Apprenticeship Ratios and Public Works Bidding (House Bill 5472/Senate Bill 293)
This legislation would effectively preclude small
businesses, whether union or non-union, from bidding on most all public
construction contracts. Big labor seeks to set apprentice ratios in statute
with which small businesses could not comply. In addition to unfairly excluding
most Rhode Island construction companies from work on public construction
projects (such as schools, public safety buildings, state office buildings,
etc.), the law increases the overall cost of public construction by reducing
competition in the bidding process. This bill is opposed strongly by NFIB and
the business community and the League of Cities and Towns.