>>>It means no jobs for engineers, environmentalists, or any other usual preparation for the digging. They don’t want to pay anyone with any education.<<<
I’m curious...are you in one of those fields? I think you’re right on the nose with this.
It is the fourth union-friendly executive order that Obama has signed since he’s been in office.
“Today’s Gift to Big Labor” Even as the nomination of Hilda Solis for Labor Secretary remains stalled due to tax and potential ethics rules troubles, organized labor got a large gift from President Obama today, as he signed an executive order instructing federal agencies to have contractors working on construction projects of $25 million or more to sign project labor agreements (PLAs) with labor unions — and it may come at the expense of taxpayers.
http://www.openmarket.org/2009/02/06/todays-gift-to-big-labor/
No, I’m not in one of those fields, I’m just strongly anti-union. My grandfather was run-down by a hit and run driver as he stood on the curb in front of his home after being elected president of his machinists union in the late forties, because the CIO was not happy with his election.
Then, my husband has done labor negotiations for thirty years, for management. When he first started, our car was vandalized and I was receiving obscene phone calls at home during negotiations. I hate unions, so I follow union issues. Robert Reich confirmed my intuition about the SEIU union jobs when he said that these jobs are not for white men. He meant it, the SEIU was not formed for white men.
I’m curious...are you in one of those fields? I think you’re right on the nose with this."
Engineers and Architects are not in the building trades, so no union conflict, there are many union environmental engineering companies , union surveyors and Soil engineering companies as well as union inspection contractors, most employ higher educated execs, licensed professional engineers and technical consultants. Most union public works projects will have a dozen or so management types in freshly ironed orange vests watching 5 laborers dig a hole. Often a mega contractor who wins a bid requiring hiring union will have management and labor working and meshing together, Also there is competition for union jobs, ( and it is difficult for illegal aliens to get in BTW) so the craftsman quality and caliber of worker is most often top notch and efficient, able to stay in budget and on schedule. On the converse most non union contractors on public work projects are low bidders, ill equipped and using low waged low performance workers with bad attitudes.
I hope I don't sound like I'm defending the unions, just talking from my experience in construction management