Author: agcnews

As previously reported, AGC and many other members of the business community, including the American Council of Engineering Companies, the American Institute of Architects and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce have called on President Trump to rescind Executive Order 13950 on “Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping.” The EO has already caused much confusion and uncertainty. AGC remains concerned that it could cause much more. AGC also fears that it could fuel federal investigations of government contractors for simply trying to promote diversity and combating discrimination in the workplace. AGC engaged one of Washington’s leading law firms to take a hard look at the EO…

According to the latest Contractor Compensation Quarterly (CCQ) published by PAS, Inc., Open Shop contractors anticipate skilled craft hourly wage increases of 2.64% in 2020 (2.91% excluding zeros). Actual increases for 2019 were 3.25% (including zeros) and 3.26% (excluding zeros). These increases are across the board for all craft, contractor types, sizes, and regions of the country. WorldatWork reports 2020 actual construction increases at 3.1% for Non-exempt Hourly Non-union positions. Historically, our projected numbers are slightly lower than the actual year end figure, but in this year of COVID-19, that most likely won’t be the case. The chart below shows how open…

The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) has revamped the Employment Referral Resource Directory (ERRD). The ERRD lists government and nonprofit organizations as references to assist federal contractors’ hiring of qualified applicants. ERRD was developed as a compliance assistance tool to help federal contractors identify local job referral services for veterans, individuals with disabilities, women, and minority groups. OFCCP hopes these updates will allow federal contractors to navigate the directory more easily to meet their compliance obligations. The new modernized ERRD provides the following benefits: OFCCP has committed itself to providing proactive, meaningful compliance assistance to help contractors understand and…

Only eight states and the District of Columbia have recouped the severe pandemic-induced losses of construction jobs that occurred last spring, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government employment data released today. Association officials warned that job losses will become even more widespread unless lawmakers promptly renew and expand the loan program that enabled firms to temporarily retain and rehire many workers. “New spikes in coronavirus cases, along with ongoing pandemic-related costs and revenue losses, are causing ever more private owners, developers, and public agencies to delay and cancel projects,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief…

Collective bargaining negotiations settled during the first three quarters of 2020 resulted in an average first-year increase in wages and benefits of 2.7 percent or $1.59, reports the Construction Labor Research Council (CLRC) in its latest Settlements Report. This compares to an average first-year increase of 2.8 percent or $1.66 reported during the same period in 2019 and of 2.9 percent or $1.67 reported for all of 2019. Negotiated increases, measured by percentage, steadily rose by about 0.1 percent per year from 2011 through 2018, and then remained stable from 2018 to 2019. “However, with the 0.2 percent reduction in the size of…

Officials Say Nationwide Plan Should Set Clear Distribution Priorities, Warn that Delegating Responsibility for Distributing Coronavirus Vaccine to State & Local Officials will Lead to Confusion, Delays, & Hardship President Trump and candidate Biden should establish and implement a nationwide plan for the distribution of approved coronavirus vaccines, the Associated General Contractors of America advised today in a letter to the two presidential candidates (Trump and Biden). Establishing such a nationwide plan will help avoid the confusion, delays and potential economic hardships that would result from delegating all responsibility to state and local officials. “A thoughtful and comprehensive plan to rollout the ultimately approved vaccine for the coronavirus will ensure that the construction industry…

On October 15, AGC—along with the American Council of Engineering Companies, American Institute of Architects, U.S. Chamber of Commerce and others—called on President Trump to rescind his Executive Order 13950, Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping.  The EO will generate further confusion and uncertainty, lead to non-meritorious investigations, and hinder the ability of employers to implement critical programs to promote diversity and combat discrimination in the workplace. Earlier this year, AGC launched its own diversity and inclusion initiative—Culture of Care—to advance the construction industry as the industry of choice for diverse and talented workers by building inclusive work environments in firms nationwide. AGC…

As of October 15, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin continue talks on finding a compromise on additional COVID-relief legislation but appear to be at yet another impasse. Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senate Republicans will take up their own relief legislation the week of Oct. 19, which will be similar, if not identical, to legislation voted on in the Senate on September 10 that failed along party lines. If this package fails again, then the Senate is expected to take up legislation similar to S. 4773, the “Continuing the Paycheck Protection Program Act”…

AGC of America, jointly with nine other associations that are members of the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace (“CDW”), submitted an amicus brief to the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB” or “Board”) in a case reviewing the contract bar doctrine on October 8. The contract bar doctrine precludes a union representation or decertification election during the term of a legitimate collective bargaining agreement, up to a three-year term. The NLRB invited amicus briefs in the Mountaire Farms case to provide input as to whether the Board should rescind the contract bar doctrine, retain it as it currently exists, or retain it with modifications. The…

The 2021 competition is now open for one of the country’s most rigorous business safety competitions – AGC’s Construction Safety Excellence Awards (CSEA), sponsored by Willis Towers Watson. This episode highlights AGC-member Faith Technologies – the 2020 Grand Award Winner. Faith’s CEO Mike Jansen and their VP of Safety Rocky Rowlett talk about their safety program, their video series called Charged! and share some of their very own best safety practices. Also hear WTW’s Construction Safety and Risk Control Leader Mike Fredebeil discuss an incredible additional benefit of the safety excellence awards: the annual publication of a free document that…