The Government Neutrality in Contracting Act (H.R. 1671/S. 71) aims to protect federal and federally-assisted construction contracts from union-favoring project labor agreements (PLAs) mandated by government agencies. If passed, this legislation will allow merit shop contractors to have a fair chance at competing to rebuild America's infrastructure.

At ABC’s Legislative Week, you have the opportunity to come to Washington, D.C. and educate members of congress on top-priority issues that affect you, your business and the construction industry. While each region in the country faces different obstacles, certain issues affect ABC members and the merit shop no matter where you are. 

In advance of a hearing on the topic, ABC sent a letter April 14 to the U.S. House of Representatives encouraging Congress to repeal the employer mandate included in the Affordable Care Act (ACA).  

ABC is hosting its first annual Diversity and Inclusion Summit June 22-23 in Washington, D.C. The summit will bring together industry leaders and key stakeholders who understand the value of supplier diversity in construction and who want to network and learn from other like-minded companies and individuals. The event, which is being held in conjunction with ABC’s Legislative Week, is free to the first 100 attendees.

A diverse coalition of construction industry associations and employer groups led by ABC sent a letter to the U.S. House of Representatives April 13 opposing government-mandated project labor agreements and anti-competitive PLA preferences used by federal agencies as a result of President Obama’s pro-PLA Executive Order 13502 and related regulations. The letter asks lawmakers to cosponsor the Government Neutrality in Contracting Act (H.R. 1671) which was introduced by Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-S.C.) and has been referred to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

The NLRB’s controversial final rule overhauling its procedures for union elections, commonly known as the “ambush” elections rule, will be going into effect April 14 unless a court blocks enforcement of the new rule.

In order to examine core construction challenges faced during petrochemical facility development, Petrochemical Update hasreleased a whitepaper titled “Best Practice in Petrochemical Construction” featuring in-depth interviews with companies like Ineos, Fluor, S&B Engineers, Turner Industries and WorleyParsons. The whitepaper offers insight on topics such as execution strategies and the pros and cons of bidding out work to individual contractors that could save the companies involved millions in capital expenditure.

In a study evaluating Wisconsin’s approach to calculating prevailing wages and its financial impact on taxpayers, the nonpartisan, nonprofit, and independent Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance (WISTAX) found at least two methodological “flaws” that tend to raise prevailing wages above market rates.

During Vote-A-Rama, the U.S. Senate’s unique tradition which gives senators a chance to have votes on numerous amendments to the Senate’s must-pass budget resolution, the Senate passed an amendment containing language banning government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs).

President Obama March 31 signed a memorandum of disapproval effectively vetoing the joint resolution to block the NLRB’s ambush election rule, which will shorten the amount of time between when a union files a representation petition and an election takes place to as few as 14 calendar days beginning on April 14. ABC is continuing their legal challenge to this rule.