ABC and the National Black Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) signed a joint resolution March 7, expressing a commitment to promoting fair and open competition on taxpayer-funded construction contracts. The resolution formalizes a long-standing partnership between the organizations who will remain focused on providing value to taxpayers and opportunities for the contracting community by battling government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs).

“ABC is excited to enter into a formal partnership with NBCC so we can continue our work at the local, state and federal levels,” said 2014 ABC National Chairman Dan Brodbeck, president and CEO of Compass Partners, LLC. “Our goal is to ensure government neutrality and fairness during the procurement of public construction contracts so that taxpayers get the best bang for their buck. PLAs drive up the cost of taxpayer-funded projects by limiting competition for public works projects to unionized firms that employ just 14.1 percent of the construction workforce. In addition, PLAs prevent the overwhelming majority of qualified merit shop and minority-owned contracting firms, who employ millions of American workers, from competing for these projects unless they sign a union agreement.”

“The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was implemented into the construction industry in 1973,” said NBCC President and CEO Harry C. Alford. “Our former Chairman, Dr. Arthur Fletcher, was in charge of that implementation. Every industry except the unionized construction industry is in compliance with this important law.  The time has come to enforce implementation by construction unions in the name of liberty and the tenants of our great constitution. Discrimination is a job killer and a parasite on our economy.”

The resolution will lead to enhanced coordination between ABC and NBCC in promoting free enterprise and open competition within the public works sector of the construction industry. The groups will share resources to combat political, legal, regulatory and legislative initiatives that promote discriminatory union-favoring PLAs and limit nonunion contractors’ abilities to bid on projects.