Gov. Shapiro’s labor agreements will harm workers and taxpayers

Originally published at The Patriot-News

Gov. Josh Shapiro often brags about his competitive spirit. However, his recent directive to “evaluate and implement” Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) into public construction projects is anything but competitive.

When Gov. Shapiro announced this decision, it’s no wonder why he did so in front of several prominent Pennsylvania union bosses in a union training center. PLAs are a gift-wrapped handout to labor unions, who openly applauded the governor’s decision to funnel more construction bids to unionized shops—all at the expense of taxpayers and a huge majority of Pennsylvania’s businesses and workers.

PLAs are pre-hire agreements between the government and contractors that define a project’s terms and conditions. All contractors must then abide by these terms, including using union pay scales and referral programs often found in collective bargaining agreements. Gov. Shapiro encouraged state agencies to use PLAs when a project demonstrates an urgent need, complexity, and a lack of qualified labor.

Read more at The Patriot-News