Using the strongest language still by any federal agency related to the use of project labor agreements in its construction projects, the US Department of Veterans Affairs is the last one that has announced a ban on all The Agency to the Pacts in its great projects: cites January January. Cones of the Federal Court against the rule of the time of Biden that required them, although it was not part of the triggering demand.
“Due to the decision of the Court of Federal Claims, effectively, contracting officers will not use the labor agreements of the project for large -scale construction projects,” said the Guide on February 20 issued to all contracting officers. of the Department. In addition, he commissioned the contracting officers to “modify the applications to eliminate the requirements of the project’s employment contract”.
The agreement between artisan workers and contractors establishes the salary rates and the rules of work that non -union companies generally do not support projects that could also require learning and hiring carried out through a local union room.
The United States Department of Defense also banned these mandates for all projects and the United States General Services Administration ordered staff to remove them for the entry projects of the land port, both this month, but also not. It does not quote Agencies: The Corps of Engineers of Engineers of the United States Army.
This is the first time that a Trump Administration Agency has cited the ruling as a precedent for an agency’s ban on agreements required in future contracts. The VA is a great agency that builds everything, from veteran hospitals, office buildings and smaller outpatient outpatient care centers. Agency officials had no comment beyond the updated guidance to the contracting officers.
The executive order of Biden and the regulation of federal acquisition that required them was challenged by the protests of offers of members of the general associated contractors of America and the associated builders and contractors. Both have the non -union majority. AGC lawyers say they developed the legal strategy to challenge the rule through the protests of the offers. “We see this as a direct result of the … approach we made,” said Brian Turmail, Vice President of the AGC. “We hope this is one of the many similar ads of federal contracting officials.” The ruling of January 21 at MVL USA, Inc. et al. v. The United States He found that the agreements violate the competition in the 1984 hiring law.
The groups see the court’s ruling as an important victory for contractors who have long defended that the agreements are anti-complaining. “Invite all federal contractors to bid and to build critical infrastructure and infrastructure for our veterans is the right movement. It is good to see the department follow the leadership of [other agencies] When removing the mandate schemes of the inflationary plan, “said Ben Brubeck, Vice President of the ABC, in a statement.” ABC will continue to push for this policy to be a reality throughout the government. “
The trade unions in the building of North America, the umbrella group that represents the majority of union craft workers at construction sites, did not immediately respond to comments, but issued a statement that a statement that He supported Trump’s work secretary, Lori Chavez-Demermer, who looks like a friendly selection work. He appeared before a United States Senate Committee in a confirmation audience on February 19 and is expected to further illuminate administration policy on labor issues if confirmed in the coming weeks.
