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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | September 23, 2013 04:23 PM |
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| From: | Representative Stephen Bloom |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Legislation to Prohibit Discriminatory Project Labor Agreements |
| One of the ongoing duties of government is to improve efficiency in public construction projects, to preserve taxpayer resources. This can better be accomplished if we encourage open competition among potential contractors. In accordance with this goal, I will be introducing legislation known as the Open Contracting Act, barring the use of Project Labor Agreements on taxpayer-funded projects. Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) include labor terms and conditions for construction projects, often incorporating terms from collective bargaining agreements of unions to be involved in the project. By limiting bidders and abiding by inefficient rules, PLAs drive up costs on projects. I believe they also discriminate against merit shop contractors and other businesses. Over 80 percent of our construction industry workers belong to nonunion shops. Since PLAs exclude local nonunion workers, PLAs discourage local hiring and job creation. In construction markets where the demand for union labor is greater than the local supply, union workers from outside the local area are given preference over qualified local nonunion workers on PLA projects. This legislation establishes a freestanding act known as the “Open Contracting Act” and prohibits the use of PLAs on public construction projects. In addition, under the act, it is an unlawful practice for a public body to consider the union/nonunion status of an employer’s workforce in its selection criterion for awarding a public project. I hope you will consider joining me in support of this legislation, which was introduce in the previous two legislative sessions by Rep. John Bear as HB 2010 and HB 999 respectively. |
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| View Attachment | ||
Introduced as HB2096