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ABC of Ohio Endorses Jon Husted for United States Senate

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 15:37:00 GMT

ABC of Ohio Endorses Vivek Ramaswamy for Governor of Ohio

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 15:22:52 GMT

ABC & Meta partnering to address the construction industry’s workforce shortage

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 15:29:45 GMT

Dear Legislator,

On June 8, 2026, Meta Platforms announced a landmark $115 million private partnership with Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) to launch America’s Workforce Academy — a transformational initiative that will rapidly train and place thousands of skilled workers into data center construction careers. Columbus, Ohio is one of only four national pilot locations including Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Indianapolis Indiana; and Houston Texas.

“America’s Workforce Academy is a transformational endeavor creating incredible construction-ready careers. ABC is proud to work with Meta, CBRE and academy community partners to welcome all who want to build their career dreams as a professional in construction. This innovative talent solution is a critical part of addressing the construction industry’s ongoing workforce shortage.”

— Michael Bellaman, ABC President & CEO

Why Meta Chose ABC

Meta made the wise choice to partner with the organization that represents the merit shop construction industry — the model that delivers results through competition, innovation, and a skilled, flexible workforce. ABC brings unmatched scale and proven capacity to meet the critical demands of building state and national infrastructure.

ABC’s national network includes more than 800 education programs, including 450 government-registered apprenticeship programs across 20 different trades and 200+ locations. This gives us the ability to scale quickly and deliver for projects like Meta’s Prometheus data center campus in Central Ohio.

Program Highlights

5-week accelerated training at ABC chapter training centers, including Columbus, with career readiness, safety, core skills, and craft-specific training.
No cost to participants — full scholarships, travel, housing, and living stipends provided.
Guaranteed job offer upon successful completion from contractors working on Meta data center projects.
Open to high school graduates, veterans, career changers, and all motivated new entrants.

Significance for Ohio

This entirely privately funded endeavor is a powerful vote of confidence in Ohio’s construction workforce and business climate. It supports Meta’s major data center investments in Central Ohio, creates family-sustaining careers for Ohioans, and strengthens our state’s position as a national leader in data infrastructure — all without taxpayer dollars.

We are proud that Meta selected ABC and Ohio for this pivotal role. This partnership demonstrates the strength of merit shop principles and private-sector solutions in building America’s critical infrastructure.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can provide additional information or resources on this historic investment in our state.

Best regards,

Griffin Weasel

VP Govt Affairs & Communications, ABC of Ohio

Bryan C. Williams

President, ABC of Ohio

National ABC 2026 Health and Safety Performance Report

Mon, 18 May 2026 20:04:08 GMT

Dear Legislator,

We write on behalf of the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Ohio to share important findings from the national ABC 2026 Health and Safety Performance Report. We exist to advance strong, safe, and competitive construction industry in Ohio. We believe this data underscores proven strategies that protect workers, reduce injuries, and strengthen our state’s construction industry.

Established in 1989, STEP is a no-cost, self-assessment program that gives contractors and suppliers a robust framework for measuring their health and safety performance and benchmarking against industry peers. This tool helps companies identify real opportunities to strengthen their safety programs, lower incident rates, and become employers of choice in today’s competitive labor market.

The charts and summaries within this report present the clearest picture to date of the remarkable impact that leading indicator use has on a company’s safety performance: fewer disrupted or lost lives and a safer jobsite regardless of company size. In fact, companies that engage in leading indicator use are, statistically, considerably safer than their peers.

As a proud sponsor of Construction Safety Week, ABC highlighted this report to celebrate the dedicated professionals across our industry who make health and safety the foundation of every project.

ABC’s analysis of more than 1.3 billion hours of work performed by STEP participants in 2025 across construction, heavy construction, civil engineering, and specialty trades identified several key foundations that significantly reduce Total Recordable Incident Rates (TRIR) and Days Away, Restricted, or Transferred (DART) rates:

Frequency of toolbox talks: Companies conducting daily toolbox talks achieved a 59% reduction in TRIR and a 61% reduction in DART rates compared to those holding them monthly.
Substance abuse prevention programs: Robust programs with drug and alcohol testing (where permitted) led to a 55% reduction in TRIR and a 57% reduction in DART rates.
Health and safety meetings: Consistent, clear communication builds trust and empowers workers. Best-practice meetings reduced TRIR by 52% and DART rates by 54%.
Employee participation: Engaging front-line workers through active listening and relationship-building reduced TRIR by 55% and DART rates by 57%.

The report also highlights six core leading indicators that form the backbone of proactive safety programs:

Planning for project health and safety
Top leadership engagement
Leading indicators
Incident investigation
Trailing indicators
Behavior-based safety observations

“STEP can help any construction contractor reinforce its commitment to the well-being of its workforce,” added Xavier. “The 2026 Health and Safety Performance Report serves as a blueprint for industry leaders and workers to deliver projects safely and protect what matters most—our people.”

For nine years, ABC’s Health and Safety Performance Report has documented the real-world results of contractors using the STEP program on actual job sites. Participating ABC member firms evaluate their safety policies and practices through a detailed questionnaire with the goal of building stronger programs that prevent injuries.

Thank you for your leadership and ongoing partnership with the construction community in Ohio. Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can provide additional information or resources.

Best regards,

Griffin Weasel

VP Govt Affairs & Communications, ABC of Ohio

Bryan C. Williams

President, ABC of Ohio

The Case Against Mandatory Project Labor Agreements for Dayton Public Works

Mon, 11 May 2026 10:44:12 GMT

Click Here to View The Full Response

Dayton Must Reject Costly Union-Only Mandates on Public Works

Mon, 11 May 2026 10:33:15 GMT

Dayton Must Reject Costly Union-Only Mandates on Public Works
By Bryan C. Williams

Dayton is considering a policy that would mandate project labor agreements, or PLAs, on certain public works projects. Supporters argue these agreements provide labor stability and quality assurance. But the truth is, government-mandated PLAs are a step backward for fairness, competition and fiscal responsibility.

Make no mistake: unions and their political allies support government-mandated PLAs because they steer taxpayer-funded projects to union-affiliated contractors by eliminating fair and open competition. These agreements are not neutral—they are structured to exclude the majority of Ohio’s construction workforce that is nonunion.

PLAs require all contractors—regardless of whether they are unionized or not—to hire through union halls and follow union rules, and workers must pay union dues and benefits. This framework makes it extremely difficult for nonunion contractors to participate. In practice, many simply opt out of bidding altogether. That means fewer bidders, less competition and higher costs for taxpayers.

The impact is especially harmful to minority, women and veteran-owned businesses, which are more likely to be nonunion contractors. These small businesses have worked hard to build their reputations and deliver quality results—but under a PLA mandate, they face an artificial barrier to entry. Public contracting should be about performance and value, not union membership. Yet government-mandated PLAs effectively disqualify qualified businesses from doing the very work their tax dollars help fund.

Reduced competition also hits taxpayers in the wallet. Across the country, studies consistently show that PLAs increase construction costs by 12% to 18% compared to projects bid without them. Those extra costs are not buyingbetter quality, they’re the direct result of limiting the bidding pool and mandating higher labor costs through union rules.

In a time when every public dollar counts, Dayton cannot afford to overpay for its critical infrastructure. Higher costs mean fewer projects completed, delays in critical repairs and diminished services for residents. And for what? To benefit a narrow slice of politically connected contractors?

When competition is restricted and public contracts are steered toward a favored group, it fosters an environment ripe for favoritism and backroom deals. Government-mandated PLAs create the conditions for political patronage to take root—where contracts are awarded based not on merit, but on connections. It’s a system that undermines public trust and squeezes out small, local businesses.

The recent decision by Dayton’s city commission to require PLAs on public works projects over $5 million is already drawing concern. While framed as a way to support workforce development and community benefits, it will, in practice, lock out 74% of Ohio’s qualified construction workers who don’t belong to a union. That’s not progress—it’s protectionism.

Dayton should uphold an open, competitive bidding process that welcomes all qualified contractors—union and nonunion alike. The goal should be simple: deliver the highest quality work at the best possible value, using the most experienced workforce available.

That’s why 18 national and regional organizations—including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Black Chamber of Commerce, the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council and Associated Builders and Contractors—oppose government-mandated PLAs. They recognize that these agreements don’t promote fairness; they institutionalize discrimination.

Rejecting government-mandated PLAs isn’t about being anti-union. It’s about standing up for equal opportunity, fiscal discipline and transparency. It’s about ensuring that Dayton’s public projects serve the public—not political interests.

City leaders have a choice. They can embrace a procurement process based on merit, value and inclusion—or they can adopt a policy that limits competition, inflates costs and shuts out a majority of the local workforce.

The right path is clear. For the sake of taxpayers, small businesses and the integrity of public contracting, Montgomery County should reject mandatory PLAs.

Bryan C. Williams is president of Associated Builders and Contractors of Ohio.

14000 Skilled Construction Workers Needed in 2026

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 15:12:14 GMT

Ohio faces a critical shortage of 14,000 skilled construction workers in 2026. Without action, manufacturing, energy, infrastructure, and data center projects will face delays, higher costs, and lost economic momentum.

The biggest barrier? A severe shortage of qualified trade instructors in our high schools, career-technical centers and apprenticeship programs.

To meet this historic demand, ABC members are already investing heavily in solutions. Nationally, ABC members spend $1.5–1.6 billion per year training over 1.3 million workers through apprenticeships and craft training programs. In Ohio, our three chapters are delivering the same commitment locally — partnering with schools, using programs like TechCred, and building a strong pipeline with minimal reliance on new government funding.

We have a simple, affordable solution. We urge you to support these simple fixes:

Streamline certification so experienced journeymen can teach part-time or full-time in career-technical schools.
Offer temporary and capped tax credits for employers who free up journeymen and other qualified employees during work hours to train in Ohio State Apprenticeship Council (OSAC) approved apprentice programs.

These targeted steps will quickly boost enrollment and the quality of trades education across Ohio.

Result: More skilled workers, fewer project delays, lower costs for taxpayers, and a stronger economy.

ABC of Ohio is promoting apprenticeships and merit shop workforce development. To continue the momentum in our state — pass these workforce incentives this General Assembly.

Best regards,

Griffin Weasel
VP Govt Affairs & Communications, ABC of Ohio

Bryan C. Williams
President, ABC of Ohio

ABC of Ohio Endorses Larry Kidd for House District 93

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 13:00:00 GMT

ABC of Ohio Endorses Mike Kahoe for Ohio House District 31

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 15:40:00 GMT

ABC of Ohio Endorses Jonathan Newman for Re-election in Ohio House District 80

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 15:29:00 GMT

ABC of Ohio Endorses Patti Rockey for Ohio House District 81

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 15:26:00 GMT

ABC of Ohio Endorses Andy Brenner for Ohio House District 61

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 15:16:00 GMT

ABC of Ohio Endorses Zac Haines for Ohio Senate District 7

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 13:27:24 GMT

ABC of Ohio Endorses Wezlynn Davis for House District 86

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 13:13:59 GMT

Careers in Construction: Why White-Collar Workers are to Considering a Switch to a Merit Shop Construction Trade

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 16:45:00 GMT

By Griffin Weasel, VP of Government Affairs & Communications, ABC of Ohio

1/30/26

In today's volatile job market, white-collar professionals face layoffs, stagnant wages, and AI disrupting office roles. If you're in a mid career slump, endlessly applying to desk jobs without luck, consider a pivot to construction—inspired by Callum Borchers' recent Wall Street Journal article on not dismissing blue-collar shifts.

As VP of Government Affairs & Communications for Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Ohio, representing over 800 general contractors, subcontractors and affiliate suppliers, I've seen our booming industry amid a prolonged labor shortage. ABC champions the merit shop, where fair and open competition moving at the speed of business expand the economy every day. Yet, pride and misconceptions deter many from pursuing these rewarding paths.

The Ego Barrier

Transitioning from the office to a job site can feel like a setback. The WSJ highlights Justin Johnson, a $130,000 software manager hesitant to retrain. But in Ohio's thriving construction sector—fueled by projects like the Anduril plant south of Columbus—it's not so daunting. Construction leverages transferable skills like project management and tech integration, with high demand for white-collar expertise. Ohio’s TechCred training program seamlessly provides significant financial support for employers upskilling the new hires.

Don't let fear of the unknown hold you back. The switch could put you on the fast track to sustained financial and career success!

If you're ready to explore the switch, visit one of our three chapters at abc.org/ohio (or click here) and reach out today to connect with a hiring contractor near you.

Griffin Weasel leads government affairs and communications for ABC of Ohio, advocating for policies that support merit shop contractors and foster industry growth.

New York City PLAs a ‘disservice to the hardworking non-union workers,’

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 15:30:35 GMT

New York City PLAs a ‘disservice to the hardworking non-union workers,’ says Sampson

Don Procter

Daily Commercial News

New York City’s outgoing Mayor Eric Adams recently announced two major Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) covering more than $7 billion in city capital projects such as recreation centres, libraries, clean energy systems, water treatment facilities and other infrastructure.

While designed to guarantee fair wages, benefits and set safety rules and training standards, the agreements do not sit well with every labor organization.

They primarily benefit union contractors, shutting out thousands of tradespeople employed by merit shop contractors, claimed Brian Sampson, president of the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), Empire State Chapter, which represents the merit shop sector.

Roughly 70 to 80 per cent of all construction in New York City is non-union, with that percentage varying by trade, he said.

“The notion that only union labor can deliver fair standards simply isn’t true and does a disservice to the hardworking non-union workers who help build this city every day.”

The PLAs were made between the Building and Construction Trades Council (BCTC) and the NYC Office of Talent and workforce Development (NYC Talent).

“This kind of collaboration not only benefits the tens of thousands of union tradesmen and tradeswomen already working but opens more avenues for more individuals to build their own future in the city’s union construction industry,” Gary LaBarbera, president of the BCTC, said in a written statement to the Daily Commercial News.

The PLAs also embed community hiring requirements across the city.

“It’s a win-win situation that will improve the lives of countless New Yorkers and set a standard for these agreements moving forward,” wrote LaBarbera.

Sampson said annual construction in New York City is typically $40 to $50 billion.

“Taking more than $7 billion out of that sum and awarding it to people that you are favorable to has a significant negative impact” on the non-union sector, he added.

Prior to the PLAs, New York law guaranteed prevailing wages and benefits for anyone working on public projects, regardless of union affiliation, Sampson explained.

“So why rush to tie up billions of dollars in exclusive agreements with a single, politically-connected group?”

The ABC president said there was an era when all public sector work was union-exclusive but over the past few decades merit shop contractors have increasingly bid on and won public work.

“It is because so much work has transitioned over to the non-union side that the (union) building trades are asking government to put project labor agreements on them so they can get that market share back.”

He said on some major projects, union contractors might partner with large non-union firms but “the vast majority” of ABC’s members are too small to participate in a joint venture or an agreement with a large contractor.

While the “big signature projects” such as airport terminals, tunnels and convention centre work are a union lock as a result of PLAs negotiated with the BCTC, Sampson said, adding claims PLAs are more efficient are false.

Non‑union trades with cross‑disciplinary skills can get work done efficiently and without facing the work jurisdiction rules that can stall a union site project, he said.

Sampson said attempts by the ABC to negotiate different terms under the recently announced agreements have fallen on deaf ears.

The ABC has “beat PLAs fairly often” in the past when it has shown frontline public officials that the agreements result in fewer bidders, “who raise the costs of the project because they know the competition isn’t there.

“We talk to them about alternatives, whether they want to go with apprenticeship as a means to qualify contractors (as an example). It’s still not perfect but it offers a fairer opportunity to bid and win work.”

ABC of Ohio Endorses Craig Riedel for Ohio Senate District 1

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 17:47:05 GMT

ABC of Ohio Endorses Senator Kristina Roegner for Ohio Treasurer of State

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 17:46:29 GMT

Construction History: The Rise of the Open Shop in the 1970s Reshaped the Industry

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 14:39:33 GMT

Construction History: The Rise of the Open Shop in the 1970s Reshaped the Industry

By Scott Lewis

ENR.com

A host of factors converged in 1970 to spur the growth of the open-shop movement, scaring union construction workers and contractors. Wage inflation, union restrictions, jurisdictional disputes, low productivity and other labor problems had eroded the value of the construction dollar, causing owners to take a more critical look at their procedures. The large industrial contractors that made up the National Constructors Association told ENR in a 1970 cover story that they had lost more than 150 projects representing $7.5 billion to nonunion and open-shop contractors over the previous two years. The unions were worried as well. “Unless we take drastic action to correct certain abuses and practices, we are going to lose more work,” said C.J. Haggerty, president of the AFL-CIO Building and Construction Trades Department.

Escalation of union wages by nearly 18% a year and acceleration of construction costs by other labor problems produced cost projections that frightened owners and union contractors alike. “Either we establish control over wages and working conditions or we find other ways to do the work,” said NCA President Philip S. Lyon.

Stirring up the industry as it was searching for change was Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), the national association of open shop contractors. Established in 1950, by 1970 ABC had 3,400 member firms across 23 states: 25% were general contractors, 50% were subcontractors, and the rest were suppliers or in allied fields such as bonding, insurance or accounting. Only six of its member firms were among the ENR Top 400 Contractors ranking. ABC states its mission as representing rights of workers to work where and for whom they wished, and the right of management to recruit and train and assign its workforce and manage its jobs, according to its best judgment.

The nation was in an economic bind at the time. An 11-month recession in 1970 saw construction unemployment spike at 16.7% and persist at nearly that level for the next seven years. The Nixon administration introduced wage and price controls to help combat inflation. As part of that effort, in 1971 it established the Construction Industry Stabilization Committee. The CISC reviewed wage increases in collective bargaining agreements and determined whether they were compatible with productivity improvement and cost of living trends, and also had the power to reduce them. CISC’s labor and management representatives “worked together well and responsibly,” according to an ENR editorial. “The leaders of the building trades unions have, as a whole, been temperate, realistic and reasonable. First-year increases dropped from a fourth quarter 1970 level of 21.2% to 10 to 11%.”

ENR Goes Undercover

In 1971 ENR assigned veteran staff member Edward M. Young to get the facts on management and labor attitudes and practices as they related to productivity. Before joining ENR in 1957, Young had spent 17 years working for unionized heavy construction firms up and down the East Coast. As part of the assignment, he worked for two months as a supervisor for a testing laboratory to gain quiet access to construction jobs. Over the course of almost a year he travelled over 30,000 miles and interviewed 500 representatives of construction companies. Everyone he visited insisted on anonymity, but they spoke fully and freely.

His resulting 1972 cover story detailed many examples of “featherbedding” and jurisdictional problems. Cement finishers in Chicago and Philadelphia earned excessive pay by spending many straight time hours doing nothing while waiting for pours and then finishing the concrete during premium rate hours. Master mechanics on an East Coast job who never touched a wrench earned many times their base salaries because they were compensated for any hours that their mechanics or nonworking assistants were on the clock. A contractor on a power plant job using small gasoline-powered generators had to pay an operating engineer a full day’s wage to watch each gas engine, along with an electrician to watch the generator on each machine. A $1-billion Albany, N.Y., mall project suffered hundreds of work stoppages because the Teamsters and operating engineers unions fought over which of their members would hold the fuel truck nozzle during the fueling operation.

As part of the article, a survey by ENR among union and nonunion contractors found that “low productivity wastes from 15% to 40% of every construction payroll dollar.” Since labor was about 40% of the average project cost, “Americans this year are spending from $12 billion to $16 billion for something they aren’t getting.” This was a considerable amount, given total U.S. construction volume that year was $115 billion.

The article also spelled out how deep the problem went. “Featherbedding, like many other problems of the industry, has long been recognized but just as long been tolerated. Politicians, fearful of the clout of unions, have, for the most part, avoided any direct confrontation with them. Union officers on a national level, though relatively secure in their positions, have apparently been powerless to control the acquisitive ways of their local unions even while paying lip service to the desirability of doing so.” It concluded that contractors were reluctant to fight these inequities, “since the cost of these inequities largely could be passed on to owners and taxpayers who even now are only vaguely aware of the extent to which they are being victimized.”

One avenue of reform was opening up apprenticeship programs, which until then had been exclusively run by unions. In 1971 the Labor Dept.’s Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training broke that stranglehold, allowing open shop contractors to run apprenticeship programs for nine trades. That action eliminated restrictions unions had placed on the number of apprentices who could enter the trades each year, which caused artificial labor shortages and fed wage inflation.

An editorial accompanying the argued that such reform could not come from organized labor, but only by management—"aroused management, united in political action and in bargaining.”

Another indicator of change was the growth in the number of contractors going “double-breasted” by operating both union and nonunion shops. The Associated General Contractors of America, with 35% of its members operating open shop by 1969, was holding open shop conferences around the country by 1972, reflecting a strong interest in nonunion operations among its members. A 1971 decision by the National Labor Relations Board in the Gerace-Helger case found that two firms, one union and the other nonunion, were separate employers even though they had common stockholders, further establishing a position for nonunion firms to operate.

Impacts of the Open Shop

The incoming president of the AGC, Nello L. Teer Jr., stated in 1972 that successful open-shop projects “had a far more depressing effect on the highly inflationary wage demands of organized labor than CISC or any other governmental wage policy.” Although precise statistics did not exist, in 1972 both AGC and ABC agreed that about 40% of U.S. construction was carried out by nonunion firms. A 1975 study by the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School estimated open shop work accounted for 50% to 60% of all U.S. construction.

Throughout the 1970s the gut reaction of unions in some regions to counter the open shop movement was violence. In 1970 a mob of 1,500 union men rioted and wrecked $200,000 of private property at an open-shop project in West Palm Beach, Fla. Using fence posts as battering rams, they tore down a car dealership building and damaged or destroyed 61 new cars. At least 27 men were arrested, and the dealership owner sued the unions and reached a $1 million settlement. In 1972 a mob 400 to 500 strong destroyed property owned by a non-AFL-CIO subcontractor at the Walter Reuther Jr. High School project in Rochester, Mich. In 1973, a painters union official died of gunshot wounds received at a Huntington, W.Va., jobsite being picketed over the use of nonunion labor.

ABC filed a wide-ranging suit with the NLRB in 1973, charging the building trade unions at the national, state and local levels of conducting a conspiracy of violence and coercion against open shop firms. It sought a nationwide court injunction and other sanctions. A 3,000-page supporting document detailed 170 acts of violence, including 34 fires, nine dynamitings, 64 acts of vandalism, 42 assaults and 29 incidents of mass picketing. After a year-long investigation, the NLRB dismissed the conspiracy charges but issued complaints against four national and 11 local unions.

One of the most persistent targets of union violence was the Altemose Construction Co., an open-shop contractor in the Philadelphia area. In June 1972, a group of 1,000 unidentified men entered an Altemose jobsite in Valley Forge, Pa., where they fire-bombed construction equipment and stoned policemen. Later that day, 1,000 union members picketed the site. The company got an injunction prohibiting picketing within a mile of their properties. Days later, 25,000 hardhatted workers marched to the county courthouse where the injunction was issued, chanting “Altemose has got to go!” Two months later, company head J. Leon Altemose was beaten on a sidewalk in Philadelphia by 18 men who were picketing a bank that financed an Altemose hotel project. The picketers prevented mounted police from reaching Altemose. Three roofers union members were arrested but acquitted in court for lack of evidence. Altemose was named ENR’s Man of the Year in 1973 for fighting for his right to operate his firm as union or nonunion. In 1975 a judge sentenced 11 roofers union members to prison terms for their participation in the June 1972 incident.

One sign of change was a national construction labor agreement negotiated by the NCA and the plumbers union in 1977. It created a new semi-skilled class of journeyman who would receive 60% of the journeyman rate, limits on the amount of overtime pay, and a clause allowing NCA members to negotiate new wage rates and conditions.

An ENR cover story in 1977 found the open shop had spread across the country, making major inroads into market sectors and geographic areas that had once been union strongholds.

A Dept. of Housing and Urban Development survey found that virtually all homebuilding and most small multifamily and light commercial and industrial work was open shop. At the other end of the spectrum, open shop contractors were snaring very large projects, including a number of major industrial projects and 43 power plants in the South and Midwest.

By this time ABC’s membership had grown to 11,500 firms across all 50 states.

An accompanying editorial argued that, contrary to assertions by the AFL-CIO, the open shop was not a creature of the Business Roundtable (an owners group focused on controlling construction costs) or of antiunion forces. “Its growth is, instead, a direct response to the dispassionate forces of the marketplace.”

DAVE SLOAD: We Must End Discrimination Against Nonunion Construction Workers

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 14:38:29 GMT

DAVE SLOAD CONTRIBUTOR

Daily Caller

Pennsylvania’s hardworking tradesmen and women—carpenters, plumbers, heavy equipment operators—aren’t asking for handouts. They just want a fair shot at the American Dream. However, Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration is slamming the door on nearly 90% of the Commonwealth’s construction workforce, all because they choose not to toe the union line. This isn’t “getting sh*t done,” it’s a special interest power grab that rigs the game for Shapiro’s big union handlers.

In April 2024, Shapiro, while schmoozing at a union-affiliated training center, ordered commonwealth agencies to “examine all contract solicitations to determine if the use of PLAs is appropriate.” A PLA, or project labor agreement, is a sweetheart deal between the government and labor unions that forces every bidder—including nonunion shops—to swallow union rules, hire from union halls, and even fire their own skilled workers. It’s not negotiation; it’s coercion, pure and simple, turning public projects into union slush funds. (RELATED: Nation’s Largest Teacher’s Union Sends Members Map That Removes Israel, Labels It As Palestine)

Despite a 2019 Commonwealth Court smackdown against the previous Wolf Administration’s PLA push at PennDOT (ruling it a violation of Pennsylvania’s competitive bidding laws except in “extraordinary circumstances”) Shapiro doubled down. He directed agencies to evaluate every state construction project using fuzzy criteria like “particular need and urgency; complexity of the project; lack of available qualified labor.” Translation? Whatever helps Shapiro’s union buddies, no matter how it harms taxpayers and nonunion workers.

Fast-forward to March 2025: The state Department of General Services (DGS) slapped a PLA on a $450 million joint laboratory facility RFP, Phase 1.

The Associated Builders and Contractors, Keystone Chapter—champions of merit-shop contractors—sued to stop this nonsense. The Commonwealth Court granted a preliminary injunction this summer, blasting the administration in a fiery decision.

The Court called out DGS for never proving union labor is safer, more skilled, or faster than nonunion crews, and hammered how nonunion contractors (NUCs) were “not on equal footing” in the bidding war.

Shapiro’s “GSD” bravado? It’s causing delays, lawsuits, and wasted taxpayer dollars—classic legal maneuvering tactics.

Businesses shouldn’t need an army of expensive lawyers to fight for a level playing field. Pennsylvania taxpayers deserve projects built fast and cheap, not held hostage by politicians rewarding their pals. Sadly, it’s not just Shapiro; municipalities across the state are falling for “responsible contractor ordinances” (RCOs), fake “standards” that really just lock out merit-shop warriors.

Take Reading in December 2022. The City Council rammed through an RCO demanding contractors join union-run apprenticeship programs. It sidelined proven nonunion firms—schools and safety pros in their own right—forcing the city to waive it later for a deadline crunch. Ironic? Absolutely. Counterproductive? Definitely, but politics over people is the establishment way.

That’s why we need the Freedom in Public Contracting Act (Senate Bill 961), which is championed by State Sen. Jarrett Coleman. This worker-focused lifeline bans PLAs and RCOs at every government level, ensuring bids go to the best, not the connected.

No more union status as a bidding checkbox, no more forcing nonunion shops to fund union agendas. Coleman’s clear: Union contractors can compete if they deliver; so should merit shops, without the boot on their neck.

Union bosses might whine, but 90% of Pennsylvania’s construction workers—folks building our roads, homes, and future—deserve “real freedom” to bid without barriers.

Shapiro’s thumb on the scale isn’t progress; it’s tyranny lite, stifling competition and jacking up costs in a state already bleeding jobs outside of our communities.

Dave Sload is the President and CEO of the ABC Keystone Chapter.