Biden-Era Executive Order Forces Business Owner to Sign Union Contract; Suing Trump to Discontinue Use

Biden-Era Executive Order Forces Business Owner to Sign Union Contract; Suing Trump to Discontinue Use

Contractor Bill Slayden is suing the Trump administration for continuing to enforce Executive Order 14063, a Biden-era mandate requiring contractors on federal construction projects over $35 million to enter project labor agreements (PLAs) with unions. Slayden’s company—providing welding, plumbing, insulation, and sheet-metal services—relies heavily on federal work and has its own apprenticeship program, but neither he nor his employees wish to unionize or sign a PLA.

Because the order is still in effect and the Trump administration has said it supports PLAs when practicable, Slayden has already had to withdraw from two major projects at Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson and lay off staff.

With help from the Pacific Legal Foundation, Slayden argues that the executive order exceeds presidential authority, violating separation-of-powers principles by imposing mandatory labor-relations requirements not authorized by Congress. He claims the policy forces businesses to either sign unwanted union agreements or face major financial harm.