White House taps ABC, AGC, Big Labor officials for Economic Revival Group

Sources: White House Briefing Room; CP staff

President Donald Trump has enlisted Associated General Contractors of America CEO Stephen Sandherr and Associated Builders & Contractors CEO Michael Bellaman to participate in Construction/Labor/Workforce, one of 16 Great American Economic Revival Industry Groups informing federal, state or local actions as pandemic response measures ease. Joining them are Bechtel Corp. CEO Brendan Bechtel and Flour Corp. CEO Carlos Hernandez, plus AFL-CIO’s Richard Trumka; International Brotherhood of Teamsters’ Jim Hoffa; International Union of Operating Engineers’ Jim Callahan; Laborers’ International Union of North America’s Terry O’Sullivan; and, North America’s Building Trades Union’s Sean McGarvey.

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ABC underscores leading safety indicators for OSHA audience

Source: Associated Builders & Contractors, Washington, D.C.

Associated Builders and Contractors Vice President of Health, Safety, Environment and Workforce Development Greg Sizemore emphasized proactive measures to prevent workplace hazards and reduce recordable incidents at a public, Occupational Safety and Health Administration-hosted meeting in the nation’s capital. The early-November gathering was part of a new OSHA initiative to develop leading indicator tools for safety and health performance in high-hazard industries, and create a repository of resources for companies, industry groups and other organizations.

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Merit shops, unions air differences on new apprenticeship programs

The Associated Builders & Contractors weighed in on the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) proposed apprenticeship program rule, which initially excludes the construction industry and military. The proposed rule would establish a process for creating high-quality, industry-recognized apprenticeship programs (IRAP) by organizations that apply to become DOL-recognized Standards Recognition Entities. The agency would not initially accept applications from entities that create “Industry Programs” in construction, because it considers construction a sector that already has significant registered apprenticeship opportunities.

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Multiemployer pension backstop plan advances on Capitol Hill

Sources: Associated Builders & Contractors, Washington, D.C.; CP staff

Just ahead of its August recess, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Rehabilitation for Multiemployer Pensions Act (H.R. 397), with 29 Republicans joining the majority in a 264-169 vote. Advocates argue the measure is needed to protect the pensions of 1.3 million workers in certain multiemployer pension plans (MEPP)—up to half of which cover construction trades participants—and prevent a Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) collapse. 

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Concrete defies construction input price drop

Sources: Associated Builders & Contractors, Washington, D.C.

An Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index (PPI) data indicates that construction input prices decreased 1.3 percent on both a monthly and year-over-year basis, the latter metric representing the first such occurrence in nearly three years.

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Union-endorsed apprenticeship program proposal rattles AGC, ABC

Sources: Associated General Contractors of America, Associated Builders & Contractors, Washington, D.C.; CP staff

proposal paving the way for associations to play stepped up roles in industry-recognized apprenticeship program (IRAP) development and oversight is drawing criticism from the two leading contractor groups due to its exclusion of construction. 

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ORGANIZATIONS – FEBRUARY 2019

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Milwaukee-based Scott Campbell, Ph.D., P.E. is the newest National Ready Mixed Concrete Association Building Promotion team member. As senior vice president of Structures and Codes, he will join colleagues in advancing industry interests through model codes and technical standards, and support state and local advocacy efforts. He will work closely with engineers and architects, code advocates, and legislative specialists to offer technically correct code-related solutions that maintain public safety and increase building resilience. Campbell holds Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in civil engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley. He moves to NRMCA from Portland Cement Association, where he served as director of Code Technology.

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Florida leads ABC Merit Shop index as Michigan climbs, California swoons

Sources: Associated Builders & Contractors, Washington, D.C.; CP staff

The Sunshine State tops the ABC 2018 Merit Shop Scorecard, vaulting from ninth last year on the strength of free enterprise principles, open-competition approach to the construction sector, increased career and technical education opportunities, and job growth rates. Michigan saw the biggest year-over-year improvement in its ranking, rising from 24th to seventh after the repeal of its prevailing wage law, which will foster greater competition and lower construction project costs. 

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ORGANIZATIONS – AUGUST 2018

The American Society for Concrete Contractors will hold its 17th annual conference September 20-23 at the Sheraton Charlotte Hotel, Charlotte, N.C. Concrete contractors, manufacturers, designers and other industry professionals will gather for three days of educational events and networking.

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Economist confirms largest construction materials price surge in seven years

Sources: Associated Builders & Contractors, Washington, D.C.; CP staff

Prices for inputs to construction materials expanded 1.3 percent in April and are 6.4 percent higher than at the same time one year ago, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. The figures are the largest respective month-over-month and year-over-year increases since 2015 and 2011. 

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