Newsline

ABC Leaders Make Their Voices Heard During Legislative Week

More than 500 ABC members came to Washington, D.C., for meetings with top administration and congressional leaders on the issues that impact the merit shop construction industry at both the federal and state levels during Legislative Week 2018. To lead off, ABC’s Executive Committee met with President Trump, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Senior Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump at the White House to talk about the positive economic effects of tax reform, regulatory relief and dynamic enhancements to workforce development efforts on June 26.  READ MORE

ABC and JLG Form Strategic Partnership to Advance Innovation in Construction

ABC and access equipment manufacturer JLG Industries Inc. today announced a strategic partnership that will help solve industry challenges with world-class education, training and equipment solutions. The announcement was made by company executives in Washington, D.C., during ABC’s Legislative Week. READ MORE

Electronic Submission of OSHA 2017 Form 300A Data Due July 1

Today, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration sent out a release reminding certain employers that the deadline for submitting their 2017 Form 300A data through OSHA’s Injury Tracking Application is July 1. Learn which establishments are covered by this requirement and need to provide their 2017 Form 300A data through OSHA’s ITA. READ MORE

Leading, Innovating and Winning Work: Highlights From ABC’s Diversity Summit

More than 100 industry leaders and stakeholders came together June 25 for ABC's fourth annual Diversity & Inclusion Summit to discuss the value of diversity in construction and promote the association's mission within diverse groups. READ MORE

May Construction Unemployment Rates Down Year Over Year in 45 States

Estimated May construction unemployment rates fell in 45 states on a year-over-year basis, rose in four states and were unchanged in one state (Alabama), according to an analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data by ABC. The May 2018 not seasonally adjusted national construction unemployment rate fell 0.9 percent from May 2017 to 4.4 percent, the lowest May rate on record. At the same time, the construction industry employed 291,000 more workers nationally than in May 2017. READ MORE

Construction Executive Mobile App Wins Excel Award

Adding to a long list of honors ABC’s Construction Executive magazine has won since its launch in 2003, the CE mobile app won silver at the 2018 Excel Awards, which recognize excellence and leadership in nonprofit association media, publishing, marketing and communications. The award was presented June 25 during a gala at the Association Media & Publishing Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. READ MORE

New Career Resource Launched by ABC and Real Estate Industry Organizations

ABC has teamed up with more than two dozen real estate industry trade associations to highlight the rich variety of career paths in the real estate sector. The group collaborated on a new website, CareersBuildingCommunities.org, which allows visitors to navigate through the scores of career paths across all sectors of real estate as the industry confronts the need to fill millions of jobs in the coming decades. READ MORE

Legislative Day Speaker Announcements

ABC is thrilled to announce that Mick Mulvaney, director of the Office of Management and Budget, and Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), chairwoman of the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce, will join Josh Kraushaar, political editor of National Journal, as the headline speakers for the Legislative Breakfast on Wednesday, June 27.  READ MORE

ABC’s Construction Confidence Index Surges in Q1

Despite ongoing concerns regarding labor force availability and rising interest rates, and emerging concerns regarding tariffs and construction materials prices, construction contractors emerged from the first quarter of 2018 with tremendous confidence, according to the ABC Construction Confidence Index. Each of the three indices—sales, profit margins and staffing levels—increased during the first quarter and remain well above the threshold reading of 50. READ MORE

ABC’s Construction Backlog Indicator Remains Elevated in First Quarter of 2018

ABC reports that its Construction Backlog Indicator (CBI) contracted to 8.8 months during the first quarter of 2018, down 9 percent from the prior quarter. CBI is down 2 percent on a year-over-year basis. “The Construction Backlog Indicator hit an all-time high during the fourth quarter of 2017,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. READ MORE