Tell Governor Northam
Keep Virginia’s Future Bright Keep PLA Mandates Out of Our State
Create Jobs For Virginians
Virginia residents deserve the first chance at local construction contracts, yet government-mandated PLAs would take away opportunities from 97% of Virginia’s construction workforce. Hiring locally supports our state’s economy, feeds our families and helps our communities thrive. Let’s build a more beautiful Commonwealth with Virginians—not out-of-state contractors and workers.
Support Small 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 and prevailing wage requirements hurt these entrepreneurs and stifle local competition. We have the power to support small, women and minority contractors, but only if we give local projects to local businesses.
Save Taxpayers Money
Government-mandated project labor agreements stifle competition from local firms and workers and increase the cost of taxpayer-funded construction by 12% to 20%. If PLAs are mandated, Virginians will foot the bill—with higher taxes, fewer jobs and reduced investments in the schools, roads and affordable housing that keep Virginia economically competitive.
Virginia Loves Local Labor
Learn More With These Resources and Links
- Arguments Against Government-Mandated Project Labor Agreements on State and Local Taxpayer-Funded Construction Projects in Virginia
- 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)
- Read SB 182/ HB 358, legislation permitting government-mandated project labor agreements on state and local public works construction projects
- Arguments Against SB 182/HB 358 Promoting Anti-Competitive & Costly Government-Mandated Project Labor Agreements on Virginia’s State and Local Construction Projects
- Read SB 8/ HB 833, legislation requiring prevailing wage regulations on state construction projects exceeding $250,000 and permits local governments to require prevailing wage regulations on local public works construction projects
- Arguments Against SB 8/HB 833 Promoting Anti-competitive & Costly Prevailing Wage Requirements On Virginia’s State & Local Construction Projects
- April 9 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"