ABC joined a coalition of construction and business associations urging President Trump to eliminate government-mandated project labor agreements and allow for the vast majority of qualified contractors and their skilled employees to compete for federal and federally assisted taxpayer-funded construction projects.

ABC and a coalition of construction and business associations sent President Trump a letter urging him to eliminate government-mandated project labor agreements on federal and federally assisted projects, allowing all qualified contractors and Americans to fairly compete to build and work on these taxpayer-funded projects.

On April 6, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced they were delaying enforcement of the silica standard as it applies to the construction industry to September 23, 2017. The standard was set to go into effect June 23, 2017. On March 10, 2017, the ABC-led Construction Industry Safety Coalition (CISC) sent a letter to the acting secretary of Labor requesting that the department delay enforcement of OSHA’s final silica rule by one year. 

On March 10, 2017, the ABC-led Construction Industry Safety Coalition (CISC) sent a letter to the acting secretary of Labor requesting that the department delay enforcement of OSHA’s final silica rule by one year, saying that “Construction employers across all trades are finding compliance extremely difficult if not impossible for many job tasks.” 

ABC is encouraging all members to call on their representatives in Congress to cosponsor the Fair and Open Competition Act (H.R. 1552/S. 622). The bill, introduced by Rep. Dennis Ross (R-Fla.) in the U.S. House of Representatives and Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) in the U.S. Senate, would ensure controversial project labor agreements (PLAs) cannot be mandated on taxpayer-funded construction projects.

The Government Neutrality in Contracting Act (H.R. 1671/S. 71) aims to protect federal and federally-assisted construction contracts from union-favoring project labor agreements (PLAs) mandated by government agencies. If passed, this legislation will allow merit shop contractors to have a fair chance at competing to rebuild America's infrastructure.

A diverse coalition of construction industry associations and employer groups led by ABC sent a letter to the U.S. House of Representatives April 13 opposing government-mandated project labor agreements and anti-competitive PLA preferences used by federal agencies as a result of President Obama’s pro-PLA Executive Order 13502 and related regulations. The letter asks lawmakers to cosponsor the Government Neutrality in Contracting Act (H.R. 1671) which was introduced by Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-S.C.) and has been referred to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

During Vote-A-Rama, the U.S. Senate’s unique tradition which gives senators a chance to have votes on numerous amendments to the Senate’s must-pass budget resolution, the Senate passed an amendment containing language banning government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs).

ABC sent a letter to the U.S. Senate March 25 in support of an amendment being offered by Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) to the Fiscal Year 2016 Budget Resolution (S. Con. Res. 11), which would prohibit construction contracts from being awarded based on whether or not companies enter into agreements with labor organizations. Due to this amendment’s immediate impact on the merit shop construction industry, ABC will consider this a Key Vote for the 114th congressional scorecard.