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Posted on Thursday, May 25, 2017 8:00 AM By Jeff Leieritz
WASHINGTON, D.C., May 25— A study released today by The Beacon Hill Institute found that Ohio schools built under government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs) cost 13.12 percent more than schools that were bid and constructed through fair and open competition, free from PLA requirements. The study looked at 88 schools built in Ohio since 2000 and found that those built under a PLA mandate cost $23.12 more per square foot than projects built without PLA mandates.
Posted on Monday, April 17, 2017 12:26 PM By Donna Reichle
Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) today applauded Gov. Scott Walker (R-Wis.) for signing legislation into law that will promote fair and open competition on contracts for construction services funded by Wisconsin taxpayers. The bill, SB 3, will ensure that the government cannot mandate controversial project labor agreements (PLAs) on state, state-assisted and local construction projects, guaranteeing that the almost three out of four members of Wisconsin’s private construction workforce who have chosen not to join a labor union can work on projects funded by their own tax dollars.
Posted on Thursday, April 13, 2017 1:10 PM By Jeff Leieritz
WASHINGTON, D.C., April 13—Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) today applauded Gov. Terry Branstad (R-Iowa) for signing legislation into law that will promote fair and open competition on contracts for construction services funded by Iowa taxpayers. The bill, SF 438, will ensure that the government cannot mandate controversial project labor agreements (PLAs) on state, state-assisted and local construction projects, guaranteeing that the 85 percent of Iowa’s private construction workforce that has chosen not to join a labor union can work on projects funded by their own tax dollars.
Posted on Wednesday, March 22, 2017 1:02 PM By Jeff Leieritz
ABC is encouraging all members to call on their representatives in Congress to cosponsor the Fair and Open Competition Act (H.R. 1552/S. 622). The bill, introduced by Rep. Dennis Ross (R-Fla.) in the U.S. House of Representatives and Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) in the U.S. Senate, would ensure controversial project labor agreements (PLAs) cannot be mandated on taxpayer-funded construction projects.
Posted on Thursday, March 16, 2017 4:20 PM By Jeff Leieritz
WASHINGTON, D.C., March 16— Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) today welcomed the introduction of the Fair and Open Competition Act (H.R. 1552) in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Dennis Ross (R-Fla.). ABC Vice President of Labor, Regulatory and State Affairs Ben Brubeck issued the following statement in support of the bill (S. 622), which was introduced in the U.S. Senate on March 14 by Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and would ensure controversial project labor agreements (PLAs) cannot be mandated on taxpayer-funded construction projects.
Posted on Tuesday, March 14, 2017 4:12 PM By Jeff Leieritz
WASHINGTON, D.C., March 14 – Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) today voiced its strong support for the Fair and Open Competition Act (S. 622). The bill, introduced by Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), will reduce costs for taxpayers by encouraging all qualified construction companies to compete for federal and federally funded construction projects. S. 622 prevents federal agencies and recipients of federal funding from requiring contractors to sign controversial project labor agreements (PLAs) as a condition of winning federal or federally assisted construction contracts.
Posted on Monday, March 13, 2017 9:23 PM By Jeff Leieritz
WASHINGTON, D.C., March 13 – Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) today praised President Trump’s executive order calling for greater government efficiency and urged the administration and Congress to take steps to reduce the cost of public construction projects in a statement from ABC Vice President of Labor, Regulatory and State Affairs Ben Brubeck.
Posted on Wednesday, January 11, 2017 9:21 AM By Jeff Leieritz
ABC President and CEO Michael Bellaman sent President-elect Trump a letter urging him to guarantee government neutrality in federal construction contracting on January 4. The letter urged President-elect Trump to rescind President Obama’s Executive Order 13502, which encourages federal agencies to require project labor agreements (PLAs) on federal contracts to build projects of $25 million or more on a case-by-case basis, and replace it with the executive orders 13202 and 13208, which prohibit PLAs from being required on federal and federally assisted construction projects.
Posted on Monday, November 21, 2016 1:56 PM By Jeff Leieritz
WASHINGTON, D.C., Nov. 21– Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) today released its annual update to “Building America: The Merit Shop Scorecard,” which reviews and grades state-specific policies and information significant to the success of the commercial and industrial construction industry. The scorecard highlights states that have created a free enterprise-based environment where merit shop contractors are well positioned to succeed and calls attention to states where strategic improvements need to be made.
Posted on Tuesday, January 12, 2016 11:30 AM By Jeff Leieritz
WASHINGTON, D.C., Jan. 12 – Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) today applauded the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform’s favorable reporting of the Government Neutrality in Contracting
Act (H.R. 1671) out of committee. The bill, introduced by Rep. Mulvaney (R-S.C.), will increase fair and open competition on federal and federally funded construction projects by preventing federal agencies from requiring contractors to sign project labor agreements (PLA) as a condition of winning federal or federally assisted construction contracts.