Immigration Reform
ABC supports the reform of U.S. immigration policy to facilitate a
sustainable workforce for the American economy while ensuring our national
security and prosperity. Once the economy is restored, the construction industry
will face an ever growing problem of shortages, both of craft-professionals and
legal laborers who have difficulty becoming citizens or obtaining the necessary
work permits. Unfortunately, the overall process to obtain legal eligibility in
the United States is slow and cumbersome. ABC supports a more streamlined and
expedited process to make the pathway to citizenship more efficient. Read
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Davis-Bacon Act/Prevailing Wage
The Davis-Bacon Act is an 80-year-old wage subsidy law administered by the
U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) that mandates so-called “prevailing” wages for
employees of contractors and subcontractors performing work on
federally financed construction projects. The Davis-Bacon Act, as administered
by DOL, unnecessarily hinders economic growth, increases the federal deficit,
and imposes an enormous paperwork burden on both contractors and the federal
government. It stifles contractor productivity by raising costs, ignores skill
differences for different jobs, and imposes rigid craft work rules. Read
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National Labor Relations Board
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is tasked with interpreting and
enforcing the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). The Board which normally
consists of five members was meant to serve as a neutral arbiter of federal
labor law. However, the NLRB largely has abandoned this role in an effort to
unabashedly promote union organizing without regard to its impact on employers,
employees and economic growth. The Board has issued controversial
rulemakings,expanded its enforcement authority and issued dozens of
precedent-reversing legal decisions impacting American workplaces all under
questionable authority. Read
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Government-Mandated Project Labor Agreements
Government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs) end open competition on
public works projects, denying the vast majority of qualified contractors the
opportunity to fairly bid on federal and federally assisted construction
contracts. Government-mandated PLAs needlessly increase construction costs,
discourage competition from qualified merit shop contractors and stifle job
creation for their skilled employees in the construction industry, which
suffered from an unemployment rate averaging 13.5 percent in 2012. Read
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“Persuader” Reporting Requirements
In June 2011, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) proposed drastic regulatory
changes to how it interprets and enforces Section 203 of the Labor-Management
Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA), which covers federal reporting and
disclosure requirements for entities hired by employers to communicate to
employees regarding their right to organize. For decades, both employers and
persuaders have been obligated to file public reports with DOL that disclose
finances and other information if they engage in such activity. Read
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Workforce Development The construction industry provides good, well-paying jobs to American workers
every year. To qualify for many of these jobs, however, workers need
high-quality, flexible skilled training. Read
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Energy/Environment The call for a comprehensive energy policy has grown steadily stronger as
gasoline prices rise. ABC agrees that alternative/renewable energy sources are
vital to America's future. Read
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Estate Tax Repeal When the owner of a construction company dies, the value of the company is
added to the owner's estate and taxed after exemptions. Read
More Federal Contracting The Obama administration has attempted to impose increased burdens on
federal government contractors via policies that needlessly injure competition,
increase taxpayer costs, stifle job creation, and delay the delivery of goods
and services to the government and its customers. Read
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Independent Contractors
Independent contractors are an important part of the construction industry
due to its fluctuating work demands and are often the answer to a pressing
demand for the special skills and know-how required for short-term projects. Read
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OSHA Reform
As builders of our nation's communities and infrastructure, ABC members know
exceptional jobsite safety and health practices are inherently good for
business. Read
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Regulatory Reform
The Obama administration continues to issue rulemakings that directly and
indirectly impact the construction industry. Read
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Right to Secret Ballot Election
Currently, the preferred method for determining whether employees want union
representation is a secret ballot election overseen by the National Labor
Relations Board (NLRB). Read
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Right to Work
The 1947 Taft-Hartley Act allows state governments to determine whether
workers can be forced to join a union, or pay union dues or fees, as a condition
of employment. Read
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Salting Abuse
"Salting" abuse is the intentional placement of trained union professional
organizers and agents in a merit shop facility to harass and/or disrupt company
operations, apply economic pressure, increase operating and legal costs, and
ultimately put the company out of business. Read
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Tax Reform
More than a quarter century after its last significant reform, our nation's
tax system is creaking under its own weight. Read
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