Business groups slam White House's contracting 'blacklist'

[Geee]

Washington Examiner:

Leading business groups blasted the White House's proposal to require companies bidding on federal contracts to disclose any past violations of labor laws, calling it a "blacklist" intended to boost the Obama administration's union allies.

 

The accusations were made Wednesday as the associations filed official briefs with the Labor Department opposing the proposal, the last day of the public comment period for the proposed rule.

 

"What's driving this whole initiative is not a concern about improving the integrity of the contracting process, but rather an attempt to give organized labor one more weapon to unionize employers through corporate campaigns," said Randy Johnson, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's senior vice president of labor, immigration and employee benefits.

 

Geoff Burr, vice president of Associated Builders and Contractors, said many aspects of the proposal were "illegal" and would hurt the contracting industry. There were $22.7 billion in federal construction projections in 2014 alone, he said.