AFSA Seeks Legislation to Encourage a Fairer Market

Press Release Summary:

The American Fire Sprinkler Association has signed on letter for advocating federal level to support for merit-based contractors and legislation. The letter was signed by 11 organizations and forwarded to President Trump. The letter asks to eliminate Executive Order 13502 and replace with Executive Orders 13202 and 13208 that avoid PLAs to be required on federal and federally assisted construction projects. It welcomes all contractors to bid on construction projects.


Original Press Release:

The American Fire Sprinkler Association Advocates to Reverse PLA Policies

Association Joins Industry Groups to Encourage President Trump to Replace Obama-Era Executive Orders 

DALLAS - The American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA), as approved by its Board of Directors, has signed on to a letter as part of a coalition to advocate at the federal level for support of merit-based contractors and legislation to encourage a fairer market. The letter was signed by 11 other organizations and sent to President Trump.

"A big issue for our members is so-called Project Labor Agreements, which stipulate benefits for construction workers be paid into union pension benefit programs, and restrict fair and open competition by mandating that contractors hire through union halls," says Wayne Weisz, AFSA Chairman of the Board and owner of Cen-Cal Fire Systems in Lodi, California. "By joining this ABC-led coalition to fight PLAs nationwide through policy reform, AFSA is urging legislators to do everything they can do to protect construction workers in America."

In the letter, President Trump was asked to eliminate Executive Order 13502 and replace it with Executive Orders 13202 and 13208, which would prohibit PLAs from being required on federal and federally assisted construction projects, respectively. Two dozen states have enacted fair and open competition legislation that welcomes all contractors to bid on construction projects.

 

In February 2009, President Obama signed Executive Order 13502, which encourages federal agencies, on a case-by-case basis, to require PLAs on federal construction projects exceeding $25 million in total value and permits states and localities to mandate project labor agreements (PLAs) on federally assisted projects. PLAs typically require construction companies to hire or use union labor, hire apprentices from union programs, follow union work rules, and pay into dues and benefits programs. They often require workers to pay union dues and/or join a union, can interfere with existing union collective bargaining agreements, and unfairly discourage competition from quality nonunion contractors.

This critical reform will prevent federal agencies and state and local government recipients of federal assistance from requiring contractors to sign an anti-competitive and costly PLA as a condition of winning a federal or federally assisted construction contract.

About AFSA

Established in 1981, the American Fire Sprinkler Association is an international association representing fire sprinkler contractors. AFSA is dedicated to the educational and professional advancement of the automatic fire sprinkler industry. Visit firesprinkler.org.

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