ABC National and ABC of Michigan Sept. 6, celebrated a victory when the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit upheld a law that banned government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs) on taxpayer-funded construction projects.

California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) Aug. 27 signed into law S.B. 776, which is designed to curtail the ability of contractors to count contributions to merit shop labor-management cooperation committees (LMCCs) against their fringe benefit obligations only if those committees monitor and enforce the prevailing wage. Other activities will still be allowed. The legislation preserves that ability for contractors contributing to similar committees run by unions.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has issued a survey requesting comments from the construction industry on the potential use of a project labor agreement (PLA) for the Nuclear Systems Wing & Sustainment Center Phase 2 project at Kirtland Air Force Base, Bernalillo County, N.M.

As part of ABC’s partnership with the National Council for Public-Private Partnerships (NCPPP) to educate lawmakers and the construction industry about the benefits of public-private partnerships (P3s), ABC South Texas Chapter is sponsoring a conference Sept. 11, in Austin, Texas.

ABC July 17 celebrated a victory after North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory (R) signed a bill (H.B.110) into law that will prohibit state government entities from requiring contractors to sign a project labor agreement (PLA), or any other agreement with labor unions, as a condition of performing work on public construction projects.

Missouri House Bill 34, which became law on July 15, changes the way prevailing wage rates are determined in the state by taking into consideration both union and nonunion wages and allowing the rates to be calculated by county.

The Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) has issued surveys requesting information on the potential use of a project labor agreement (PLA) on two projects to repair facades at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., one for repairs at Rickover Hall and on for repairs at Nimitz Library.

The ABC Elevator Contractors Council (ECC), formerly known as the Merit Elevator Contractors Association of America (MECAA), is a group of ABC members dedicated to advancing and growing the merit shop elevator sector of the construction industry. From 2012-2013, ABC ECC worked with several chapters to track important legislation and regulations in 20 states related to key merit shop elevator issues. 

During a public-private partnership conference June 27 in Linthicum, Md., experts on P3s gathered to discuss their advantages, how they can provide savings over the long-term and Maryland’s new P3 law (H.B. 560) that went into effect July 1. 

On June 4, OSHA released a directive from Assistant Secretary David Michaels changing how the agency should proceed when there is a fatality investigation at a Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) site.