IEC Staunchly Opposes Biden PLA Executive Order

PLA Mandate Will Reduce Competition, Increase Cost to the American Taxpayer

(Arlington, Va.) – The Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) express strong opposition to President Biden’s executive order (EO) signed today that mandates the use of project labor agreements (PLAs) on federal construction projects valued at above $35 million.

“IEC’s merit shop electrical contractors object to the Biden administration implementing policies that blatantly favor labor unions,” said Thayer Long, IEC CEO. “Instead of fair and open competition for federally funded construction projects, the administration has chosen to discriminate against the 87 percent of the industry’s workforce that chooses not to be unionized. This anti-competitive policy will increase the cost to the American taxpayer, exacerbate workforce shortages, and limit opportunities for small contractors interested in rebuilding and repairing our nation’s infrastructure.”

 

IEC objects to PLA policies that exclude the vast majority of the construction industry from implementing the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure bill enacted into law last year. Rather than enabling free and fair competition, the administration has arbitrarily chosen to limit it, by preventing IEC’s highly qualified contractors from partnering with the federal government to build back our nation’s infrastructure at a fair price to the American taxpayer.

 

Established in 1957, the Independent Electrical Contractors is a trade association representing over 3,700 members with more than 50 chapters and training centers nationwide. Headquartered in Arlington, Va., the IEC is the nation’s premier trade association representing America’s independent electrical and systems contractors. IEC National aggressively works with the industry to establish a competitive environment for the merit shop—a philosophy that promotes the concept of free enterprise, open competition, and economic opportunity for all.