Non-union contractors criticize McCarran policy

Grace Leong

Friday, Jan. 24, 2003 | 10:52 a.m.

A labor agreement recently adopted by McCarran International Airport could potentially deter non-union contractors from bidding on airport projects and exclude thousands of non-union workers from working on these projects, the local chapter of the Associated Builders and Contractors is alleging.

Warren Hardy, spokesman for 217 non-union members of the Associated Builders and Contractors of Southern Nevada, said he believes the agreement is the result of union pressure and "an exchange for labor peace and union workers not walking off their jobs."

Under the project labor agreement, McCarran has agreed to exclusively use union labor for major building projects that aren't federally funded.

Hardy said the agreement applies to several airport projects including the expansion of the automated tunnel system at McCarran's D-gate, the construction of a rental car center and buildings at Henderson Executive Airport.

"Under the agreement, if you're a non-union contractor, you can bid but you're entitled to use only seven of your own employees on the job. Who would bid on a project with those kinds of restrictions?" he asked. "The agreement is basically a way for the unions to get around state right-to-work laws and it excludes potential non-union contractors from bidding, which, in turn, would hurt competition and drive up project costs."

But McCarran spokeswoman Hilarie Grey disputed Hardy's views, saying the "project labor" agreement brings money-saving benefits to the airport.

"The project labor agreement precludes people working on our capital or major building projects from going on strike. We're also guaranteed trained and skilled craftsmen working on the projects," she said.

But Hardy disagreed, accusing the airport of violating an executive order issued last year by the Bush Administration that prohibits the use of such project labor agreements on projects that are funded federally.

Grey disagreed, saying the agreement is applied only on airport projects that don't use federal funds. She said the projects in question are funded by other sources including bonds.