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THE VOICE OF THE MERIT SHOP

ABC is the voice of the merit shop on Capitol Hill! Sending letters to Congress allows ABC to publicly advocate for the views and interests of our more than 23,000 members. By corresponding with U.S. House of Representatives and Senate members, ABC promotes fair and open competition in the construction industry and fights to protect merit shop contractors around the country.

U.S. Senate Committee Considers Opportunities to Scale the Workforce

On Nov. 5, the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions held a hearing titled "Registered Apprenticeship: Scaling the Workforce for the Future." Ahead of the hearing, ABC sent a letter thanking the committee for examining how apprenticeship and workforce development programs can help meet the nation’s growing demand for skilled construction workers. The letter also urged the committee to expand the system to support all high-quality training models that effectively prepare Americans for rewarding construction careers.

Committee Chair Bill Cassidy, R-La., opened the hearing by noting that the government-registered apprenticeship system is burdensome and inconsistent. He emphasized the importance of incorporating employer and employee input to simplify registration, provide flexibility, and lower costs in order to increase participation.

Senator Ed Markey, D-Ma., asked LIUNA General President Brent Booker if President Donald Trump's renovation of the White House's East Wing took appropriate safety steps to protect workers and passersby from asbestos. Booker said he did not have access to that information because the administration chose to use a nonunion workforce, and it is not a union jobsite. Markey stated he wrote the contractor who tore down the East Wing asking why workers were put at risk. He stated this is an example of President Trump being the most anti-union and anti-safety President in history. 

Chairman Cassidy responded, stating that every merit shop he has visited emphasizes and takes pride in its safety record and that all contractors are subject to the same OSHA regulations regarding asbestos.