PLAs, or Project Labor Agreements, are policies that govern the way work is completed on a job site.
They are problematic for many contractors, because they can require union-only labor, or work rules that don’t apply in a non-union environment.
For example, they can prohibit plumbers from assisting carpenters on a job site, even when the plumber is cross-trained on the work. Teams that typically work together are prevented from sharing their skills. This raises the cost of the project, and can also slow down project completion.
Politicians who support PLAs might believe they are protecting the worker. In reality, they are preventing workers from having access to the jobs, and they stifle skilled laborers from building with both efficiency and safety in mind.
The U.S. Department of Labor tracks union affiliation in construction. In Wisconsin, 80% of the construction workforce chooses not to join a union. Instead, they work for merit shops.
Merit shops are companies where workers can negotiate directly with their management. In this environment, workers can receive raises and be promoted based on their skill, and they can cross-train, to work more effectively as a team on a job site.
Merit shops are frequently family-owned or small businesses. There are more than 1,000 of them in Wisconsin, and all work within their local communities. They are invested in their communities, and want the opportunity to bid on local projects, public projects, and to work using the rules that created the greatest opportunities for success on a job site.
