By Mark Scott
Buffalo, NY – A state Appellate Court has overturned a lower court ruling that would have required the Giambra administration to use a Project Labor Agreement for the second phase of the courthouse improvement project.
A PLA sets work rules as well as guidelines for how many non-union workers can be employed on a project. The ruling means Erie County Executive Joel Giambra can move forward with an open bidding process in which both union and non-union companies can compete.
Because bidding for the courthouse project was disrupted by the earlier ruling, Giambra said he will reject the earlier bids, return them unopened, and solicit new bids for phase two construction. The new bids will be opened on May 22nd.
"This is the only fair approach," Giambra said. "It is in the best interest of both taxpayers and the construction companies."