Tell the Fairfax County
Board of Supervisors
Build Fairfax County With
Local Workers and Businesses
Keep Government-Mandated Project Labor Agreement Schemes Out of Our Community.
Create Jobs for Virginians
Fairfax County residents deserve the first chance at working on taxpayer-funded construction projects to rebuild our community, yet government-mandated project labor agreements would take away opportunities from local construction workers and the nearly 95% of Virginia’s construction workforce that chooses not to join a union. Hiring locally supports our local and state economies, feeds our families, and helps Fairfax County communities thrive. Let’s build a more beautiful community and Commonwealth with Virginians—not out-of-state contractors and workers.
Save Taxpayers Money
Government-mandated project labor agreements and prevailing wage schemes stifle competition from local firms and workers and increase the cost of taxpayer-funded construction by 12% to 20%. If PLAs are mandated on county projects, Fairfax County residents will foot the bill—with higher taxes, fewer jobs and reduced investments in schools, buildings, infrastructure, and affordable housing. Otherwise, we could see cuts to other programs and public employee salaries that keep Fairfax County economically competitive.
Support Small, Women, and Minority Businesses
Steering taxpayer-funded contracts to large, out-of-state contractors takes opportunities away from local small business and their employees. Government-mandated PLAs hurt these entrepreneurs and stifle competition from local businesses. We have the power to support small, women and minority contractors—but only if we award local projects to local businesses based on merit.
Fairfax County Should Build Local
Learn More Today
SUPPORTING RESEARCH
- Arguments Against Government-mandated Project Labor Agreements on Taxpayer-funded Construction Projects in Fairfax County (February 2023)
- ABC Virginia Letter Opposing Fairfax County BoS PLAs (February 2, 2023)
- Study Finds Los Angeles PLA Mandate Delivered Fewer Affordable Housing Projects and Increase Construction Costs 14.5% (October 2021)
- Government-Mandated Project Labor Agreements Result in Lost and Stolen Wages for Employees and Excessive Costs and Liability Exposure for Employers (October 2021)
- Study Finds Government-Mandated Project Labor Agreements Increase Connecticut School Construction Costs by 19.8% (February 2020)
- Study Finds Government-Mandated Project Labor Agreements Increase New Jersey School Construction Costs by 16.25% (August 2019)
- Study Finds Government-Mandated Project Labor Agreements Increase Ohio School Construction Costs by 13.12% (August 2017)
- Construction Labor Union Political Donations to Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, 2018-2019 and 2020-2021 cycles (February 2023)
- Construction Union Donations to Virginia Lawmakers and PACS for 2020 to 2021 Cycle (February 2023)
- Construction Labor Union Political Donations to Virginia State Lawmakers, 2018-2019 Cycle
- Fairfax County State Prevailing Wage Rates (February 2023)
MEDIA
- February 8, 2023, Loudoun Times-Mirror article, “Project labor agreements would not benefit Loudoun, study finds”
- May 6, 2021 op-ed in the Washington Post, "Opinion: Fairfax should put its taxpayers and workers first"
- April 9, 2020 op-ed in the Washington Post, "Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam can put the commonwealth’s contractors and taxpayers first”
- April 9, 2020 letter to the editor in the Richmond Times Dispatch, "Legislation might hurt small construction firms”
- March 17, 2020 letter from the National Black Chamber of Commerce asking Gov. Northam to veto SB 182/HB 358 and SB 8/HB 833.
- Feb. 27, 2020 op-ed in the Roanoke Times, “Braunlich: Raising the price on school and road construction”
- Feb. 19, 2020 op-ed in Bacon’s Rebellion, “Non-Union Construction Workers Need Not Apply”
- Feb. 12, 2020 op-ed in the Virginia Pilot, "Legislation could raise public costs of building projects"