Newsline

During ABC Legislative Week 2017, ABC launched a video, “Be a Hero: Download the ABC Action App” to encourage construction advocates to download the mobile app and advance the merit shop message on Capitol Hill. Now members can share the video as well. 

On July 25, the U.S. Senate voted to begin debate on the repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The Senate voted 51-50, with Vice President Mike Pence breaking the tie, in support of moving forward with debate on H.R. 1628, the American Health Care Act. In advance of the vote, ABC sent a key vote letter urging senators to vote “yes” on the motion to proceed. The Senate will now move forward with 20 hours of debate and most likely vote on dozens of amendments.

Last week, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a newly-revised Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, which will be made mandatory starting Sept. 18, 2017. Employers may use the revised version immediately (revision date of 7/17/17 N), but may also continue to use Form I-9 with a revision date of 11/14/16 N through Sept. 17.

Last month, the U. S. District Court for the District of New Jersey found that a 2007 Jersey City ordinance requiring project labor agreements (PLAs) on private projects receiving tax abatements is preempted by the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).

On July 19, the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) approved the nominations of Marvin Kaplan and William Emanuel to serve on the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Both votes occurred along party lines.

On July 13, the House of Representatives voted down Rep. Paul Gosar’s amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act by a vote of 183-242.The amendment, H. Amdt. 180 (Gosar) H.R. 2810, would have directed the secretary of labor to use Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data for wage determinations under the Davis-Bacon Act (DBA). Using accurate BLS data would prove the federal government is sincere in its goal of curbing waste and stretching project dollars further in addition to increasing competition, lowering costs and helping to level the playing field for all members of the construction industry.

On June 27, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued a proposed rule to revoke the ancillary provisions of the Beryllium final rule for the construction and shipyard sectors that OSHA finalized on Jan. 9, 2017. Beryllium is a lightweight but strong metal used in a number of industries. The January final rule points directly to the construction task of abrasive blasting operations which use slags that contain trace amounts of beryllium.

On July 12, the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit upheld a Wisconsin right-to-work law after two chapters of the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) filed a lawsuit against the state. The law, 2015 Wisconsin Act 1, prohibits business and unions from working together to require all workers to pay union dues as a condition of employment. The IUOE claimed the law was unconstitutional and allows nonunion employees to receive free representation in negotiations. 

There are many ways to get connected and stay up to date on ABC’s latest news and member resources. Whether you prefer scrolling through social media or reading print magazines, it’s both easy and free to be in-the-know on today’s hot-button issues.

The Internal Revenue Service last week identified the proposed Section 2704 regulations concerning the valuation of family businesses among eight unduly burdensome or complex rules that would be marked for rescission or modification. According to the notice, “these proposed regulations would create an additional category of restrictions that also would be disregarded in assessing the fair market value of an interest.” The notice also noted concerns from public commenters including the increased financial burden to family businesses and the difficulty in making accurate valuations.

On June 27, the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of the Army and Army Corps of Engineers announced they are proposing to rescind the 2015 Clean Water Rule and re-codify the regulatory text that existed prior to the “waters of the United States,” or WOTUS, rule in 2015. The final rule, which was first issued in May 2015, dramatically expanded the scope of federal authority over water and land uses across the country. 

ABC's 2017 National Craft Championships gold medalists, Craft Instructor of the Year and Craft Professional of the Year were honored before an audience of more than 41,000 at a July 3 Major League Baseball game at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. As spectators filed into the stadium, the champions stood on the field while their names were announced over the public address system recognizing them and their companies for their achievements during the pre-game ceremony.

During ABC's Legislative Week 2017, an ad entitled ‘ABC Members Build America’ was released via social media. The ad features updated information on the growing nonunion workforce chart, construction industry tax rates and ABC members’ improving safety performance. The ad has been made available as marketing resources for ABC members and chapters.

Earlier this month, the Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR) published a new Hazard Alert that addresses heat hazards and the best methods to prevent illness and injury while working in hot weather.