ABC General Counsel Maurice Baskin Feb. 4 testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Workforce Protections during a hearing titled, “OSHA’s Regulatory Agenda: Changing Long-Standing Policies Outside the Public Rulemaking Process.” On behalf of ABC and the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), Baskin addressed a Feb. 21, 2013, letter of interpretation (LOI) from OSHA allowing union agents and community organizers for the first time to accompany safety inspectors into nonunion facilities, as long as an unspecified (non-majority) number of employees in the nonunion work place designate one.

Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) commended a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California seeking declarative and injunctive relief against an unnecessary and discriminatory new statute (S.B. 54) recently enacted in the California Legislature. SB 54 is special interest legislation that would force private refineries in California to award construction and maintenance work predominately to contractors who sign contracts with Building Trades unions.  

The merit shop construction industry celebrated a victory Feb. 27 when the Santa Fe City Council in New Mexico repealed a controversial ordinance that required the use of wasteful and discriminatory community workforce agreements (CWAs) on all city-funded projects costing more than $500,000. 

The merit shop construction industry celebrated a victory Feb. 27 when the Santa Fe City Council in New Mexico repealed a controversial ordinance that required the use of wasteful and discriminatory community workforce agreements (CWAs) on all city-funded projects costing more than $500,000. 

AIA Contract Documents A Massachusetts Federal District Court Oct. 4 ruled against a “responsible employer ordinance (REO)” in Fall River, Mass., that contained provisions favoring city residents. The ordinance also contained requirements that employers must provide group health insurance and a pension plan or annuity, and maintain an apprenticeship program before being eligible to work on city projects. 

AIA Contract Documents A Massachusetts Federal District Court Oct. 4 ruled against a “responsible employer ordinance (REO)” in Fall River, Mass., that contained provisions favoring city residents. The ordinance also contained requirements that employers must provide group health insurance and a pension plan or annuity, and maintain an apprenticeship program before being eligible to work on city projects. 

A “Fact Finder 12” special report by Kansas station KWCH-TV revealed that a bannering campaign conducted by Carpenters Local 201 was nothing more than an intimidation tactic to protest against nonunion contractors.

A “Fact Finder 12” special report by Kansas station KWCH-TV revealed that a bannering campaign conducted by Carpenters Local 201 was nothing more than an intimidation tactic to protest against nonunion contractors.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released a report showing a drop in union membership from 14 percent to 13.2 percent in the U.S. private construction industry from 2011 to 2012. Today 86.8 percent of the private construction workforce chooses not to belong to a union.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released a report showing a drop in union membership from 14 percent to 13.2 percent in the U.S. private construction industry from 2011 to 2012. Today 86.8 percent of the private construction workforce chooses not to belong to a union.