Tell Governor Northam
Keep Virginia’s Future Bright Keep PLAs Out of Our State
Create Jobs For Virginians
Virginia residents deserve the first chance at local construction contracts, yet PLAs would take away opportunities from 97% of Virginia’s construction industry. Hiring locally supports our state’s economy, feeds our families, and helps our communities thrive. Let’s build a more beautiful Virginia with Virginians—not with outside contractors and workers.
Support Small and Minority Businesses
Steering contracts to large, out-of-state contractors takes opportunities away from small business and their employees. Government-mandated project labor agreements 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 are expensive and stifle competition. If PLAs are mandated, Virginians will foot the bill—with higher taxes or fewer investments in schools, roads, and affordable housing. Governor Northam can save taxpayers up to 20% by vetoing these bills.
Virginia Loves Local Labor
Learn More With These Links
- April 9 op-ed in the Washington Post, "Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam can put the commonwealth’s contractors and taxpayers first”
- April 9 letter to the editor in the Richmond Times Dispatch, "Legislation might hurt small construction firms”
- March 17 letter from the National Black Chamber of Commerce asking Gov. Northam to veto SB 182/HB 358 and SB 8/HB 833.
- Feb. 27 op-ed in the Roanoke Times, “Braunlich: Raising the price on school and road construction”
- Feb. 19 op-ed in Bacon’s Rebellion, “Non-Union Construction Workers Need Not Apply”
- Feb. 12 op-ed in the Virginia Pilot, "Legislation could raise public costs of building projects"
- Read SB 182/HB 358, legislating permitting government-mandated project labor agreements on state and local public works 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
- 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)
- Arguments Against SB 8/HB 833 Promoting Anti-competitive & Costly Prevailing Wage Requirements On Virginia’s State & Local 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