Senate Votes Down Amendment to Block Government Mandated Project Labor Agreement Amendment

On January 22, the Senate failed to pass an amendment offered by Senator Vitter (R-La.) that would have ensured government neutrality in the bidding process for federal and federally funded construction projects. The amendment would have ensured such neutrality by prohibiting the use of Government Mandated Project Labor Agreements (GMLAs). AGC believes that GMLAs would disrupt labor-management relations in the construction industry and run afoul of the National Labor Relations Act. Use of GMLAs would tread upon both the rights of union contractors’ ability to work under the conditions of already negotiated collective bargaining agreements and would impact an open shop contractor’s right to not engage in collective bargaining. The amendment was offered during the debate on a pay disparity bill. AGC key voted this amendment to be used in AGC’s annual scorecard of how legislators vote.