ABC National, comprised of 67 Chapters representing nearly 21,000 members across the country, is the voice of Merit Shop. They work to protect free enterprise by fighting anti-competitive and anti-free market federal regulations. ABC National leads the fight each year against project labor agreements which effectively restrict merit shop contractors from bidding and working on construction projects, thereby dramatically driving up the cost on all public construction. Their project “The Truth About Project Labor Agreements” or thetruthaboutplas.com, takes the lead on this issue to expose wasteful and discriminatory PLA mandates, which are heavily supported by President Obama. To date, ABC National has effectively restricted PLA mandates in 21 states. Seventeen states have passed legislation to oppose this discriminatory practice enacted by President Obama through Executive Order 13502 in February 2009, which encourages federal agencies to require PLAs on federal construction projects costing more than $25 million, effectively excluding the two-thirds majority open shop workforce in each state. Learn more about ABC National's government affairs work.