WASHINGTON, Jan. 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Associated Builders and Contractors and a diverse group of two dozen construction and business groups today sent a letter to President-elect Donald Trump urging him to eliminate President Joe Biden’s final rule implementing Executive Order 14063 requiring federal construction contracts of $35 million or more to be subjected to anti-competitive and inflationary project labor agreements. The coalition letter also called for the repeal of additional Biden administration policies pushing PLA mandates and preferences on federally assisted construction projects procured by private developers and local and state governments.
“In place of these failed Biden administration policies, we request a new executive order that restricts government-mandated PLAs and restores robust fair and open competition on federal and federally assisted construction projects,” said the coalition letter. “This will save taxpayers an estimated $10 billion per year on public works projects annually and restore opportunities for all of the construction industry to rebuild America.”
The coalition objected to the Biden administration’s false rationale that businesses unaffiliated with construction trade unions, which employ almost 90% of the U.S. construction workforce, are unable to deliver safe, on-time and on-budget public works projects while obeying federal labor laws and paying competitive wages to employees.
“Experienced, quality, union-free contractors and their skilled employees who do not belong to a union have delivered exceptional federal and federally assisted projects for decades without government PLA requirements,” said Ben Brubeck, ABC vice president of regulatory, labor and state affairs. “This coalition looks forward to working with President-elect Trump to rebuild America’s infrastructure with commonsense and inclusive policies that benefit all of America’s construction industry and deliver savings to taxpayers without sacrificing quality or safety.”
On March 28, 2024, ABC and its Florida First Coast chapter filed suit in federal court to block Biden’s PLA final rule on construction contracts procured by federal agencies, asserting it is beyond the scope of executive authority and violates the U.S. Constitution, the First Amendment and the Administrative Procedure Act, among others. The litigation is ongoing.
Learn more at abc.org/bidenplafaqs and on the BuildAmericaLocal coalition website.
Erika Walter Associated Builders and Contractors ewalter@abc.org
