ABC has notified members that the Federal Department of Labor has ordered 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). It is expected that all contractors on the project will be required to either use union workers or apply union apprenticeship and work rules to their employees. Contractors 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. PLAs typically deter competition and increase the cost of construction by 10–20%.

With only 8.7% of construction workers in NH belonging to unions, over 90% of construction workers will be denied the right to work on the Job Corp Project. Your tax dollars will be paying to eliminate your company, workers and their families from benefiting from the project. The Federal Government will overspend your tax dollars, prevent you from working on the project and send you the bill!

ABC’s Task Group continues to meet to fight this PLA, including a pending law suit and a grassroots public awareness campaign. We will keep you informed of all developments and how ABC members can support the fight to protect the fundamental principles of free enterprise and open competition.