Productivity Enhancement: Project Labor Agreements

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Electri International

Summary Statement

This study examines a large number of project labor agreements (PLAs) using a variety of techniques, including archival research, interviews, case studies and the statistical analysis of original data. PLAs are pre-hire collective bargaining agreements that establish the terms and conditions of employment on one or more construction projects. Interview evidence suggests that safety inputs are greater on PLA projects including language establishing labor/management safety committees.
2007

Footnotes

1 McCartin, Joseph. 1997. Labor’s Great War: The Struggle for Industrial Democracy and the Origins of Modern Labor Relations, 1912-1921. Chapel Hill, NC: The University of North Carolina Press, p. 73.

2 Dunlop, John T. 2002. Project Labor Agreements. Harvard University Joint Center for Housing Studies Working Paper Series, W02- 7, p. 1.

3 Business Roundtable. 1997. Confronting the Skilled Construction Work Force Shortage.

4 Linder, Marc. 1999. Wars of Attrition: Vietnam, the Business Roundtable, and the Decline of Construction Unions. Iowa City, IA: Fanpihua Press.

5 Cockshaw, Peter. 2003. The intense battle over PLAs. Cockshaw’s Construction Labor News+Opinion 33(4), p.1; United States Senate. 2002. Project Labor Agreements Examined. Hearing before the Subcommittee on Employment, Safety, and Training of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. One Hundred and Sixth Congress, Second Session. June 5, Irvine, California. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.

6 Building & Construction Trades Council of the Metropolitan District v. Associated Builders & Contractors of Massachusetts/Rhode Island, Inc. (507 US 218, 142 LRRM 2649, U.S. Supreme Court, March 8, 1993).

7 Cockshaws 2000. ABC’s new anti-PLA strategy. Cockshaw’s Construction Labor News+Opinion 30(4), p. 1

8 Siegal, Jolie M. 2001. Project labor agreements and competitive bidding statutes. University of Pennsylvania Journal of Labor & Employment Law 3, pp. 295-328.

9 Johnston-Dodds, Kimberly. 2001. Constructing California : A Review of Project Labor Agreements. State Report CRB 01-010, p. 13

10 Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. 2001. Union-Only Project Labor Agreements: The Public Record of Poor Performance. Report of the Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc.

11 Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. 1995. Analysis of Bids and Costs to the Taxpayer for the Roswell Park Cancer Institute, New York State Dormitory Authority Construction Project.

12 General Accounting Office. 1991. Construction Agreement at DOE’s Idaho Laboratory Needs Reassessing,Washington, DC: GAO, GGD-91-80BR; Andrews, James. 1999. Boston Harbor Cleanup Project Labor Agreement: Recently Adopted Policy on Public Works Projects. Report of the author for ABC; Opfer, Neil, Son, Jaeho and John A. Gambatese. 2000. Project Labor Agreements Research Study: Focus on Southern Nevada Water Authority. Report of the authors for ABC.

13 Carr, Paul G. 2000. Analysis of the Impacts on the Jefferson County Courthouse Complex through Project Labor Considerations. For the Jefferson County Board of Legislators. Jefferson, New York; Carr. 2004. An Investigation of the Bid Price Competition Measured through Pre-Bid Project Estimates, Actual Bid Prices and Number of Bidders. Unpublished.

14 Bachman, Paul, Chisholm, Diane C., Haughton, Jonathan and David G. Tuerck. 2003. Project Labor Agreements and the Cost of School Construction in Massachusetts. Boston: Beacon Hill Institute; Bachman, Paul; Haughton, Jonathan and David G. Tuerck. 2004. Project Labor Agreements and the Cost of Public School Construction Projects in Connecticut. Boston: Beacon Hill Insitute.

15 Lyons,Max. 1998. The estimated cost of project labor agreements on federal construction. Journal of Labor Research XIX(1), pp. 73-88.

16 General Accounting Office. 1998. Project Labor Agreements: The Extent of Their Use and Related Information.Washington, DC: GAO. Report GAO/GGD-98-82; Northrup, Herbert R. and Linda E. Alario. 2002. Government-mandated project labor agreements in construction, the institutional facts and issues and key litigation: moving toward union monopoly on federal and state financed projects. Government Union Review 19(3), pp. 1-159; Opfer, Son, Gambatese, 2000.

17 Lund, John and Joe Oswald. 2001. Public project labor agreements: lessons learned, new directions, Labor Studies Journal 26(3), pp. 1-23.

18 Johnston Dodds, 2001

19 Dunlop, 2002; Opfer Son and Gambatese, 2000.

20 Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. 2001.

21 Johnston-Dodds, 2001.

22 Cohen,Majorie Griffin and Kate Braid. 1999. Training & Equity Initiatives on the British Columbia Island Highway Project: A Model for Large-Scale Construction Projects. Working Paper Series, Centre for Research on Work and Society, York University, p. 15.

23 The results are available from the authors.

24 Bachman, et.al.,2003; Bachman, et.al., 2004.

25 Bachman, et.al.,2003, p.8.

26 The results are available from the authors.

27 Keaheyj John. 1995. Utah to welcome the world in 2002 Utah chosen as 2002 winter site, The Salt Lake Tribune, June 17, p. A1.

28 Baltezore, Jay and Patty Henetz.1995. Road to Olympics to be bumpy, The Salt Lake Tribune, June 25, p. B1.

29 Keahey, John. 1996.Welcome to your worst traffic nightmare, The Salt Lake Tribune, August 29, p. B1.

30 Baltezore, Jay. 1996. UDOT says I-15 cannot be redone by 2001, The Salt Lake Tribune, March 21, p. D1.

31 Van Eyck, Zack. 2001. UDOT chief stepping down, Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City), May 17, p. A1.

32 Cates, Karl. 1996. UDOT puts plans for I-15 in fast lane, Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City), January 15, p.1. 1996, SECTION News, p. 1; Baltezore,March 21, 1996, p. D1..

33 Cates, Karl. 1996. Lawmakers stall on I-15 amid other legislation, Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City), February 14, p. 3.

34 Van Eyck, Zack. 1996 Eye on 15, Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City), December 26, p. 13.

35 Cates, Karl. February 14, 1996, p.1.

36 Keahey, John. 1997. Let the construction begin, The Salt Lake Tribune, March 27, p.1; Van Eyck, Zack and Alan Edwards. 1997. Contractor gets green light for I-15 job, Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City), March 26, p. A1.

37 Van Eyck, Zack. 1998. Road industry taking note of design-build on I-15, Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City), August 2, p. B3.

38 Van Eyck, Zack and Alan Edwards. 1997. I-15 build for speed, Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City), March 27, p. A23.

39 Keahey, John.March 27, 1997, A1.

40 Oberbeck, Steven. 1997. Does Utah have crews to do I-15? The Salt Lake Tribune, March 28, p. D7.

41 Knudson, Max. 1997.Where will all the workers come from? Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City), April 5, p. A1; Oberbeck, Steven. March 28, 1997. p. D7.

42 Oberbeck, Steven. 1997.March 28. p. D7.

43 Oberbeck, Steven. 1997.March 28, p. D7

44 Knudson, Max. April 5, 1997, p. A1.

45 Bernick, Bob Jr. 1997. Does the I-15 union deal violate Utah law?” Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City), May 2, p.B1.

46 Bernick, Bob Jr.May 2, 1997, p. B1.

47 Bernick, Bob Jr.May 2, 1997, p. B1.

48 Bernick, Bob Jr. and Jerry Spangler. 1997. Graham to rule I-15 Pact OK, but will GOP agree? Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City), May, 23, p. B1.

49 Bernick, Bob Jr. and Jerry Spangler.May, 23, 1997, p. B1.

50 Bernick, Bob Jr.May 2, 1997, p. B1.

51 Anonymous. 1997 Hiring rules for I-15 are amended, Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City), June 6, p.B2.

52 Anonymous. 1997. Draft accord reached on unions and applicants for I-15 jobs, Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City), June 5, p. B2.

53 Miller, Phil. 1997. I-15 hiring procedures scrutinized, The Salt Lake Tribune, June 7, p. B2.

54 Mitchell, Leslie. 1997. I-15 project; jobs galore: but builders face a worker shortages, The Salt Lake Tribune, July 16, p. A1.

55 Keahey, John. 1997. I-15 project planners travel bumpy road; pressure builds with sleeves up—and heads down, The Salt Lake Tribune, August 10, p. B1.

56 Van Eyck, Zack. 1998. I-15 contractor reaps reward, Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City), January 9, p. B1.

57 Van Eyck, Zack. January 9, 1998, p. B1.

58 Van Eyck, Zack. 1998. I-15 Contractor Gets $5 Million Bonus, Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City), July 11,p. B3.

59 Warchol, Glen. 1998. I-15 milestones and missteps, The Salt Lake Tribune, December 27, p. A1.

60 Loomis, Brandon. 2000. I-15 contractors keep rolling close to schedule, The Salt Lake Tribune, May 3, p. B5.

61 Keahey, John. 1999.Wasatch Constructors offers state a maintenance plan for refurbished I-15, The Salt Lake Tribune, January 11, p. B1.

62 Romboy, Dennis. 2001. A warranty on I-15? Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City), April 12, p.B1.

63 Loomis, Brandon. 2001. UDOT trusts I-15 project quality, passes on $27M, 10-year warranty, The Salt Lake Tribune, April 28, p. B1.

64 Zack Van Eyck, 2001. UDOT rejects I-15 warranty, Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City), April 18, p. B2 SECTION: LOCAL; Pg. B2.

65 Anonymous. 2002. I-15 reconstruction named top civil engineering project, The Salt Lake Tribune, April 27,p. B1.

66 Womack, James; Jones, Daniel and Daniel Roos. 1990. The Machine that Changed the World. New York: Rawson Associates.

67 Powell, Barbara. 2004. A new Toyota truck plant to send wider ripples through San Antonio job market. San Antonio Express- News, June 26.

68 Rea,Mark. 2003. Most American of pastimes helped lead Toyota to San Antonio. Texas Construction. 11(4): 55.

69 Ibid.

70 Anonymous. 2003. Toyota drops PLA plan for San Antonio plant. Texas Construction 11(9): 78.

71 Rea, 55

72 T.F. Green Airport website: www.pvdairport.com

73 Landrum & Brown. 2001. T.F. Green Airport Master Plan Update. June 15, p. 1.

74 Rowland, Christopher. 1990. Green terminal renovation ok’d. Providence Journal, December 27, p. A1.

75 Lord, Peter. 1992. FAA approves airport terminal. Providence Journal, August 5, p. A3.

76 DePaul, Tony. 1991. Report opposed new air terminal. Providence Journal, July 21, p. C1.

77 DePaul, Tony 1996. Former Gov. Sundlun praised. Providence Journal, September 22, p. A1

78 McPhillips, Jody. 1996. Public art for Green Airport no longer a cloudy affair. Providence Journal,May 21, p. A1.

79 DePaul Tony. 1991. Sundlun assails cost of Green expansion. Providence Journal, December 12, p.A1

80 Gilbane building company website: www.gilbaneco.com.

81 DePaul, Tony. 1993. Cost rises for work at Green Airport. Providence Journal, July 19, p. C5

82 Construction Labor Research Council. 2005. Craft Labor Supply Outlook 2005 – 2015 pp. 3-5.

83 The Silicon Valley Workforce Investment Network and the Santa Clara and San Benito Counties Building and Construction Trades Council. 2004. Extending the Ladder –Workforce Education for Careers in Construction,” a concept paper prepared for the [U.S.] Department of Labor, p. 1.

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