Project Labor Agreements

Right to Work Submits Brief Opposing California Project Labor Agreements

Will Collins — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 15:43:39 -0400

National Right to Work staff attorneys have filed a formal amicus curiae brief supporting an appeal in US District Court that challenges a California project labor agreement (PLA) that gives construction union officials new tools to coerce employees and employers who look to bid and perform state-funded construction projects.

Arguing that a PLA between the Rancho Santiago Community College District and a union illegally discriminated against construction workers who exercise their right to refrain from union membership, Foundation attorneys are defending the interests of the vast majority of construction employees in California who have opted against unionization.

New Right to Work Podcast: How "Project Labor Agreements" Line Big Labor's Pockets

Will Collins — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 15:00:21 -0400

Right to Work President Mark Mix appeared on "The Gary Nolan Show" to explain how Project Labor Agreements enrich union bosses. Click here to listen or use the embedded player below:

Editorial Boards: Obama's Discriminatory Union-Only Construction Policy Hurts Workers, Job Providers, and Taxpayers

Nick Cote — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 15:11:24 -0400

On Tuesday, the Obama Administration implemented a new policy -- initiated by an early executive order signed by President Obama -- encouraging federal agencies to adopt so-called "project labor agreements" (PLAs) on large-scale federal construction projects.

Some of the typical conditions demanded by unions in PLAs include monopoly bargaining, forced dues and fees for all “represented” workers, exclusive union hiring halls, and inflexible union work rules which strictly separate job functions into exclusive union jurisdictions based on craft.

The Wall Street Journal strongly criticized the new policy, which effectively discriminates against the 85 percent of all construction workers who are not under union monopoly control. Moreover,

New Obama Administration Contracting Policy "Nothing More Than Payback" to Big Labor

Nick Cote — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 10:40:13 -0400

New Obama Administration Contracting Policy "Nothing More Than Payback" to Big Labor

So-called "project labor agreements" discriminate against the 85 percent of construction workers who have opted against unionization

Release: Nonunion Worker Challenges San Diego’s Discriminatory School Construction Scheme

Nick Cote — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:50:39 -0400

Nonunion Worker Challenges San Diego’s Discriminatory School Construction Scheme

Right to Work attorneys argue pact between San Diego school district and
union officials intends to illegally coerce workers into union ranks

Foundation Challenges Obama Executive Orders Designed to Blackball Efficient Non-Union Contractors

Will Collins — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:02:33 -0400

Regular Freedom@Work readers may remember the now-infamous Executive Order 13502, which pressures all federal agencies to use discriminatory "Project Labor Agreements" (PLAs) to freeze out non-union contractors and workers from any opportunity to work on government projects.

Once adopted, PLAs require all companies - unionized or otherwise - to agree to unionization as a condition of receiving a government-funded contract. Project labor agreements usually require contractors to grant union officials monopoly bargaining privileges; use exclusive union hiring halls; force workers to pay dues to keep their jobs and work under wasteful union work rules.

Philly Rejects Union Blockade Against Minority Contractors

Justin Hakes — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 11:00:34 -0500

The Philadelphia Inquirer today reports:

Accusing trade unions of standing in the way of minority hiring objectives, City Council yesterday declared the $700 million Convention Center expansion open to nonunion contractors and workers - an unprecedented gesture in a city dominated by organized labor.

Union officials commonly shut out minority and nonunion contractors from such projects through so-called "project labor agreements." These cynical pacts require all contractors, whether they are unionized or not, to subject themselves and their employees to unionization in order to work on a government-funded construction project.

For more information on the harmful effects of PLAs, see this study from the National Institute for Labor Relations Research.

Project Labor Agreements

Right to Work Submits Brief Opposing California Project Labor Agreements

New Right to Work Podcast: How "Project Labor Agreements" Line Big Labor's Pockets

Editorial Boards: Obama's Discriminatory Union-Only Construction Policy Hurts Workers, Job Providers, and Taxpayers

New Obama Administration Contracting Policy "Nothing More Than Payback" to Big Labor

New Obama Administration Contracting Policy "Nothing More Than Payback" to Big Labor

So-called "project labor agreements" discriminate against the 85 percent of construction workers who have opted against unionization

Release: Nonunion Worker Challenges San Diego’s Discriminatory School Construction Scheme

Nonunion Worker Challenges San Diego’s Discriminatory School Construction Scheme

Right to Work attorneys argue pact between San Diego school district and union officials intends to illegally coerce workers into union ranks

Foundation Challenges Obama Executive Orders Designed to Blackball Efficient Non-Union Contractors

Philly Rejects Union Blockade Against Minority Contractors

Right to Work attorneys argue pact between San Diego school district and
union officials intends to illegally coerce workers into union ranks