Íæż½ã½ã submitted comments this week, individually and as part of a construction coalition, to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requesting that construction industry drivers be exempted from hours of service (HOS) rules.
The cost of many products used in construction climbed 7.4 percent over the past year due to double digit increases in commonly-used construction materials, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of new Labor Department data. Association officials noted that the cost increases come as many construction firms are already grappling with shortages of skilled craftsmen essential for projects but have limited ability to increase prices for their services.
Construction employment increased by 23,000 jobs in September and by 315,000 jobs over the past year, reaching a 10-year high, while the industry’s unemployment rate decreased more than half-a-percentage point to 4.1 percent from a year earlier, according to an analysis of new government data by the Associated General Contractors of America. Even as firms increase headcount and increase pay, a survey by the association suggests that this expansion is threatened by a lack of skilled craft labor.
Saxonburg, Penn.-based Brayman Construction and its affiliate, Advanced Construction Robotics, were named as among the most innovative construction firms in the country for creating an autonomous rebar-tying robot for bridge construction projects. Brayman Construction is a member of the Associated General Contractors of America (Íæż½ã½ã), and along with Sundt Construction and the Íæż½ã½ã Oregon-Columbia Chapter, was recognized as the first ever first-place winner of the Íæż½ã½ã-Autodesk Innovation Awards announced today during the Íæż½ã½ã Centennial Celebration.
Construction spending increased 0.1 percent from July to August and 5.3 percent for eight months of 2018 combined, with continued year-to-date gains for major public and private categories, according to an analysis of new government data by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said that these spending figures showed strong demand in construction across the country but that growth in the construction industry still depends on contractors’ ability to find sufficient qualified workers, urging public officials to step up support for career and technical education and to allow employment-based immigration.
The Joint Select Committee on Solvency of Multiemployer Solvency of Multiemployer Pension Plans (JSC) is working on a legislative framework for addressing the multiemployer pension crisis. The committee has concluded its scheduled public hearings and submissions for public stakeholder input ended earlier this week. The committee has spent considerable time focusing on the solvency of large distressed plans and the financial solvency of the Pension Benefit Corporation. However, the committee has spent less time examining the impact on reform changes to healthy plans or creating a framework for a future, sustainable retirement plans in the future, such as the composite plans.
On Sept. 24, Íæż½ã½ã commented on three proposed rules that would significantly affect the applicability and implementation of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The proposed revisions pertain to regulations governing the listing and delisting of species and plants, the designation of critical habitat and the interagency consultations that are part of the approval process for projects that involve federal permits or funding. Íæż½ã½ã’s comment letters (one, two and three) offered examples of why the current process is unpredictable and adds delay and cost to the permitting and construction of infrastructure projects nationwide.
Forty-five states and the District of Columbia added construction jobs between August 2017 and August 2018, while 33 states added construction jobs between July and August, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data released today. Association officials welcomed the job gains but noted that the numbers would have been higher if contractors could only find more qualified workers to hire.
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB or the Board) has announced that it is planning to revisit the standard for determining whether and when contract language can convert an 8(f) collective bargaining relationship to a 9(a) relationship in the construction industry, and it is inviting interested parties to submit amicus briefs. Íæż½ã½ã of America is considering plans to submit a brief. The deadline for submission is Oct. 26, 2018.
The U.S. Department of Labor announced a new digital platform, Apprenticeship.gov. This innovative web portal features an Apprenticeship Finder tool that offers career seekers a platform to search for apprenticeships by city, state, and occupation, as well as connects job seekers to high-skilled, high-paying careers.