A bill that garnered heavy support from Delaware’s building and trades unions during Delaware’s most recent legislative session didn’t get a hearing on the House floor before lawmakers wrapped for the year, prompting pushback from some union members.
SB 272 would have required project labor agreements for large school construction projects, over $5 million. The state allocates millions of dollars annually to school construction, and it stood to significantly influence financials for builders and the state.
A House committee moved the bill forward on June 29, the second to last day of session. But it never made it to the house floor for a vote.
But House Majority leader Kerri Evelyn Harris (D-Dover) said it was unclear how the new measure would affect costs on large school large projects.
One school district warned that the measure would increase its construction plans by “tens of millions of dollars,” Harris said, and this could exacerbate possible property tax increases.
Harris added her caucus had remaining questions about its effects on employment too, that neither merit shops nor unions offered clarity on.
“We want to make sure the majority of jobs stay in Delaware,” Harris said. “We need somebody to prove which side does that.”
Since the measure failed, leadership with the Operating Engineers Local 542 and the Building Construction Trades voiced displeasure with the House Democratic leadership.
James Ascione, treasurer of the Operating Engineers Local 542, published a letter that says house leadership, “failed Organized Labor, its members, and families.” Delaware Public Media reached out to Ascione multiple times for comment but hasn’t received a response.
James Maravelias, president of the Delaware Building and Construction Trades Council, declined to do a recorded interview. But he said the bill was sponsored by House Majority Whip Ed Osienski (D-Newark), so leadership had enough information to support the bill.
Ascione’s letter said that House leadership “misrepresented” its commitment to labor unions. And it asks for a $5,000 donation back.
A Delaware House Democrats PAC spokesperson said its members continue to support organized labor and Ascione’s letter, “should not be mistaken for the position or approach of organized labor as a whole.”
According to the spokesperson, the caucus never received $5,000 from the union. But donations also don’t guarantee a vote.
Harris said,“if that union had given us $5 thousand and they wanted it back, they shouldn't give us money for a single vote.”
Since session ended, Delaware Building Trades has issued statements of candidate support on social media, leaving out house leadership and others who did not support the bill going forward.
Harris said the House Democratic caucus “still have not shut the door” on working with the unions groups who have spoken out or to PLA legislation.
