DOVER — More than 100 people packed the House chamber
Wednesday as the Labor Committee debated a Democratic-backed bill that gives
unions greater control over state-funded construction projects.
The committee voted to release the legislation to the
floor, despite facing a hostile audience that booed at the meeting’s closure.
Rep. Michael Ramone, R-Pike Creek Valley, was the only committee member to vote
against releasing House Bill 283.
The bill is officially known as the Veterans, Skilled
Workers and Community Workforce Act. It mandates 30 percent of workers on state
projects come from the representative district where the work takes place and
also would require 5 percent of the workforce be made up of military veterans.
The provision that drew the ire of most of the people in
attendance is one that would require government agencies to “directly negotiate
in good faith a project labor agreement with one or more labor organizations
engaged in the construction industry; or condition the award of a contract to a
contractor upon a requirement that the contractor negotiate in good faith a
project labor agreement with one or more labor organizations engaged in the
construction industry,” according to text of the legislation.
The measure, its supporters say, is intended to keep
dollars in Delaware and benefit local districts, but several speakers Wednesday
said it was designed to help labor groups.
Many laborers, some wearing reflective vests, were in the
audience. Some wore stickers stating their disapproval of the bill. Spectators
booed on multiple occasions and broke out into loud applause at the end of
every comment from members of the public speaking against the proposal.
“Any way you spin it, it is a union bill to put more
unions to work,” said Ralph Degli Obizzi of the mechanical contracting company
Ralph Degli Obizzi and Sons.
Some protested that the legislation, if it becomes law,
would have a dramatically negative impact on their businesses.
“We’re not looking to put everybody out of work,”
committee head and main sponsor Rep. Michael Mulrooney, D-New Castle, insisted.
As he detailed the legislation early on, deferring to
Delaware Building and Construction Trades Council President James Maravelias at
points, a spectator yelled out in opposition. A man in the audience protested
the bill would take work away from non-union businesses, or merit shops.
The west side entrance of Legislative Hall was blocked
with hundreds of contractors wanting to get inside to have their voices heard
on House Bill 283.
The west side entrance of Legislative Hall was blocked
with hundreds of contractors wanting to get inside to have their voices heard
on House Bill 283.
Jim Betley, president of County Group Companies, said he
felt so strongly about the proposal he was paying employees to attend the
hearing and show their opposition.
“If it’s not broke, why fix it?” he said of the bill.
Supporters claimed the legislation would help veterans
and decrease the state’s unemployment rate. It also would benefit women and
minorities, Mr. Maravelias said.
“The biggest debate in the country now is the livable
wages,” said Vincent Ascione with the Delaware Building and Construction Trades
Council.
Mr. Ascione was among those insisting they do not think
ill of nonunion workers but believe the bill would help the state.
The best efforts of supporters were not enough for many
of the business owners and laborers present, however.
“It appears to us this is about 10 percent of the
construction workforce trying to control 100 percent of the public construction
budget, and we think that’s just plain wrong,” said Paul Morrill of the
Committee of 100, a business group.
The bill is set to go to the floor, but Rep. Mulrooney
said he first wants to iron out a few issues raised Wednesday and check with
the Department of Justice to ensure the idea is constitutional.
Twenty House Democrats have signed on as co-sponsors.
Source: Delaware
Online
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