The ABC on the Project Labor Agreement

By now many ABC members are aware that the Federal Department of Labor has ordered that the new $35 million Job Corp Center Project in Manchester NH benefit only union contractors, workers and their families by requiring the use of a Project Labor Agreement (PLA).




All contractors on the project will be required to either use union workers or apply union apprenticeship and work rules to their employees. Non-union contractors, even if you already provide benefits, will also be required to make contributions to union health, pension funds and other union programs that non-union workers will never be eligible for or benefit from. Non-union contractors will have to factor double benefit costs into their bids to maintain their existing benefits for their employees and to pay into the union funds. This deters competition and increases the cost of construction by 10 - 20%.

Statistics show that only 8.7% of construction workers in NH and 5.5% in Vermont belong to unions.

In other words over 90% of construction workers will be legally denied the right to work on the Job Corp Center Project. Your tax dollars will be paying to eliminate your company, workers and their families from benefiting from this project. Our Federal officials will overspend your tax dollars, prevent you from working on the project and send you the bill ... !!!

An ABC Task Group has been meeting to determine and develop initiatives to prevent this PLA.

Included is a law suit and a grassroots public awareness campaign. The significance of this issue is much greater than removing the PLA from this one project in NH. We must take action to prevent the further advancement of PLA activity as well as other initiatives that are part of the union's effort to eliminate the ability of open shop companies to compete.

If they have selected NH to be the location of this battle - bring it on, we are ready to fight!! Within the next week ABC will be sending all members further information on the Task Group initiatives, including how you can assist.
In the meantime, spread the word and help deliver the message to industry peers, friends and neighbors. Free enterprise and open competition is under attack.

As always, your support of ABC is greatly appreciated and important to fight for the fundamental principles of free enterprise and open competition.

If you have any question or are interested in participating on the Task Group, please contact me.

Mark F Holden
President
ASSOCIATED BUILDERS & CONTRACTORS, INC
58 Chenell Drive
Concord NH 03301-8547
603.226.4789 v
603.226-4442 f
603.496.3878 c
www.abcnhvt.org
Now more than ever ... ABC means business!