Legislation to Prohibit Government Mandated PLAs Advances in Congress
Contact Your Members of Congress and the President
The AGC-supported “Fair and Open Competition Act” passed the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee this week. The legislation would prohibit federal contracting agencies from mandating that contractors and unions enter project labor agreements (PLAs) on direct federal projects. In addition, the bill would preserve the right of contractors and unions to voluntarily negotiate and execute project labor agreements on federal projects, if they so choose. There is no timeline for if or when the full House would consider the legislation, or if the Senate would consider its companion bill. AGC is committed to full and open competition for all public projects and urged the Committee to support the legislation. Contact your members of Congress and urge them to support passage of the “Fair and Open Competition Act” and petition President Trump to repeal President Obama’s Government-Mandated PLA executive order.
On February 6, 2009, President Obama issued Executive Order 13502, which encourages government agencies to use PLA’s in large-scale federal construction projects where the total cost to the government is $25 million or more. AGC strongly believes that the choice of whether to adopt a collective bargaining agreement should be left to the contractor-employers and their employees, and that choice should not be imposed as a condition to competing for, or performing on, a publicly funded project. Government mandates and preferences for PLAs can restrain competition, drive up costs, cause delays, lead to jobsite disputes, and disrupt local collective bargaining. In cases where use of a PLA would benefit a project, the construction contractors otherwise qualified to perform the work would be the first to recognize that fact and to adopt a PLA voluntarily.
For more information, contact Jim Young at [email protected] or (202) 547-0133.
Legislation to Prohibit Government Mandated PLAs Introduced in Congress
Contact Your Members of Congress and the President
Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and Rep. Dennis Ross (R-Fla.) recently introduced the AGC-supported “Fair and Open Competition Act” in both the Senate and House of Representatives, respectively. The legislation would prohibit federal contracting agencies from mandating that contractors and unions enter project labor agreements (PLAs) on direct federal projects. In addition, the bills would preserve the right of contractors and unions to voluntarily negotiate and execute project labor agreements on federal projects, if they so choose. AGC is committed to full and open competition for all public projects. Contact your members of Congress and urge them to support passage of the “Fair and Open Competition Act”. In addition, send a letter to President Trump urging him to repeal President Obama’s Government-Mandated PLA executive order.
On February 6, 2009, President Obama issued Executive Order 13502, which encourages government agencies to use PLA’s in large-scale federal construction projects where the total cost to the Government is $25 million or more. AGC strongly believes that the choice of whether to adopt a collective bargaining agreement should be left to the contractor-employers and their employees, and that choice should not be imposed as a condition to competing for, or performing on, a publicly funded project. Government mandates and preferences for PLAs can restrain competition, drive up costs, cause delays, lead to jobsite disputes, and disrupt local collective bargaining. In cases where use of a PLA would benefit a project, the construction contractors otherwise qualified to perform the work would be the first to recognize that fact and to adopt a PLA voluntarily.
For more information, contact Jordan Howard at [email protected] or (703) 837-5368.
AGC Fights Against Government Mandated Project Labor Agreements
Urges Trump Administration to Repeal and Replace
This week AGC, and others, urged President-elect Trump’s administration to repeal President Obama’s executive order that encourages federal agencies to require project labor agreements (PLAs) on federal construction projects exceeding $25 million, and replace it with a policy that prevents agencies from forcing contractors to enter into a labor agreement as a condition for winning a federal construction contract. Last year, AGC requested this PLA reform when it shared its federal agency regulatory, compliance and enforcement plan with members of the Trump Presidential Transitional Team.
AGC neither supports nor opposes contractors’ voluntary use of PLAs on government projects, but strongly opposes any government mandate for contractors’ use of PLAs. AGC strongly believes that the choice of whether to adopt a collective bargaining agreement should be left to the contractor-employers and their employees. Such a choice should not be imposed as a condition to competing for, or performing on, a publicly funded project.
To view more details on AGC’s Regulatory Road ahead, click here.
To view more details on AGC efforts opposing government mandated PLAs, click here.
For more information, contact Jordan Howard at [email protected] or (703) 837-5368.