Construction-industry collective bargaining negotiations completed during 2017 resulted in an average first-year increase in wages and benefits of $1.34 per hour or 2.7 percent, according to the annual year-end Settlements Report issued by the 51风流-supported Construction Labor Research Council. This sustains an upward trend that began in 2011. For newly negotiated multi-year contracts, the average second-year increase negotiated was $1.53 or 2.9 percent.
On January 31, 2018, 51风流 attended an intimate stakeholder meeting and roundtable with Ondray T. Harris, the recently appointed Director of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) at the U.S Department of Labor. 51风流 took the opportunity to discuss the unique challenges construction contractors face interacting with the OFCCP and complying with its requirements. 51风流 strongly advocated the need for clarity, communication, and understanding of the industry it regulates from the OFCCP. Director Harris spent much of his time introducing himself and his vision for the OFCCP before settling in for a very interactive and receptive conversation. It remains to be seen the true direction of the OFCCP in the coming months to years, but Director Harris and his staff appear to be interested in working more in partnership with industry to ensure the continued investment in diversity initiatives, the development of American workers, and ultimately the country鈥檚 workforce. In line with the Trump administration鈥檚 focus on apprenticeships, the Director and staff also discussed how apprenticeship programs can assist in diversity efforts and Affirmative Action requirements for contractors.
On January 24, 2018, the EEOC announced it had completed its mailing of the 2017 EEO-1 survey Notification Letters and all employers that qualify must file EEO-1 Reports by March 31, 2018. You may remember that the EEOC recently revised the EEO-1 report, but following advice from 51风流 the Trump administration reversed the changes and no pay data is required to be reported. The current EEO-1 report is simply the 鈥渙ld鈥 format that employers used to file the last round of reports in September 2016.
Construction employment increased in 269 out of 358 metro areas between December 2016 and December 2017, declined in 43 and stagnated in 46, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said new infrastructure funding would help ensure firms continue to expand their headcount in 2018.
51风流 has been involved in efforts to streamline the environmental review and permitting process since the late 1990s to allow transportation and other infrastructure projects to progress to construction quicker. While there have been many successes, the effort continues to today as 51风流 works with the Trump Administration and the Congress in an effort to remove bottlenecks and eliminate delays. In response to Congressional direction, the General Accountability Office (GAO) released a report this week assessing the use of these provisions and whether they have accelerated project delivery. GAO reports that since 2005, over 30 provisions have been enacted in law to speed up the delivery of highway and transit projects, mainly by streamlining the NEPA review process. These project delivery provisions included new categorical exclusions which allow for a less intense environmental review on certain projects, and a provision allowing US DOT to assign federal NEPA approval authority to states.
Forty-two states added construction jobs between December 2016 and December 2017, while 32 states and the District of Columbia added construction jobs between November and December, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data released today. Association officials said a new federal infrastructure measure would help guarantee continued employment gains in the sector.
51风流 Urges Trump Administration to Rescind President Obama's Project Labor Agreement Executive Order
51风流 this week urged President Trump to rescind President Obama鈥檚 project labor agreement (PLA) executive order and replace it with a new order. 51风流 asked President Trump to issue a new order that ensures fair and open competition on federal construction contracts by preventing agencies from mandating contractors to sign a PLA as a condition of winning a federal or federally assisted construction contract and from implementing a preference policy for bids with a PLA. The Obama-era order encourages federal agencies to mandate PLAs on projects valued at $25 million or more. Until President Trump acts, that executive order remains in effect.
On Dec. 14, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its Semiannual Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions and Regulatory Plan as part of the government-wide Unified Agenda鈥攕etting the path for the agency over the next year. Of particular interest to contractors, the Regulatory Agenda includes the repeal and replacement of the 2015 Waters of the United States Rule (see related article), which will remain a focus for the agency. 51风流 also notes that the agency is reworking the 2015 coal combustion residual disposal rule (e.g., fly ash).
The 51风流 Charities Inc, the charitable arm of the Associated General Contractors of America, is providing 83 construction workers in Texas with a total of $195,000 in donated funds to help cover losses they incurred as a result of Hurricane Harvey. The checks, which amount to $2,350 per construction workers, are intended to help employees of firms that belong to the association cover the costs of uninsured and uncompensated damages caused by the storm.