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Court to get argument for some union labor in jail renovation
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LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
A 36-point argument will be submitted to District Court describing why a $27 million jail renovation should include an agreement requiring that some union labor be used.
The state Supreme Court ordered the county to draft findings that show why requiring contractors to enter such an agreement would benefit taxpayers. Justices also told the county to send the list to District Court for a ruling.
Two trade groups are challenging the county's effort to require union labor on the project, arguing that it's more costly to taxpayers.
Meanwhile, work is being delayed on the detention center's north tower, which is plagued by plumbing problems.
Law enforcement officials say they are worried that if the tower's systems fail, they will have to move about 1,700 inmates, many of them jailed for violent crimes, and perhaps release some of them early.
Capt. John Donahue said the delay in renovations has caused him "great concern."
"We'd really like to see this project get off the ground," Donahue said.
In the document, the county argues that the project labor agreements will prevent strikes, ensure local workers are used and give contractors access to cheaper labor such as union apprentices.
All of that is of great benefit to taxpayers, the county contends.
If the judge rules in the county's favor, the trade groups could appeal, said Leslie Nielsen, a deputy district attorney.
The Nevada Business Coalition and the Association of Builders and Contractors' state chapter are deciding whether they will challenge a court ruling that goes the county's way.
The county failed to show there's a lack of available workers, one of the high court's criteria for requiring the labor agreement, said Warren Hardy, a representative for the builders and contractors association.
"I don't think anyone in this economy would argue there's a shortage of labor," Hardy said.
Still, the trade groups understand how important it is to finish the jail renovation, Hardy said. So in the interest of public safety they might not prolong the court battle.
Many contractors criticize the labor agreements because at least half of the first 14 workers chosen for the job must come from the union hall, and all workers after that must be union.
Contractors also must pay into a union health care fund, even if they already provide benefits to their workers.
The high court agreed to hear the county's case after a district judge in June rejected the trade groups' request for an injunction on the jail remodeling.
Commissioner Susan Brager said the labor agreements should be done case by case rather than as a blanket policy. For this project, it seems crucial to avoid strikes, she said.
The legal wrangling should end as quickly as possible so the jail improvements can be done and inmates aren't released prematurely, she said.
"If people are in the jail, they need to serve their time," Brager said.
Contact reporter Scott Wyland at swyland@reviewjournal.com or 702-455-4519.
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Cindy.Buck- You are mistaken. the unions involved are private not public... The Families of Las Vegas want this job to come with a labor agreement. It provides for our economy when workers that do the job actually come from our town instead of hiring contractors who bring in their own employees from who knows where to do shoddy work and take off with our tax dollars which leaves our economy stuck in the mud.
If we want our economy fixed we're going to have to do it ourselves.
Have the darn inmates do it, you have free labor, use it.
Abolish all public sector unions they are bankrupting us.
And what's with this Director of Leisure Activities in North Las Vegas making more than half a MILLION a year. No wonder North Las Vegas is freaking broke. Is there any city govts that are not totally corrupt?
Actually..... Less than 8% of the construction workforce belongs to unions, and that number is dropping daily, as their membership deserts the halls in order to find work in the Open Shop sector. In this day and age, it is absurd that us Taxpayers should have to foot the bill for the extra $$$$ involved to build with PLAs. Sue.... If you were involved in the trades at all, you would know that Locals 357, 88, 525, and 433 have been employing illegals for the past 5 years, and putting them out as Travelers, White Tickets, or B listers. The union contractors have every right to bid on these projects, and if they are low bidder, they deserve to do the work, but the Open Shop contractors should NOT be forced to join a union, or hire union thugs to complete their work. This is about serious PAYBACKS to unions, and nothing else !!!!
A missing element in this discussion is that according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2010 only about 30 percent of all Nevada construction industry employment was union. A union-only agreement would discriminate against the vast majority of construction workers. The very same workers whose taxes are paying for the construction. That's just not fair.
I rather pay extra for union work then having illegals that do not have training or speak English.
We surely do't need any premature ejection of prisoners because they can't hold their water. As one of the previous posters on a similar article put it, "This county needs an enema!" from the movie "Batman"
Why are we forced to use unions for projects. Why is this a court matter. This is a matter for the customer to decide. These unions have been as responsible for the destruction of American productivity for years. Soon we will have to buy labor from the Chi-coms to complete a building.
A projest using these unions and the "prevailing wage" schedules that the unions got on costs 375 dollars a foot for the city and the school district. A similar private industry project is 54 to 75 dollars a square foot right now. I say lock them off projects we dont need them they are mooching off us and killing us!
The court needs to mandate that I get some of the business as well. I have as good a reason as the unions. If they do not give me something, I will launch the anti-middle class PC missle at them.
A union friend of mine worked on CityCenter, and he said that when non-union workers completed a project that the union workers would purposely tear it up. They would also delay all work to stretch the contract out as much as possible. Nevada is a "right to work" state.
when are the union parasites gonna realize that taxpayers refuse to pay some union drone thirty or forty dollars an hour to lean on a broom ? let the ruff raff "sell" their talent and the enthusiasm to a private sector employer. the employment application gizmo at walmart always seems to be on when i pass one.