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OFCCP Launches Mega Construction Project Program

On March 14, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs announced the launch of a new Mega Construction Contract Program. READ MORE
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ABC Opposes Union Labor Requirements on Electric Vehicle Charging Station Installation

On Aug. 22, ABC submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Transportation in opposition to union labor requirements included in a proposed rule establishing the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program.

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ABC Urges DOL to Withdraw Rule on Nondisplacement of Qualified Workers Under Service Contracts

On Aug. 15, ABC submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Labor identifying a number of concerns with its proposed rule on Nondisplacement of Qualified Workers Under Service Contracts, which would implement Executive Order 14055. Issued on Nov. 18, 2021, by President Biden, the EO requires that federal agencies include a clause about nondisplacement of workers in solicitations and contracts for projects covered by the McNamara-O’Hara Service Contract Act of 1965. The required clause states that successor contractors and subcontractors who win a bid for covered work must offer qualified employees employed under the predecessor contract a right of first refusal of employment under the successor contract.

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NCCER Announces Nationwide Expansion of Free Career Exploration Website

Through its Build Your Future initiative, NCCER is expanding its career exploration tool, CareerStarter, to provide direct connections between entry-level job seekers, local training programs and employers.  

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Member Comments Needed on FWHA’s Union Labor Requirements for Electric Vehicle Charging Station Installation

The comment deadline for the Federal Highway Administration’s June 22 proposed rule for the National Electrical Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program is Aug. 22. The proposed rule would require contractors to use government-registered apprentices and the controversial union-backed Electric Vehicle Industry Training Program.

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ABC Supports Proposed Buy America Waivers

On Aug. 15, ABC submitted comments to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in support of its proposed Small Projects and De Minimis General Applicability Waivers for Buy America requirements.

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ABC Criticizes Proposed Changes to Davis-Bacon Survey Form

On Aug. 15, ABC submitted comments on the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division’s notice of a proposed revision to the Information Collection Request, titled “Report of Construction Contractor’s Wage Rates.” This ICR governs the WD-10 form used in wage surveys to determine the prevailing wage rate under Davis-Bacon and Related Acts requirements.

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Democrats’ Reconciliation Package Is Signed Into Law With ABC-Opposed Wage, Labor Mandates

The controversial, $740 billion partisan budget reconciliation package, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, was signed into law by President Biden August 16 with new prevailing wage and registered apprenticeship mandates on private clean energy construction.

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ABC-Opposed Reconciliation Package Passes Senate, House Approval Expected Later This Week

Democrats passed their $740 billion reconciliation package, the Inflation Reduction Act, on Sunday, Aug. 8, by a 51-50 vote with Vice President Kamala Harris casting the deciding, tie-breaking vote. The bill is now set to pass the House later this week and be signed into law by the president, giving Democrats a key victory and Republicans critical fodder for attack ads as they head into the midterm elections.

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ABC Supports Resolution to Preserve Critical Permitting Reforms

On Aug. 2, ABC issued a statement of support for S.J.Res.55, a Congressional Review Act resolution introduced by Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, to overturn the Biden administration’s final rule revising National Environmental Policy Act regulations. The new Biden rule reverses efforts by the Trump administration to update and streamline the federal environmental review and permitting process, leading to delays and increased costs for critical infrastructure projects.

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DOT Issues Proposed Rule Revising Disadvantaged Business Program

On July 21, the U.S. Department of Transportation published a proposed rule to update its Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program, which assists small businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals in competing for DOT contracts. The stated purpose of the proposed rule is to modernize and strengthen the DBE program to ensure qualifying businesses are able to compete for the increased federal transportation funding provided by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

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DOT Requests Feedback on Buy America Implementation

On July 28 , the U.S. Department of Transportation published a request for information on how new “Buy America” requirements for construction materials on federally assisted projects should be implemented. Enacted in November 2021, the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act expanded and made significant changes to Buy America requirements for federally funded infrastructure projects.

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ABC Meets With OMB and DOL Staff to Express Concerns About Independent Contractor Proposal

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division’s proposed rule on independent contractors under the Fair Labor Standards Act is currently under review at the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the Office of Management and Budget and the content of the proposal has not been made public. The review at OIRA is usually the final step in the process before a rule is officially published in the Federal Register.

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Analysis: Democrats’ “Inflation Reduction Act” Is a Reckless Tax-and-Spend Bill

ABC opposes Democrats’ partisan reconciliation package, which would raise taxes in an economy pointed toward recession, exacerbate inflation and cost American jobs. New, restrictive labor policies included in the most recent proposal make the package even more damaging.

 

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ABC Gears Up for Careers in Construction Month—Proclaim Careers in Construction Month Today

ABC is gearing up for Careers in Construction Month in October, a nationwide campaign held annually to increase public awareness of construction careers and inspire the next generation of craft professionals.

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Biden’s Federal Construction PLA Mandate Rulemaking Imminent

The Biden administration’s controversial rule requiring anti-competitive and costly government-mandated project labor agreements on federal construction projects of $35 million or more is one step closer to being published in the Federal Register for public comments.

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Share OSHA’s ‘Suicide Prevention: 5 Things You Should Know’ With Your Workforce

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently issued an updated suicide prevention poster that you can customize with your logo and post in the workplace. Everyone can help prevent suicide. Do your part to raise awareness of the warning signs of suicide and how to get help if a colleague is in crisis.

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Spread the Word: The National 988 Suicide Lifeline Has Launched

There’s a brand-new 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for anyone experiencing a mental health crisis. The 988 lifeline connects callers to an existing network of more than 200 local crisis call centers across the United States, and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline’s number—1 (800) 273-8255—will route calls to 988. The goal is to aid those seeking help through safe, immediate intervention, similar to the 911 hotline for emergencies. 

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ABC Welcomes New Beam Club Presidential Level Member Bill Brown

ABC has added Greater Houston Chapter member Bill Brown of Austin Commercial to the Beam Club Presidential Level.

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ABC-Backed Amendment to Transportation Bill Fails

In a letter to U.S. House Representatives, ABC urged members to support an amendment to the House appropriations bill (H.R. 8294) that would prevent the use of federal funds to support flawed, inflationary Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirements. The amendment failed by a vote of 165-264.

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ABC Expresses Concerns to DOL About H-2B Visa Rule Requiring AFL-CIO Notification

On July 18, ABC submitted comments on the U.S. Department of Labor and U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s temporary rule on H-2B visas, authorizing 35,000 supplemental temporary work visas for hiring through Sept. 30.

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DOL Announces Enhanced Nationwide Enforcement After Alarming Rise in Trench-Related Fatalities

According to a recent press release from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 22 workers have died in the first half of 2022 as a result of the hazards present in trenching and excavation work, prompting OSHA to launch enhanced enforcement initiatives to protect workers. In keeping with its National Emphasis Program for excavations, OSHA compliance officers will perform more than 1,000 trench inspections nationwide where they may visit and inspect any excavation site during their daily duties.

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OSHA Updates Heat Illness, Mental Health, Trench Compliance Resources

On July 13, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued its quarterly update on compliance assistance resources. 

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New CDW Report Criticizes Electronic Voting in Union Elections

On July 12, the ABC-led Coalition for a Democratic Workplace issued a new report criticizing unions’ newest efforts to implement electronic voting in union representation elections.

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ABC Chapters Among DOL’s First Group of Apprenticeship Ambassadorships

The U.S. Department of Labor announced on July 12 the selection of the initial cohort of 207 officials and organizations chosen to serve as Apprenticeship Ambassadors to share their experiences and collaborate with the department to champion apprenticeship opportunities. ABC’s Virginia, New Mexico and Pacific Northwest chapters were among those selected.

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Download the New ABC Action App Today!

ABC recently launched the updated ABC Action app, an advanced advocacy tool that enables members to become a vital part of ABC's grassroots advocacy efforts and allows you to make your voice heard.

 

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Action Alert: Oppose Democrats’ Reckless Tax and Spend Bill

ABC sent an action alert on to members July 11 urging them to oppose to Democrats’ proposal to impose a new tax hike on small businesses in their partisan reconciliation bill.

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ABC Members Explore Impact of Construction Technology at Chapter Events

ABC chapters across the country recently hosted events to educate members on the value of construction technology both on and off the jobsite. ABC’s Tech Alliance and Tech Marketplace members were featured speakers at these events.

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ABC Urges OSHA to Withdraw Its Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses Proposal

On June 30, ABC submitted comments on the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s proposed amendments to its occupational injury and illness recordkeeping regulation and urged the agency to withdraw the harmful rule.

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Biden Administration Releases Spring 2022 Regulatory Agenda

On June 21, the Biden administration released its Spring 2022 Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions. The agenda lists upcoming rulemakings and other regulatory actions from each agency that the administration expects to publish this year and into 2023. ABC has prepared a summary of the actions of interest to ABC members by agency. 

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DOL Proposes Changes to Davis-Bacon Wage Survey Forms

On June 15, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division published a notice of a proposed revision to the Information Collection Request titled, “Report of Construction Contractor’s Wage Rates.” This ICR governs the WD-10 form used in wage surveys to determine the prevailing wage rate under Davis-Bacon and Related Acts requirements. The WHD’s stated goal of the revision is to streamline the wage survey process and increase response rates.

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DOL Hosts Third Annual Virtual Prevailing Wage Seminar

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division will host sessions for its third annual virtual Prevailing Wage Seminar on Tuesday, September 13, from 1:30-3:30 p.m. ET, which will include a question-and-answer session focused on Davis-Bacon topics. Registration for the sessions is now open on the WHD’s website.

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13 House Republicans Warn OMB About PLA Mandate Rulemaking

On June 16, House Committee on Oversight and Reform Ranking Member James Comer, Ky., and 12 other House Republicans sent a letter to the Office of Management and Budget raising concerns about the implementation of President Biden’s Executive Order 14063, “Use of Project Labor Agreements for Federal Construction Projects,” highlighting concerns that the proposal will raise taxpayer costs, cut nonunion workers out of federal projects and force right-to-work states to freeze local workers out of cooperative federal projects. The executive order mandates PLAs on federal construction projects of $35 million or more.

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CDW Requests US Supreme Court Review of Property Destruction Decision

On June 16, the ABC-led Coalition for a Democratic Workplace and several other employer organizations filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court requesting review of the Washington Supreme Court’s recent decision in Glacier Northwest, which stated that the National Labor Relations Board preempts state tort suits, allowing unions and their supporters to intentionally destroy an employer’s property while claiming to be engaged in protected concerted activity.

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More than 500 ABC Leaders Gather in Washington for Annual Legislative Week

More than 500 ABC members and chapter staff are in Washington, D.C., for ABC’s 2022 Legislative Week, meeting with leaders on Capitol Hill to advocate for fair and open competition and fight the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, project labor agreement mandates and burdensome regulations. Highlights of the fly-in included keynotes from Rep. Steve Scalise, R- La., House minority whip, and Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., who spoke in favor of free markets and condemned the Biden administration’s regulatory overreach and the PRO Act.

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Biden Administration Pushes Union Labor on Electric Vehicle Charging Station Installation

The Biden administration has pledged to support the installation of 500,000 electric vehicle chargers across the country by 2030 as part of a domestic push to shift away from gas-powered vehicles. On June 9, the Federal Highway Administration announced a proposed rule for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program that requires contractors to use government-registered apprentices and the controversial union-backed Electric Vehicle Industry Training Program.

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ABC Warns OMB That ‘Buy America’ Requirements Could Increase the Cost of Infrastructure

On June 6, ABC responded to the Office of Management and Budget’s request for information on new “Buy America” requirements for construction materials on federally assisted projects. Enacted in November 2021, the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act expanded and made significant changes to Buy America requirements for federally funded infrastructure projects.

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Action Alert: Urge Congress to Support ERTCRA

ABC recently sent an action alert to ABC members to urge their members of Congress to include the Employee Retention Tax Credit Act bill in the federal spending package. ERTCRA would restore the Employee Retention Tax Credit through the end of the 2021.

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ABC Disappointed by DOL’s New Independent Contractor Rulemaking Announcement

On June 3, the U.S. Department of Labor stated that it plans to engage in rulemaking on determining employee or independent contractor status under the Fair Labor Standards Act. 

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19 ABC Members Ranked in Top 25 Among ENR’s Top 400 Contractors

Of the nation’s top 25 construction companies, 19 are ABC members, according to Engineering News-Record’s recently published annual list of the Top 400 Contractors. These successful contractors were ranked based on 2021 revenue. 

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Employers Can Now Petition for 30,000 New H2B Visas

The departments of Homeland Security and Labor recently released a new H-2B visa rule authorizing 35,000 supplemental temporary work visas for hiring through Sept. 30. As of May 18, employers can begin petitioning for the visas. The supplemental allocation includes 23,500 visas for returning workers who received an H-2B visa in the previous three fiscal years. Another 11,500 are designated for nationals of El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Haiti, to address irregular migration from those countries.

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ABC Urges DOL to Abandon Issuing a New Overtime Proposed Rule

On May 11, ABC, as a steering committee member of the Partnership to Protect Workplace Opportunity, as well as 92 other organizations, sent a letter to Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh urging him to abandon or at least postpone issuing the U.S. Department of Labor’s announced proposed rulemaking altering overtime regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Read PPWO’s press release on the letter.

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CISC Voices Concerns to OSHA About Powered Industrial Trucks Design Standard Update

On May 17, ABC, as a steering committee member of the Construction Industry Safety Coalition, submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration voicing compliance and cost concerns on the proposed rule on Powered Industrial Trucks Design Standard Update. While CISC members are not manufacturers of powered industrial trucks, certain types of PITs are frequently used on construction worksites and, thus, CISC members are interested in this proposal.

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ABC Champions Diversity at EEOC Hearing on Discrimination in Construction Industry

ABC highlighted its achievements in recruiting diverse audiences to careers in construction nationwide and outlined goals championing inclusion, diversity and equity in a letter to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for a May 17 hearing on race, sex and national origin discrimination in construction.

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Biden Administration’s Davis-Bacon ‘Reforms’ Are More Pork for Labor Unions

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act delivers $550 billion of funding to improve our nation’s infrastructure, and the construction industry stands ready to deliver on the law’s promised revitalization of America’s roads, schools, bridges, utilities, and transportation systems.

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Action Alert: Urge Congress to Remove Harmful Labor Policies From America COMPETES Bills

ABC sent out an action alert for ABC members to urge their members of Congress to remove unnecessary, job-killing provisions in the US Innovation and Competition Act/America COMPETES Act bills.

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ABC Survey Indicates Members Oppose Davis-Bacon Regulations and Proposed Changes—Submit Your Comments by May 17

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.

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ABC, CDW Raise Alarm on NLRB, EEOC Conflicts

On May 9, ABC and the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace sent a letter to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee to voice concerns with the current tension between federal anti-discrimination laws and federal labor relations laws as implemented by the National Labor Relations Board and its general counsel.

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DOT Requests Comment on Six-Month ‘Buy America’ Waiver

The U.S. Department of Transportation recently published a proposal to waive “Buy America” requirements for construction materials used on DOT projects for 180 days and requested public comments with a deadline of May 13.

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Comment Deadline Nears for Proposed Davis-Bacon Act Reforms

With the May 17 deadline for public comments on the Department of Labor’s proposed changes to Davis-Bacon and Related Acts prevailing wage regulations fast approaching, ABC urges interested members to consider submitting comments on these sweeping changes to federal contracting rules.

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ABC and Members of Congress Slam Biden’s PLA Executive Order in Congressional Hearing

On April 27, ABC sent a letter to a congressional subcommittee warning of the negative impacts of imposing government-mandated project labor agreements on infrastructure spending. 

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