Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels signed into law a new right-to-work bill that will protect all workers in the state form being forced to pay union dues as a requirement of employment.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced it is withdrawing a Dec. 1 direct final rule that would have altered the USDA’s procurement policies to require federal contractors to certify that they, as well as their subcontractors and suppliers, were in compliance with all applicable labor laws.

The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on Feb. 1 held a hearing to examine President Obama’s unconstitutional “recess” appointment of three people to the NLRB.

A new report released Jan. 27 by the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indicates that from 2010 to 2011, 874,000 workers in the private construction industry belonged to a union, the second lowest number of construction union members since BLS started tracking this information in 1973.

ABC on Jan. 31 sent a letter to the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee asking the committee to consider a permanent extension of certain tax provisions that are currently extended on an annual basis.

ABC Jan. 31 urged the U.S. House of Representatives to pass the Fiscal Responsibility and Retirement Security Act (H.R. 1173), which would repeal the Community Living Assistance Service (CLASS) Act – a bill that creates an entitlement program for long-term care patients.

ABC is reminding its contractor member firms that Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 300A Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses must be posted in a conspicuous place on all construction sites Feb. 1 through April 20.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has issued three surveys requesting information from the construction industry on the potential use of project labor agreements (PLAs) on projects in Texas and California. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) also has issued a PLA survey for a project in Seattle, Wash.

Members and chapters interested in participating in the 2012 National Craft Championships, to be held April 24-27 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, have until Feb. 3 to submit the one-page “Intent to Compete” form.

ABC members who register now for BizCon 2012 will hear Neil Cavuto, senior vice president, anchor and managing editor for Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network, talk about the economy and how consumer confidence and uncertainty affect the construction industry.