The Baltimore Coalition for Fairness and Open Competition is collectively advocating against government-mandated project labor agreements applied to city funded construction projects. Our efforts are aimed at standing up for local & minority contractors and businesses, as well as ensuring that local residents are given every opportunity to work on these projects
Our Mission
COALITION MEMBERS
Maryland Minority Contractors Association
MD Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
ABC Chesapeake Shores
ABC Cumberland Valley
ABC Greater Baltimore
ABC Metro Washington
Maryland Transportation Builders & Materials
Independent Electrical Contractors—Chesapeake
Why Government-Mandated Project Labor Agreements are Bad for Baltimore
- Hurts local hiring of Baltimore City residents
- Excludes Local Contractors; Minority business owners are particularly hurt.
- PLA’s increase the cost of construction by at least 15% and in some cases almost as high as 50%
What are Government-Mandated Project Labor Agreements?
A Project Labor Agreement (PLA) is when the local, state, or federal government awards contracts for public construction projects exclusively to unionized firms. This agreement mandates that all contractors—whether unionized or not—must follow union rules and practices to work on these government-funded projects.
Learn more about mandated project labor agreements and why they don’t belong in Maryland by clicking here.
Three Reasons Why We Don’t Need Mandated Project Labor Agreements
REASON
#1
90% of Local Construction Workers Are Shut Out from Baltimore City Projects
Government-mandated project labor agreements shut out nearly 90% of skilled, non-union contractors, preventing them from competing for major city contracts. In a city like Baltimore, where most local construction workers and minority-owned businesses are non-union, these agreements devastate the construction industry by guaranteeing massive public projects to unionized workers.
REASON
#2
Hurts Baltimore’s Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises
Government-mandated project labor agreements will block opportunities for 98% of minority- and women-owned business enterprises (MWBEs) in Baltimore, which often operate on lower margins and are non-unionized due to the long history of discrimination within the union construction trades. These agreements also reduce the available workforce particularly during high inflation periods when MWBEs in Baltimore City face significant challenges to bid on projects.
REASON
#3
Undermines Baltimore’s Efforts to Ensure Local Hiring for Large City Projects
Government-mandated project labor agreements favor out-of-state union workers, which end up hurting Baltimore’s economy, limiting opportunities for city contractors, and eliminating fair and competitive bidding. These agreements undermine Baltimore’s past progress on local hiring for critical infrastructure projects like roads, bridges, and schools across the city.