs increase construction costs and result in fewer construction projects built for the [...]
February 13, 2010 – 6:09 am
CNSnews published a story yesterday providing some insight into President Obama’s pro-project labor agreement (PLA) Executive Order 13502 from Brett McMahon, vice-president of ABC member Miller&Long Concrete Construction (”Construction Industry Opposes Obama Pro-Union Order,” 2/12/10).
It’s a little misleading to say the entire construction industry opposes the order. Certainly union contractors and 14.5 percent of the U.S. [...]