ABC has made some changes to its meeting schedule in an effort to provide more value for attendees. The Meetings Transformation Taskforce set goals to provide more affordable accommodations, keep registration costs in check and reduce the number of meetings overall for next year and moving forward.

The ABC-led Construction Industry Safety Coalition (CISC) testified in front of OSHA March 24 on a proposed rule that would drastically lower the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of respirable crystalline silica for the construction industry.

ABC is looking for members to help judge the 2014 National Craft Championships on May 1 in Birmingham, Ala. Members with demonstrated expertise in a craft who are interested in participating should submit a judge’s form to [email protected] indicating one of the craft competitions they would like to judge by April 11.

ABC’s annual Workforce Development Conference is bringing construction professionals education, networking and careers in construction April 29-May 2 in Birmingham, Ala. Choose from more than 40 educational sessions, keynote speakers and our many networking receptions to increase your professional development.

The U.S. Labor Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced March 19 a new piece of their Fall Prevention Campaign to raise awareness about the hazards of falls among employers and employees in construction. The national safety “stand-down” encourages employers to take time between June 2-6, 2014 to discuss fall prevention, ladder, scaffolding and roof safety and more and will recognize employers that participate with a personalized certificate.

With education sessions and networking receptions, there's something for everyone at the 2014 Workforce Development ConferenceApril 29-May 2 in Birmingham, Ala. Construction owners; mid to upper management; project managers and supervisors; safety and risk professionals; and ABC Chapter staff can pick and choose from concurrent sessions covering a variety of industry topics and network with industry leaders. In addition, attendees can watch more than 180 craft trainees compete in the National Craft Championships. 

Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO (BCTD) President Sean McGarvey declared March 10 during an address to the BCTD 2014 Legislative Conference intent to increase their involvement in the oil, gas and petro-chemical industries, particularly in the Gulf Coast region.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP)  two recently finalized rules go into effect March 24, 2014. The rules drastically alter federal contractors’ existing affirmative action and nondiscrimination obligations with respect to veterans and individuals with disabilities.

ABC has officially launched its National Young Professional Program, which provides ABC member company employees under the age of 40 additional benefits and ways to increase their involvement within the association. By participating in the program, ABC’s young leaders have the opportunity to build relationships, expand their skills and advance their careers while continuing to promote open competition and the merit shop philosophy.

On March 10, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) co-published two documents on the use of employment background checks:  Background Checks: What Employers Need to Know andBackground Checks: What Job Applicants and Employees Should Know.