In AMNY’s op-ed column, August 3rd, “To close racial wealth gaps, continue to expand prevailing wage” Mr. LaBarbera proposes an interesting proposal. But what he failed to tell you is he and others like to do the exact opposite by forcing Project Labor Agreements (PLA) on prevailing wage projects.
Project Labor Agreements ("PLA's) discriminate against open/merit shop workers and companies, by tipping the playing field and putting the government in the business of creating winners and losers.
Open/merit shop workers are the silent majority in New York’s construction workforce.
In the recently released NYS one-house budget bills, Project Labor Agreements (PLA’s) are proposed at least a dozen times resulting in billions of dollars for special projects. Also included is an expansion of prevailing wage on projects typically not subject to it. Unfortunately, all to the detriment of MWBE companies and workers of color.
The Construction Workforce Project does not agree with pushing special interest agendas rather than actually supporting thousands of suffering New Yorkers.
PLAs cannot help but make projects cost more, simply because they limit competition at bid time. In addition, they often promise to “save money” on the very backs of employees by cutting labor rates and various benefits required by the New York State Department of Labor.
What we're hearing from sources close to the New [...]
Raising the cost of construction of private projects 30 percent is no way to respond to a financial crisis.
New York’s minority construction workforce fears the consequences of PREVAILING WAGE in New York’s budget.
As New York's elected leaders consider the proposed 2021 budget, The Construction Workforce Project wishes to remind them who they work for and who we are as citizens of this great city.
