Defense Department must resume use of PLAs, judge says

A U.S. District

A U.S. District Court ruling ordered the agency to return to using project labor agreements on major construction projects to align with a Biden-era executive order.

Court ruling ordered the agency to return to using project labor agreements on major construction projects to align with a Biden-era executive order.

A U.S. District Court judge in Washington, D.C., has granted a preliminary injunction against the Department of Defense and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for not following a Biden-era executive order mandating the use of project labor agreements on some federal jobs.
Judge Rudolph Contreras ruled in favor of North America’s Building Trades Unions and the Baltimore-D.C. Metro Building and Construction Trades Council on May 16, ordering the DOD to set aside PLA-avoidant guidance, even for projects not related to the plaintiffs.
Contreras’ order sides with the plaintiffs and says that the DOD must resume the practice of using PLAs. The agency did not respond to requests for comment.

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