Bill Seeks To Ban Project Labor Agreements

POSTED: 4:36 pm EST January 13, 2010
UPDATED: 6:58 pm EST January 13, 2010

INDIANAPOLIS -- A battle over Project Labor Agreements is heating up at the Indiana Statehouse, where lawmakers are considering a measure that would ban the practice. Rep. Jerry Torr, R-Carmel, filed a bill that would eliminate PLAs, which he contends exclude non-union organizations from bidding on large projects, effectively eliminating up to 80 percent of local contractors.

Torr said the bill would open up the bidding process to everyone, but his efforts may be for naught, 6News' Kara Kenney reported. Lucas Oil Stadium, Conseco Fieldhouse, the Indianapolis Public Library, Indianapolis International Airport and the new Wishard Memorial Hospital all are using or have used PLAs. "When taxpayers are being cheated like this, it ruffles my feathers," Torr said. "It's just unfair, because it cuts out a large portion of very qualified contractors who choose not to be union shops. It just cuts them out of the process."

The bill, now in committee, is in the hands of Rep. David Niezgodski, D-South Bend, a plumber who records indicate received campaign contributions from unions. "As labor and employment chair, on this one I can say, 'Not on my watch,'" Niezgodski said. "I've never seen any evidence that a PLA hurts other workers' chances or businesses' chances of being involved in a project."

Niezgodski said PLAs help keep jobs on time with fewer work-related injuries. He denied that the reason he won't allow the bill to be heard has anything to do with union connections, but more about time.

"There are probably 15 different bills on my committee, probably more," Niezgodski said. "It's going to be a short session." Niezgodski contends that if contractors are shut out, it's because they aren't doing their job. Torr concedes that his bill is likely dead, but he pledged to continue his push. "I'll keep fighting for it until we get it," he said. The first round of bids for the new hospital were due Monday. Four companies bid -- all four union shops -- two from Indianapolis and two from Chicago.