TAUC Tells Congress to Oppose Anti-PLA Legislation

January 12 2016

The Association of Union Constructors (TAUC) is urging congress to oppose legilsation that would prevent the federal government from utilizing a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) in executing contracts on construction projects.

TAUC sent the following letter to members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. For more information on this issue, please contact Todd Mustard, TAUC Senior Director of Member Services and Government Affairs, at 703.524.3336 x112 or tmustard@tauc.org.

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January 11, 2016

Subject: Opposition to H.R. 1671, the “Government Neutrality in Contracting Act”

Dear Congressman,

On behalf of the more than 2,000 contractor companies of The Association of Union Constructors (TAUC), I write to urge you to reject H.R. 1671, the “Government Neutrality in Contracting Act.” This legislation would eliminate the ability of the federal government to utilize a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) in executing contracts on construction projects.

For decades, PLAs have been used by both public sector agencies and private sector owners as a means of promoting efficiency, controlling costs, and ensuring the smooth completion of construction projects. TAUC members have long worked with our private sector customers under PLAs that promote stability and efficiency in the construction of a project and further the owner’s economic interests.

Despite the claim that this legislation would inject neutrality into federal construction contracting, nothing could be further from the truth. H.R. 1671 would prohibit the use of PLAs on taxpayer-funded public construction projects, even if the agency determines that the use of a PLA would be the most cost-effective means of carrying out the projects on behalf of the taxpayer. As such, the legislation would deny to the federal government the ability to utilize an important construction management tool employed by private sector construction project owners that ensures construction projects are carried out under the most efficient, appropriate, and cost-effective construction agreements and processes available, and completed on-time and on-budget.

Based on our members’ direct experience with PLAs, we believe there are significant long-term benefits associated with their usage. Passage of H.R.1671 would prevent the federal government from being able to realize these benefits and would negatively impact the overall construction industry, as well as the general public. Therefore, we oppose this legislation.

Thank you for your consideration in this important matter.

Very truly yours,

Sephen R. Lindauer

Chief Executive Officer