When it comes to news about Project Labor Agreements (PLA), merit shop contractors are used to hearing nothing but bad news in California. For the past few years especially, local governments have seemingly passed an endless stream of excessive and unworkable PLAs, Community Benefits Agreements, and whatever new name is brought forward for these discriminatory union-only labor mandates. 

ABC NorCal is excited to share some great news: – A city that had a blanket PLA in place, in perpetuity no less, is bidding a project without a PLA.

The city council of Watsonville unanimously rejected the only bid they received for the construction and major renovation of a wastewater facility electrical project. This project is vital for enhancing the city’s resilience and safety systems; ensuring reliable operation and preparedness for potential hazards – all of which are directly under threat because the PLA in place discouraged qualified local contractors – our members - from bidding the job.

The only bid received was from a contractor hundreds of miles away and was $7 MILLION (36%!) over budget. At a time when state and local governments are facing budget shortfalls, ABC will be using this example to push back against union lies and misinformation on the so-called benefits of PLAs. If the City of Watsonville can, despite fierce union resistance to keep the current PLA in place, vote to exempt a project from a PLA, so can every other community everywhere in CA. PLAs have been spreading like an unchecked California wildfire; now is the time to spray some water on them and slow the spread, eventually stomping out all of them. 

ABC cannot and will not do this alone. Our path forward advocating against PLAs will be collaborative. Right now, we are working on a series of videos with Western Electrical Contractors Association (WECA) to simplify our message into bite sized, understandable and relatable content to circulate among the public. We are meeting with other associations to combine forces as well.  

ABC will always be leading the fight for the merit shop and its right to compete for work at all levels – local, state, federal.... intergalactic. That’s right, ABC is already working to ensure that no PLAs occur on the first construction project on Mars, Saturn or Jupiter. Interested in diving deeper? Join one of our regional Government Affairs ACTION committees and help us elect people willing to stand up against the union’s propaganda machine and for their constituents, the members of the merit shop.