Author: agcnews
Construction employment decreased from December 2019 to December 2020 in more than half of the nation’s metro areas despite a surge in homebuilding and remodeling, according to an analysis of new government data that the Associated General Contractors of America released today. Association officials said large numbers of contractors are having to lay off workers once they complete projects that began before the pandemic because private owners and public agencies are hesitant to commit to new construction. “A dearth of new construction work is forcing more and more contractors to lay off employees once they complete projects started before the…
On Jan. 29, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued new guidance on protecting workers and preventing the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace. Per OSHA, the guidance is not a standard or regulation, creates no new legal obligations and the recommendations are advisory in nature, informational in content, and are intended to assist employers in recognizing and abating hazards in the workplace. Click here to access an analysis from AGC of America highlighting the key differences in the recent guidance in comparison to previous guidance issued. If you have any questions regarding the new guidance, please contact Kevin Cannon (kevin.cannon@agc.org)…
Construction-industry collective bargaining negotiations completed in 2020 resulted in an average first-year increase in wages and fringe benefits of $1.63 or 2.8 percent, according to the annual year-end Settlements Report recently released by the AGC-supported Construction Labor Research Council (“CLRC”). This is slightly down from raises negotiated in 2019, when the average first-year increase negotiated was $1.67 or 2.9 percent, and it marks the first decline in the size of increases negotiated since 2011. However, CLRC notes, the average dollar-amount increase negotiated in 2020 remains more than double the amount negotiated in 2011. The report includes a special COVID-19 Impact on First…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will host two information sessions in February on the 2021 Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) National Grants. EPA anticipates awarding approximately $46 million in DERA funding and is soliciting applications nationwide for projects that achieve significant reductions in diesel emissions. The request for applications (RFA) closes on March 16, 2021 (applications due). Click here to read more about the program. Funding Opportunity Information SessionsWednesday, February 3, 2021 at 3:00 p.m. (ET)Thursday, February 11, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. (ET) Webinar links and dial-in information for the sessions can be found at: www.epa.gov/dera/national#rfa. For more information, contact Melinda Tomaino…
On January 25, President Biden issued a “Made in America” executive order (EO) that seeks to strengthen Buy America and Buy American laws. Some aspects of the EO are similar to the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Rule issued under President Trump, which increases the domestic contents for construction materials. Among other things, this EO calls for greater scrutiny for Buy America(n) waivers issued by federal agencies, creates a public website listing the proposed waivers and their statuses, calls for a Federal Acquisition Regulations rule to amend Buy American to replace the “component test,” and directs agencies to review and make recommendations on existing Buy…
President Biden’s “Executive Order (EO) on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad” contained a brief provision focused on the Davis-Bacon Act and prevailing wages. In addition to reminding agencies involved of their legal obligations to apply and enforce existing Davis-Bacon requirements, the EO also ordered the Secretary of Labor to update prevailing wage requirements. There has yet to be any concrete indication of when Marty Walsh, the nominee to be the Secretary of Labor, might be confirmed and any efforts ordered upon him will have to wait until he is confirmed and in place at the DOL. AGC…
On January 20, President Biden released a legislative proposal to reform the nation’s immigration system. The proposal is separate from presidential actions halting construction of the southern border wall or preserving and fortifying Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). The DACA program had been under considerable attack from the Trump Administration and in the courts. The EO attempts to provide greater certainty while Congress makes permanent changes. The other important program to the construction industry, Temporary Protective Status (TPS) program, is in less urgent need of executive action as it was previously extended through October 4, 2021 by the Trump Administration. There are more than…
As part of his approach to addressing climate change, President Biden signed an executive order that directs a pause on entering into new oil and natural gas leases on public lands or offshore waters, as well as a rigorous review of existing leasing and permitting practices related to fossil fuel development and doubling renewable energy production from offshore wind by 2030. The order does not immediately affect the substantial number of leases entered into during the Trump administration. While AGC and its members look forward to new clean energy construction market opportunities, the association remains concerned about impacts to traditional energy markets…
In a January 27 Executive Order, President Biden initiated steps to mobilize the entire federal government to address climate change from every sector of the economy – and to motivate states and other countries to do the same. The EO falls short of declaring a climate emergency; however, it tasks the federal agencies to make and act on recommendations related to climate policies, environmental justice, labor, national security, energy, and conservation. The EO recognizes the need for construction workers to build a new “clean energy economy.” It calls for broad adoption of resiliency to climate change and charges agencies to ensure that…
On January 21, President Biden issued an executive order (EO) calling on Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to issue revised COVID-19 guidance to employers by February 4. In addition to issuing revised guidance, OSHA must consider if an emergency temporary standard (ETS) is necessary, including the necessity for masks in the workplace. If an ETS is deemed necessary—which AGC expects OSHA to do—the agency must issue the standard by March 15. The EO further directs OSHA to launch a national emphasis program (NEP) to focus enforcement efforts on COVID-19 violations in workplaces that place large numbers of workers at risk and to respond to any retaliatory…