In an executive order signed Dec. 18, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek is directing all state agencies — when they award any construction contract or commit funds to a construction project — to require contractors and subcontractors to sign project labor agreements (PLAs) with building trades unions, committing to use union labor. The PLAs have to include a no-strike guarantee and binding procedures for resolving labor disputes, and can’t exclude non-union firms from signing on temporarily. The order applies to all projects where labor is 15% or more of the total cost, but agency directors can ask the governor for exemptions for short-term emergency work and projects that involve only one trade.
The order also requires state agencies to set targets to increase utilization of minority-owned firms.
The order is a rebuke of Associated General Contractors – Oregon, which has a suit pending in the Oregon Supreme Court to stop PLAs at Oregon Department of Transportation.
That’s a great benefit to Oregon. Union workers who live in the area performing work in the state. Union workers pay state taxes and spend money in their communities strengthening the economy and local communities. Out of state non union contractors bring their employees from right to work for less states into Oregon then send the money back to their welfare states. Ms Tina did the a great job in protecting her state!