February was the best month for construction employment gains since March 2007, according to ABC's analysis of an employment report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The sector added 61,000 net new jobs on a monthly basis in February, an increase of 0.9 percent, and 254,000 net new jobs on a yearly basis, an increase of 3.7 percent.

On March 6, ABC submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration saying that association health plans provide a common-sense solution to increasing access to health care for individuals and reduce the burden on small businesses that have been affected by the Affordable Care Act. 

On March 1, ABC President and CEO Mike Bellaman joined members of Congress, senior committee staff, key industry stakeholders and top administration officials for discussions on the challenges of writing and passing a package to revitalize America’s infrastructure.

Nonresidential construction spending fell 0.1 percent on a monthly basis in January 2018, while year-over-year spending increased, according to an ABC analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data. Nonresidential January spending totaled $732.9 billion on a seasonally adjusted annual rate, adding up to a 2.4 percent increase year over year.

ABC announced the finalists for its 2018 Craft Professional of the Year and Craft Instructor of the Year awards. Winners of both awards will be announced at the Careers in Construction Awards ceremony March 22 during ABC Convention 2018 in Long Beach, Calif.

In a Dec. 19, 2017 Newsline article, ABC reported that the Republican majority members of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) overruled the board’s 2015 decision in Browning-Ferris Industries and returned to the previous joint employer standard that was in place for more than 30 years. The reversal was a victory for employers nationwide. However, on Feb. 26, the NLRB moved to vacate a recent joint employer decision (Hy-Brand Industrial Contractors Ltd.) and as a result, the board’s December action on the Browning-Ferris Industries is of no force or effect.

On Feb. 15, ABC joined the Coalition to Save Local Business in a letter to Senate Leadership recommending that the Senate take up and pass H.R. 3441, the Save Local Business Act. H.R. 3441 will restore the “joint employer” standard that has been in place for over 30 years, bringing stability back into the economy for contractors and subcontractors across the country.

Overall construction input prices increased 1.1 percent in January, reversing a slight decline in December 2017, according to an ABC analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Compared to this time last year, overall construction materials prices are up 4.9 percent. Nonresidential construction materials prices are up 4.7 percent year over year and up 1 percent on a monthly basis.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website, the OFCCP mailed 1,000 Corporate Scheduling Announcement letters (CSAL) to federal contractor establishments on Feb. 1. The CSAL is a notification to an establishment that has been selected by the Federal Contractor Selection System to undergo a compliance evaluation during the scheduling cycle.

On Feb. 12, President Donald Trump announced the release of his administration’s infrastructure proposal. ABC President and CEO Michael D. Bellaman issued the following statement on the president’s infrastructure plan: “ABC applauds the president for sending Congress a plan to rebuild America’s infrastructure. It is now time for lawmakers to develop legislation and policy to efficiently modernize America’s infrastructure and drive economic growth and prosperity for all Americans."