BY: CLEO WEAVER, ABC KEYSTONE 2021 CHAIR OF THE BOARD

To my fellow construction industry friends: is it just me, or are you, too, sensing an unfair trend in the policies and practices of the current administration? It sure seems like they are creating an atmosphere that is highly toxic for free enterprise!

I ask you to consider a current bill that is requiring all large government jobs to have a PLA (Project Labor Agreement). Simply interpreted, this means that only union contractors may bid the job. The ramifications of this are obvious – the end of free enterprise as we know it! The passage of this bill means that over 80% of contractors are unable to bid government jobs, and for ABC especially, this is unacceptable.

Let me be clear, ABC is not anti-union, rather it is pro-free enterprise, ensuring a level playing field for all. Union contractors and non-union contractors should be free to bid on the same specifications resulting in the contractor with the best value winning the project. We do not need or want the government telling us who can or cannot bid on publicly-funded jobs. I hate to think what will happen if we allow this. Ultimately, it means we will not have the ability to bid on these projects, or we will have to become union to do so!

Since it is a fact that the Biden Administration is attempting to tilt the playing field, we, as freedom loving Americans, need to effectively influence our laws and policies. It is the only way to maintain a viable free enterprise environment that we can all function within.

How, you ask? It is through a powerful thing called Advocacy. As your Chair, I am so very thankful that this year we have reorganized ABC PA, creating a unified arm that covers the entire state. This arm advocates for the causes of all ABC Chapters in Pennsylvania, at both the state and federal level.

Our advocates are David Greineder, ABC PA Director of Government Affairs, and Austin Cawley, ABC PA Deputy Director of Government Affairs, both of whom are employees of ABC PA. I sincerely hope many of you understand the importance of personally getting to know those speaking on our behalf in the halls of Congress. Please feel free to call or email them to learn more – just begin the conversation.

Do not let the thought ‘it’s summer, and our representatives and senators are not working’ lull you into sitting back and letting the opposition gain the upper hand. This is far from the truth, as our elected officials are in their home districts talking to their constituents and making many decisions regarding the way they will vote. I challenge you to talk to your local representative, senator, or any person of influence about relevant policy, so they are aware of your stance. You can be sure somebody with an opposing position has already done so.

Well, now that we have our assignments, let us intentionally energize our ABC “It Factor” and become activists, bringing about the policies we need to let freedom ring and keep free enterprise alive and thriving!

Celebrate the return of our personal freedoms by taking some vacation time with your family, then come back home and fight for your business freedoms. Hats off to David and Austin as they fight for us and alongside of us!

All the best to you this August – be safe and prosperous!

Posted August 8, 2021