By: Brett Hinsley

Brett Hinsley — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 21:13:52 +0000

Another thing that Mr. Posey does not mention is that most public Project Labor Agreements insist on minority and female participation. Take for example the recent South Corridor and Portland Mall Lightrail projects. They not only set minimum percentages for minority, women, and emerging small business participation but also for training and apprenticeship requirements.

One of the greatest misunderstandings about PLAs is that when these agreements are made between the contracting entity and Labor Groups is that all non union participation is excluded. This is not the case. Non union contractors can participate but they must meet the same wages and working conditions that all other parties to the agreement are subject to.

This ensures that the individual workers earn a real livable wage and health care benefits for their services and recieve the training that assist them to future economic success.
It also gaurantees that all contractors are biddding on the same level playing field. Their labor costs are the same, their material costs and the competition is then a matter of who builds the better mouse trap. Isn’t that a responsible use of public funds on projects financed by the tax payer?

By: Randy L Knop

Randy L Knop — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:21:40 +0000

While PLA’s may not always satisfy individual’s, a PLA does bring accountability to all parties who have a commercial interest in the outcome of the project.
Developers, contractors, and workers are bound by a contract that requires all parties to disclose their interests ahead of time and to negotiate openly and honestly those interests until all sides have reasonably attained that which is important to each, and to act, behave, and comply with their agreement no differently than a manufacturer of goods selling their wares to a retailer who has a contract specifying amount, condition, and price prior to delivery.
In the case study cited, one should not assume “except in a vacuum” that where there was no problems during the Bush administration that in fact problems and concerns existed.

The article further exemplifies the age old issue of Commerce versus Worker and wether Commerce given its narrow self serving venue would openly or willingly treat workers as anything more than a commercial product.

In closing, I wonder if Mr. Posey in reality would, along with the NBCC be willing to forego any benefits derived from state or federal regulations that provide each with benefits not held by the majority of commerce and certainly not unrepresented workers?

Comments on: Clash over PLAs grows in Portland

By: Brett Hinsley

By: Randy L Knop