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Politics & Policy
US House Introduces Resolution Opposing DOL’s New Davis-Bacon Rule
ABC Slams OSHA’s Worker Walkaround Rule for Failing to Promote Workplace Health and Safety
State Off-Year Elections Deliver Losses To GOP Heading Into 2024
Safety
Utilize Software To Achieve Your Safety Goals
OSHA Extends Comment Period on OSHA Walkaround Proposed Rule to Nov. 13
ABC Expresses Serious Concerns to Congress About OSHA Worker Walkaround Rule
Events/Products/Programs
Nearly 350 ABC Leaders Gather in Washington for Annual Legislative Conference
ABC Members Rank Among ENR’s Top 400 Contractors
Trades Day: Industry Outreach Opportunity With Meaning
State/Local News
Ed Capodanno Honored by Delaware State Legislature
Election Update: ABC Staff and Members Elected in 2022
California Targets Workplace Cannabis Testing
Awards
ABC Congratulates 30 Members Awarded DOL’s 2023 HIRE Vets Medallion
ABC Honors 3 New Applicants With the AQC Credential in October
Graham Roofing Earns the AQC Credential in September
Legislation
ABC-Supported Legislation To Overturn the Northern Long-Eared Bat’s Endangered Species Listing Heads to President Biden’s Desk
ABC Advocates for Solutions to Workforce Shortage at U.S. House Committee Roundtable
Smucker Introduces the ABC-Supported Main Street Tax Certainty Act
Regulations
NLRB Extends Effective Date of the Joint Employer Final Rule to Feb. 26, 2024
DOL’s Unlawful Proposed Overtime Rule Will Disrupt Construction Workers’ Workplace Flexibility
ABC’s November Regulatory Roundup—Learn About the Latest Developments Affecting the Construction Industry
Workforce Development
Register Now for ABC’s Construction Inclusion Week Webinar Series
DOL High Road Workforce Development Program Map Snubs Nonunion Programs
LISTEN: How to Design an Effective Technology Adoption Strategy
ABC recently surveyed contractor members regarding Davis-Bacon Act prevailing wage regulations, and the results clearly demonstrate that ABC members oppose Davis-Bacon Act regulations and have serious concerns about the sweeping changes recently proposed by the U.S. Department of Labor.
The 1931 Davis-Bacon Act and 71 related regulations require contractors and subcontractors that perform work on federal and federally funded construction projects to pay a government-determined prevailing wage and benefit rate on an hourly basis to on-site construction workers. The DOL estimates the DBA collectively applies to an estimated $217 billion in federal and federally assisted construction spending per year—which is about two thirds of all public works spending in 2021—and provides government-determined wage rates for an estimated 1.2 million U.S. construction workers.
On March 18, the DOL issued an ABC-opposed proposed rule that would undo Reagan-era reforms, expand coverage of prevailing wage requirements onto new projects and industries and ensure that union wage rates prevail more often, as highlighted in this Littler analysis.
ABC surveyed its members to gauge their opinions on this rulemaking and assist in drafting informed comments.
Highlights from the survey include:
ABC members continue to oppose current DBA regulations and strongly support repeal or reform.
ABC members clearly indicated that the DBA increases administrative burdens and costs, artificially inflates wages and discourages competition.
ABC members believe the existing wage determination process is flawed.
The vast majority of members do not participate in wage surveys, indicating the failure of the WHD to engage the full contractor community and obtain accurate wage data.
ABC members oppose the proposed rule because it will exacerbate existing problems with DBA regulations.
“This data, as well as findings from previous ABC member surveys, is extremely valuable as ABC pushes back on the Biden administration’s proposed radical changes to Davis-Bacon Act regulations and files its extensive comments before the May 17 comment deadline,” said ABC Vice President of Regulatory, Labor and State Affairs Ben Brubeck. “Now is the time for individual ABC members and affected stakeholders to submit comments opposing this costly and burdensome proposal.”
ABC members can provide comments on the DOL’s rule through two options:
For additional resources and information on the rulemaking, please visit abc.org/DavisBacon.