ABC Releases Annual Merit Shop Scorecard

WASHINGTON, Nov. 28—Associated Builders and Contractors released its 2018 Merit Shop Scorecard today, an annual state ranking based on policies and programs that encourage open competition, education and job growth, and award construction contracts based solely on merit, regardless of labor affiliation. Read the rest of entry »

ABC Highlights Economic Benefits of Tax Reform on Small Businesses in Congressional Testimony

WASHINGTON, Sept. 27—Larry Lopez, president and chief executive officer of Green JobWorks, Baltimore, and chairman of Associated Builders and Contractor’s Diversity Committee, testified today before the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax and Capital Access on how recent economic growth is positively impacting local communities.   Read the rest of entry »

ABC Calls for Expanding Apprenticeship Opportunities in Congressional Testimony

WASHINGTON, July 26—On behalf of Associated Builders and Contractors, Mike Holland, chief operating officer, MAREK Companies, testified today before the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions about the need to modernize and expand apprenticeship opportunities in the United States. In his testimony, Holland outlined the construction industry’s workforce de Read the rest of entry »

ABC, Industry Groups Urge President Trump to Reverse Obama-era Policy on Project Labor Agreements

WASHINGTON, July 24, 2018—Associated Builders and Contractors joined a coalition of construction and business associations urging President Trump to eliminate government-mandated project labor agreements and allow all qualified contractors to compete for federal and federally assisted taxpayer-funded construction projects. Read the rest of entry »

ABC Commits to Education Goals at White House ‘Pledge to America’s Workers’ Event

WASHINGTON, July 19—Associated Builders and Contractors signed on to President Trump’s “Pledge to America’s Workers” today, committing to educating and developing at least 500,000 construction workers over the next five years. Read the rest of entry »

ABC Applauds Rescission of the DOL’s Overreaching Persuader Rule

WASHINGTON, July 17—Associated Builders and Contractors today issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Department of Labor’s announcement that it is rescinding the final persuader rule. Read the rest of entry »

ABC Applauds Final Rule on Association Health Plans

WASHINGTON, June 19—Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) today released the following statement from Sam Melamed, CEO of the ABC Insurance Trust, following the U.S. Department of Labor’s release of its final rule on Association Health Plans (AHPs). Read the rest of entry »

Apprenticeships Must Be Expanded to Meet 21st Century Workforce Needs, Says ABC

WASHINGTON, May 11—According to the final report of the Task Force on Apprenticeship Expansion, apprenticeship programs offer workers a career path with paid, on-the-job training and provide employers with highly trained workers, but they are insufficient to address the growing skills gap in many industries. Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) commended the secretaries of labor, education and commerce for leading the task force comprised of representatives from industry, education and government to generate new ideas to expand the role of apprenticeships and help more individuals achieve the American Dream. The report was presented to the president in a meeting at the White House on May 10. Read the rest of entry »

ABC Keystone Highlights Impact of Apprenticeship Programs in Congressional Testimony

WASHINGTON, April 25—In testimony before a U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee today, Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Keystone Chapter President and CEO David Sload, a 39-year veteran of construction workforce development, highlighted the role apprenticeship programs play in equipping workers with the skills necessary to compete in the modern economy. Read the rest of entry »

Tax Reform Enables ABC Members to Hire and Train More Construction Industry Workers

WASHINGTON, April 17—As a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed in December 2017, 55 percent of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) contractor members plan to hire more employees, and 52 percent plan to invest in workforce development, according to a recent poll. In addition, 90 percent of member companies say employees have seen an increase in their paychecks. Read the rest of entry »