Government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs) negatively impact construction project costs, competition, timeliness, quality, safety and diversity, according to a report released in April. Maurice Baskin of Venable LLP looked at published sources, including media accounts and academic studies, which examined the actual progress of projects to disprove the claims that PLAs result in cost savings, help avoid delays and increase safety.

The report lists overwhelming evidence showing that PLA projects have experienced cost overruns. As an example, the Boston Central Artery Project, often referred to as the Big Dig, not only came in billions of dollars over budget, but also suffered from several major defects, countering the claims that PLAs help control costs and improve the quality of construction projects.

Please read the entire article: From Associated Builders and Contractors Inc.

Help us to get the word out on the unfair PLA’s and spread the truth.

Five states already have laws that prohibit collective bargaining in the public sector.In addition, several states have passed limitations on public sector bargaining rights in the past decade. Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels repealed collective bargaining rights for state employees in 2005, as did Missouri’s governor in the same year and Kentucky’s governor in 2003, all three of which used did so by executive order. Even the federal government restricts collective bargaining to issues such as working conditions, while prohibiting it for wages and benefits.

Please read the article by: The Free Enterprise Nation

They also have a chart showing facts about the states that prohibit collective bargaining. Hopefully more states will get involved and start doing what is best for all Americans.

Good teachers (and there are many of them) could actually benefit if the collective bargaining practice was ended.  Collective bargaining has lead schools and government agencies to accept contracts treating every employee exactly the same. Teachers that perform well receive the same pay and benefits as the teachers who perform poorly.  The result is that there is no incentive to excel as an educator and it is incredibly difficult to remove bad teachers under collective bargaining agreements. That being said, we know there are thousands of teachers doing their best every day under the current educational system to give students a good education. This fight has never been about them.

We do not dispute that unions played a large part in bringing about improvements to work conditions that we all enjoy. For that we are thankful. Riding on the coattails of history, modern unions are now little more than a political arm of the Democratic Party. National teacher’s unions time and time again use the phrase; “If you love the children, you need to spend more on education”. At the same time, performance in our educational system has been declining for many decades. We can and must do better for our children.

Please read the entire atricle by: Dustin Stockton, Chairman
Western Representation PAC

Good teacher are very important to our countries growth and success and educating our children so they can grow and become strong bright Americans. Protecting bad teachers on the other hand is criminal !

Great job Governor Scott Walker !!  We need more strong honest men like you. We all need to cut back and get our country on the right track. We can not believe it is that difficult for so many of our “SMART” Leaders to understand you do NOT spend money if you do not have money.

The Senate’s 14 Democrats had fled to Illinois to prevent the chamber from attaining a quorum and passing the collective bargaining measures, which they have called an unnecessary attack on the rights of public employees. Republicans were able to move ahead by voting only on the nonfinancial aspects of Walker’s proposed bill, which requires fewer members for a quorum.

We need more Governors like Mr. Walker who will stand up against the big government powers and do what is right for all Americans !

Walker and GOP lawmakers are trying to close a $137 million budget shortfall with a plan that calls for curbs on public employee union bargaining rights and requires public workers, with the exception of police and firefighters, to cover more of their retirement plans and health care premiums.

We think it is time the union worker start paying their FAIR share of their retirements and healthcare like the rest of America !

Please read the rest of this article From Ed Lavandera, CNN

As Americans we Love this great country and will do what it takes to keep this great nation running. Pay attention Unions nothing is FREE with out giving..Remember the TAX payers money is supporting you! Do what is right for AMERICA.

STOP GOVERNMENT SPENDING.

We found this article which is full of facts about the history of the unions. How  they started and the groups that help to make up the back bone of the forces behind the unions

By now every American should be aware of what is going on in Wisconsin and the cuts that need to be made to help balance the states budget.

The bill, backed by Republican Gov. Scott Walker and many GOP lawmakers, would mostly end public unions’ rights to bargain collectively. The governor and his supporters say the legislation would help ease the state’s projected $3.6 billion budget deficit by, in part, increasing state worker contributions for pension and health benefits.

In 2010, the AFL-CIO spent $4.5 million in lobbying and the union was mentioned in 292 bills. The fifth-biggest receiver of AFL-CIO campaign contributions last year was Russ Feingold, a Democrat from Wisconsin, who got $11,500, the center reports. The same year, Feingold lost his U.S. Senate re-election campaign to Republican Ron Johnson.

To read the rest of the article by: Ashley Fantz of CNN          

Whether you support the union or not the history is quite interesting.We also thought the map of the United States and the union percentages in each state was good information.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ – Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) today voiced its strong support for the Government Neutrality in Contracting Act (H.R. 735), a measure introduced by Rep. John Sullivan (R-Okla.) that will “promote and ensure open competition on federal and federally funded construction projects.”

“It’s a matter of fairness,” said 2011 ABC National Chairman Michael J. Uremovich, president of Great Lakes Energy Consultants, LLC, Manhattan, Ill. “This legislation will guarantee that all qualified contractors and skilled workers, regardless of labor affiliation, have an equal opportunity to bid on and construct federal and federally assisted construction projects. In the end, this bill will help taxpayers get the best possible construction project at the best possible price by increasing competition, reducing waste and eliminating favoritism in federal contracting.”

Please read the entire article at 

SOURCE Associated Builders and Contractors

Many Merit shop are dealing with this everyday. We were thinking President obama was telling Americans to cut down on their salt intake… Maybe the Unions need to pay attention to what their leader is saying !

“ ’Salting’ is the deliberate act of getting a job at a specific workplace with the intent to organize a union. Most union campaigns start with a lone individual or small group of individuals with no union experience deciding to organize a union from scratch. Sometimes, a union campaign can be strengthened if you know of a friend with union organizing experience. By applying for open positions at your workplace, your friend can secretly help you organize your workplace. There are other circumstances where salting is used“ ’Salting’ is the deliberate act of getting a job at a specific workplace with the intent to organize a union.

If you want to get a union’s perspective on the tactics and strategy behind salting employers, head over to this site managed by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 363 and study up!

Pay attention Small business owners Salts maybe heading to your company or maybe they are already there !

 Americans are starting to understand the Truth about big Unions. We also realize the taxpayers money that is wasted on supporting the Union !

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) just released an annual report indicating that from 2009 to 2010, union membership fell from 14.5 percent to 13.1 percent of the U.S. private construction work force, with construction unions losing 157,000 members. Last year, 801,000 workers in the private construction industry belonged to a union, the lowest recorded number of construction union members since BLS started tracking this information in 1973

The sharp decline in union membership can be attributed to a mix of factors.

 Data suggest that construction workers have turned in their union cards to seek steady employment with open shop contractors

But the biggest factor contributing to the decline of construction union membership is the economy. The latest government data peg construction unemployment at 20.7 percent – more than double the unemployment rate across all industries.

Read the rest of the article by : Robert Heise at

Finance & Commerce

Less than 24 hours after delivering the State of the Union, which largely focused on jobs and the economy, President Barack Obama already broke his word to workers and small businesses by re-nominating labor radical Craig Becker, a former attorney for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). 

In his address to the nation, the President stated his administration will ‘fix’ any ‘unnecessary burden[s] on businesses,’ yet one of his first acts following those words is to nominate an individual who is committed to job-killing policies. 

In re-nominating Becker, President Obama has sent the message to employers across the country that his rhetoric is just that, and the nation’s chief executive is more concerned with paying back union bosses than turning the economy around.  WFI will work with small business owners to ensure the Senate once again rejects the Becker nomination in a bipartisan manner.

It’s important that workers and job creators remain vigilant.  Big Labor has one goal: empower government bureaucrats like Craig Becker, whose goal is to force unionization on employees and employers alike.  Their number one legislative priority, the Employee ‘Forced’ Choice Act has been defeated, and now Big Labor is focused on getting bureaucrats like Becker to do their bidding.

Please check  this out  :

WFI launched a Workplace Fairness Hotline where you can tell us about your experience with excessive regulations and workplace unfairness, and how they are harming your small business.

Together, we can shine a spotlight on unaccountable agencies like the NLRB and advocate against these destructive policies. 
Sincerely,

Katie Gage
Executive Director
Workforce Fairness Institute (WFI)

This is a wonderful site they are helping small business in our fight to keep our work choice FREE & FAIR !

Urgent Action Call: Outrageous NLRB Posting Requirements and how ALL Private Sector Employers Should Immediately Respond.

Please pay attention this will effect ALL businesses.

Last week the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) dropped a bombshell. Beginning early in 2011 your firm must notify every one of your employees about how to organize a union in your workplace (by posting, email and website). The NLRB is suggesting severe penalties for employers who fail to comply with the posting requirement.

This posting is required of all employers, whether unionized or not, and of course chooses only to notify employees of some of their rights (you guessed it… the ones that benefit unions)

Labor Relations Institute will help your business with what you need to be ready for this rule when it goes into effect.

•    Exactly what the NLRB wants you to post (you’ll receive a copy of the proposed posting language as part of the call packet);
•    The new proposed penalties and how they could impact your company;
•    Specific actions you can take today (including suggested language you can “cut and paste”) to influence – and hopefully stop – the proposed rule from going into effect;
•    How to tell whether you have to email the notice or post it on your website;
•    Should you produce a posting that “fills in the blanks” for employees and educates them about their right to oppose unions, their Beck rights, or their right to decertify or deauthorize a union? If so, what should it say?
•    Other proactive steps you should begin taking TODAY so that your company is ready when the rule goes into effect in sixty days.

Please read the post above : What is the NLRB up to now ? Follow the link to the Labor Relations Institute for help and information on this.

We as Americans and business owner need to be aware of  how the NLRB is favoring the Union Companies and not being fair to Non-Union companies.