* Post-Tribune of Northwest Indiana…
While Northwest Indiana waits to see whether the Chicago Bears will choose it for its new stadium, labor leaders are waiting to hear if the trades get to be involved at all.
Senate Bill 27, authored by State Senators Ryan Mishler, R-Mishawaka, and Chris Garten, R-Charlestown, which passed through the Indiana Senate Wednesday, contains language that effectively would prohibit the Bears from entering into any project labor agreements, labor leaders told the Post-Tribune. In a heavily labor-concentrated part of the state, the idea that PLAs wouldn’t be used is “not a good business model” at best.
The language is concerning enough that all three Northwest Indiana County Republican Chairs — Randy Niemeyer in Lake, Nathan Uldricks in Porter and Allen Stevens in LaPorte County — cosigned a letter imploring the legislature to remove the language. […]
Randy Palmateer, Business Manager for Northwest Indiana Building and Construction Trades Council, said he can’t believe the state would dare to tell a private business what to do, especially since the organization employs union labor already. He spent Tuesday getting documentation from the team to make sure that checks out.
“I have the (memorandum of understanding) from Arlington Heights, and it has a PLA, and the Bears have unions right now (at Soldier Field),” Palmateer said. “This anti-union sentiment will kill local support and open the floodgates for low-paid labor.”
The Indiana bill bans project labor agreements on the proposed stadium project. Indiana is a so-called “right to work” state.
That part of Hoosierville is very union-friendly. And several Illinois trade unions cover the region, including Operating Engineers Local 150.
* To the bill…
“Contract limitation” refers to a bid specification, project agreement, lease provision, or other contract document that does any of the following:
(A) Requires a bidder, offeror, or contractor in any contractor tier to enter into or adhere to an agreement with a labor organization relating to a project.
(B) Prohibits a bidder, offeror, or contractor in any contractor tier from entering into or adhering to an agreement with a labor organization relating to a project.
(C) Discriminates against a bidder, offeror, or contractor in any contractor tier for any of the following:
i) Becoming or remaining a signatory to an agreement with a labor organization relating to a project.
(ii) Refusing to become or remain a signatory to an agreement with a labor organization relating to a project.
(iii) Adhering or refusing to adhere to an agreement with a labor organization relating to a project.
Oof.
* Meanwhile…
- Riversidian - Friday, Jan 30, 26 @ 9:40 am:
Your move, Kevin Warren.
- Excitable Boy - Friday, Jan 30, 26 @ 9:42 am:
This is hilarious. The Bears try to get some leverage and manage instead to alienate the only powerful groups supporting them. Brilliant.
- DS - Friday, Jan 30, 26 @ 9:47 am:
We’ll never forget the way you scabbed The Region.
With your legislation.
Bear Down, Gary Bears. And tell the trades you don’t value them at all.
Cross the picket line, in Indiana it’s fine.
Gary Bears, Bear Down.
- OneMan - Friday, Jan 30, 26 @ 10:05 am:
Nice, DS, nice.
It isn’t surprising that they keep who will pay more taxes for this thing as vague as possible. I am sure folks in Muncie would be thrilled to learn they are helping to pay for this, or folks in the counties in the Central time zone will be covering it all on their own, but the state will still get theirs from the revenues.
- Steve - Friday, Jan 30, 26 @ 10:07 am:
The Bears have ever right to leave. If they can rent-seek some other area than the state Ilinois: it’s up to them. If they don’t want unions involved it’s up to them.
- Leatherneck - Friday, Jan 30, 26 @ 10:11 am:
If I was Sue Scherer, Regan Deering, or even Sen. Doris Turner, I would immediately introduce legislation or a resolution calling for the Bears to consider relocating back home to Decatur instead of Indiana.
- Excitable Boy - Friday, Jan 30, 26 @ 10:19 am:
- I am sure folks in Muncie would be thrilled to learn they are helping to pay for this -
I can’t wait to spread the word next time I’m down in Evansville.
- Norseman - Friday, Jan 30, 26 @ 10:30 am:
(Proclaiming conflict - GO PACK) I always thought the Bears were supposed to epitomize the common working man - “Bear down, Chicago Bears”. Now they want to put out the organized labor need not apply sign.