Unions Push From Another Angle

Trade unions pursue another leg in their strategy.

A group of 18 homebuyers and the Laborers International Union of North America charged Thursday in Las Vegas that Pulte Homes Corp. and other builders harmed buyers during the housing boom by inducing them into purchasing homes at inflated values and with unaffordable mortgages.

During a news conference organized by the union they asked the Nevada Attorney General's office to take action on complaints alleging deceptive sales and lending practices.

Traditionally in Las Vegas construction work on the Strip hotel-casinos has been union and virtually all of the residential and remaining commercial projects have been non-union. As what little remains of the Strip construction winds down, the unions have pressed harder to try to force themselves on the rest of the industry.

The unions have enlisted the help of sympathetic commissioners to push Project Labor Agreements on public works projects. They have also begun running ads criticizing certain non-union contractors. About a decade ago they also made a concerted effort to organize residential construction workers that largely failed.

With such high unemployment and companies running on small to non-existent margins, the unions' chances this time around wouldn't appear to be very good. But they certainly have more allies in higher positions (especially in Washington) than ever before or that than they can expect for a while. So they're probably thinking the time is right for the big push.